Jesmond

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, as of Nov 2025, Jesmond's estimated population is around 3682. This reflects a 472 person increase (14.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported 3210 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 3508 residents following examination of ABS' Jun 2024 ERP data release and additional 46 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3043 persons per square kilometer, placing Jesmond (SA2) in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. Jesmond's growth exceeded non-metro areas (5.7%) and SA3 areas, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 95% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year; for uncovers areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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. By 2041, Jesmond statistical area (Lv2) is projected to grow by 2075 persons, reflecting a total gain of 52.7% over the 17-year period and placing it in the top 10 percent of regional areas nationally.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Jesmond had around 8 new homes approved per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 44 homes were approved, with another 11 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built attracted an average of 8.8 people over the past five financial years, indicating strong demand outstripping supply.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $264,000, below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. This year, $1.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, predominantly focused on residential projects. Comparatively, Jesmond has significantly lower construction activity than the Rest of NSW, with 51.0% fewer dwellings approved per person. This constraint typically drives demand and pricing for existing properties. Nationally, Jesmond's construction levels are also below average, suggesting maturity in the area and potential planning constraints. New building activity in Jesmond consists of 17.0% detached dwellings and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating a shift towards denser development to cater to diverse housing needs. This trend could reflect decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles.

Jesmond has approximately 499 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its established status. By 2041, AreaSearch forecasts an increase of 1,940 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Seven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable among these are: 9 Gothic Street Student Accommodation, Callaghan Campus Heart, John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct, and Lambton Park Master Plan.

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

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The labour market performance in Jesmond lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Jesmond's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 7.3% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year (AreaSearch data).

As of September 2025, 1,790 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.5%, 0.7 percentage points above Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was 52.5%, below the Rest of NSW average of 56.4%. Key industries for employment among Jesmond residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food services. Health care & social assistance had a notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.3%, while labour force increased by 4.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points (AreaSearch analysis). In comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.03% with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. National unemployment was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts, released in May-25, projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Jesmond's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 14.1% over ten years (simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes).

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

The suburb of Jesmond's income level is lower than average nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Jesmond is $46,128 and the average income stands at $54,960. These figures compare to Rest of 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 for Jesmond would be approximately $50,215 (median) and $59,829 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Jesmond all fall between the 9th and 11th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.9% of residents (1,100 people), aligning with the region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Jesmond, with only 74.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

Jesmond displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Jesmond's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 46.6% houses and 53.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Jesmond was at 16.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 13.7% and rented ones at 70.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,652, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. The median weekly rent figure in Jesmond was $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Jesmond's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Jesmond features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 54.5% of all households, including 20.6% couples with children, 19.0% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 45.5%, with lone person households at 33.4% and group households comprising 11.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

The area's university qualification rate of 30.8%, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region average of 26.1%, reflects its emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (8.2%) and certificates (21.0%).

Educational participation is high, with 43.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 17.8% in tertiary education, 11.1% in primary education, and 4.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Jesmond shows that there are currently 17 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops primarily serve bus routes, with a total of 45 individual routes providing service to these locations. The weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 2,363.

Residents' accessibility to public transportation is rated as excellent, with an average distance of 169 meters from their homes to the nearest transport stop. Across all routes, the average frequency of service is 337 trips per day, which translates to approximately 139 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Jesmond are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Health indicators show below-average outcomes in Jesmond compared to national averages. Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher than average among older cohorts. Private health cover is very low at approximately 49% of the total population (~1,793 people), compared to 56.7% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (impacting 10.7% of residents) and asthma (8.5%), while 69.7% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 64.9% across Rest of NSW. Jesmond has 9.4% of residents aged 65 and over (346 people), lower than the 16.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

Jesmond is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Jesmond's population has high overseas-born residents, with 41.7%. At home, 40.0% speak languages other than English. Christianity is the dominant religion, at 37.0%.

Islam is notably higher than regional averages, at 18.7%. For ancestry, Other group is highest at 24.0%, significantly above regional average of 6.4%. English ancestry is lower at 22.3% compared to regional average of 29.6%. Australian ancestry is also lower, at 20.5% versus regional average of 27.5%. Serbian, Macedonian and Korean ethnicities are notably overrepresented in Jesmond.

Jesmond hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Jesmond's median age is 30 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Jesmond has a higher concentration of 25-34 year-olds at 25.5%, but fewer 65-74 year-olds at 4.0%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.4 years to 30. Key changes include the 25-34 age group growing from 21.9% to 25.5%, while the 35-44 cohort increased from 12.9% to 14.4%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 5.2% to 4.0%, and the 85+ group dropped from 3.5% to 2.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Jesmond, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to rise substantially by 773 people (82%), from 938 to 1,712. Conversely, the 85+ group is projected to contract by 13 residents.