Bulahdelah

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bulahdelah reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the Bulahdelah statistical area (Lv2) is around 1,613. This figure reflects an increase of 75 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,538. The current resident population estimate of 1,561 was derived from AreaSearch's analysis of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 9.4 persons per square kilometer. The Bulahdelah (SA2) experienced a growth rate of 4.9% between the 2021 Census and November 2025, surpassing the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.7%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 84.0% of overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch's projections for the Bulahdelah (SA2) are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024, with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the Bulahdelah (SA2) is projected to grow by 36 persons, reflecting an increase of 2.1% over the 17-year period. This projection aligns with the anticipated lower quartile growth trend for Australian non-metropolitan areas.

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

Bulahdelah had 1 dwelling approval annually over the period from January 2016 to December 2020, totalling 8 dwellings. This minimal development activity reflects Bulahdelah's rural nature, with housing needs driving development rather than broader market demand. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Compared to Rest of NSW and national averages, Bulahdelah has substantially lower development levels. All new construction in the area during this period was standalone homes, maintaining its rural character focused on space. With an estimated 801 people per dwelling approval, Bulahdelah's development environment is quiet and low activity. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Bulahdelah's population will increase by 34 residents by the year 2041.

Construction pace has been reasonable with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as population grows.

Bulahdelah has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

No changes can significantly impact a region's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable projects include Newcastle Offshore Wind Project, Draft Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan 2036, Hunter Regional Plan 2041, and Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, with the following list outlining those most likely to be relevant.

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Employment drivers in Bulahdelah are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Bulahdelah has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, featuring prominently tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate is 6.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025620 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 3.8% above Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Bulahdelah is significantly lower at 43.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents include accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area shows a strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share twice the regional level.

Conversely, public administration & safety has lower representation at 3.0%, compared to the regional average of 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.3% alongside a 1.4% employment decline, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.5% employment contraction, a 0.1% labour force fall, and a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bulahdelah's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that Bulahdelah's median income is $36,003 and average income is $45,774. This is lower than the national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average) for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $39,193 (median) and $49,830 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Bulahdelah fall between the 2nd and 4th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 33.5% of residents earn between $400 - 799 per week, compared to the broader area where 29.9% earn between $1,500 - 2,999 per week. With 41.6% earning under $800 per week, Bulahdelah faces income constraints affecting local spending patterns. After housing costs, residents have 41.6% of their income left, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally.

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

In Bulahdelah, as per the latest Census evaluation, 95.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 4.1% comprising semi-detached properties, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 73.0% houses and 27.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bulahdelah stood at 54.4%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.4% and rented ones at 20.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,236, lower than the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Bulahdelah was $295, compared to $330 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, Bulahdelah's median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,236 is significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and its median weekly rent of $295 is substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bulahdelah has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.3% of all households, including 17.0% couples with children, 34.9% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.7%, with lone person households at 29.4% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.1.

Bulahdelah faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 9.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (0.7%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (31.5%).

A substantial 23.2% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.9% in primary education, 7.1% in secondary education, and 1.6% in tertiary education.

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

Transport analysis in Bulahdelah shows 34 active transport stops operating, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 22 individual routes that together provide 169 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents on average located 212 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per stop.

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

Bulahdelah faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 45% (~727 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (14.5%) and mental health issues (10.2%), while 55.5% report being free from ailments, compared to 56.6% in Rest of NSW. Bulahdelah has 33.0% (532 people) aged 65 and over, lower than the 36.0% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Bulahdelah's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.2% of its population being citizens, 89.7% born in Australia, and 96.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bulahdelah, comprising 62.3% of people, compared to 58.5% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (35.2%), English (33.5%), and Irish (8.0%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation is higher at 4.8% in Bulahdelah than the regional average of 4.3%. New Zealanders make up 0.8%, compared to the regional average of 0.4%. Maltese representation stands at 0.5%, similar to the regional figure of 0.5%.

Bulahdelah ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Bulahdelah is 54 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented at 19.7% in Bulahdelah, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 4.2%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 8.3% to 10.3%, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 8.4% to 9.5%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 6.4% to 4.2%, and the 45 to 54 age group dropped from 12.7% to 10.9%. By 2041, Bulahdelah is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand considerably, increasing by 35 people (51%) from 69 to 105. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 66% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. On the other hand, both the 55 to 64 and 45 to 54 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.