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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.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
The median house price in Thornton - Millers Forest is $950k, with units at $732k. House values have moved 7.4% a year compounded over five years.
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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Thornton - Millers Forest has an estimated 20,841 residents, up from 15,899 at the 2021 Census — a change of 4,942 people, or 31.1%. Growth has averaged 6.5% a year over five years, faster than 95% of areas nationally. 1,349 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. Interstate and internal migration accounts for 69.9% of that increase. That puts 330 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
AreaSearch indicates that the cohort residing in Thornton - Millers Forest has reached approximately 20,841 individuals by May 2026. This represents an expansion of 4,942 residents (31.1%) from the 15,899 counted during the 2021 Census. This adjustment is calculated using the June 2025 ABS estimated resident population of 19,937 combined with 1,349 validated new addresses registered after the Census. Consequently, the local density stands at 330 persons per square kilometer, which indicates substantial space per resident and potential capacity for future growth. The 31.1% expansion rate recorded since the 2021 census outpaced the Rest of NSW (4.9%) and the broader state, establishing the locality as a regional leader in growth.
This upward trajectory was chiefly powered by relocation from other states, which accounted for roughly 69.9% of the total demographic gains, though positive contributions were also observed from natural increases and arrivals from overseas. Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 with a 2022 baseline, are implemented for each SA2. For areas lacking this coverage, figures from the NSW State Government's 2022 release with a 2021 baseline are applied. Demographic growth rates by age group from these datasets are projected forward for the years 2032 to 2041. Anticipated trends indicate remarkable growth that ranks within the top 10 percent of all non-metropolitan zones across Australia, with the locality projected to gain 18,115 residents by 2041 relative to the most recent annual ERP data, translating to an overall increase of 82.5% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
1,738 new dwellings have been approved in Thornton - Millers Forest over the past five years, an average of 347 a year. That places the area in the 98th percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 17 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 246 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 74% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 295, broadly in line with that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Approvals for residential builds in Thornton - Millers Forest average approximately 347 annually, with a total of 1,738 approvals issued across the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 271 recorded during FY-26 so far. With an average influx of 3.1 new residents per built dwelling during the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, demand remains significantly ahead of new supply, a dynamic that typically drives up prices and intensifies competition among buyers, even as new properties are constructed at an average cost of $270,000—a figure below regional benchmarks that points to relatively affordable options for purchasers.
Additionally, commercial projects valued at $4.9 million have been approved during the current financial year, highlighting the predominantly residential focus of the area. Per capita building volumes in Thornton - Millers Forest exceed the Rest of NSW average by 74.0%, which should offer prospective buyers plenty of options despite a recent moderation in construction speed. The level of activity is significantly higher than the national average, indicating robust confidence from builders in the local market. Recent construction approvals consist of 74.0% detached houses and 26.0% attached dwellings, preserving the established low-density aesthetic focused on spacious family living. This represents a clear departure from the historical housing mix, which currently stands at 95.0% houses, signaling a shrinking supply of vacant land for development along with evolving preferences and a demand for more varied, economical housing forms. The ratio of roughly 67 people for every approval highlights the ongoing evolution of the area. Long-term forecasts suggest that Thornton - Millers Forest will add 17,199 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly calculations from AreaSearch. Construction levels are keeping a reasonable pace with this anticipated population influx, though buyers may experience heightened competition as the number of residents increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Thornton - Millers Forest
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 14 current infrastructure and development projects inside Thornton - Millers Forest, worth an estimated $3.84 billion. A further 51 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $19.1 billion. 23 are already under construction and 22 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and communities, precincts & urban renewal. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Changes to local infrastructure, major developments, and urban planning policies are key drivers of regional performance. AreaSearch has tracked a total of 24 projects that are anticipated to influence the locality. Significant developments include Chisholm Plaza, Raymond Terrace Place Plan, Thornton Rail Bridge Duplication, and Sophia Waters Estate, with the list below highlighting the most relevant ones.
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
Raymond Terrace Place Plan
Port Stephens Council is developing a Raymond Terrace Place Plan to replace the 2015 Raymond Terrace and Heatherbrae Strategy. The new plan responds to major infrastructure investment, housing reforms and shifting community priorities. It targets approximately 2,500 new dwellings with a focus on diverse housing types including townhouses, smaller units and affordable living options. The plan covers town centre revitalisation, public space improvements, safety and connectivity upgrades, and includes a Public Domain Plan for William Street and surrounding areas.Heatherbrae is being considered separately given its relationship to the M1 Pacific Motorway Extension by Transport for NSW.
Chisholm Plaza
Chisholm Plaza is a $180 million neighbourhood shopping centre currently under construction in the Waterford Estate. The 15,000 sqm development is triple-anchored by Woolworths, Aldi, and Dan Murphys, and will include over 50 specialty stores. The precinct features a 112-place childcare centre, swim school, gym, medical centre, and a dining precinct with a tavern. The project targets a 4-star Green Star rating and will provide 638 car spaces. Construction by Richard Crookes Constructions commenced in March 2025, with completion expected in the last quarter of 2026.
Sophia Waters Sportsground
A new neighbourhood sportsground in Sophia Waters, Chisholm, funded by Maitland City Council as part of its 2025-26 capital works program. The facility includes two mixed sports fields, a turf cricket wicket, an amenities building with accessible changerooms and toilets, a canteen, storage, irrigation, field flood lighting, fencing, and over 100 parking spaces. A playspace adjacent to the sportsground is also planned. Construction commenced May 2025 with completion targeted for late 2026. The facility will serve the growing residential communities of Thornton, Chisholm and surrounds.
Waterford
Waterford is a masterplanned community in Chisholm, NSW, developed by AVID Property Group. The project spans approximately 173 hectares including 74 hectares of green space, wetlands, and parks, with 7km of walking and cycling paths. Waterford is being delivered in stages to approximately 1610 total lots, with a display village of 23 homes from builders including McDonald Jones Homes, Clarendon Homes, Simonds Homes and Eden Brae Homes. The community includes established schools such as St Bede's College and St Aloysius Primary, a childcare centre, and a future village centre and sports precinct.
Sophia Waters Estate
Sophia Waters Estate is a master-planned residential community in Chisholm developed by Allam Property Group. Originally planned for around 1,500 lots across multiple stages, a further 600+ lots were acquired in late 2024 bringing the total to approximately 2,100 dwellings. The estate offers a mix of land-only lots and turnkey house-and-land packages on blocks up to 800 square metres, with prices starting from $410,000. Amenities include open spaces, extensive landscaping, and a network of walking and cycling trails.A new $10 million Maitland City Council sportsground on Suncroft Street commenced construction in May 2025 and is expected to complete in late 2026, providing two mixed sports fields, a turf cricket wicket, an amenities building, flood lighting, and over 100 car spaces. Located in the Hunter Valley between Raymond Terrace and Maitland, with easy access to Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, and Port Stephens.
AVID Waterford Community Expansion
Waterford is a 251 hectare masterplanned community by AVID Property Group in Chisholm delivering approximately 1,484 homes together with extensive open space, parks, walking and cycling trails, schools, sports facilities and the future Chisholm Plaza town centre. Civil works continue across new neighbourhoods, with the final stages now being released and supporting retail infrastructure under construction.
North Thornton Estate
A residential development offering house and land packages for growing families and first-home buyers in Thornton, featuring modern home designs with proximity to Maitland CBD, Green Hills Shopping Centre, schools, and transport links. Part of the broader Thornton North development area with display homes at HomeWorld Thornton.
Brentwood Thornton Final Stage
Final release of 35 generous sized residential lots in Brentwood Thornton, the concluding stage of a 175-lot contemporary living estate. Located minutes from Newcastle and Maitland, featuring generously proportioned blocks (451-709sqm), open green spaces, parklands, and direct pedestrian access to Allan and Don Lawrence Sports Field. The development includes a planned 132-place childcare centre and offers lifestyle options for building dream homes.
10,261 residents of Thornton - Millers Forest are employed, from a labour force of 10,470. Unemployment sits at 2.0%, with participation at 67.8%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
A highly capable labor pool characterizes Thornton - Millers Forest, with significant representation in critical service fields, a low unemployment rate of 2.0%, and a estimated 1.4% expansion in total jobs over the past year. In March 2026, working residents numbered 10,261, with the unemployment rate tracking 2.1% lower than the Regional NSW benchmark of 4.1%, and labor participation reaching 67.8%, well above the 60.6% recorded for Regional NSW. Data from the Census indicates that a moderate 22.1% of the workforce worked from home, though this figure may reflect the influence of pandemic-related restrictions.
The local workforce is primarily employed in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Public administration & safety shows a notable concentration locally, with its share of employment reaching 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 0.9% of the local workforce, compared to 5.3% across Regional NSW. The balance between local jobs and resident workers suggests that residents must often look outside the immediate area for employment. According to AreaSearch's review of SALM and ABS statistics, the latest 12-month period experienced a 1.4% rise in employment alongside a 1.5% expansion of the labor force, maintaining a steady unemployment rate. This performance diverged from Regional NSW, where employment shrank by 0.9%, the labor force decreased by 0.4%, and the unemployment rate climbed by 0.5 percentage points. National labor forecasts issued by Jobs and Skills Australia in May-25 provide a broader context for future employment demand in Thornton - Millers Forest. These five and ten-year national projections have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future employment paths. Locally, employment is projected to grow by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years based on these industry patterns, compared to national forecasts of 6.6% and 13.7% respectively, though this is a basic weighted projection for illustration that does not incorporate local demographic forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Thornton - Millers Forest is $2,209 a week (about $115,000 a year), with median personal income at $941 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $59,416 a year against an average of $68,522. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
According to aggregated ATO data compiled by AreaSearch for the 2023 financial year, earnings in the Thornton - Millers Forest SA2 average slightly higher than national benchmarks. Taxpayers in this SA2 recorded a median income of $59,416 and an average income of $68,522, compared to Regional NSW averages of $52,390 and $65,215. Adjusting these figures for a 10.32% rise in the Wage Price Index since the 2023 financial year yields estimated current values of approximately $65,548 for median income and $75,593 for average income as of March 2026. The 2021 Census placed household, family, and individual incomes in the area between the 72nd and 78th percentiles across the nation.
The largest income bracket is represented by 40.7% of the population earning $1,500 - 2,999 per week (8,482 residents), which aligns with the wider metropolitan trend of 29.9% in this bracket. Although residential costs absorb 15.4% of total income, robust earnings help maintain disposable income levels at the 78th percentile, and the area sits in the 6th decile of the SEIFA index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Thornton - Millers Forest had 5,331 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 95% detached houses and 1% apartments. 46% are owned with a mortgage, 30% rented and 24% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $420 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,015 a month, a total housing cost higher than 79% of areas nationally. Rent absorbs 19.0% of household income here and mortgage repayments 21.1%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census data reveals that Thornton - Millers Forest's housing stock consists of 94.8% standalone houses and 5.3% alternative formats (including semi-detached units, apartments, and other dwellings), which compares to 82.6% houses and 17.4% alternative dwellings in Regional NSW. Fully owned properties accounted for 23.9% of the local housing market, trailing the rate in Regional NSW, with the remaining dwellings occupied by mortgage holders (46.2%) or tenants (29.9%). The median monthly housing payment for buyers was $2,015, which is notably higher than the Regional NSW average of $1,733, while weekly rent averaged $420 compared to the Regional NSW average of $330.
On a national level, housing costs in Thornton - Millers Forest exceed the Australian average mortgage payment of $1,863 and average rental rate of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Thornton - Millers Forest counted 5,331 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 6,988 today, averaging 2.9 people each. 43% are couples with children, more than in 86% of areas nationally, against 29% couples without children. 13% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.6 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up the vast majority of households at 84.4%, consisting of couples with children (43.2%), couples without children (29.4%), and single parent households (10.9%). Non-family households account for the remaining 15.6%, comprising single-person households at 12.9% and group households at 2.8%. The median occupancy of 2.9 people per household is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
18.8% of adults in Thornton - Millers Forest hold a university qualification, including 13.6% with a bachelor degree and 3.4% with postgraduate qualifications. A further 31.9% hold a vocational qualification. 5 schools serve the area, with 2,623 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 993 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational outcomes present challenges locally, as university degree holders represent 18.8% of the population, well below the NSW benchmark of 32.2%. This gap highlights opportunities for focused educational development. Among qualification holders, bachelor degrees are held by 13.6%, postgraduate qualifications by 3.4%, and graduate diplomas by 1.8%. Vocational education is highly prevalent, with 42.8% of residents aged 15+ holding technical credentials, broken down into advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (31.9%). Enrolment in education is remarkably strong, with 30.8% of the population participating in formal study. This includes 11.1% attending primary schools, 7.8% in secondary institutions, and 4.6% enrolled in tertiary courses.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Thornton - Millers Forest reaches 129 stops on 105 routes, timetabled for about 5,100 services a week. The typical home sits about 230 m from its nearest stop. Trains carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.9 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Analysis of transit options indicates 129 active transport stops in Thornton - Millers Forest, offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are utilized by 105 distinct routes, which support 5,090 passenger trips each week. Transport connection is considered good, with homes situated an average of 233 meters from the nearest stop. The area functions primarily as a dormitory suburb, meaning most workers travel outward; private vehicles remain the primary choice for 96% of commuters. Average vehicle ownership is 1.9 per household, exceeding the regional benchmark. According to the 2021 Census, some 22.1% of residents worked from home, a figure that may reflect pandemic-era arrangements.
Service frequency averages 727 daily runs across all transit lines, representing about 39 weekly trips for each individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 stops closest to the center of the area.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
67.4% of residents in Thornton - Millers Forest report no long-term health condition. 5.6% need daily assistance with core activities, and 53.3% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 3.8 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health outcomes for the population of Thornton - Millers Forest are generally favorable, with AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality and overall health conditions matching national averages; standard health issues are low within the general population but exceed the national average in older, vulnerable brackets, while private health insurance coverage is slightly higher than the typical SA2 area at approximately 53% of all residents (~11,108 people). The most prevalent health issues reported locally were mental health challenges and asthma, affecting 10.7% and 9.6% of the population respectively, whereas 67.4% of residents reported no chronic health conditions, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW.
Residents of working age display a higher than average rate of chronic illnesses. The demographic features 11.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,444 people), which is below the Regional NSW proportion of 23.4%. Seniors' health profiles pose some difficulties and rank lower nationally than the rest of the local population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Thornton - Millers Forest is largely Australian-born, at 88.5% of residents, with 8.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (32.5%) and English (30.4%). 4.4% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The local population has a lower level of cultural diversity than average, with Australian-born residents making up 88.5% of the total, citizens accounting for 93.3%, and monolingual English speakers comprising 91.9% of households. Christianity is the dominant religious affiliation, representing 56.9% of the population in Thornton - Millers Forest, which compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW. Looking at parent countries of birth, the three largest ancestry lines represented in Thornton - Millers Forest are Australian (32.5%), English (30.4%), and Scottish (7.1%). There are also notable differences in other backgrounds, with Australian Aboriginal residents making up 4.4% of Thornton - Millers Forest (compared to 4.6% across the region), Welsh ancestry at 0.6% (compared to 0.5% regionally), and Korean ancestry at 0.3% (compared to 0.1% regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Thornton - Millers Forest is 33, younger than 88% of areas nationally. 30.1% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 33 years in Thornton - Millers Forest is much lower than the Regional NSW average of 43 and also sits below the national average of 38 years. Relative to Regional NSW, there is a clear concentration of residents in the 25 - 34 age bracket (17.0% locally), while the 65 - 74 bracket is under-represented (7.1%). Estimates since the 2021 Census show the 35 to 44 age cohort has increased from 14.6% to 16.4%. In contrast, the 55 to 64 group decreased from 10.4% to 8.8%, and the 45 to 54 group fell from 11.7% to 10.4%.
Demographic projections for 2041 indicate significant changes ahead for Thornton - Millers Forest, led by the 35 to 44 age bracket which is forecast to grow by 84% (2,863 people), increasing from 3,420 to 6,284.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Thornton - Millers Forest
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2026 this month all 14 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 1,349 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (15,899 at the 2021 Census → 20,841 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (106021618). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.