Cessnock crime rate and Crime Score · New South Wales council area
Cessnock is a council area in New South Wales with about 71,443 residents. It has a Crime Score 59 out of 100 (moderate), 132nd of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (66th percentile), sexual offences (78th percentile), vehicle theft (87th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 65.
In 2025-26: violent 1,717 per 100,000 (+38% vs five years earlier); property 4,035 per 100,000 (-2% vs five years earlier); break-ins 588 per 100,000 (+21% vs five years earlier); theft 1,333 per 100,000 (-8% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 37th of 129 New South Wales councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Cessnock council area is 5.6% (New South Wales 4.9%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 2.9% of occupied homes (520 public and 135 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; New South Wales 4.2%). An estimated 188 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 28.5 per 10,000 residents (New South Wales 43.4), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 7.6% of residents were born overseas (New South Wales 31%), most often in England, New Zealand, Philippines. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 5.5% (confidence 83 of 100); social housing about 2.6% of homes; about 28 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 7.7% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 1,717 | 1,227 | +38% |
| Property | 4,035 | 2,883 | -2% |
| Break-ins | 588 | 420 | +21% |
| Theft | 1,333 | 952 | -8% |
Questions
Is Cessnock safe?
Cessnock recorded 1,720 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, about 49% higher than the New South Wales rate (1,150) and about 34% higher than the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 58.9 out of 100 (moderate), 132nd of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Cessnock?
420 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 588 per 100,000 residents, about 95% higher than the New South Wales rate (301).
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Suburbs in the Cessnock council area
Aberdare · Abermain · Abernethy · Allandale · Bellbird · Bellbird Heights · Black Hill · Brunkerville · Buchanan · Bucketty · Buttai · Cedar Creek · Cessnock · Cliftleigh · Congewai · Corrabare · Dairy Arm · East Branxton · Ellalong · Elrington · Fernances Crossing · Four Mile Creek · Greta · Greta Main · Heddon Greta · Kearsley · Keinbah · Kitchener · Kurri Kurri · Laguna · Lovedale · Loxford · Millfield · Mount View · Mount Vincent · Mulbring · Murrays Run · Neath · North Rothbury · Nulkaba · Olney · Paxton · Pelaw Main · Pelton · Pokolbin · Quorrobolong · Richmond Vale · Rothbury · Sawyers Gully · Stanford Merthyr · Stockrington · Sweetmans Creek · Watagan · Weston · Wollombi · Yengo National Park
Postcodes in the Cessnock council area
2320 · 2322 · 2323 · 2325 · 2326 · 2327 · 2334 · 2335
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/nsw-cessnock/ · Australian Crime Map