Stockton - Fullerton Cove

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

Stockton-Fullerton Cove's population was 9,581 as of November 2025, reflecting an increase of 757 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 8,824. This growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 9,542 in June 2024 and additional 71 validated new addresses post-Census. The population density was 314 persons per square kilometer. The area's 8.6% growth since the 2021 Census exceeded non-metro (5.1%) and SA4 region averages, indicating it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 79.7% 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; NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used for areas not covered by this data, 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. Future population dynamics predict exceptional growth, placing Stockton-Fullerton Cove in the top 10% of Australia's regional areas, with an expected growth of 5,175 persons by 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 53.6%.

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

Stockton-Fullerton Cove has granted approval for approximately 51 residential properties each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 255 homes have been approved, with an additional 10 approved in FY26 so far. On average, around 4.5 new residents arrive per dwelling constructed annually over these five years.

This has led to supply lagging demand, resulting in heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost of new homes is $294,000. In terms of commercial development, $7.9 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Stockton-Fullerton Cove maintains similar construction rates per person, indicating a balanced market. New building activity consists predominantly of standalone homes (83.0%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remainder (17.0%), preserving the area's low-density character and attracting space-seeking buyers. With approximately 263 people per dwelling approval, Stockton-Fullerton Cove shows signs of a growing market. Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain around 5,136 residents by 2041, potentially leading to increased competition among buyers if current development rates do not keep pace with population growth and supporting stronger price growth.

Stockton - Fullerton Cove has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Rifle Range, Fern Bay, Fullerton Cove Shopping Centre, Bayway Village, and Fern Bay and North Stockton Strategy. 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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The labour market in Stockton - Fullerton Cove demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Stockton-Fullerton Cove has an unemployment rate of 3.1% as of September 2025, with estimated employment growth of 3.3% over the past year. The area's workforce participation is lower than Rest of NSW at 50.2%.

Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and education & training. Public administration & safety has notably high concentration, at 1.6 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.7% compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 3.3%, labour force by 3.8%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points.

In contrast, Rest of NSW had employment decline of 0.5% and unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with state unemployment at 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Stockton-Fullerton Cove's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

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

Stockton-Fullerton Cove SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $57,005 and an average of $69,166 in the financial year 2022. This is higher than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $64,193 (median) and $77,888 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Stockton-Fullerton Cove rank modestly, between the 30th and 32nd percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The $1,500-$2,999 earnings band captures 27.2% of the community (2,606 individuals), similar to regional trends showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 28th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Stockton - Fullerton Cove is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Stockton-Fullerton Cove, as per the latest Census data, houses accounted for 89.1% of dwellings, with the remaining 10.9% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Non-Metro NSW's dwelling composition of 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Stockton-Fullerton Cove stood at 46.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.2% and rented ones at 25.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. Weekly rent in the area was recorded at $430, compared to Non-Metro NSW's figure of $400. Nationally, Stockton-Fullerton Cove's median monthly mortgage repayment was significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while weekly rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Stockton - Fullerton Cove has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households compose 68.0% of all households, including 25.1% couples with children, 32.8% couples without children, and 9.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.0%, with lone person households at 29.5% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Stockton - Fullerton Cove aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Stockton - Fullerton Cove's residents aged 15+ have 22.5% university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.4% holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (28.8%). Educational participation is high at 26.5%, including primary education (10.1%), secondary education (6.8%), and tertiary education (3.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Stockton-Fullerton Cove has 81 active public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 39 different routes that collectively facilitate 1,541 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 181 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency stands at 220 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Stockton - Fullerton Cove is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Stockton-Fullerton Cove faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents.

Approximately 54% (~5,144 people) have private health cover, which is relatively high. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.9% of residents) and mental health issues (8.6%). Notably, 60.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.9% in the rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.2% (2,700 people), compared to 16.7% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with those of the broader population.

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

Stockton-Fullerton Cove, surveyed in 2016, had a population where 88.6% were born in Australia, 91.4% held citizenship, and 95.9% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 56.5%, compared to 47.7% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.9%), Australian (29.5%), and Irish (9.2%).

Notably, Welsh (1.1%) and Scottish (8.6%) groups were slightly overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8% and 8.4%, respectively. The Australian Aboriginal population was also marginally higher at 3.4%.

Stockton - Fullerton Cove hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Stockton-Fullerton Cove's median age is 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 15.1% of the population, while the 55-64 age group is comparatively smaller at 10.7%. This concentration of people aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and the present time, there has been a rejuvenation in the population as the median age fell from 48 to 47 years. Notable changes include the growth of the 15-24 age group from 8.6% to 10.8%, and an increase in the 35-44 cohort from 11.7% to 12.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 12.9% to 10.7%, and the 65-74 group has dropped from 17.3% to 15.1%. By 2041, Stockton-Fullerton Cove is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to expand considerably by 703 people (74%), growing from 954 to 1,658 individuals.