Clarence Town

Clarence Town lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, Clarence Town's population is estimated at around 2,422, reflecting an increase of 157 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,265. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,319 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density is approximately 26 persons per square kilometer. Clarence Town's growth rate of 6.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of NSW at 5.9%. Interstate migration contributed around 78.0% of overall population gains, with other drivers including overseas migration and natural growth also being positive factors. AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a 2022 base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a 2021 base year.

Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is forecasted to increase its population by 690 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 24.2% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Clarence Town recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates approximately 7 new homes approved annually in Clarence Town over the past five financial years ending FY25. This totals an estimated 35 homes. As of FY26, 4 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.2 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating demand outpaces supply, which typically influences prices upwards and intensifies buyer competition.

The average construction value of new homes is $467,000, suggesting developers target the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, commercial development approvals reached $581,000, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Clarence Town exhibits significantly reduced construction (71.0% below regional average per person), which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. However, recent periods have seen increased development activity, though it remains below national averages, potentially due to planning constraints. All new construction comprises detached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes.

With around 245 people per approval, Clarence Town reflects a transitioning market. By 2041, AreaSearch estimates an increase of 587 residents. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Clarence Town has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified one major project impacting the area: Port of Newcastle Clean Energy Precinct. Key projects include Raymond Terrace Housing Delivery Program, Port Stephens Housing Delivery Program, and Nelson Bay Road Duplication - Williamtown to Bobs Farm. Most relevant projects are listed below.

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

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Clarence Town ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Clarence Town has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent with an unemployment rate of 2.5%. Over the past year, employment has remained stable.

As of December 2025, 1,155 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% lower than Regional NSW's 3.9%. Workforce participation is 63.5%, slightly higher than Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census data, 22.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing.

Construction employment is particularly high, at 1.5 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance jobs are under-represented, with only 12.3% of Clarence Town's workforce compared to 16.9% in Regional NSW. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3%, and employment fell by 0.2%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In contrast, Regional NSW saw a 1.2% employment decline and a 0.8% labour force decrease, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 national employment forecasts project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Clarence Town's employment mix suggests local job growth could reach 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though 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

The suburb of Clarence Town has a median taxpayer income of $52,787 and an average income of $69,349 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is slightly above average nationally, contrasting with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $57,464 (median) and $75,493 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Clarence Town cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 37.0% of the community (896 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 29.9% in the same category. After housing expenses, 85.2% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Clarence Town is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Clarence Town's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.5% houses and 2.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Clarence Town stood at 36.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 55.0% and rented ones at 9.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,993, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Clarence Town was $365, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Clarence Town's mortgage repayments were above the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were below the national figure of $375.

Clarence Town features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 82.3% of all households, including 39.3% couples with children, 34.4% couples without children, and 7.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 17.7%, with lone person households at 16.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Clarence Town fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 15.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common among qualified residents at 11.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 48.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (36.8%). Educational participation is high, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (10.9%), secondary (6.8%), and tertiary (2.2%) levels.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Clarence Town has 76 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together offer 120 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 231 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards, and cars remain the primary mode of transportation at 97%. On average, there are 2.1 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 22.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The average service frequency across all routes is 17 trips per day, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Clarence Town is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Clarence Town faces substantial health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups show notable prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 54% (~1,316 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.3% and 9.9% of residents respectively. 64.0% of residents report having no medical ailments, slightly higher than the 63.3% figure for Regional NSW. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 17.3% (419 people) aged 65 and over, lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Senior health outcomes present some challenges but generally align with national rankings.

The latest Census data sees Clarence Town placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Clarence Town's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 94.0% of its population born in Australia, 95.7% being citizens, and 98.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Clarence Town, making up 51.6% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (36.6%), English (31.0%), and Scottish (9.0%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 4.9%, Samoan at 0.2%, and Polish at 0.7%.

Clarence Town's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Clarence Town is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Clarence Town has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (14.0%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (5.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 grew from 8.9% to 10.1%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 decreased from 13.5% to 12.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Clarence Town's age structure, with the 45-54 age group expected to grow by 36%, reaching 409 people from a previous total of 300.