Maitland
Statistical Area - sa2

Maitland lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Maitland's population was around 9,978 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,367 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,611. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,542 in June 2024 and an additional 538 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 311 persons per square kilometer. Maitland's growth rate of 15.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the non-metro area (4.8%) and the state average, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 78.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and overseas migration also being positive factors.

AreaSearch is using 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate exceptional growth, placing Maitland in the top 10 percent of Australia's regional areas. By 2041, based on the latest population numbers, the area is expected to increase by 7,623 persons, recording a gain of 72.0% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Maitland was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Maitland averaged approximately 147 new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY2021 and FY2025, a total of 737 homes were approved, with an additional 79 approved so far in FY2026. Over the past five financial years, each dwelling has attracted an average of 2.3 new residents per year.

The average construction cost value for these dwellings was $321,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY2026 alone, there have been $72.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Maitland exhibits moderately higher construction activity, with a 35.0% increase per capita over the five-year period. This suggests strong developer confidence in the area's property market. New development consists of 49.0% standalone homes and 51.0% medium to high-density housing, marking a shift from the existing housing stock, which is currently 82.0% houses. With around 50 people per dwelling approval, Maitland exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts project an increase of 7,182 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting property price increases.

Maitland has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 27 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include the Maitland Regional Sports Complex Redevelopment, Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation Project, Maitland Local Housing Strategy 2041, and Wallis Meadows Estate. 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 performance in Maitland has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Maitland's workforce is skilled with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.3% as of June 2025.

At this time, 4,625 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.6% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stood at 66.2%, exceeding Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Maitland shows strong specialization in mining with an employment share 2.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.1% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.2% while employment declined by 4.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% with labour force growth of 0.3% and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Maitland's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 on Maitland's median income among taxpayers is $54,885 with an average of $68,104. This is higher than the national average and compares to Rest of NSW's median of $49,459 and average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $61,806 (median) and $76,692 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census shows household, family and personal incomes in Maitland cluster around the 53rd percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 35.3% of locals (3,522 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to metropolitan regions at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 82.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 49th percentile nationally. Maitland's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Maitland's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.2% houses and 17.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 87.1% houses and 13.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Maitland was at 24.4%, with the rest either mortgaged (39.8%) or rented (35.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Maitland was $1,872, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,862. The median weekly rent figure for Maitland was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $375. Nationally, Maitland's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Maitland has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.0% of all households, consisting of 32.7% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.0%, with lone person households at 24.5% and group households making up 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (11.3%) and certificates (31.4%).

Educational participation is high, at 29.9%, including 11.2% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 4.1% pursuing tertiary education. Maitland has a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 2,357 students as of the latest data. The area's ICSEA score is 1002, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 4 primary and 3 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds residential needs, with 23.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.7, suggesting the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus data.

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

Maitland has 94 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 137 individual routes, facilitating 8,558 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically situated 225 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 1,222 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 91 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Maitland is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Maitland faces significant health challenges with higher prevalence of common conditions compared to average.

Mental health issues affect 12.5% and asthma impacts 9.4% of residents. Approximately 63.6% report no medical ailments, similar to Rest of NSW at 63.4%. Private health cover is held by about 53% (~5,328 people). The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 12.7% (1,265 people) compared to 15.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among older residents require more attention than the broader population.

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

Maitland's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 90.7% having been born in Australia, and 92.6% being citizens. The majority of residents spoke English at home, with 94.0% doing so. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 50.7% of Maitland's population.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category had a higher representation in Maitland compared to the rest of NSW, at 0.9% versus 0.7%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.6%), English (30.5%), and Scottish (7.6%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences in representation: Australian Aboriginal was slightly higher at 5.5%, Maltese was at 0.4%, and Sri Lankan was at 0.2%.

Maitland hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Maitland has a median age of 34, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's figure of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Maitland at 18.4%, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 14.6% to 15.8% of the population, and the 25 to 34 cohort increased from 17.2% to 18.4%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 9.4% to 8.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that Maitland's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 1,472 people (80%) from 1,830 to 3,303.