Charlestown - Dudley

An assessment of population growth drivers in Charlestown - Dudley reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Charlestown - Dudley's population is 26,079 as of November 2025. This shows an increase of 825 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 25,254. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 25,944 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,170 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Charlestown - Dudley's growth of 3.3% since the 2021 census exceeds the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.9%. Natural growth contributed approximately 50.5% 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, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is expected to increase by 3,009 persons based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 11.0% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Charlestown - Dudley when compared nationally

Charlestown - Dudley has approved approximately 124 residential properties annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 620 homes were granted approval, with an additional 43 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 1.4 new residents per year have been arriving for each new home over these five years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions.

The average construction cost value of new dwellings has been approximately $323,000. In terms of commercial development, around $26.1 million in approvals have been registered during the current financial year, indicating moderate levels of activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Charlestown - Dudley has seen elevated construction levels, averaging 17.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This has maintained good buyer choice and supported existing property values, although recent activity has eased slightly. The recent construction mix comprises approximately 35.0% standalone homes and 65.0% medium to high-density housing.

This shift towards higher-density living provides more affordable entry points and caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This change reflects the current housing mix of around 80.0% houses but addresses reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands. With approximately 371 people per approval, Charlestown - Dudley indicates a mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by around 2,874 residents through to 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Charlestown - Dudley has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion, Uniting Charlestown, 27 Dickinson Street Residential Development, and 14 Frederick Street Residential Development. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Charlestown - Dudley exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Charlestown-Dudley has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.8%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.0%. As of September 2025, 14,045 residents are employed, with a participation rate of 64.4% compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%, and an unemployment rate of 3.2%, 0.6% below the regional average. Key industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with health care being particularly strong at 1.3 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.2%.

Employment opportunities exist locally but many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0%, labour force by 3.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5% and labour force contract by 0.1%. Statewide in NSW as of 25-Nov-25, employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, lower than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts project a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Charlestown-Dudley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.6% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Charlestown - Dudley SA2 had a median income of $55,290 and an average income of $74,133. This is higher than the Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $62,262 (median) and $83,481 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Charlestown - Dudley are around the 57th percentile nationally. Income brackets show that 31.3% of the population, equating to 8,162 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is similar to the metropolitan region's 29.9%. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Charlestown - Dudley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Charlestown-Dudley, as per the latest Census, 80.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 19.8% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Charlestown-Dudley stood at 35.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.4% and rented ones at 26.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's averages of $2,000 and $370 respectively. Nationally, Charlestown-Dudley's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Charlestown - Dudley has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 71.1% of all households, including 31.5% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.9%, with lone person households at 25.4% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

Educational attainment in Charlestown - Dudley aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 28.0%, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. Among residents aged 15+, 23.5% have a university qualification in this SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%).

Vocational credentials are held by 37.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 27.0%. Educational participation is high, with 28.7% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 4.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis indicates that Charlestown - Dudley has 223 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These are served by a total of 72 individual bus routes. Together, these routes facilitate 2,346 weekly passenger trips.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance to the nearest stop being 154 meters. The service frequency across all routes averages 335 trips per day, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Charlestown - Dudley is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Charlestown - Dudley faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~14,734 people), compared to 54.2% across Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues are the most common medical condition in the area, impacting 9.9% of residents, followed by arthritis affecting 8.3%. Approximately 66.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.6% across Rest of NSW. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,407 people), which is lower than the 21.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Charlestown - Dudley is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Charlestown-Dudley, surveyed in 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 88.7% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 92.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 48.3%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 0.1%.

Ancestry wise, Australian (30.0%), English (30.0%), and Scottish (9.0%) were the top groups. Notable ethnic group divergences included Welsh at 0.8% (vs regional 0.8%), Macedonian at 0.8% (vs regional 0.4%), and Australian Aboriginal at 3.3% (vs regional 3.4%).

Charlestown - Dudley's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Charlestown-Dudley is 37 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 14.9%, while those aged 65-74 are smaller at 8.6% compared to the Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 14.0% to 15.1%, and the 25-34 cohort increased from 13.9% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 11.3% to 10.1%. By 2041, projections show significant shifts in Charlestown-Dudley's age structure. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 1,133 people (29%), from 3,890 to 5,024. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.