Charlestown (NSW)

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

As of November 2025, Charlestown's population is estimated at around 14,173 people. This reflects an increase of 572 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 13,601. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 14,108 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 196 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 1,990 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Charlestown's growth rate of 4.2% since census positions it within 0.9 percentage points of the non-metro area (5.1%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, 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 aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase its population by 1,683 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 10.6% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Charlestown when compared nationally

Charlestown recorded approximately 78 residential properties approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 394 homes were approved, with an additional 31 approved in FY-26 as of current figures. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years accommodated approximately 1.3 new residents annually.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $448,000 during this period. In terms of commercial development, Charlestown registered approximately $10.6 million in approvals for the current financial year. The building activity in Charlestown predominantly focused on higher-density living options, with 36.0% detached houses and 64.0% townhouses or apartments approved. This shift from the area's existing housing composition of 76.0% houses indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for more diverse, affordable housing options.

Charlestown currently reflects a low-density area with approximately 268 people per approval. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 1,495 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Charlestown has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 24 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion, Uniting Charlestown, 27 Dickinson Street Residential Development, and 14 Frederick Street Residential Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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.

The labour market in Charlestown shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Charlestown has a well-educated labor force with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 2.8%, and there was an estimated employment growth of 2.4% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, 7,854 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Charlestown stands at 66.1%, exceeding Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Residents' employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, health care & social assistance employs a share that is 1.2 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.4%, and labor force grew by 2.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1% with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Charlestown's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

In financial year 2022, Charlestown had a median income among taxpayers of $56,085 and an average income of $75,048. These figures are higher than the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 for Rest of NSW respectively. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Charlestown would be approximately $63,157 and $84,512 based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Charlestown are around the 59th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 33.2% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 4,705 residents falling into this category. This is similar to the metropolitan region where 29.9% earn within this range. Housing costs consume 15.4% of income in Charlestown, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 57th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Charlestown's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 76.2% houses and 23.8% other dwellings. Non-Metro NSW had 0.0% houses and 0.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Charlestown stood at 35.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.1% and rented ones at 26.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. Median weekly rent was $400 in Charlestown, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $0 and $0. Nationally, Charlestown's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents surpassed the national figure of $375.

Charlestown features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 2.5 people

Family households constitute 70.0% of all households, including 30.3% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 30.0%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households making up 3.9%. The median household size is 2.5 people.

The educational profile of Charlestown exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 28.5% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 20.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 37.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 26.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary, 6.4% in secondary, and 5.3% in tertiary education. Charlestown has a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 1,397 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1033) and balanced educational opportunities. The area provides balanced education with 6 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Charlestown has 114 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 56 different routes that together facilitate 2,111 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest stop is 157 meters.

On average, there are 301 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Charlestown is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Charlestown faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent among both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high, at approximately 57% of the total population (~8,019 people). Mental health issues are the most common medical condition in the area, impacting 9.6% of residents, followed by arthritis affecting 8.4%. A significant majority, 67.0%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 0% across Rest of NSW. As of 2016 data, 17.4% of Charlestown's residents are aged 65 and over (2,466 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Charlestown, as per data from June 2016, showed lower cultural diversity with 86.4% of its population born in Australia and 92.1% being citizens. English was the language spoken exclusively at home by 90.7%. Christianity was the predominant religion, constituting 49.7% of Charlestown's population.

Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to None% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (29.9%), Australian (28.3%), and Scottish (9.2%). Some ethnicities showed significant divergence: Macedonian at 1.1% (vs None% regionally), Welsh at 0.7% (vs None%), and French at 0.6% (vs None%).

Charlestown's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Charlestown is 37 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are particularly prominent at 15.6%, while those aged 65-74 are comparatively smaller at 8.3%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 14.6% to 15.6% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 10.8% to 9.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Charlestown's age structure. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to increase by 624 people (28%) from 2,210 to 2,835. Conversely, both the 15 to 24 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to decrease in number.