Bulahdelah - Stroud
Statistical Area - sa2

Bulahdelah - Stroud has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Bulahdelah-Stroud's population is 5,479 as of Aug 2025, reflecting a 4.7% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 5,235 people. This growth is inferred from an estimated resident population of 5,396 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since then. The population density is 2.3 persons per square kilometer. Bulahdelah-Stroud's growth exceeded the SA3 area (1.9%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 83.6% of recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is projected to expand by 61 persons based on latest numbers, recording a decrease of 0.4% over 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bulahdelah - Stroud when compared nationally

Bulahdelah-Stroud averaged approximately 23 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 118 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 5 approvals recorded. On average, each home built has resulted in around 3.3 new residents annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that demand is outpacing supply, which typically influences pricing and competition among buyers. The average construction cost value of new properties is approximately $433,000, aligning with broader regional development trends.

In the current financial year, there have been $1.9 million in commercial development approvals recorded, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bulahdelah-Stroud has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 55th percentile nationally when assessed by areas. The new building activity shows a significant majority (95.0%) of detached dwellings and a minority (5.0%) of attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with an emphasis on family homes that appeal to those seeking space.

This is further reflected in the population density of around 283 people per approval. Population projections indicate stability or decline, suggesting reduced housing demand pressures in Bulahdelah-Stroud, which could potentially benefit buyers in the area.

Bulahdelah - Stroud has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include the Port Stephens Housing Delivery Program, Stratford Renewable Energy Hub, Port of Newcastle Clean Energy Precinct, and Port Stephens Local Environmental Plan (LEP) & Development Control Plan (DCP). The following list details those likely most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Bulahdelah - Stroud has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Bulahdelah-Stroud has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.4% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.5%. There are 2,528 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 3.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation is lower at 50.3% versus 56.4% regionally. Key employment sectors include construction, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and health care & social assistance.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employ twice the regional average, while health care & social assistance employs 12.2%, below the regional rate of 16.9%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while labour force rose by 0.6%, keeping unemployment stable. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% and a slight rise in unemployment. Statewide, NSW employment contracted by 0.41% to Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bulahdelah-Stroud's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, although these are simplified extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Bulahdelah - Stroud had a median income among taxpayers of $40,416 and an average of $51,385. This is lower than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Bulahdelah - Stroud would be approximately $44,700 (median) and $56,832 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household incomes in Bulahdelah - Stroud fall between the 9th and 13th percentiles nationally, with family incomes similarly ranked. Personal incomes also rank between the 9th and 13th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 26.8% of residents (1,468 people) earn between $400 - 799 annually, differing from regional levels where the dominant category is $1,500 - 2,999 at 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.6% of income remains in Bulahdelah - Stroud, ranking at only the 15th percentile nationally.

Bulahdelah - Stroud is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Bulahdelah-Stroud, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.9% houses and 2.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bulahdelah-Stroud was at 49.2%, with the rest either mortgaged (34.5%) or rented (16.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,538, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Bulahdelah-Stroud was $300, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Bulahdelah-Stroud's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,538 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bulahdelah - Stroud has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 70.5% of all households, including 24.8% couples with children, 34.4% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.1.

Bulahdelah - Stroud faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 13.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (33.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (10.8%), secondary education (8.3%), and tertiary education (2.5%). Bulahdelah - Stroud's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 528 students. The area has varied educational conditions, with 4 primary schools and 1 K-12 school.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Bulahdelah - Stroud area has 189 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. They are serviced by 44 different routes which collectively provide 375 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is moderate with residents typically located 570 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one trip per week for each individual stop.

Health performance in Bulahdelah - Stroud is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Bulahdelah-Stroud faces significant health challenges, with common conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Only 46% (~2542 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (12.0%) and mental health issues (8.9%), while 61.1% report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of NSW's 56.6%. As of 2021, 26.8% (~1467 people) are aged 65 or over, lower than Rest of NSW's 36.0%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Bulahdelah-Stroud are better than the general population.

The latest Census data sees Bulahdelah - Stroud placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Bulahdelah-Stroud had a low cultural diversity, with 89.0% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (90.5%), and speaking English at home exclusively (97.8%). Christianity was the predominant religion in Bulahdelah-Stroud, accounting for 57.8%, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 58.5%. In terms of ancestry, Australian (34.4%) and English (33.5%) were the largest groups, followed by Irish at 8.3%.

Notably, Australian Aboriginal people were overrepresented in Bulahdelah-Stroud at 4.8% compared to the regional average of 4.3%, while Maltese and Scottish populations showed slight divergences of 0.6% and 7.7% respectively.

Bulahdelah - Stroud ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Bulahdelah - Stroud's median age in 2016 was 51 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than the Australian median of 38. The 55-64 cohort was notably over-represented at 17.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 25-34 age group was under-represented at 6.5%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15 to 24 age group grew from 8.7% to 10.7%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 8.8% to 10.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 14.4% to 12.3%, and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 8.3% to 6.5%. By 2041, Bulahdelah - Stroud is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 16%, reaching 497 people from 428. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 58% of the projected growth, while both the 65-74 and 45-54 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.