SuburbCheck

Thornton

NSW 2322 · Maitland

10,690 (2021) → 13,325 est. (2025) · High Growth

Part of the Maitland local government area (est. 99,787 residents)

66
Overall score

Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.

10,690
Population
$828K
Median house (2025)
51
Safety score
87
Transport score

Thornton is a high growth suburb in Maitland, NSW 2322, about 128km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $828K is more affordable than the NSW average. The suburb has 2 schools, a transport score of 87/100, and is about 19km inland. Thornton has an overall score of 66/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 51/100.

127.7 km
To Sydney CBD
19.1 km
To coast
$660/wk
Median rent (house)
310 m
To nearest station

Demographics

10,690
Population
32
Median age
2.8
Avg household

Age distribution

Maitland LGA population (est. 2025)99,787
Median household income (weekly)$2,051
vs NSW median+10.9%
Bachelor degree or higher24.8%
Born in Australia88.1%
Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse3,433 / 34 / 231

Top countries of birth: England (1.79%), New Zealand (1.09%), India (0.81%), Philippines (0.55%), South Africa (0.55%)

Top languages: Punjabi (0.58%), Mandarin (0.51%), Afrikaans (0.47%), Urdu (0.29%), Tagalog (0.25%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$828K+8.4%
Median house (2025)
$692K
Median unit (2025)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$660 / $600 wk
Rental yield (house)4.1%
Days on market (house)33 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025

Residential Safety

51
Residential

Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:

24
Break & enter dwelling225/100k
9
Steal from dwelling84/100k
30
Motor vehicle theft281/100k
76
Domestic assault711/100k
0
Robbery0/100k
34
Non-domestic assault318/100k

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

Total recorded incidents: 813 (all categories, latest year)7,605 per 100,000 residents2-yr5-yr

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 2025

Schools

51

Reasonable school mix

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of schools, though the strongest options may require some travel.

39
Within 10km2 in suburb
1
Govt (suburb)
0
Catholic (suburb)
1
Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 971 (below the national average of 1000).

In suburb

  • Aspect Hunter SchoolCombined · IndependentICSEA 993
  • Thornton Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 980

Nearby (within 10km)

  • Beresfield Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.8kmICSEA 912
  • Francis Greenway High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.8kmICSEA 914
  • Metford Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3kmICSEA 875
  • Hunter River Community SchoolCombined · Government · 3kmICSEA 956
  • St Aloysius Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 3kmICSEA 1058
  • Maitland Christian SchoolCombined · Independent · 3.2kmICSEA 1050
  • St Bede's Catholic CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 3.2kmICSEA 1027
  • Arise Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · 3.2kmICSEA 936
  • Woodberry Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.3kmICSEA 830
  • Woodberry Learning CentreCombined · Government · 3.4kmICSEA 865
  • Ashtonfield Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.5kmICSEA 1012
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 3.8kmICSEA 998

Source: ACARA 2023

Transport

87
2Train
73Bus
CBD commute (est.)Data not available
Peak train frequency379/hr
Nearest train stationThornton (310 m)

Source: TfNSW GTFS

Liveability

27.5°C
Summer max
18.0°C
Winter max
1,100mm
Rainfall/yr
7h
Sun/day

Amenities within 2–3km

Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.

21 in suburbSupermarkets
33 in suburbCafes/Rest.
77 in suburbParks
1111 in suburbPlaygrounds
1858 in suburbPools
31 in suburbGyms
0Dog parks
43 in suburbGPs
31 in suburbPharmacies
113 in suburbChildcare
21 in suburbLibraries
6131 in suburbSports fields
0Vets
Nearest beachData not available
Nearest hospitalNew Maitland Hospital (3.9 km)
Nearest vet5.7 km
Nearest airportNewcastle (5.3 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap

Fitness

31

Limited facilities

Below average — fewer fitness options nearby, so you may need to travel to a gym or pool.

3
Gyms
2
Leisure centres
2
Public pools
61
Sports fields

Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Outdoors

2

Mostly urban

Very little parkland or outdoor recreation in and around this suburb.

7
Parks
0
Nature reserves
0
Bike paths
0
Hiking trails
0
Dog parks
0
Picnic areas
3
Skate parks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Culture

11

Few cultural venues

Very few cultural venues in and around this suburb.

0
Theatres
0
Cinemas
0
Museums
0
Galleries
2
Libraries
0
Arts centres
1
Landmarks

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

4

Not much nightlife

Very few licensed venues nearby — you'll be heading to a neighbouring suburb for a night out.

1
Pubs & Hotels
0
Bars
0
Clubs RSL/Leagues
1
Dining & Licensed
Licensed venues per 1,000 residents0.09

View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →

Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW

Childcare

54

Some choices available

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of childcare options, though popular services may have waiting lists.

8
Long Day Care
1
OSHC
Total services9
Exceeding NQS or above2 of 9 rated
Services per 1,000 residents0.84

View childcare centres on the map →

Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register

Population & Growth

High Growth
Annual growth rate5.66%
Projected population 204123,324
Projected households 2041Data not available

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Maitland

Chisholm$1.03M58transportMetford$758K92transportAshtonfield$916K55transportWoodberry$620K58transportBerry ParkData not available41transportTenambit$800K63transport

Compare Thornton with another suburb

Compare two suburbs

Thornton

Frequently asked questions about Thornton

Is Thornton safe?

Thornton has a residential safety score of 51/100, 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 7,605 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Thornton?

In Thornton, the median house price is $828K and the median unit price is $692K. Median weekly house rent is $660.

How far is Thornton from Sydney CBD?

Thornton is about 127.7 km from Sydney CBD.

What schools are in Thornton?

Thornton has 2 schools, with an average ICSEA of 987 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Thornton?

Thornton has a transport score of 87/100, including 2 train stations and 73 bus stops.

Data sources: ABS Census 2021 & ERP, NSW Valuer General, BOCSAR, TfNSW, ACARA, Bureau of Meteorology, OpenStreetMap, NSW DPHI. Data refreshed quarterly.

Data shown is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. How we calculate scores.