Waratah vs Mayfield West

Mayfield West is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 41 in Waratah. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Waratah, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In Mayfield West, most households own their home. On these figures, Waratah tends to suit older residents.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Waratah

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (8 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (9 vs 3)
  • But Mayfield West has more separate houses rather than flats (80% vs 62%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Mayfield West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($480,000 vs $734,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Waratah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (88/100 vs 74/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Waratah

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (38% vs 20%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 14%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Waratah and Mayfield West drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Waratah Mayfield West
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Waratah Mayfield West
Walkability 88 / 74
Waratah — Walkability: 88/100 Mayfield West — Walkability: 74/100
Safety 9 / 13
Waratah — Safety: 9/100 Mayfield West — Safety: 13/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Waratah — Low fire risk: 100/100 Mayfield West — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Waratah has more residents (4,927 vs 1,993); Waratah skews older (41 vs 34).

Waratah Mayfield West
Population 4,927
+60% vs other
 1,993
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.7% +5.2%
Median age 41 34
Median household income $78,572/yr $82,784/yr
+5% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $370/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Waratah Mayfield West
0-4 4.0% / 5.8%
Waratah — 0-4: 4.0% Mayfield West — 0-4: 5.8%
5-14 8.2% / 11.9%
Waratah — 5-14: 8.2% Mayfield West — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 4.2% / 4.4%
Waratah — 15-19: 4.2% Mayfield West — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 8.4% / 9.0%
Waratah — 20-24: 8.4% Mayfield West — 20-24: 9.0%
25-34 17.0% / 19.3%
Waratah — 25-34: 17.0% Mayfield West — 25-34: 19.3%
35-44 11.3% / 13.5%
Waratah — 35-44: 11.3% Mayfield West — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 11.3% / 12.0%
Waratah — 45-54: 11.3% Mayfield West — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 10.2% / 9.8%
Waratah — 55-64: 10.2% Mayfield West — 55-64: 9.8%
65-74 9.1% / 8.0%
Waratah — 65-74: 9.1% Mayfield West — 65-74: 8.0%
75-84 7.4% / 4.7%
Waratah — 75-84: 7.4% Mayfield West — 75-84: 4.7%
85+ 8.8% / 1.7%
Waratah — 85+: 8.8% Mayfield West — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Waratah 45.7% lone person
Waratah — Lone Person: 45.7% Waratah — Couple Families: 24.0% Waratah — One Parent Families: 17.0% Waratah — Group Household: 11.0% Waratah — Other Families: 2.2%
Mayfield West 43.0% lone person
Mayfield West — Lone Person: 43.0% Mayfield West — Couple Families: 30.6% Mayfield West — One Parent Families: 16.8% Mayfield West — Group Household: 7.7% Mayfield West — Other Families: 2.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Waratah 48.4% renting
Waratah — Owned Outright: 22.2% Waratah — Mortgage: 29.3% Waratah — Renting: 48.4%
Mayfield West 40.3% renting
Mayfield West — Owned Outright: 24.5% Mayfield West — Mortgage: 35.2% Mayfield West — Renting: 40.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Waratah Mayfield West
Certificate III & IV 14.0% / 17.2%
Waratah — Certificate III & IV: 14.0% Mayfield West — Certificate III & IV: 17.2%
Bachelor Degree 14.4% / 12.2%
Waratah — Bachelor Degree: 14.4% Mayfield West — Bachelor Degree: 12.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.5% / 7.1%
Waratah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.5% Mayfield West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Postgraduate Degree 4.9% / 3.9%
Waratah — Postgraduate Degree: 4.9% Mayfield West — Postgraduate Degree: 3.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 2.3%
Waratah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Mayfield West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Waratah Mayfield West
England 1.8% / 1.0%
Waratah — England: 1.8% Mayfield West — England: 1.0%
New Zealand 1.3% / 1.5%
Waratah — New Zealand: 1.3% Mayfield West — New Zealand: 1.5%
Philippines 0.8% / 1.1%
Waratah — Philippines: 0.8% Mayfield West — Philippines: 1.1%
Nepal 1.2% / —
Waratah — Nepal: 1.2% Mayfield West — Nepal: not among its largest
India 0.7% / 0.5%
Waratah — India: 0.7% Mayfield West — India: 0.5%
Malaysia — / 0.4%
Waratah — Malaysia: not among its largest Mayfield West — Malaysia: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Waratah 62.5% houses
Waratah — Houses: 62.5% Waratah — Townhouses: 19.4% Waratah — Flats / Apartments: 18.1%
Mayfield West 79.6% houses
Mayfield West — Houses: 79.6% Mayfield West — Townhouses: 14.5% Mayfield West — Flats / Apartments: 5.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Waratah Mayfield West
Median house price $975,000 $945,000
Median unit price $734,000 $480,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 21 days
from 19 sales
 23 days
from 6 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Waratah Mayfield West
2 bed $900K / $948K
Waratah — 2 bed: $900K (9 sales) Mayfield West — 2 bed: $948K (14 sales)

9 vs 14 sales

3 bed $999K / $936K
Waratah — 3 bed: $999K (40 sales) Mayfield West — 3 bed: $936K (26 sales)

40 vs 26 sales

4 bed $1.02M / $885K
Waratah — 4 bed: $1.02M (10 sales) Mayfield West — 4 bed: $885K (6 sales)

10 vs 6 sales

Zoning mix

Mayfield West has more industrially zoned land (60% vs 3%).

Waratah Mayfield West
Residential 71% 24%
Industrial 3% 60%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 8%
Parks and recreation 8%
same for both
Commercial 6% 0%
Environmental 2% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Waratah Mayfield West
New dwellings approved 912
across Newcastle
same for both
Approvals change year on year +77%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Waratah Mayfield West
Houses 4.0%
$750/wk on $972K
 3.6%
$700/wk on $998K
Units 4.8%
$480/wk on $525K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Waratah Mayfield West
House price Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
Income Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Schools Higher than 3% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 55% of NSW —

Liveability

Mayfield West scores higher overall (50 vs 42); Waratah is more walkable (88 vs 74).

Waratah Mayfield West
Grade C B
Score 42/100 50/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Waratah Mayfield West
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
91/100
 High
87/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 18
within 5 km
 19
within 5 km

Schools

Waratah Mayfield West
Inside the suburb 8 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 4 0
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 2.4 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 2.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.6% 3.1%

Schools in Waratah

  • Callaghan College Waratah Campus Government · Secondary at peers
  • Corpus Christi Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • St Philip's Christian College - Waratah Independent · Combined at peers
  • Waratah Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning Independent · Combined · Special school below peers
  • Newcastle Middle School Government · Combined · Special school

Schools in Mayfield West

  • Mayfield West Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Waratah Mayfield West
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 3 4
Childcare 9 3
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 4 0

Mobility

Waratah Mayfield West
Walkability score 88/100 74/100
Distance to Sydney 155.3 km 157.1 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 120 min
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 145.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 89.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2298
 0.6%
postcode 2304
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 26
postcode 2298
 31
postcode 2304

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Waratah Mayfield West
Car (driver) 62.3% / 65.4%
Waratah — Car (driver): 62.3% Mayfield West — Car (driver): 65.4%
Worked from Home 26.8% / 25.9%
Waratah — Worked from Home: 26.8% Mayfield West — Worked from Home: 25.9%
Walked Only 4.0% / 3.3%
Waratah — Walked Only: 4.0% Mayfield West — Walked Only: 3.3%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 2.5%
Waratah — Car (passenger): 3.8% Mayfield West — Car (passenger): 2.5%
Bus 1.5% / 2.1%
Waratah — Bus: 1.5% Mayfield West — Bus: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.4%).

Setting

Waratah Mayfield West
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.8 km 3.3 km

NBN connectivity

Waratah Mayfield West
Connectivity score 69/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 43%
2,512 premises
 100%
1,565 premises

Climate

Waratah Mayfield West
Annual rainfall 1,025 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Waratah Mayfield West
PM2.5 6.6 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 21.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.75 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Waratah Mayfield West
Average residential rate $1,783/yr
same for both
Council Newcastle
same for both

Federal electorate

Waratah Mayfield West
Division Newcastle
same for both
Member Sharon Claydon
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Waratah Mayfield West
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Waratah

Parks Retirees

Mayfield West

Parks Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Waratah

Waratah vs Mayfield Waratah vs Lambton Waratah vs North Lambton Waratah vs Waratah West Waratah vs Georgetown Waratah vs Broadmeadow

Other comparisons with Mayfield West

Mayfield West vs Mayfield Mayfield West vs Waratah West Mayfield West vs Warabrook Mayfield West vs Sandgate
Full data on Waratah Full data on Mayfield West
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or