# Upper Hunter vs Cessnock — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Area comparison · about 115 km apart

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%.

## First Nations

| Statistic | Upper Hunter | Cessnock | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 990 | 6,487 | 5,497 larger in Cessnock |  |
| Median age | 23 yrs | 23 yrs |  |  |
| Year 12 | 31.1% | 26.9% | 4.3 pts higher in Upper Hunter |  |
| Unemployment | 9.1% | 9.7% | 0.6 pts higher in Cessnock |  |
| Median income | $593 | $586 | $7 higher in Upper Hunter |  |
| Household income | $1,590 | $1,672 | $82 higher in Cessnock |  |
| Indigenous language | 1.6% | 1.9% | 0.2 pts higher in Cessnock |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Upper Hunter | Cessnock | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 3.3 | 3.6 | 0.3 higher in Cessnock |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 3.6 | 3.5 | 0.1 more in Upper Hunter |  |
| 15-min city | 43.2% | 35.2% | 8.0 pts higher in Upper Hunter |  |
| Walk to shops | 42.6% | 24.5% | 18.1 pts higher in Upper Hunter |  |
| Walk to transit | 34.3% | 71.0% | 36.8 pts higher in Cessnock |  |
| Walk to school | 43.5% | 51.6% | 8.0 pts higher in Cessnock |  |
| Walk to a park | 56.3% | 77.9% | 21.6 pts higher in Cessnock |  |
| Walk to health | 38.6% | 11.6% | 27.0 pts higher in Upper Hunter |  |
| Intersections/km² | 0 | 4 | 4 higher in Cessnock |  |
| Mean slope | 6.4% | 6.2% | 0.2 pts higher in Upper Hunter |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/iare/IARE102013/upper-hunter/vs/IARE104003/cessnock