House Prices
House prices
Data source: NSW Govt Rent and Sales Report
The latest data shows housing prices in the Hunter continuing to strengthen, with momentum clearly lifting over the past year. In the December quarter 2025, the Greater Newcastle Area combined indicator (Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle and Port Stephens) rose by 3.7% over the quarter and 10.6% over the year, reaching 874 (in $000s). This is a strong and broad-based rise across the five core LGAs, with all five posting gains over the quarter and over the past 12 months. Over the six months to December 2025, the largest increases among the core five were in Cessnock (11.6%), Newcastle (9.9%) and Port Stephens (7.6%), followed by Maitland (5.9%) and Lake Macquarie (3.5%). Gains were widespread outside the core five as well, led by Dungog (21.8%), Singleton (10.2%) and Mid-Coast (8.1%). Even with recent gains, several Hunter LGAs remain below the NSW median value level.
Data source: NSW Govt Rent and Sales Report
Rental prices
For renters, the latest quarterly data (March 2026) indicates that rents are still edging higher rather than stalling. The data below tracks median weekly rent for 3-bedroom stand-alone houses. Users can view either the median value by LGA, or each LGA indexed to September 2010 (showing relative rent growth before and after that point). The latest release from the NSW Govt Rent and Sales Report extends to the March quarter of 2026. Across the Greater Newcastle Area (Cessnock, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Newcastle and Port Stephens), median rents rose 2.0% over the quarter and 6.3% over the year.
Data source: NSW Govt Rent and Sales Report. Data indexed to start 2009.
In the six months to March 2026, rent movements were positive across almost all Hunter LGAs. The strongest gains were in Muswellbrook (+9.4%) and Lake Macquarie (+6.9%), followed by Port Stephens (+5.8%), Mid-Coast (+5.8%) and Cessnock (+5.5%). Newcastle rose 4.9%, while Maitland (+3.3%) and Singleton (+3.0%) recorded more moderate increases. Upper Hunter Shire was the exception, easing 3.6% over the half-year.
Data source: NSW Govt Rent and Sales Report
House prices to annual rent ratio
The ratio of house prices to annual rent has continued to edge higher, reflecting the recent strengthening in house price growth relative to more moderate rent growth. A rising price-to-rent ratio indicates that, on a rental-yield basis, housing has become relatively less attractive, with rents rising more slowly than prices over this period. Internationally, a ratio of 20 is often considered a baseline, but Australia, and the Hunter, remains well above this level, reflecting the high cost of home ownership. The peak in house prices observed in 2022 is mirrored in the price-to-rent ratio, highlighting that rents did not experience the same surge as house prices at that time.
Data source: NSW Govt Rent and Sales Report
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.