Wallsend - Elermore Vale
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Wallsend - Elermore Vale are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Aug 2025, Wallsend - Elermore Vale's population is approximately 21,801, an increase of 843 people from the 2021 Census figure of 20,958. This growth reflects an estimated resident population of 21,691 as of June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 1,013 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other areas assessed by AreaSearch. Since the census, Wallsend - Elermore Vale has shown a growth rate of 4.0%, slightly below the non-metro area's rate of 4.8%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses 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 from 2022, based on 2021 figures. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, an above median population growth is projected for locations outside capital cities. Wallsend - Elermore Vale is expected to expand by 3,041 persons, reflecting a total increase of 13.4% over the 17 years from 2025 figures.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Wallsend - Elermore Vale among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Wallsend-Elermore Vale has seen approximately 117 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 586 homes approved over the past five years (FY-20 to FY-25), and 15 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built has led to an increase of 2.2 new residents per year over the past five financial years. The average construction cost value of new homes is $410,000, aligning with regional trends.

This year, commercial approvals have reached $10.4 million, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of NSW, Wallsend-Elermore Vale has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 56th percentile nationally when measured against other areas assessed. New developments consist of 30% detached dwellings and 70% attached dwellings, demonstrating a shift from the current housing mix of 80% houses. This change reflects reduced availability of development sites and evolving lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 337 people per dwelling approval, Wallsend-Elermore Vale exhibits characteristics of a low-density area.

Looking ahead, Wallsend-Elermore Vale is projected to grow by 2,931 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Wallsend - Elermore Vale has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 41 projects that may affect this region. Major initiatives include Western Corridor Road Upgrades, Western Corridor Road Upgrades - Longworth Avenue and Minmi Road, Infinite Early Learning Elermore Vale, and Western Corridor Road Upgrades - Wallsend. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Wallsend - Elermore Vale shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Wallsend-Elermore Vale has an experienced workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of June 2021.

Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 1.9%. As of June 2025, 11,028 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Health care & social assistance has a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.5% employment compared to 5.3% regionally. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9%, labour force increased by 2.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1% with a smaller increase in labour force and unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National unemployment rate is 4.5% with national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Wallsend-Elermore Vale's employment could grow by approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Wallsend - Elermore Vale had a median taxpayer income of $53,183 and an average income of $62,737 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was slightly lower than the national average, compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $58,820 (median) and $69,387 (average). In the 2021 Census, Wallsend - Elermore Vale ranked modestly in terms of household, family, and personal incomes, between the 31st and 34th percentiles. Income distribution data showed that 31.5% of locals (6,867 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, mirroring the surrounding region where 29.9% occupied this category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 82.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 32nd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

Wallsend - Elermore Vale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Wallsend-Elermore Vale, as per the latest Census, 79.6% of dwellings were houses while 20.4% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had a composition of 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wallsend-Elermore Vale stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.8% and rented ones at 33.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,777, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. Median weekly rent in the area was $380 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Wallsend-Elermore Vale had lower mortgage repayments at $1,777 versus Australia's average of $1,863, but higher rents at $380 compared to the national figure of $375.

Wallsend - Elermore Vale features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.3% of all households, including 26.5% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for 33.7%, with lone person households at 28.9% and group households comprising 4.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Wallsend - Elermore Vale fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational qualifications in Wallsend-Elermore Vale show 23.8% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common (16.6%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 36.2%, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (26.6%). Current educational participation is high at 27.5%, with 8.3% in primary, 6.6% in secondary, and 6.2% in tertiary education.

Six schools operate within Wallsend-Elermore Vale, educating approximately 2,566 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 998) with balanced educational opportunities. There are five primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents is 11.8, below the regional average of 15.6, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Public transport analysis shows 203 active transport stops in Wallsend-Elermore Vale. These stops offer bus services. There are 105 individual routes serving these stops, providing a total of 2,570 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 136 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 367 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Wallsend - Elermore Vale is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Wallsend - Elermore Vale faces notable health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of its total population (~11,140 people), slightly lower than Rest of NSW's 55.6%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 11.5 and 10.1% of residents respectively. However, 59.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.9% across Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.0% (4,358 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 16.7%. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with the broader population's health profile in the area.

Wallsend - Elermore Vale ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Wallsend-Elermore Vale, surveyed between 2016-2021, had a culturally diverse population of which 84.6% were Australian-born, 89.6% were citizens, and 87.8% spoke English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 51.8%. Islam, however, was overrepresented at 2.5%, compared to the regional average of 1.7%.

Top ancestral groups were English (29.0%), Australian (28.4%), and Scottish (8.3%). Notably, Macedonian (1.2%) and Polish (1.1%) ethnicities were also overrepresented in Wallsend-Elermore Vale compared to the regional averages of 0.8% each. Welsh ethnicity was similarly represented at 0.8%.

Wallsend - Elermore Vale's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Wallsend - Elermore Vale is 39 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years but closely aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Wallsend - Elermore Vale has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (17.3%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (9.4%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 25-34 increased from 14.7% to 17.3%, while the proportion of those aged 55-64 decreased from 11.2% to 9.9%, and the share of those aged 65-74 dropped from 10.7% to 9.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Wallsend - Elermore Vale's age structure. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 30%, reaching a population of 4,899 from the current 3,769. Conversely, the populations aged 65-74 and 55-64 are projected to decrease.