Waratah West vs Warabrook

Waratah West is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 45 in Warabrook. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Waratah West, about half of households rent. In Warabrook, most households own their home. On these figures, Waratah West tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households, while Warabrook suits 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 West

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (85% vs 70%)
  • But Warabrook is already more of a family suburb (54% vs 42%)

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

First-home buyers

Waratah West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($621,000 vs $765,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Waratah West

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (46% vs 34%)

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

Commuting to the city

Waratah West

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (117 min vs 122 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (155.4 km vs 159.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Warabrook

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (30% vs 15%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (26% vs 15%)

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 West and Warabrook 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 West Warabrook
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 West Warabrook
Walkability 70 / 76
Waratah West — Walkability: 70/100 Warabrook — Walkability: 76/100
Safety 29 / 30
Waratah West — Safety: 29/100 Warabrook — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Waratah West — Low fire risk: 100/100 Warabrook — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Waratah West has more residents (3,142 vs 1,982); Warabrook skews older (45 vs 31).

Waratah West Warabrook
Population 3,142
+37% vs other
 1,982
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.2% +0.5%
Median age 31 45
Median household income $78,936/yr $84,968/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk
+4% vs other
 $375/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Waratah West Warabrook
0-4 5.2% / 4.0%
Waratah West — 0-4: 5.2% Warabrook — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 8.5% / 10.0%
Waratah West — 5-14: 8.5% Warabrook — 5-14: 10.0%
15-19 6.6% / 5.0%
Waratah West — 15-19: 6.6% Warabrook — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 13.5% / 6.2%
Waratah West — 20-24: 13.5% Warabrook — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 21.7% / 13.4%
Waratah West — 25-34: 21.7% Warabrook — 25-34: 13.4%
35-44 11.6% / 10.2%
Waratah West — 35-44: 11.6% Warabrook — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 9.4% / 11.6%
Waratah West — 45-54: 9.4% Warabrook — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 8.8% / 13.1%
Waratah West — 55-64: 8.8% Warabrook — 55-64: 13.1%
65-74 6.1% / 12.6%
Waratah West — 65-74: 6.1% Warabrook — 65-74: 12.6%
75-84 5.7% / 7.1%
Waratah West — 75-84: 5.7% Warabrook — 75-84: 7.1%
85+ 3.3% / 6.2%
Waratah West — 85+: 3.3% Warabrook — 85+: 6.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Waratah West 36.8% lone person
Waratah West — Lone Person: 36.8% Waratah West — Couple Families: 26.3% Waratah West — One Parent Families: 15.8% Waratah West — Group Household: 18.1% Waratah West — Other Families: 3.0%
Warabrook 36.7% lone person
Warabrook — Lone Person: 36.7% Warabrook — Couple Families: 37.0% Warabrook — One Parent Families: 16.9% Warabrook — Group Household: 6.7% Warabrook — Other Families: 2.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Waratah West 45.5% renting
Waratah West — Owned Outright: 25.6% Waratah West — Mortgage: 29.0% Waratah West — Renting: 45.5%
Warabrook 34.2% renting
Warabrook — Owned Outright: 38.2% Warabrook — Mortgage: 27.6% Warabrook — Renting: 34.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Waratah West Warabrook
Bachelor Degree 14.4% / 13.1%
Waratah West — Bachelor Degree: 14.4% Warabrook — Bachelor Degree: 13.1%
Certificate III & IV 14.3% / 13.1%
Waratah West — Certificate III & IV: 14.3% Warabrook — Certificate III & IV: 13.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 8.1%
Waratah West — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Warabrook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1%
Postgraduate Degree 5.1% / 5.7%
Waratah West — Postgraduate Degree: 5.1% Warabrook — Postgraduate Degree: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.2%
Waratah West — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Warabrook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.4%).

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 West Warabrook
China 1.4% / 3.3%
Waratah West — China: 1.4% Warabrook — China: 3.3%
England 1.9% / 1.5%
Waratah West — England: 1.9% Warabrook — England: 1.5%
Vietnam 1.1% / 1.5%
Waratah West — Vietnam: 1.1% Warabrook — Vietnam: 1.5%
India 0.9% / 0.9%
Waratah West — India: 0.9% Warabrook — India: 0.9%
New Zealand 0.5% / 1.2%
Waratah West — New Zealand: 0.5% Warabrook — New Zealand: 1.2%
Philippines — / 1.4%
Waratah West — Philippines: not among its largest Warabrook — Philippines: 1.4%
Pakistan 0.9% / —
Waratah West — Pakistan: 0.9% Warabrook — Pakistan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Waratah West 85.2% houses
Waratah West — Houses: 85.2% Waratah West — Townhouses: 9.1% Waratah West — Flats / Apartments: 5.7%
Warabrook 69.9% houses
Warabrook — Houses: 69.9% Warabrook — Townhouses: 26.7% Warabrook — Flats / Apartments: 3.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Waratah West Warabrook
Median house price $930,000 $987,500
Median unit price $621,000 $765,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 19 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 West Warabrook
3 bed $932K / $848K
Waratah West — 3 bed: $932K (58 sales) Warabrook — 3 bed: $848K (14 sales)

58 vs 14 sales

4 bed $960K / $1.05M
Waratah West — 4 bed: $960K (20 sales) Warabrook — 4 bed: $1.05M (13 sales)

20 vs 13 sales

Zoning mix

Warabrook has more industrially zoned land (16% vs 0%).

Waratah West Warabrook
Residential 62% 41%
Environmental 23% 28%
Industrial 0% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 6%
Parks and recreation 5% 7%
Commercial 0% 2%
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 West Warabrook
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 West Warabrook
Houses 4.1%
$735/wk on $932K
 3.8%
$645/wk on $876K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Waratah West Warabrook
House price Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Income Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW

Liveability

Waratah West Warabrook
Grade B
same for both
Score 54/100 56/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Waratah West Warabrook
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
71/100
 High
70/100
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 13
within 5 km
 15
within 5 km

Schools

Waratah West Warabrook
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 1.2 km
 2
The University of Newcastle (Callaghan), 1.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 7.8% 2.7%

Schools in Waratah West

  • Waratah West Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Aspect Hunter School, Waratah West Satellite Independent · Primary · Special school

Schools in Warabrook

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Waratah West Warabrook
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 1 2
GPs 0 2

Mobility

Warabrook sits further from the CBD (159.9 km vs 155.4 km).

Waratah West Warabrook
Walkability score 70/100 76/100
Distance to Sydney 155.4 km 159.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 117 min 122 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 80/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 64.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 45.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 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 West Warabrook
Car (driver) 67.8% / 67.5%
Waratah West — Car (driver): 67.8% Warabrook — Car (driver): 67.5%
Worked from Home 22.0% / 24.2%
Waratah West — Worked from Home: 22.0% Warabrook — Worked from Home: 24.2%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 3.8%
Waratah West — Car (passenger): 4.0% Warabrook — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Walked Only 2.6% / 2.2%
Waratah West — Walked Only: 2.6% Warabrook — Walked Only: 2.2%
Bus 2.6% / 0.8%
Waratah West — Bus: 2.6% Warabrook — Bus: 0.8%
Train 0.2% / 1.5%
Waratah West — Train: 0.2% Warabrook — Train: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.8%).

Setting

Waratah West Warabrook
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.5 km 4.2 km

NBN connectivity

Waratah West Warabrook
Connectivity score 77/100 95/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 58%
1,472 premises
 85%
1,044 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Waratah West

Parks Quiet Students

Warabrook

Parks Quiet Retirees Townhouses Trains Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Waratah West

Waratah West vs Lambton Waratah West vs Waratah Waratah West vs North Lambton Waratah West vs Mayfield West Waratah West vs Callaghan

Other comparisons with Warabrook

Warabrook vs Shortland Warabrook vs Mayfield West Warabrook vs Callaghan Warabrook vs Sandgate
Full data on Waratah West Full data on Warabrook
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.

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