Mayfield East

Mayfield East has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Mayfield East had an estimated population of 1,813 as of May 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 19 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,794. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation using latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2025) and ten additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,924 persons per square kilometer, placing Mayfield East in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration was the primary driver for this growth during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by this data. Applying growth rates from these aggregations to all areas until 2041, the suburb is projected to grow by 217 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 12.0% over the 16-year period. This expected growth places Mayfield East just below the median for Australia's non-metropolitan areas considering projected demographic shifts.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Mayfield East, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Mayfield East has had minimal residential development activity with only 8 dwelling approvals over the five years from May 2016 to April 2021. This averages out to approximately 1.6 approvals annually. These low development levels are reflective of the rural nature of the area, where housing development is typically driven by specific local needs rather than broader market demand.

It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects. Mayfield East has substantially lower development levels compared to the rest of NSW. The development pattern in Mayfield East is also well below national averages. New building activity shows an equal split between detached houses (50%) and medium to high-density housing (50%). This shift towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses at 83%.

This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 1808 people per approval, Mayfield East shows a mature, established area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Mayfield East is forecasted to gain 217 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A total of 0 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Mayfield Concept Plan, Newcastle Port Logistics Hub, Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, and Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Mayfield East shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Mayfield East has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 5.3%, indicating relative stability over the past year according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,068 residents are employed while the unemployment rate stands at 1.4% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Mayfield East is high at 75.2%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. Census data shows that 35.4% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Mayfield East has a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.5% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.1% while labour force rose by 1.8%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.6 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, and unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mayfield East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

In AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Mayfield East had a median income among taxpayers of $59,514. The average income stood at $69,793. This was slightly above the national average and compared to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $65,656 (median) and $76,996 (average) as of March 2026. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Mayfield East clustered around the 60th percentile nationally. Distribution data showed that the predominant cohort spanned 33.5% of locals (607 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. This was consistent with broader trends across the region showing 29.9% in the same category. High housing costs consumed 18.7% of income. Despite this, strong earnings placed disposable income at the 50th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

Mayfield East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Mayfield East, as evaluated at the latest Census conducted in 2016, consisted of 83.1% houses and 16.9% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Regional NSW's dwelling structure of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mayfield East was at 23.1%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 38.4% and rented dwellings comprising 38.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of 2016, was $2,000, which is higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Mayfield East was recorded at $420, compared to Regional NSW's average of $330. Nationally, Mayfield East's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Mayfield East features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 61.0% of all households, including 22.8% couples with children, 23.8% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 39.0%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 7.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Educational attainment in Mayfield East is notably high, with 34.4% of residents aged 15 and over holding university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 26.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 23.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 32.7% of residents aged 15 and over holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 9.7% and certificates for 23.0%. Educational participation is high, with 26.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.1% in tertiary education, 7.6% in primary education, and 3.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 12 active stops operating within Mayfield East, comprising a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 24 individual routes, collectively providing 1,280 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 116 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode at 90%, with 4% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

A high 35.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census). Service frequency averages 182 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 106 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Mayfield East faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively high at approximately 55% of the total population (~988 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 13.7% and 7.9% of residents respectively. Conversely, 63.6% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, similar to the 63.3% figure across Regional NSW. The working-age population in Mayfield East experiences notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Only 13.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (244 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Mayfield East ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mayfield East had a cultural diversity level below average, with 87.7% of its population born in Australia, 93.5% being citizens, and 92.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 36.7% of Mayfield East's population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.5%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.8%), Australian (25.6%), and Irish (11.3%). Other ethnicities with notable divergences included Welsh at 0.9% (vs regional 0.5%), Polish at 1.0% (vs regional 0.5%), and Macedonian at 0.7% (vs regional 0.4%).

Mayfield East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Mayfield East's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Regional NSW average of 43 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 22.7% locally compared to the Regional NSW average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 3.6%. This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.6%. Following the Census conducted on August 10, 2021, younger residents have shifted the median age down by 1.1 years to 35. Specifically, the percentage of residents aged 25 to 34 grew from 20.6% to 22.7%, while those aged 35 to 44 increased from 16.6% to 18.5%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55 to 64 declined from 11.4% to 9.8%, and those aged 85 and above dropped from 3.1% to 1.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Mayfield East's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 cohort at 24%, adding 100 residents to reach a total of 512. Conversely, the 65-74 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.