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 5475 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 240 people (4.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5235 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5394 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 57 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2.3 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Bulahdelah - Stroud's 4.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (2.1%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 83.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of Australia's regional areas is anticipated. The area is expected to expand by 61 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a decrease of 0.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Bulahdelah-Stroud averaged approximately 23 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 118 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.3 new residents per year were associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly outpacing supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $342,000.

In FY-26, there have been $1.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bulahdelah-Stroud records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 55th percentile nationally. New development consists predominantly of detached dwellings (95.0%) with a minority of medium and high-density housing (5.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low density character.

With around 283 people per approval, Bulahdelah-Stroud reflects a low density area. Population is expected to remain stable or decline, potentially reducing pressure on housing and creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives 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 most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Bulahdelah - Stroud remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Bulahdelah-Stroud has a balanced 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 0.2% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is lower at 50.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include construction, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and health care & social assistance.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly strong with an employment share 2.3 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 12.2% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the past year, employment increased by 0.5%, while labour force grew by 0.6%, maintaining a stable unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. 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.

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, with an average of $51,385. This is lower than the national average. Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Bulahdelah - Stroud would be approximately $45,512 (median) and $57,865 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family and personal incomes in Bulahdelah - Stroud fall between the 9th and 13th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the predominant cohort spans 26.8% of locals (1,467 people) with incomes in the $400 - 799 category, differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.6% of income remains, 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

The 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). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Bulahdelah - Stroud was 49.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.5% and rented ones at 16.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,538, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300. Nationally, Bulahdelah - Stroud's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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, 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 university qualification rate in the area 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 the most prevalent at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 43.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including 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%). The five schools in Bulahdelah - Stroud have a combined enrollment of 528 students. The area has varied educational conditions, with 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 area has 189 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of train and bus services, with 44 individual routes in total. The combined weekly passenger trips from these routes amount to 375.

Residents' average distance to the nearest transport stop is 570 meters, indicating moderate accessibility. Daily service frequency averages 53 trips across all routes, translating to roughly one weekly trip per 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 high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, 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% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Rest of NSW's 56.6%. 26.8% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,466 people), lower than the 36.0% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors present challenges, performing better than the general population in some 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 cultural diversity index below the average, with 89.0% of its population being Australian citizens, 90.5% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 57.8% of the population, compared to 58.5% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (33.5%), and Irish (8.3%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal people were overrepresented at 4.8%, compared to 4.3% regionally, as were Maltese at 0.6% (vs 0.5%) and Scottish at 7.7% (vs 8.0%).

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

Bulahdelah - Stroud's median age as of 2021 was 51 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 55-64 cohort made up 17.5% of Bulahdelah - Stroud's population, which is notably over-represented compared to the national figure of 11.2%. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group was under-represented at 6.5%. Post-Census data shows that from June 2021 to June 2022, 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 group dropped from 8.3% to 6.5%. By 2041, Bulahdelah - Stroud is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The 35-44 group is expected to grow by 12%, reaching 68 people and a total of 629 from the previous figure of 560. 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 expected to see reduced numbers.