suburb.guide

NSW · Newcastle Council

Cooks Hill, NSW, 2300

Desirability index

44.8/100

#406 among Metro Sydney suburbs

How this score is calculated

Suburb snapshot

Cooks Hill is a smaller suburban community in the Newcastle area, home to around 3,774 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 2,998 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (-4%), roughly 794.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $690 (flats $680, houses $750), 1 school and preschool site in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.

Population

Population
3,774
Median age
35
Median household income / week
$1,881
Dwelling vacancy
11.7%
Unoccupied private dwellings
228 of 1,942
Median monthly mortgage
$2,297
Employment rate
65.8%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
92 / 879 / 532

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Housing

Flats / units (January to March 2026)
$680
Houses (January to March 2026)
$750
All types (January to March 2026)
$690
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
335

Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.

Data sources & freshness

Crime & safety

Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
2,998
Against the person
551
Against property
1,199
Rate per 1,000 residents
794.4
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 7 residents
State safety percentile
30.3th (lower crime is better)
Year-on-year change
-4.3%

Most common offence types

  • Breach Bail Conditions756
  • Malicious Damage To Property206
  • Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault197
  • Other Theft189
  • Steal From Motor Vehicle173

Data sources & freshness

  • BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows

Schools & preschools

Schools & preschools
1
Median school ICSEA
949
  • Alesco Secondary CollegeSpecial

Data sources & freshness

Public transport

28 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Newcastle Grammar School, Union St
  • Parkway Av After Bruce St
  • Parkway Av At Bruce St
  • Union St After Parry St
  • Union St After Parry St

Data sources & freshness

Planning & development

Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).

223 planning-related records

2026· 13 proposals

  • June 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space
    48 TOOKE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Under Assessment

  • May 2026

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation
    179 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Under Assessment
  • Shed; Erection of a new structure; Fences; Landscaping structures
    41 CORLETTE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure
    1 79 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Under Assessment

  • April 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    83 TOOKE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Demolition; Commercial development; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)
    1 126 DARBY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Registered club
    98A DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • March 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    12 YOUNG STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Commercial development; Erection of a new structure
    9 QUEEN STREET COOKS HILL 2300Under Assessment
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    34 RAILWAY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • February 2026

  • Hotel or motel accommodation; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Tourist and visitor accommodation
    140 DARBY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • January 2026

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    140 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Commercial development; Erection of a new structure
    9 QUEEN STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
2025· 28 proposals

  • December 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    60 RAILWAY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • November 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    16 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • October 2025

  • Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)
    50 PARKWAY AVENUE COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    34 RAILWAY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    123 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Commercial development; Erection of a new structure
    9 QUEEN STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    157 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • September 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    24 CORLETTE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    92 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    22 PARRY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Garage, carport or carparking space
    48 TOOKE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    118 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • August 2025

  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah
    98A DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    65 TOOKE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    123 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • June 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    130 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Residential flat building; Commercial development; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
    113-125 DARBY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Withdrawn

  • May 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure
    38 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure
    48 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    60 RAILWAY STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport
    50 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • April 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure
    77 TOOKE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • March 2025

  • Demolition; Fences
    2 CORLETTE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facility; Other Infrastructure
    1 LAMAN STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    111 DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • February 2025

  • Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure
    100 BRUCE STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined

  • January 2025

  • Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation
    86 BULL STREET COOKS HILL 2300Determined
2024· 40 proposals

40 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2023· 37 proposals

37 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2022· 51 proposals

51 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2021· 49 proposals

49 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

2020· 5 proposals

5 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

118 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km

  • Alcohol
  • Vintage CellarsAlcohol
  • Winning AppliancesAppliance
  • ATM
  • 5 Sawyers Darby StreetBar
  • Bar RomeoBar
  • Terrace on DarbyBar

    171 Darby Street, Cooks Hill

  • SKiiNsureBeauty salon
  • The Beauty BarBeauty salon
  • Bench (10)

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Centennial ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Hospitals & GP clinics
2
Emergency department
Not in suburb
  • Darby Street Day Night Chemistpharmacy
  • The Good Dentistdentist

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic (SEIFA)

IRSAD decile (2021)
10/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

1 state heritage place

  • St John's Church, Hall & Grounds1D Parry Street Cooks HillSHR

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site

Green cover

Parks & woodland (OSM)
1
Parks (OSM)
1

OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh

Desirability index

Desirability score
44.8/100
Cohort rank
#406 among Metro Sydney suburbs

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics

Recent changes

  • Newcastle Grammar School, Union Sttransport
  • Parkway Av After Bruce Sttransport
  • Parkway Av At Bruce Sttransport
  • Union St After Parry Sttransport
  • Union St After Parry Sttransport
  • St John's Church, Hall & Groundsheritage1D Parry Street Cooks HillSHR
  • Darby Street Day Night Chemisthealthpharmacy
  • The Good Dentisthealthdentist
  • Centennial Parkgovernmentpark
  • Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandahplanning98A DAWSON STREET COOKS HILL 2300Lodged 28 Aug 2025 · Determined

Data sources & freshness

Similar suburbs

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