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 26,204 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 950 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 25,254. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses. The population density stands at 1,176 persons per square kilometer. Charlestown - Dudley's growth rate of 3.8% since the 2021 Census exceeds the SA3 average of 3.2%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 51.6% to 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 are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest ERP population numbers, Charlestown - Dudley is expected to increase by 2,753 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 10.1% over the 16 years.

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

Charlestown - Dudley averaged approximately 124 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 620 homes. As of FY-26, 58 approvals have been recorded. The area has seen an average of 1.4 people moving in annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $323,000.

In the current financial year, $26.1 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to the rest of NSW. Over the past five years, Charlestown - Dudley has seen 17.0% more development per person than the regional average, offering buyer choice while supporting property values. However, development activity has moderated recently. The majority of new building activity consists of townhouses or apartments (65.0%), with detached houses making up 35.0%. This shift from the current housing pattern of 80.0% houses suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and affordability needs.

The area has approximately 371 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established location. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Charlestown - Dudley is projected to add 2,636 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Charlestown - Dudley has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects 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 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.

AreaSearch analysis indicates Charlestown - Dudley maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Charlestown-Dudley has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.8% as of December 2025. This rate is 0.2% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation was high at 68.9%, exceeding Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 27.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area specializes in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.2% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. Some residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 0.3%, labour force rose by 1.4%, and unemployment rose by 1.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment contracted by 1.2%, labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% growth 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, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Charlestown - Dudley SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $59,168. The average income stood at $73,292. This is above the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $65,274 (median) and $80,856 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Charlestown - Dudley cluster around the 57th percentile nationally. The largest segment comprises 31.3% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (8,201 residents), reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, placing disposable income at the 55th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Charlestown - Dudley, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.2% houses and 19.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Charlestown - Dudley was at 35.2%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (38.4%) or rented (26.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $390, compared to Regional NSW's $330. 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 higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 28.9%, with lone person households at 25.4% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA3 area average of 23.5%. 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% of residents 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

Charlestown-Dudley has 252 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 72 different routes that together provide 2,378 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 154 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, and cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 94%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high 27.1% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 339 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 9 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Charlestown - Dudley's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Charlestown - Dudley's health metrics are close to national benchmarks based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among the general population is somewhat typical but higher than the nation's average among older cohorts.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 14,517 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 9.9% and 8.3% of residents respectively. Sixty-six percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,436 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

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 has a cultural diversity below average, with 88.7% of its population born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 92.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Charlestown-Dudley, comprising 48.3% of the population. Judaism's representation stands out at 0.1%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (30.0%), English (30.0%), and Scottish (9.0%). Notably, Welsh is overrepresented at 0.8%, Macedonian at 0.8%, and Australian Aboriginal at 3.3% compared to regional percentages.

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

The median age in Charlestown-Dudley is 37 years, lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 years, and close to the national average of 38 years. The population aged 35-44 years is prominent at 15.4%, while those aged 65-74 years are comparatively smaller at 8.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 14.0% to 15.4%, while the 55-64 age group has declined from 11.3% to 10.0%. By 2041, projections show significant changes in Charlestown-Dudley's age structure. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 978 people (25%), from 3,849 to 4,828. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.