Upper Hunter vs Cessnock

Upper Hunter and Cessnock are two New South Wales regions with very different layouts. Cessnock is far more connected, with 71% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and 77.9% near a park, compared to 34.3% and 56.3% in Upper Hunter. However, Upper Hunter is better for basic needs; 42.6% of its homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 38.6% are near health services, while only 24.5% and 11.6% of Cessnock homes have that same access.

Since 2011, these two areas have tracked together as mostly car-dependent places. They share very similar First Nations profiles, with a typical age of 23 and typical personal incomes around $590. Both areas also have similar terrain slopes and a similar variety of amenities within a short walk. While Cessnock has a far larger First Nations population with 6,487 people, Year 12 completion for First Nations students is well higher in Upper Hunter at 31.1%.