Side by sideSuburb comparison

Cooks Hill vs Newcastle East.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,590,000 and $2,390,000. Cooks Hill edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Cooks Hill (median $1,590,000) is roughly 33% cheaper to buy into than Newcastle East ($2,390,000). Over the past year, Newcastle East (+13.8%) ran 6.9 percentage points ahead of Cooks Hill (+6.9%) on house-price growth.

On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Cooks Hill (1075) sits above Newcastle East (1073).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Cooks Hill is the lower entry point at $1,590,000 median, 33% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Investors face a yield-versus-growth split: Cooks Hill delivers the better gross yield (2.45% vs 1.63%), but Newcastle East has run faster on capital growth this year. The right pick depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow or capital appreciation.

For families

Cooks Hill edges out on average school ICSEA (1075 vs 1073).

Common questionsCooks Hill vs Newcastle East

Common questions

Is Cooks Hill or Newcastle East cheaper to buy in?

Cooks Hill has the lower median house price at $1,590,000, roughly 33% below Newcastle East ($2,390,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Which has stronger property growth, Cooks Hill or Newcastle East?

Over the past 12 months, Newcastle East grew +13.8% vs +6.9% in Cooks Hill, a gap of 6.9 percentage points. Twelve-month growth can swing year to year, so weight long-run trends from the individual suburb profiles before making a buy decision.

Does Cooks Hill or Newcastle East have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Cooks Hill scores 1075 vs 1073 in Newcastle East. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.

Which suburb has higher rental yield, Cooks Hill or Newcastle East?

Gross rental yield on houses is 2.45% in Cooks Hill vs 1.63% in Newcastle East. Gross yield equals annual rent divided by purchase price. Net yield (after strata, rates, insurance, agent fees and maintenance) typically runs 1.5-2 percentage points lower.

The numbers behind the take

Cooks Hill
Metric
Newcastle East

Price & Market

$1,590,000
Median house
$2,390,000
$352,800
Median unit
$352,800
+6.9%
Annual growth (house)
+13.8%
Days on market

Rental

$750/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$750/wk
$670/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$670/wk
42.0%
Owner occupied
46.0%
55.0%
Renter occupied
52.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

100
Walk score
100
0
Transit score
20
100
Bike score
100
3,774
Population
1,061
35
Median age
47

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1075
Avg ICSEA
1073

Climate

1143 mm
Annual rainfall
1143 mm
24.7°C
Mean max (Jan)
24.7°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).