Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Sales Detail
What it costs to rent in Redhead
Median weekly rents, year-on-year movement and bond-lodgement activity for Redhead (2290). Sourced from the NSW Rental Bond Board, DCJ Family & Community Services.
Median rent
$732
per week · Q4 2025
YoY change
▲+23.6%
vs same quarter last year
Active bonds
≈278
est. · currently held
New bonds
≈21
est. · this quarter
Latest Quarter Breakdown · Q4 2025
| Dwelling | Bedrooms | Median $/wk | Active bonds | New bonds (Qtr) | YoY | Quality |
|---|
SOURCE: NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ Family & Community Services), processed by AreaSearch. Imputed values are flagged. Latest publication:
Population
Population growth drivers in Redhead are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends
Redhead's population was around 3,947 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 162 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,785. The growth was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2025 and the Census date. The population density was approximately 1,072 persons per square kilometer, similar to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Redhead's growth rate of 4.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area average of 3.2%, indicating it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed about 81.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.
AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, Redhead is expected to experience above median population growth among Australian non-metropolitan areas. By 2041, the area's population is projected to increase by 583 persons, reflecting a total increase of 14.8% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Residential development activity is lower than average in Redhead according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets
Redhead has averaged approximately 20 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, totaling 101 homes approved during this period. In FY-26, up until now, 7 dwellings have been approved. The average population increase per year for each dwelling built in Redhead has been around 0.4 people over the past five financial years.
This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choices and creating capacity for future population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new properties stands at $511,000, suggesting developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, commercial development approvals amount to $1.9 million, reflecting a predominantly residential focus.
Comparatively, Redhead exhibits moderately higher construction activity than the rest of NSW, at 29.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand, although recent construction activity has eased somewhat. New development in Redhead comprises 94.0% detached houses and 6.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban character with an emphasis on detached housing that attracts space-seeking buyers. With around 268 people per approval, Redhead reflects a low-density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Redhead is projected to gain 583 residents by 2041. Construction activity is currently maintaining pace with projected growth, but as population increases, buyers may face growing competition for available properties.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Redhead
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Redhead has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to impact the area: Oasis Redhead, Redhead Business Park, First Creek Realignment Project, and Redhead Pump Track. The following details projects expected to have the greatest relevance.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion
A significant $131 million redevelopment of Lake Macquarie Private Hospital by Ramsay Health Care. Approved in May 2025, the project features a nine-storey expansion (SSD-38025700) adding 114 inpatient beds, five new operating theatres, and an expanded emergency department. The development also includes a new main entrance on Casey Street, ten consulting suites, and enhanced radiology and oncology services. As of April 2026, the project is integrated into the broader Gateshead Medical Precinct Planning Proposal, which seeks to rezone surrounding land to support a regionally significant health hub. Construction is phased to maintain hospital operations, with final completion targeted for 2027.
Tingira Hills Care Community
Tingira Hills Care Community (formerly Opal Hillside) is a major residential aged care facility in the Lake Macquarie region. It offers 120-128 beds across various room types including single en-suite and companion rooms, catering to permanent, respite, dementia, and palliative care needs. The facility features a dedicated Memory Care Neighborhood, a Wellness Centre for rehabilitation, an on-site cafe, hairdressing salon, and a community bus for outings. Architecturally, it was specifically engineered to manage variable founding conditions and ground movement associated with local mine subsidence.
High Speed Rail - Newcastle to Sydney (Line 1)
High Speed Rail Line 1 will connect Newcastle to Sydney on a new dedicated 194km rail line with trains capable of speeds up to 320 km/h on surface sections and 200 km/h in tunnels. Around 115km of the route will run through tunnels. The line will reduce travel time between Newcastle and Sydney to around one hour, with Central Coast trips of about 30 minutes. Six stations are proposed at central Newcastle (Broadmeadow), Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast (Gosford), Sydney Central, Parramatta and Western Sydney International Airport. Following release of the business case in early 2026, the project moved into a two-year Development Phase, with the Australian Government investing a further $230 million for design refinement, environmental and planning approvals, and corridor preservation. The first two major contract packages went to tender in 2026: Area Package 1 (around 35km of twin TBM tunnels, an underground station and associated civil works) and Trains, Systems and Systems Integration (supply of trains, design of all systems, rail depot and operations control centre). The Newcastle to Sydney section is estimated to cost around $61.2 billion by 2039, with a further $32 billion to extend to Western Sydney International Airport by 2042. The project is forecast to support up to 15,000 construction jobs annually at peak and add around $250 billion to the Australian economy over a 50-year appraisal period.
Lake Macquarie Square
A sub-regional shopping centre located in Mount Hutton, 14km from Newcastle's CBD. The project, originally a $60 million redevelopment completed in 2019 by Charter Hall, consolidated Lake Macquarie Fair and Mount Hutton Plaza into a single, modern retail destination with approximately 24,000 m2 of prime retail space. The centre is anchored by BIG W, Coles, and Woolworths, with over 70 specialty stores, a medical precinct, childcare, and a 24-hour gym. Revelop acquired the asset in February 2025 for $122.5 million.
Swansea Channel Permanent Dredging Solution
A permanent dredging solution for Swansea Channel, the entrance to Lake Macquarie, involving a Beaver 30 dredge vessel and sand transfer system to maintain safe navigation for vessels, with sand pumped to Blacksmiths Beach. The project includes upgrades to the Blacksmiths boat ramp and aims to address ongoing sand accumulation issues.
First Creek Realignment Project
Realignment of First Creek further south at Redhead Beach to reduce scouring of dunes and infrastructure, create a safer flow path, improve emergency and public beach access, and prevent erosion of coastal dunes. The works were undertaken by Lake Macquarie City Council in July 2023 and were expected to take one week to complete.
Mount Hutton Precinct Area Plan
A precinct-specific planning framework forming Part 12 of the Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan 2014. Originally adopted by Council on 10 February 2020 to replace the 2004 plan, it sets controls for infrastructure delivery, built form and natural environment outcomes across the Mount Hutton suburb between Warners Bay and Belmont. The plan supports medium-density housing in the R3 zone south of Cowmeadow Road, road and roundabout upgrades, new shared pathways, stormwater works, and revegetation along Scrubby Creek. The framework has been progressively updated, most recently through the city-wide Housing Diversity amendments adopted by Council on 23 February 2026, which align the DCP with the Housing Diversity Planning Proposal that took effect on 1 August 2025. These reforms permit a broader mix of housing in R2 and R3 zones, allow subdivision down to 200 square metres in R3 and 250 square metres in R2, and remove minimum lot width requirements. A separate but related amendment finalised on 21 March 2025 rezoned 1 Progress Road from R2 Low Density Residential to E1 Local Centre, increasing the maximum building height on that site from 8.5 to 10 metres to support an expansion of the Dunkley Parade shops.
Newcastle 2040
City of Newcastle's Community Strategic Plan (CSP) setting the shared vision and priorities for the next 10+ years. Originally adopted in 2022 and revised in 2024/25, the updated CSP was endorsed by Council on 15 April 2025. It guides policies, strategies and actions across the LGA and is implemented through the Delivery Program and Operational Plan known as Delivering Newcastle 2040.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis reveals Redhead significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide
Redhead has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of December 2025, lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.0%.
A total of 1,910 residents were employed by December 2025, with an unemployment rate of 2.1% below Regional NSW's figure. Workforce participation in Redhead was broadly similar to Regional NSW's rate of 60.5%. According to Census responses, 29.0% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.
The leading employment industries among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.0% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 1.0%, while labour force rose by 1.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. By comparison, Regional NSW recorded an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Redhead's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
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 2023 shows Redhead SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $59,044 and an average of $73,199. This is higher than the national average. Regional NSW had a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215 in the same period. By March 2026, estimates suggest Redhead's median income will be approximately $65,137 and average $80,753, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Redhead rank modestly, between the 41st and 42nd percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 26.2% of the community (1,034 individuals) fall into the $400 - 799 earnings band, unlike the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. Economic stratification is evident in Redhead, with 32.8% in modest circumstances and 30.7% in high-earning categories. Housing costs are manageable, with 86.7% retained. However, disposable income ranks below average at the 45th percentile, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Redhead is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Redhead's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.3% houses and 6.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Redhead stood at 57.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented ones at 13.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Redhead was $420, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Redhead's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Redhead features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size
Family households account for 65.3% of all households, consisting of 32.2% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.7%, with lone person households making up 32.7% and group households comprising 1.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Redhead shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators
The area's university qualification rate is higher than the regional average, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ having such qualifications compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 23.5% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 37.5% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas accounting for 11.6% and certificates for 25.9%.
Educational participation is high, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 10.8% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 4.2% in tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Redhead has 37 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 9 different routes, offering a total of 116 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 149 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards, with cars being the dominant mode at 95%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 29% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.
Across all routes, service frequency averages 16 trips per day, resulting in approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Redhead'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
Redhead's health metrics are near national benchmarks, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among Redhead residents is somewhat typical of the general population but higher than the national average among older cohorts.
Private health cover rate is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 2,186 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.9 and 8.9% of residents respectively, while 62.0% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes for the under-65 population in Redhead are better than average. The area has 29.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,156 people), higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Redhead is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics
Redhead's population shows limited cultural diversity, with 89.5% born in Australia, 93.3% being citizens, and 95.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 55.6%, slightly lower than Regional NSW's 55.9%. The top three ancestral groups are English (33.1%), Australian (32.3%), and Scottish (9.6%).
Notably, Welsh (0.9%) and Macedonian (0.6%) residents exceed regional averages of 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively, while Russian residents are also higher at 0.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Redhead hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide
Redhead's median age of 48 years is significantly older than Regional NSW's 43 and higher than the Australian median of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, at 15.6%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 5.7% compared to Regional NSW. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 15-24 age group has grown from 10.0% to 13.1%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 13.2% to 15.6%. Conversely, the 85+ cohort has declined from 5.9% to 3.8%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 13.6% to 11.7%. Demographic modeling suggests that Redhead's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 141 people (36%) from 387 to 529. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 65-74 cohorts.