Waratah - North Lambton
Statistical Area - sa2

Waratah - North Lambton has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Waratah - North Lambton's population was around 12,883 people as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, the population is estimated to be approximately 13,150, reflecting an increase of 267 people (2.1%) since the 2021 Census. This growth is inferred from the ABS's estimated resident population of 13,065 as of June 2024 and an additional 151 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 2,573 persons per square kilometer, placing Waratah - North Lambton in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 2.1% growth since the census is within 2.7 percentage points of the non-metro area (4.8%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods.

For future projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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. Based on the latest population numbers, Waratah - North Lambton is projected to increase by 1,890 persons to 2041, with an overall increase of 13.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Waratah - North Lambton according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Waratah - North Lambton has experienced approximately 54 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 272 homes received approval, with 4 more approved in FY-26 so far. Over the past five years, an average of 0.9 new residents per dwelling was recorded annually.

The average construction value of new homes is $510,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled $9.9 million. Compared to Rest of NSW, Waratah - North Lambton shows about 75% of the construction activity per capita and ranks in the 24th percentile nationally for buyer options. New development consists of 29.0% standalone homes and 71.0% attached dwellings, promoting affordability and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands.

Waratah - North Lambton has around 680 people per dwelling approval, indicating a mature market. Population forecasts project an increase of 1,805 residents by 2041. Construction pace is keeping up with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as population grows.

Waratah - North Lambton has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes to its local infrastructure. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects that could potentially impact this region. Notable among these are the Former Waratah Gasworks Redevelopment, Newcastle Inner City Bypass - Rankin Park to Jesmond, Waratah Park Masterplan, and Hunter Indoor Sports Centre (HISC). The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Waratah - North Lambton has been broadly consistent with national averages

Waratah - North Lambton has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 3.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.4% over the past year as of June 2025.

There are 7,610 residents employed, matching Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%, but with higher workforce participation at 62.4%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. The area specializes in health care & social assistance, employing 1.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.3% of local workers compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work.

Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.4%, labour force grew by 2.5%, and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3% compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Waratah - North Lambton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, although this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Waratah - North Lambton is $51,562 and average income is $61,936. This is lower than national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average) for Rest of NSW. By March 2025, estimated median income in Waratah - North Lambton would be approximately $57,028 and average income would be around $68,501, based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Waratah - North Lambton rank modestly, between the 44th and 47th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The income distribution shows that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket represents 32.9% of residents (4,326 people), similar to the surrounding region at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 41st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Waratah - North Lambton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Waratah - North Lambton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 77.6% houses and 22.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waratah - North Lambton was 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 41.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,937, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. The median weekly rent was $380, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Waratah - North Lambton's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Waratah - North Lambton features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.7% of all households, including 22.1% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.3%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 9.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Waratah - North Lambton shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The region's educational profile is notable with university qualification rates at 29.9% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region's rate of 26.1%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 24.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in tertiary education, 7.8% in primary education, and 5.7% pursuing secondary education. The area hosts a robust network of 10 schools educating approximately 3,260 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 993) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix comprises 4 primary, 3 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. The region serves as an education hub with 24.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 15.6, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools marked 'n/a' regarding enrolments, please refer to their respective parent campuses.

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

Waratah - North Lambton has 110 operational public transport stops. These comprise a mix of train and bus services, totaling 72 routes that facilitate 5,575 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically residing within 130 meters of the nearest stop.

On average, there are 796 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Waratah - North Lambton faces significant health challenges with a higher prevalence of common conditions compared to the average. Among older age cohorts, this prevalence is even higher.

The area has approximately 51% private health cover, lower than the Rest of NSW's 55.6%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 12.3 and 8.4% of residents respectively. About 63.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.9% in the Rest of NSW. The area has 15.8% of residents aged 65 and over (2,082 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population.

Waratah - North Lambton ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Waratah-North Lambton's cultural diversity was below average with 87.3% citizens, 84.5% born in Australia, and 88.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated the religion scene at 46.5%. Islam was overrepresented at 2.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 1.7%.

Top ancestry groups were English (28.8%), Australian (27.7%), and Irish (9.0%). Notably, Macedonian (0.5% vs regional 0.8%), Welsh (0.7% vs 0.8%), and Polish (0.9% vs 0.8%) were overrepresented.

Waratah - North Lambton's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Waratah - North Lambton's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 and younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 22.0% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 7.6%. This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.5%. As per the 2021 Census, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.4 years to 35. The 25-34 age group has grown from 18.5% to 22.0%, and the 35-44 cohort increased from 12.2% to 14.0%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 11.1% to 9.3%, and those aged 85 and above dropped from 4.9% to 3.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that Waratah - North Lambton's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort at 32%, adding 924 residents to reach a total of 3,812. Conversely, the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.