Moving to Paterson NSW 2421
What the official numbers say about living in Paterson — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $300 a week, against a median household income of $1,907 a week.
About 85% of homes are owner-occupied and 13% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Paterson grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (802 → 960 people).
Around 79% of households are families, averaging 2.7 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Germany; most spoken languages besides English: French, Hindi.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Paterson sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 8 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (66% of workers), while 30% work from home.
Nearest train station: Paterson, 650 m south.
Nearest airport: Maitland Airport, 16.1 km south-west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 146 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 2 schools · 1 cafe or restaurant · 1 supermarket · 3 parks — see them all on the Paterson profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Paterson Public School 650 m · Martins Creek Public School 3.5 km
Groceries: Paterson Friendly Grocer 650 m
Parks and reserves: Kings Wharf Park 450 m · Allan Fairhall Reserve 700 m · John Tucker Park 850 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Paterson, most often seen first: Australian Wood Duck · Pacific Black Duck · Wonga Pigeon · Double-barred Finch · Northern Superb Fairy-wren · Coastal New South Wales Australian Magpie.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Paterson, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paterson here | 960 | — | 8/10 | 45% |
| Largs | 1,962 | — | 7/10 | 3% |
| Bolwarra Heights | 3,436 | — | 9/10 | 16% |
| Bolwarra | 1,350 | — | 9/10 | 7% |
| Seaham | 1,011 | — | 7/10 | 39% |
| Aberglasslyn | 6,552 | — | 5/10 | 7% |
| Morpeth | 1,686 | — | 5/10 | 5% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Dungog — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Lyne — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2421 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Paterson profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $300 a week, and about 13% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 802 people to 960. It sits about 146 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Paterson station is roughly 0.7 km away. Local government is Dungog council, and the federal seat is Lyne.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Paterson vs Largs · Paterson vs Bolwarra Heights.
Nearby guides: Largs · Bolwarra Heights · Bolwarra · Seaham · Aberglasslyn · Morpeth.
Keep an eye on Paterson
One email when this data meaningfully changes — new census figures, prices, rankings. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.