Dudley

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Dudley is around 2,518. This figure reflects an increase of 13 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,505. The change is inferred from a resident population estimate of 2,482 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 8 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 461 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 51.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. 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 of Dudley is expected to grow by 240 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 8.1% in total over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Dudley shows approximately 5 residential properties granted approval per year over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 26 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 3.3 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating demand significantly outpaces supply. $190,000 in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting Dudley's residential nature.

Compared to Rest of NSW, Dudley has 50.0% lower building activity per person. New building activity comprises 33.0% detached dwellings and 67.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing pattern of 92.0% houses. The estimated population count is 639 people per dwelling approval. Dudley's population is forecast to grow by 204 residents through to 2041, with development keeping pace with projected growth.

Population forecasts indicate Dudley will gain 204 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects that could impact this region: Lonus Estate - Whitebridge, Redhead Business Park, Charlestown Swim Centre Expansion, and First Creek Realignment Project. The following details the projects likely to have the greatest relevance.

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

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AreaSearch assessment positions Dudley ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Dudley has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 3.3%. Over the past year, it has maintained relative employment stability.

As of December 2025, Dudley's unemployment rate is 0.6% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Dudley is high at 70.8%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, 33.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

Dudley specializes in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level, but has a lower representation in agriculture, forestry & fishing at 0.3% compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Dudley saw employment increase by 0.2%, labour force rise by 1.2%, and unemployment rate climb by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decrease of 0.8%, and unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Dudley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Dudley suburb is $68,554 and average income is $91,918. This contrasts with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated current incomes are approximately $74,628 (median) and $100,062 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Dudley's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 84th and 90th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that 26.3% of Dudley residents earn between $1,500 - 2,999 per week (662 individuals), consistent with broader regional trends at 29.9%. Notably, 42.0% of residents earn above $3,000/week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. After housing costs, residents retain 88.3% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. Dudley's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dudley's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.4% houses and 7.6% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Dudley's home ownership rate was 42.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.3% and rented ones at 14.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dudley was $2,324, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Dudley was $420, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Dudley's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,324 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.3 percent of all households, including 40.9 percent couples with children, 29.2 percent couples without children, and 10.0 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.7 percent, with lone person households at 18.7 percent and group households comprising 0.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in Dudley places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Dudley is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of 2016, 39.8% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 23.5% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 27.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.4% and certificates for 22.1%.

Educational participation is notably high in Dudley, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of 2016. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Dudley has 25 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 10 different routes that together facilitate 182 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically located just 160 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to Dudley's predominantly residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 97% of residents. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 33.7% of residents work from home, a figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, an average of 26 trips is made daily, translating to roughly 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

Dudley's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows Dudley's health metrics are strong. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was high at approximately 63% of the total population (1,590 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9%, and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common conditions were arthritis and asthma, affecting 7.7% and 7.7% respectively. Dudley had 71.2% of residents reporting no medical ailments, higher than Regional NSW's 63.3%. Under-65s had better health outcomes. Dudley has 17.5% (440 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, in line with national rankings.

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

Dudley's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 90.6% having been born in Australia as of the 2016 Census. This is lower than the national average. The vast majority of Dudley residents were also citizens, at 94.7%, and English was spoken exclusively at home by 96.5%.

Christianity was the most prevalent religion, with 44.5% of Dudley's population identifying as Christian. However, Judaism was overrepresented in Dudley compared to Regional NSW, making up 0.3% of the population versus 0.1%. Regarding ancestry, Australians comprised 31.6%, English 31.1%, and Scottish 9.6% of Dudley's population. Notably, Welsh (1.1%), Polish (1.0%), and Macedonian (0.5%) ethnic groups were overrepresented in Dudley compared to Regional NSW figures of 0.5%, 0.5%, and 0.4% respectively.

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

Dudley's median age is 38, which is lower than Regional NSW's figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The age group 35-44 has a strong representation in Dudley at 15.2%, compared to Regional NSW, while the 75-84 cohort is less prevalent at 4.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age group increased from 13.5% to 15.2%, and the 25 to 34 cohort rose from 9.3% to 10.6%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort decreased from 11.9% to 10.5%, and the 5 to 14 group fell from 15.8% to 14.7%. By 2041, Dudley's age profile is projected to change significantly, with the 35 to 44 group expected to grow by 19%, reaching 454 people from 382. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 15 to 24 and 65 to 74 cohorts.