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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bulahdelah - Stroud's population is around 5479 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 244 people from the 2021 Census figure of 5235 people, indicating a growth rate of 4.7%. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5396 in Jun 2024 and the addition of 58 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2.3 persons per square kilometer. Bulahdelah - Stroud's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (1.9%) and SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 83.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. These projections indicate that Bulahdelah - Stroud is expected to expand by 61 persons by 2041 based on the latest population numbers, resulting in a decrease of 0.4% over the 17-year period.

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

Bulahdelah-Stroud averaged approximately 13 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 69 dwellings approved between FY20 and FY25, and 2 approvals recorded in FY26 to date. On average, each home built over the past five financial years accommodated approximately 3.3 new residents, indicating demand outstripping supply, which typically influences property prices positively and intensifies competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost of $433,000, aligning with broader regional development trends.

In FY26, $1.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. 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 based on areas assessed. New building activity comprises predominantly detached dwellings (95.0%) with a minority of attached dwellings (5.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking family homes and space.

With approximately 283 people per approval, Bulahdelah-Stroud reflects a low-density area. Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures in the future, potentially benefiting potential buyers.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 18 such projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable projects 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 projects expected to be 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 balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, unemployment rate was 3.4% in June 2025, and employment grew by 0.5% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 2,528 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.2% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was lower at 50.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in construction, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and health care & social assistance. The area specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 2.3 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 12.2% compared to the regional 16.9%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.5%, while labour force grew by 0.6%, keeping unemployment stable. In contrast, Rest of NSW had employment decline of 0.1% and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bulahdelah-Stroud's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Bulahdelah - Stroud's median income among taxpayers is $40,416. The average income in the area was $51,385 during this period. This figure is lower than the national average. Comparing it with Rest of NSW, Bulahdelah - Stroud has a median income that is $9,043 less and an average income that is $11,613 less. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Bulahdelah - Stroud's median income would be approximately $44,700 as of March 2025. The average income estimate for the same period is $56,832. Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Bulahdelah - Stroud fall between the 9th and 13th percentiles nationally. In terms of earnings profile, the $400 - 799 bracket dominates with 26.8% of residents (1,468 people), which differs from regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.6% of income remains in Bulahdelah - Stroud, ranking it at only the 15th percentile nationally.

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

In Bulahdelah - Stroud, houses accounted for 97.9% of dwellings, with the remaining 2.1% being semi-detached, apartments, or 'other' dwellings, as per the latest Census data. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bulahdelah - Stroud stood at 49.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.5% and rented ones at 16.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,538, above 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 Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $300 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is 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 has lower university qualification rates at 13.6% compared to the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 43.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (33.2%).

Educational participation is high at 27.4%, with 10.8% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education. The five schools in Bulahdelah - Stroud have a combined enrollment of 528 students. These schools offer varied educational conditions across the area, including four primary schools and one K-12 school.

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

Bulahdelah - Stroud has 189 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 44 individual routes, providing a total of 375 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as moderate, with residents typically living 570 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per 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

Health data shows significant health challenges in Bulahdelah - Stroud, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 46% (~2,542 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.0%) and mental health issues (8.9%). 61.1% report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of NSW's 56.6%. 26.8% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,467 people), lower than the 36.0% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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 lower cultural diversity than average, with 89.0% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (90.5%), and speaking English only at home (97.8%). Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 57.8% of Bulahdelah-Stroud's population compared to 58.5% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (33.5%), and Irish (8.3%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 4.8%, Maltese at 0.6%, and Scottish at 7.7%.

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

Bulahdelah - Stroud's median age in 2021 was 51 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 55-64 cohort was notably over-represented at 17.5%, while the 25-34 age group was under-represented at 6.5%. The 55-64 concentration was well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data showed that from June 2016 to August 2021, the 15-24 age group grew from 8.7% to 10.7%, and the 35-44 cohort increased from 8.8% to 10.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 14.4% to 12.3%, and the 25-34 age group dropped from 8.3% to 6.5%. By 2041, Bulahdelah - Stroud is projected to see significant shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 16 people, reaching 497 from 428. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 58% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 45-54 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.