Buchanan sits 154 km from Sydney CBD in New South Wales, around 1 hour 50 minutes by car. Census data records 212 residents with a median age of 38 and a median household income of $105,456 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 7.6% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $460 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $3,000. The area shows high crime risk. Walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 212. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
How do you rate the liveability in Buchanan?
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Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
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Median House Price
Public listings dataBuchanan's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $860,000, about 9% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$860,000
4% above its 6 neighbours (median $825,000)
Based on 17 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 50 days — median across 10 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 4 bed 12 sales $878K
Land
$422,500
Based on only 4 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Buchanan are currently listed at around $865,000 on average. Based on 6 houses listed in the past six months.
$865K
6 houses listed in the last 6 months.
6 of the suburb's 70 dwellings (8.6%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Buchanan rent for around $700 a week on average, based on 3 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$700/wk
3 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $638/wk
- 78 bonds
- +41% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $490/wk
- 20 bonds
- +55% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2323 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202593 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 32% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2323.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$700/week ($36,000 a year) on a $865,000 median
Based on a small sample (3 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Buchanan safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Buchanan sits in the high band, with 55 incidents recorded in 2025 — up about 8% on the prior year.
55 offences
7.8% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202522 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Cessnock City Council has published 8 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
- Black Creek Nulkaba to Branxton (Stage 2) Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2026
- Greta Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2025
- Greta Flood Study 2019
- Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan Report Cessnock City (Black Creek Stage 1) 2016
- Black Creek Flood Study: Nulkaba to Branxton (Stage 2) 2015
Schools
Walkability
Buchanan is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Buchanan.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 53%
- Premises covered
- 141
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Cessnock: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Buchanan is home to 212 residents, with a median age of 38, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $105,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
212
Median Age
38
Median Household Income
$105,456/yr
Census Median Rent
$460/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$3,000/mo
Avg Household Size
3.0
Median Personal Income
$39,624/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
4.3%
Total Dwellings
70
Owner-Occupier Rate
90.0%
Houses
100.0%
Rental Stress
22.7%
Mortgage Stress
34.1%
Work From Home
24.4%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 87.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 89.6%
- Employment Rate
- 63%
- Completed Year 12
- 28.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,405 a year through Cessnock based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 84%
- Environmental 9%
- Infrastructure and transport 6%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Cessnock
In the year to August 2026, 719 new dwellings were approved across Cessnock. That mix is 560 houses and 159 units. Approvals are down 31.1% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 17.5 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.72 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 1 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Beresfield monitoring station, 12.4 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Cessnock Airport AWS, 18.6 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 40 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 22.4 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 24.2% of addresses
- 48 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 804 mm
- 80 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 30.0°C
- 20 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 5.1°C
- 11 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
4 facilities within 5 km- 2.8 kmOther Non-Metallic Mineral Mining and QuarryingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Carbon monoxide
- 4.6 kmBasic Inorganic Chemical ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Acetic acid (ethanoic acid)
- 4.7 kmCoal MiningTop reported: Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide
- 4.7 km
EV adoption
In postcode 2323, 111 of 20,191 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.1% (633 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2323, 4,617 rooftop-solar systems totalling 30.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 10,594 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 304 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
8 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 2323.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $860,000 this is $260,000 above the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Meryl Swanson Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Meryl Swanson | 56.9% | 43.1% | +4.3 |
| 2022 | Meryl Swanson | 53.3% | 46.7% | +1.7 |
| 2019 | Meryl Swanson | 55.0% | 45.0% | +5.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Clayton Barr Labor
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Clayton Barr ALP | 73.4% |
| 2019 | Clayton Barr ALP | 69.3% |
| 2015 | Clayton Barr ALP | 72.0% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Buchanan?
Every figure above is a locality average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 212 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
East Maitland NSW 2323
Heddon Greta NSW 2321
Cliftleigh NSW 2321
Pelaw Main NSW 2327
Louth Park NSW 2320
Stanford Merthyr NSW 2327
Compare Buchanan to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Buchanan
Is Buchanan a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Buchanan is high (97/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Buchanan?
Buchanan has a moderate recorded bushfire history (55/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Buchanan?
Buchanan, NSW had a population of 212 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Buchanan, NSW?
The postcode for Buchanan, NSW is 2323.
How far is Buchanan from Sydney?
Buchanan is 154 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 109 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Buchanan?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Buchanan was $105,456 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Buchanan?
The median advertised rent in Buchanan is $700 a week for houses (3 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Buchanan?
The median age of residents in Buchanan was 38 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Buchanan at risk of bushfire?
Buchanan has a moderate recorded bushfire history (55/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
What is the air quality in Buchanan?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Buchanan (Beresfield) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 17.5 µg/m³. That puts Buchanan below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Buchanan?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Buchanan, Cessnock Airport AWS (18.6 km away), summer days average 30°C, winter nights 5.1°C, 804 mm of rain a year over 80 rainy days, and 20 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Buchanan?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Buchanan belong to?
Buchanan sits within the Cessnock local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Buchanan?
The average residential rates bill through Cessnock is $1,405 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Buchanan?
Across Cessnock, 719 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 31.1% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Buchanan in?
Buchanan sits within the federal Division of Paterson, currently held by Meryl Swanson (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.