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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Jewells has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch
As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Jewells is around 2,533, reflecting an increase of 81 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 3.3% rise from the previous population count of 2,452. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 2,495, based on their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional two validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 850 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively consistent with averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Jewells' 3.3% growth since the census positions it within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.1%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth for the suburb.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. According to these projections, the suburb's population is expected to decline by 81 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow during this period, notably the 25 to 34 age group, which is projected to increase by 41 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
The level of residential development activity in Jewells is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch
Jewells has had minimal residential development activity with less than one dwelling approval annually over the five-year period ending in 2019. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs are typically addressed through specific local projects rather than broader market demand. The small number of developments means that individual projects can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics.
Jewells has shown less construction activity compared to Rest of NSW and is below national averages for dwelling approvals. Given stable or declining population forecasts until 2036, Jewells may experience lower housing pressure than other areas, potentially creating favourable conditions for property buyers.
Given stable or declining population forecasts, Jewells may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Jewells has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally
Nine projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely impacting the area, with key ones including Billy's Lookout, Teralba, Woolworths Belmont North Supermarket Development, 364 Pacific Highway Townhouse Development, and Lorikeet Ridge Estate. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Tingira Hills Care Community
Tingira Hills Care Community (formerly Opal Hillside) is a major residential aged care facility in the Lake Macquarie region. It offers 120-128 beds across various room types including single en-suite and companion rooms, catering to permanent, respite, dementia, and palliative care needs. The facility features a dedicated Memory Care Neighborhood, a Wellness Centre for rehabilitation, an on-site cafe, hairdressing salon, and a community bus for outings. Architecturally, it was specifically engineered to manage variable founding conditions and ground movement associated with local mine subsidence.
Woolworths Belmont North Supermarket Development
Redevelopment of the 4.04-hectare former Bunnings site into a retail hub featuring a 3,800sqm full-line Woolworths supermarket. The project includes repurposing the existing warehouse structure to house specialty tenancies for food, health, and services, alongside 341 at-grade parking spaces and Direct to Boot facilities.
Bennetts Green Retail Development
A completed 30,000 square metre large format retail precinct featuring Bunnings Warehouse, Spotlight, Anaconda, McDonald's, KFC, BP service station with Wild Bean Cafe, Nick Scali, Harris Scarfe, PetStock, and Road Tech Marine. The development opened in stages from October 2020 and has created over 600 ongoing jobs for the local community. This is the largest retail development built in Lake Macquarie since the 2010 expansion of Charlestown Square.
Mount Hutton Precinct Area Plan
A comprehensive planning framework integrated into the Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan (DCP) 2014 to manage the growth of the Mount Hutton town centre. The plan facilitates medium-density housing, enhances pedestrian and transport connectivity, and prioritizes ecological rehabilitation. Recent 2024-2025 updates include the rezoning of strategic sites like 1 Progress Road to E1 Local Centre and city-wide Housing Diversity reforms that permit small-lot housing and a broader range of residential types within the precinct to meet growing migration needs.
Windale Hub, bilyabayi
New community hub and contemporary library delivering flexible social spaces, a community hall, meeting rooms (including a recording studio), coworking and maker facilities. Conceived as a community living room to support learning, creativity and connection in Windale. Officially opened 24 August 2024.
Windale Area Plan
The Windale Area Plan is a Precinct Area Plan within Part 12 of the Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan 2014, which provides detailed planning controls for development in Windale. The original plan outlines objectives and controls for development, promoting enhanced public realm, housing diversity with medium density options, creek rehabilitation, shop expansion, and community connectivity.
First Creek Realignment Project
Realignment of First Creek further south at Redhead Beach to reduce scouring of dunes and infrastructure, create a safer flow path, improve emergency and public beach access, and prevent erosion of coastal dunes. The works were undertaken by Lake Macquarie City Council in July 2023 and were expected to take one week to complete.
Billy's Lookout, Teralba
Billy's Lookout is a 70.9 hectare master planned residential estate on the shores of Lake Macquarie in Teralba, being delivered by McCloy Group. Once complete the community is planned to accommodate around 531 new homes and about 1,000 residents. The project is in its final stages of land release, with civil works and home construction continuing across the estate. The lakeside neighbourhood includes parklands, a playground, walking trails, shared paths and public art, and is located close to shops, schools, medical services and transport links to Newcastle and Sydney.
Employment
The employment environment in Jewells shows above-average strength when compared nationally
Jewells has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,256 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.
Workforce participation in Jewells is on par with Regional NSW at 61.3%. Based on Census responses, 24.4% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction employment levels are particularly high, at 1.5 times the regional average.
Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with 0.0% employment compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, while labour force increased by 1.5%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Jewells's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis
AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Jewells' median income among taxpayers is $55,055 and average is $72,060. This is above Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $59,933 (median) and $78,445 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes rank modestly in Jewells, between the 47th and 48th percentiles. Income analysis reveals largest segment comprises 29.5% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (747 residents), consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 29.9% in same category. After housing, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses and area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Jewells is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
In Jewells, as per the latest Census evaluation, 89.7% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 10.3% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Jewells stood at 46.9%, with mortgaged properties at 44.2% and rented ones at 8.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,160, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent was $450, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Jewells' median mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,160 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Jewells features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households account for 81.1% of all households, including 33.3% couples with children, 38.5% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.9%, with lone person households at 16.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Educational attainment in Jewells aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics
The area's university qualification rate is 20.7%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.5%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.5%) and certificates (31.5%). Educational participation is high at 25.9%, with 10.1% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.
Educational participation is notably high, with 25.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Public transport analysis indicates 29 active transport stops operating within Jewells, consisting of a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 22 individual routes, collectively providing 490 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 179 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 98%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, above the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, some 24.4% of residents work from home. Service frequency averages 70 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Jewells's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts
Health data for Jewells residents shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks. The most common health conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 10.8% and 9.2% of residents respectively.
Approximately 61.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Private health cover is high at around 55%, slightly above the 51.9% regional average. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 27.8% (704 people), compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical, with national rankings broadly matching general population figures.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Jewells is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics
Jewells had a low level of cultural diversity, with 90.7% of its population born in Australia, 95.5% being citizens, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 56.2% of Jewells' population. However, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% across Regional NSW.
The top three ancestry groups were English (33.8%), Australian (30.4%), and Scottish (9.4%). Notably, Macedonian (0.3%) Maltese (0.6%), and Welsh (0.6%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 0.4%, and 0.5% respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Jewells hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average
Jewells's median age is 44 years, similar to Regional NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Jewells has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (15.7%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (10.5%). This 65-74 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 9.5%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, Jewells's population aged 25 to 34 grew from 9.4% to 10.9%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group declined from 16.8% to 15.7%, and the 45 to 54 age group decreased from 12.2% to 11.1%. By 2041, Jewells is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 48 people, reaching 120 from the current 81, representing a growth of 48%. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 55% of this growth. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 and 65 to 74 age groups are projected to decrease in number.