Mayfield (Newcastle - NSW)

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Mayfield (Newcastle - NSW) is around 10,245. This figure reflects an increase of 485 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,760. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 10,030 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 102 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 3,283 persons per square kilometer, placing Mayfield in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 5.0% growth since census positions it within 0.9 percentage points of the Rest of NSW (5.9%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 1,381 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers derived from statistical area data, Mayfield averaged around 22 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25111 homes were approved, with an additional 13 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built over these five years gained an average of 2.6 new residents per year, indicating solid demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $400,000, somewhat higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development. This financial year has seen $73.7 million in commercial approvals registered, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Mayfield shows substantially reduced construction, with 59.0% fewer approvals per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 44.0% detached houses and 56.0% medium and high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 75.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Mayfield has around 572 people per approval, indicating a mature, established area.

Future projections estimate that Mayfield will add 1,166 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include Newcastle Port Logistics Hub, Mayfield Concept Plan, Subdivision at 110 Elizabeth Street, Tighes Hill, and Hunter Net Zero Manufacturing Centre of Excellence. The following list details 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.

Employment drivers in Mayfield are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Mayfield's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate, as of December 2025, stands at 6.5% according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. In December 2025, 5,418 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.6% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Mayfield was 68.3%, surpassing Regional NSW's 61.3%. Census responses indicated that 29.2% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, education & training, and accommodation & food. Mayfield had a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.3% compared to Regional NSW's average of 5.3%.

The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. During the year to December 2025, Mayfield's labour force increased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 0.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.0 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force contract by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggested that while national employment was projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates varied significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Mayfield's employment mix indicated that local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended 30 June 2023, median income among taxpayers in Mayfield was $53,055 with average income at $62,219. This is below national averages of $54,871 median and $73,142 average. Regional NSW had median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year ended 30 June 2023, current estimates for Mayfield would be approximately $57,756 median and $67,732 average as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household incomes in Mayfield rank between the 39th and 50th percentiles, with family incomes ranking similarly. Personal incomes also fall within this range. Income brackets indicate that majority of residents (33.2%, or 3,401 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually. This pattern is seen in surrounding regions where 29.9% occupy the same income bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 80.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 36th percentile. Mayfield's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Mayfield, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 74.6% houses and 25.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mayfield was at 23.6%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (34.5%) or rented (41.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Mayfield was $1,845, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Mayfield was recorded at $375, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Mayfield's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were comparable at $375.

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

Family households account for 58.0% of all households, including 20.7% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 42.0%, with lone person households at 34.1% and group households comprising 8.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Mayfield aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 29.6%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region's 26.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 34.7% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 24.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.4% currently enrolled in formal education, including 7.8% in tertiary, 7.5% in primary, and 5.0% in secondary education.

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

Mayfield has 91 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These are covered by 62 different routes, offering a combined total of 1,522 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Mayfield is rated excellent, with residents typically living just 123 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 89% of residents. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 29.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 217 trips per day, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Mayfield is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Mayfield, as assessed by AreaSearch.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be substantial, affecting a range of age cohorts. Private health cover was relatively low at approximately 52% of the total population (around 5,282 people). The most common medical conditions were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 14.5% and 9.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 60.1% of Mayfield residents declared they had no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age individuals face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 14.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,475 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Mayfield's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 85.6% having been born in the country. Citizenship was held by 89.8%, and English was spoken exclusively at home by 91.3%. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 43.5% of Mayfield's population.

While Judaism was present at a similar level to Regional NSW (0.1%), other religions were not specified in the report. The top three ancestral groups based on parental birth countries were English (29.5%), Australian (27.0%), and Irish (10.0%). Notably, Welsh ancestry was overrepresented at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.5%. Macedonian ancestry also showed a similar level of representation in Mayfield at 0.4%, while Samoan ancestry was higher than the regional average at 0.3% versus 0.1%.

Mayfield's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Mayfield'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 in Mayfield at 23.0%, compared to the Regional NSW average, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 8.4%. This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is well above the national average of 14.4%. Following the census conducted on 28 August 2021, younger residents have shifted Mayfield's median age down by 1.1 years to 35. Specifically, the percentage of residents aged 25 to 34 has grown from 20.2% to 23.0%, while those aged 35 to 44 increased from 14.7% to 16.1%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55 to 64 declined from 11.4% to 9.9%, and those aged 45 to 54 dropped from 11.4% to 10.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that Mayfield's age profile will evolve significantly by the year 2041. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow strongly at a rate of 23%, adding 536 residents to reach a total of 2,893. Conversely, the 65-74 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.