Salamander Bay

An assessment of population growth drivers in Salamander Bay reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, Salamander Bay's population is estimated at around 5,010, reflecting an increase of 19 people since the 2021 Census. This increase was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 4,947 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. Salamander Bay's population density is approximately 585 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed around 98% to recent population gains. For projections, AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a 2022 base year for covered SA2 areas, and NSW State Government's SA2-level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year for uncovered areas.

Projected growth rates by age group are applied until 2041. Salamander Bay is expected to grow by 606 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 10.8% over the 17 years.

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

Salamander Bay recorded approximately 6 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 33 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 1.6 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these years.

This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions. The average construction cost value of new properties was $721,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $1.3 million, reflecting Salamander Bay's predominantly residential focus. Compared to Rest of NSW, Salamander Bay had significantly lower building activity, 79.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Nationally, Salamander Bay's development activity was also below average, suggesting maturity and possible planning constraints. New developments consisted of 43.0% detached dwellings and 57.0% medium to high-density housing, indicating a shift towards denser development to cater to diverse housing needs.

The estimated population per dwelling approval in Salamander Bay was 1256 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 543 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Salamander Bay has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified four projects likely influencing this region: 100 Salamander Way Residential Development, Salamander Bay Town Centre Place Plan, Salamander Bay Shopping Centre Expansion, and Central Avenue Salamander Bay Retail Development. The following details those deemed most relevant.

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, Salamander Bay has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Salamander Bay has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with tourism and hospitality sectors prominent. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% as of December 2025. This rate is 0.4% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Salamander Bay lags behind Regional NSW at 44.8% compared to 61.3%. According to Census responses, 23.7% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Salamander Bay has a notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, making up only 1.1% of Salamander Bay's workforce compared to 5.3% in Regional NSW. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Salamander Bay's labour force decreased by 0.5%, with employment decreasing by the same percentage, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Regional NSW saw an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Salamander Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Salamander Bay had a median taxpayer income of $39,096 and an average income of $55,698 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are below the national averages for median income ($52,390) and average income ($65,215). By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $42,560 (median) and $60,633 (average), based on an 8.86% increase since financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Salamander Bay fell between the 7th and 11th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $400 - $799 captured 28.4% of the community (1,422 individuals), unlike regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 band dominated with 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 83.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 9th percentile.

Salamander Bay displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Salamander Bay, as per the latest Census, comprised 60.0% houses and 40.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Salamander Bay was at 52.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.7% and rented dwellings at 23.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, aligning with Regional NSW's average. Median weekly rent was recorded at $380, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Salamander Bay's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Salamander Bay features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 64.6% of all households, including 18.8% couples with children, 34.6% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 33.9% and group households making up 1.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (31.4%). A total of 22.6% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 8.0% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 2.7% in tertiary education.

A substantial 22.6% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 7.1% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 67 active transport stops operating within Salamander Bay. These stops are serviced by 81 individual routes, collectively providing 1008 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 163 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 95%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, some 23.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 144 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Salamander Bay faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age cohorts exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 49% of Salamander Bay's total population (~2,455 people) has private health cover, which is lower than Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 15.3% of residents) and mental health issues (9.2%). Conversely, 54.4% of residents claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Salamander Bay's working-age population faces significant health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, with 41.1% aged 65 and over (2,059 people), compared to Regional NSW's 23.4%. While health outcomes among seniors are generally in line with national rankings, they present some challenges.

Salamander Bay is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Salamander Bay's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.2% of its population born in Australia, 91.6% being citizens, and 95.7% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Salamander Bay is Christianity, comprising 61.1% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Salamander Bay are English (35.2%), Australian (28.2%), and Irish (9.5%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 9.4%, compared to 8.0% regionally, Welsh at 0.7% versus 0.5%, and Maltese at 0.7% against 0.4%.

Salamander Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Salamander Bay is 57 years, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Salamander Bay has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (16.8%), but fewer individuals aged 25-34 (7.2%). This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is well above the national average of 6.1%. According to data from the post-2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has grown from 15.4% to 16.8%, while the proportion of individuals aged 5 to 14 has declined from 9.7% to 8.3%, and those aged 45 to 54 have decreased from 10.8% to 9.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Salamander Bay's age structure. The number of residents aged 85 and above is projected to increase markedly, expanding by 263 people (an 81% increase) from 325 to 589. This demographic aging trend continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 74% of the anticipated population growth. Meanwhile, the populations of individuals aged 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 are expected to decline.