Charlestown - Dudley
Statistical Area - sa2

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 approximately 26,044 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 790 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 25,254. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates of 25,944 in June 2024 and validated new addresses totalling 259 since the Census date. The resulting population density is 1,168 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages found across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Charlestown - Dudley's growth rate of 3.1% since the 2021 census surpassed the SA3 area average of 2.8%. Natural growth contributed approximately 50.5% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovers areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics suggest a median increase outside capital cities, with Charlestown - Dudley expected to gain 3,009 persons by 2041, representing an 11.2% total increase over the 17-year period.

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

Charlestown - Dudley has recorded approximately 124 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, showing 620 homes over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 10 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built over these five years. This indicates a balanced supply and demand dynamic, fostering stable market conditions while new homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $448,000.

Additionally, $26.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity compared to the rest of NSW. Charlestown - Dudley has shown slightly more development than the regional average over the past five years, preserving reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent construction comprises 35.0% standalone homes and 65.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, differing from the current housing mix which is predominantly houses (80.0%). Charlestown - Dudley indicates a mature market with around 371 people per approval.

Future projections show an expected increase in population by 2,909 residents by 2041, suggesting that new housing supply should readily meet demand based on current development patterns, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 37 projects expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion, Macquarie Tower, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion in Gateshead, and Uniting Charlestown. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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. The unemployment rate stands at 3.0%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year as of June 2025.

In this period, 14,088 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.7% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. The workforce participation rate was higher at 64.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with a notable specialization in health care & social assistance (1.3 times the regional level). Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.2%, compared to the regional figure of 5.3%.

While local employment opportunities exist, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.3% while labour force grew by 2.5%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National unemployment stood at 4.5%, with national employment growth lagging at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Charlestown - Dudley's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Charlestown - Dudley is $55,290 and average income is $74,133. This compares to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $61,151 (median) and $81,991 (average). Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Charlestown - Dudley are around the 58th percentile nationally. Income brackets show that 31.3% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to metropolitan regions at 29.9%. High housing costs consume 15.5% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile. 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

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). Non-Metro NSW had 82.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Charlestown - Dudley was 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. Median weekly rent was $390 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Charlestown - Dudley's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 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 aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

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

The area's educational profile is notable within its region, with university qualification rates at 28.0% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. This rate also exceeds that of the SA3 area (23.5%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%).

Vocational credentials are prominent, with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - 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. There are 15 schools serving a total of 5,258 students, with Charlestown - Dudley demonstrating typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1014) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 10 primary, 4 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs at 20.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.6, indicating that the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The transport analysis shows that Charlestown - Dudley has 223 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 72 different routes, offering a total of 2,346 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 154 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 335 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 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. Approximately 56% of the total population (~14,714 people) has private health cover, compared to 54.2% in the rest of NSW.

Mental health issues affect 9.9% of residents, while arthritis impacts 8.3%. Around 66.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.6% in the rest of NSW. The area has 16.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,401 people), which is lower than the 21.4% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging, 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 had a low cultural diversity level, with 88.7% of residents born in Australia, 92.7% being citizens, and 92.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 48.3%. Judaism's representation was notably high at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (30.0%), English (30.0%), and Scottish (9.0%). Some ethnicities showed notable differences: Welsh (0.8% vs regional 0.8%), Macedonian (0.8% vs regional 0.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (3.3% vs regional 3.4%) were overrepresented in Charlestown-Dudley.

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 Rest of NSW. From 2021 to present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 14.0% to 15.1% and the 25-34 cohort has increased from 13.9% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 11.3% to 10.1%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Charlestown-Dudley's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to increase by 1,138 people (29%), from 3,885 to 5,024. Conversely, both the 15-24 and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.