Newcastle

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

Newcastle's population, as of Nov 2025, is estimated at around 4,817 people. This reflects an increase of 965 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,852 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,694, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 327 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4,188 persons per square kilometer, placing Newcastle in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 25.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (5.1%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for Newcastle was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 56.00000000000001% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Considering these projections, exceptional growth is predicted for Newcastle over the period from 2025 to 2041, with the area expected to expand by 2,110 persons, reflecting an increase of 32.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Newcastle among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Newcastle has seen around 156 new homes approved each year. Over the past five financial years, between FY21 and FY25, approximately 784 homes were approved, with an additional three approved so far in FY26. On average, only 0.8 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period, indicating that supply is meeting or surpassing demand.

This provides greater buyer choice and supports potential population growth above projections. The average construction cost value of new homes being built is $678,000, suggesting developers are focusing on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26 alone, there have been $198.2 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Newcastle has 616.0% more development activity per person, offering buyers greater choice and indicating robust developer interest in the area. New building activity shows a focus on higher-density living, with 3.0% detached dwellings and 97.0% attached dwellings. This creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Currently, Newcastle reflects a developing area with around 14 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate that Newcastle will gain 1,579 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 33 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives are East End Newcastle, Dairy Farmers Towers, Pottery Lane Residential Development - Newcastle, and The Store Newcastle. The following details projects expected to have the most relevance.

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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Newcastle ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Newcastle has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.6% over the past year.

This is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In Newcastle, 2,834 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.2% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Newcastle was 68.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

Newcastle shows a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 2.2 times the regional level. In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. As at the Census, there were 2.4 workers for every resident in Newcastle, indicating it functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 1.6% while labour force increased by 2.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points in Newcastle. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer further insight into potential future demand within Newcastle. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Newcastle's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though it is noted this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Newcastle has a median income of $64,975 and an average income of $101,142. This is higher than the Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Newcastle would be approximately $73,168 (median) and $113,896 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, individual earnings in Newcastle are at the 93rd percentile nationally ($1,251 weekly), but household income ranks lower at the 62nd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 35.2% of locals (1,695 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, which is similar to the metropolitan region where 29.9% fall into this range. High housing costs consume 18.9% of income in Newcastle, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 58th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Newcastle features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Newcastle's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 2.2% houses and 97.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro NSW, on the other hand, had 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Newcastle was at 25.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.2% and rented ones at 55.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Newcastle was $2,167, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $1,962. The median weekly rent figure in Newcastle was $490, while it was $400 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, Newcastle's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also higher at $490 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 46.0% of all households, including 7.8% couples with children, 32.2% couples without children, and 5.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 54.0%, with lone person households at 47.3% and group households comprising 6.7%. The median household size is 1.7 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Newcastle demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Newcastle's educational attainment is notably higher than broader standards. Among residents aged 15 and above, 46.4% possess university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 26.1% in the SA4 region. This high level of educational attainment positions Newcastle well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common at 29.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%).

Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 30.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.0% and certificates at 18.6%. A significant 22.8% of Newcastle's population is actively engaged in formal education. This includes 11.8% in tertiary education, 3.4% in primary education, and 2.3% pursuing secondary education. Newcastle Grammar Bolton Street Campus, located within Newcastle, had an enrollment of 0 students as of the provided data. Secondary education dominates in Newcastle with 1 school, while primary students typically attend schools in nearby areas due to no schools being located within Newcastle itself. Residents must therefore travel to neighboring regions for educational services. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus for accurate figures.

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

The transport analysis indicates that Newcastle has 32 active transport stops in operation. These include a mix of ferry, lightrail, and bus services. The city is served by 15 individual routes, which together facilitate 6,944 weekly passenger trips.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 94 meters to the nearest stop. The service frequency averages 992 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 217 weekly trips per individual stop.

Newcastle'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

Newcastle's health data shows positive results with common conditions affecting both young and elderly residents similarly. Approximately 67% (3,217 people) have private health cover, higher than Rest of NSW's 55.6%. Nationally, it stands at 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 10.4% and 8.2% respectively. About 66.6% report no medical ailments, compared to Rest of NSW's 64.9%. Newcastle has 20.0% (963 people) aged 65 and over, higher than Rest of NSW's 16.7%. Seniors' health outcomes are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Newcastle's population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 20.6% born overseas and 12.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Newcastle, accounting for 41.2% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented, comprising 0.2% compared to the Rest of NSW's 0.1%.

The top three ancestral groups are English (30.6%), Australian (20.9%, lower than the regional average of 27.5%), and Irish (11.3%). Other ethnic groups with notable representation include Scottish at 10.2% (vs regional 8.4%), Welsh at 0.8% (same as regional), and Hungarian at 0.4% (vs regional 0.2%).

Newcastle hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Newcastle is 40 years, which is slightly below the Rest of NSW's average of 43 but above the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Newcastle at 24.3%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 5-14 are under-represented at 2.2%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of Newcastle's population in the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 23.0% to 24.3%, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 3.7% to 2.2%. The 45-54 age group has also decreased, from 12.4% to 11.1%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that Newcastle's 25-34 age cohort is projected to expand by 533 people, from 1,170 to 1,704.