Newcastle West
NSW 2302 · Newcastle
1,453 (2021) → 1,655 est. (2025) · High Growth
Part of the Newcastle local government area (est. 179,758 residents)
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Newcastle West is a high growth suburb in Newcastle, NSW 2302, about 117km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.80M is more expensive than the NSW average. The suburb has 2 schools, a transport score of 98/100, and is right by the coast. Newcastle West has an overall score of 91/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 5/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
ATO 2023-24, postcode 2302 area — postcode-level, not suburb-specific.
Top countries of birth: England (3.65%), China (1.58%), India (1.58%), New Zealand (1.51%), USA (0.83%)
Top languages: Arabic (2.2%), Mandarin (2.2%), Korean (0.89%), Portuguese (0.89%), Indonesian (0.83%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Median price history
Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q1 2026
Residential Safety
Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.
Commercial & services hub. This suburb is a major employment and services centre, drawing a significant daily influx of workers and visitors from surrounding areas. Crime figures are recorded by incident location and include offences involving commuters and visitors, not just residents, so the per-resident crime rates below may overstate the risk for people who live here.
Nightlife hub. This suburb has a high concentration of licensed venues. Crime figures include incidents involving visitors to the nightlife area, not just residents.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
Totals include incidents involving commuters and visitors, not just residents.
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: BOCSAR · Updated March 2026
Schools
Strong school options
Well above average — good-quality schools within reach and a healthy range of options to choose from.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1032 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- NovoschoolSecondary · IndependentICSEA 1077
- Newcastle High SchoolSecondary · GovernmentICSEA 1027
Nearby (within 10km)
- St Francis Xavier's CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 0.6kmICSEA 1096
- Newcastle Grammar Park School CampusPrimary · Independent · 0.8km
- Hamilton South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 0.9kmICSEA 1139
- St Joseph's Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 1kmICSEA 1141
- The Junction Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.3kmICSEA 1115
- Indie School NewcastleSecondary · Independent · 1.3km
- Newcastle East Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1112
- Hamilton Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.6kmICSEA 1106
- Carrington Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.8kmICSEA 996
- Newcastle Grammar SchoolCombined · Independent · 1.9kmICSEA 1181
- Merewether Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2kmICSEA 950
- Newcastle Grammar Bolton Street CampusSecondary · Independent · 2km
Source: ACARA MySchool · Updated 2025
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Employment & Economy
Top local industries
Source: DEWR SALM / ABS Census 2021 · Updated SALM Mar 2026 / 2021 Census
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
In this suburb
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap · Healthdirect NHSD (via Geoscience Australia)
Fitness
Fitness paradise
Top 20% nationally — gyms, leisure centres, pools and sports fields all close by. Easy to stay active without travelling far.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Outdoor paradise
Top 20% nationally — abundant parks and green space, plus trails, bike paths and places to enjoy the outdoors.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Cultural hotspot
Top 20% nationally — theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and landmarks all within reach. A genuinely vibrant cultural scene.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Entertainment paradise
A seriously impressive licensed venue scene — top 20% nationally for density of pubs, bars, clubs and dining.
Nightlife hub. High licensed-venue density drives a significant evening economy here — incidents near the venues are recorded by location, so crime figures include visitors, not just residents.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW · Updated June 2024
Childcare
Outstanding childcare access
Top 20% nationally for childcare service density and quality — an excellent suburb for families with young children.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register · Updated July 2026
Aged Care
Government-subsidised aged care services located in this suburb. Star Ratings are the official ratings for residential aged care homes.
Source: Dept of Health, Disability and Ageing · Updated May 2026 Star Ratings
Places of Worship
Mapped places of worship within 3km of the suburb centre, grouped by religion where recorded. Community mapping may not capture every congregation.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Population & Growth
High GrowthSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Newcastle
Compare Newcastle West with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about Newcastle West
Is Newcastle West safe?
Newcastle West has a residential safety score of 5/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 53,476 per 100,000 across all categories.
What are property prices in Newcastle West?
In Newcastle West, the median house price is $1.80M and the median unit price is $854K. Median weekly house rent is $690.
How far is Newcastle West from Sydney CBD?
Newcastle West is about 117.0 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 201 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Newcastle West?
Newcastle West has 2 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1052 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Newcastle West?
Newcastle West has a transport score of 98/100, including 2 train stations and 27 bus stops.