Ellalong

Ellalong lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of November 2025, Ellalong's population is estimated at around 225,200. This reflects an increase of 8,544 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 216,656. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 1,480 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,359 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Ellalong has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.1%, outpacing non-metro areas. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods, with interstate migration and natural growth playing minimal roles.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, as well as NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. Looking ahead, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, placing Ellalong in the top 10 percent of national regional areas. The suburb is expected to grow by 27,587 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 22.3% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Ellalong was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Ellalong averaged around 760 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 3,801 homes. As of FY26347 approvals have been recorded. Each dwelling has supported an average of 2.6 new residents annually between FY21 and FY25. The average construction cost value for new homes is $969,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $473.8 million, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Ellalong has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 130th percentile nationally for such assessments. New building activity comprises 65.0% detached dwellings and 35.0% attached dwellings, including townhouses and apartments, offering diverse housing options. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 176.0% houses) suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles preferences for more affordable housing choices.

Ellalong has approximately 334 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area with stable or declining population forecasts, potentially reducing future housing pressure.

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

No infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified zero projects likely affecting this region. Notable initiatives include Cessnock City Council Operational Plan & Capital Works 2024-25, Hunter Water Renewable Energy Projects, Hunter Transmission Project, and Hunter Regional Plan 2041.

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Employment conditions in Ellalong rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Ellalong has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.5%, having experienced an estimated employment growth of 3.3% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, there are 45,500 residents employed with an unemployment rate at 1.2% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is high at 97.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, with a particular specialization in health care & social assistance (2 times the regional level). Mining, however, is under-represented at 1% compared to Rest of NSW's 2.5%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating ample local employment opportunities. Over the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.3%, labour force grew by 2.5%, and unemployment decreased by 0.8 percentage points, contrasting with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Ellalong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Ellalong's median income was $90,814 and average income was $117,098. This is compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, estimated median income would be approximately $102,266 and average income $131,864. Census 2021 data ranks Ellalong's household, family, and personal incomes modestly, between the 24th and 26th percentiles. Income distribution shows 56.0% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, aligning with regional levels at 29.9%. It also displays polarization: 64.8% in lower brackets (<$800/week) and 25.8% in higher brackets (>$3,000/week). Ellalong retains 167.8% of income for housing costs, but total disposable income ranks at the 26th percentile nationally, with SEIFA income ranking placing it in the 8th decile.

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

Ellalong's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 175.6% houses and 24.4% other dwellings. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 90.9% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Ellalong's home ownership rate was 93.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 56.6% and rented ones at 50.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ellalong was $3,466, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Ellalong was $700, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $340. Nationally, Ellalong's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Ellalong features high concentrations of lone person households and family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 137.6% of all households, including 45.2% couples with children, 68.2% couples without children, and 22.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining -37.6%, with lone person households at 57.0% and group households comprising 5.4%. The median household size is 4.6 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

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

Ellalong's educational attainment is notably high with 38.0% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications, compared to 12.9% in the SA3 area and 15.2% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 25.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.8%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 85.8% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 21.8% and certificates at 64.0%. Educational participation is high, with 51.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 19.0% in primary, 14.8% in secondary, and 5.2% in tertiary education.

Ellalong Public School serves the area, enrolling 115 students, and has an ICSEA score of 913. The school focuses on primary education with secondary options available nearby. Ellalong functions as an educational hub with a high ratio of school places to residents, at 25.4 per 100, compared to the regional average of 13.0. This attracts students from surrounding communities.

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

Ellalong has 3,786 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along 240 individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate 9,850 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Ellalong is rated as good, with residents on average located 366 meters from the nearest transport stop. On a daily basis, service frequency averages 1,407 trips across all routes, which equates to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Ellalong faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 99% of the total population (~221,867 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most common conditions are arthritis (24.8%) and mental health issues (19.0%), while 118.8% claim to be free of medical ailments, higher than the 62.6% in Rest of NSW.

A substantial portion of residents is aged 65 and over (55.6%, or 125,256 people), exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 16.9%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors perform well relative to the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Ellalong was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Ellalong's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 10.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 28.8% born overseas. The dominant religion in Ellalong was Christianity, comprising 105.2% of the population, which is higher compared to the regional average of 55.7%. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were English (64.0%), Australian (59.8%), and Irish (17.4%).

These percentages were substantially higher than the regional averages of 31.5%, 33.8%, and 7.2% respectively. Notably, certain ethnic groups showed significant differences in representation: Maltese at 1.2% compared to the regional average of 0.3%, Australian Aboriginal at 8.8% compared to 6.3%, and Welsh at 1.2% compared to 0.5%.

Ellalong ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Ellalong is 95 years, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The demographic profile closely mirrors the broader Rest of NSW pattern. The concentration of individuals aged 65-74 is notably higher than the national average of 9.4%. Following the Census conducted in 2021, Ellalong has seen a decrease in median age to 95 from its previous figure of 96 years. Specifically, the proportion of individuals aged 35-44 has increased from 20.6% to 22.4%, while those aged 15-24 have risen from 18.8% to 20.3%. Conversely, the proportion of individuals aged 55-64 has decreased from 29.6% to 27.0%, and those aged 65-74 have dropped from 31.4% to 30.0%. Demographic projections indicate significant changes in Ellalong's age profile by the year 2041. The population of individuals aged 85 and above is expected to grow by approximately 57%, reaching a figure of 6,080 from its current total of 14,232. However, it is anticipated that both the 85+ age group and the 0-4 age cohort will experience population declines in the future.