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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.
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2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
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Population
Tenambit has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends
Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Tenambit's population is estimated at around 3,400 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 312 people (10.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,088 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,398 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 143 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,538 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Tenambit's 10.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded that of the Rest of NSW (4.9%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 47.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above median population growth of non-metropolitan areas nationally is projected, with the suburb expected to grow by 738 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 21.6% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
Recent residential development output has been above average within Tenambit when compared nationally
Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Tenambit has averaged around 18 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, between FY20-21 and FY25-26, an estimated 93 homes were approved, with a further 12 approved in FY26 to date. On average, 2.5 people have moved to the area per new home constructed over these years, reflecting robust demand that supports property values.
New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $401,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. This financial year has seen $80,000 in commercial approvals registered, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Tenambit has significantly less development activity, 52.0% below the regional average per person, which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. New building activity shows 77.0% detached dwellings and 23.0% attached dwellings, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space.
With around 152 people per approval, Tenambit reflects a developing area. Population forecasts indicate Tenambit will gain 736 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Tenambit
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Tenambit has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two major projects potentially impacting the region: Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation Project and East Maitland Catalyst Area Structure Plan. Other notable initiatives include Raymond Terrace Place Plan and Stony Pinch Urban Development, with the following list highlighting those most relevant.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone
The Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is a critical network infrastructure project upgrading approximately 85km of existing 132kV sub-transmission lines between Kurri Kurri and Muswellbrook, and constructing two new substations at Sandy Creek (Muswellbrook) and Antiene (Singleton). The project delivers an additional 1GW of network transfer capacity, enabling connection of approximately 1.8GW of new renewable generation and storage. Ausgrid, as appointed network operator, is responsible for design, financing, construction and operation. The Project Deed with EnergyCo was signed in December 2025 following Australian Energy Regulator determination, and construction officially commenced on 27 February 2026. The REZ is the first in Australia to upgrade existing distribution poles and wires rather than build new transmission infrastructure. It will create 590 jobs during construction and 220 ongoing local positions, with full capacity expected by 2028.
Raymond Terrace Place Plan
Port Stephens Council is developing a Raymond Terrace Place Plan to replace the 2015 Raymond Terrace and Heatherbrae Strategy. The new plan responds to major infrastructure investment, housing reforms and shifting community priorities. It targets approximately 2,500 new dwellings with a focus on diverse housing types including townhouses, smaller units and affordable living options. The plan covers town centre revitalisation, public space improvements, safety and connectivity upgrades, and includes a Public Domain Plan for William Street and surrounding areas. Heatherbrae is being considered separately given its relationship to the M1 Pacific Motorway Extension by Transport for NSW.
Maitland Local Housing Strategy 2041
The Maitland Local Housing Strategy 2041 is a comprehensive framework adopted by Council in June 2023 and endorsed by the NSW Government in September 2024. It manages residential growth to accommodate a projected population increase of 54,800 residents by 2041, requiring approximately 25,200 additional dwellings. The strategy prioritises housing diversity, infill development, and the 15-minute neighbourhood concept, seeking to shift from a 90:10 greenfield-to-infill ratio toward the Hunter Regional Plan target of 20:80 by 2041. Implementation milestones include the Residential Density Guide placed on public exhibition in March 2025, and the East Maitland Catalyst Area Structure Plan endorsed for public exhibition in October 2025, estimating 4,000 new homes for that precinct alone.
Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation Project
A purpose-built 64-bed mental health facility on the Maitland Hospital campus. It features a transitional model of care with three inpatient units: low-secure and medium-secure forensic units, and a rehabilitation and recovery unit. Designed by Bates Smart, the facility includes single bedrooms with ensuites, shared therapy spaces, and nature-integrated outdoor areas. The project serves to relocate and expand forensic services from the Morisset Hospital campus to a contemporary setting. Construction officially commenced with a sod-turning ceremony on March 12, 2026, led by Richard Crookes Constructions.
Hunter Transmission Project
A critical 110 km overhead 500 kV transmission line project connecting Bayswater Power Station to a new switching station in Olney State Forest near Eraring. As of May 2026, the project is under assessment following the February 2026 lodgement of the Submissions and Amendment Reports. It serves as the northern section of the Sydney Ring, designed to transfer renewable energy from the Central-West Orana and New England REZs. Infrastructure includes new switching stations at Bayswater South and Olney, plus upgrades to existing substations. Environmental surveys are ongoing through May 2026, with a final government determination expected later this year.
Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
Comprehensive NSW state planning reforms designed to increase housing density in well-located areas. The policy mandates mid-rise apartment buildings (3-6 storeys) and low-rise multi-dwelling housing (terraces, townhouses, and dual occupancies) within 800m of 171 high-frequency transport hubs and town centres. As of May 2026, the policy is fully operational following the phased rollout of dual occupancy provisions in July 2024 and mid-rise apartment provisions in early 2025. Recent updates include refined floor space ratios (FSR) and non-refusal standards to streamline local council assessments.
East Maitland Catalyst Area Structure Plan
The East Maitland Catalyst Area (EMCA) Structure Plan is a 20-year strategic land use framework guiding population growth and infill development across East Maitland. The precinct extends from Victoria Street Station in the north, south to Metford Station, and south-west to Ashtonfield and Green Hills, anchored by the new Maitland Hospital, Maitland Private Hospital and Stockland Green Hills regional shopping centre. The draft plan proposes rezoning land from R1 General Residential to a mix of low, medium and high-density zones to accommodate around 4,000 new dwellings and 6,000 additional residents by 2045. It also outlines shop-top housing and secondary dwellings, upgrades to Metford Road, a new northern access at Metford Station, and a new or significantly upgraded primary school. A supporting infrastructure needs analysis identifies utilities and social infrastructure required to support growth. The draft was placed on public exhibition from 27 October to 24 November 2025 following endorsement at the 21 October 2025 council meeting; council is reviewing community feedback to inform the final plan. The work is funded through a grant from the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure under the Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund.
Stony Pinch Urban Development
A long-term conceptual urban transformation initiative covering the post-mining repurposing of the Bloomfield Colliery and adjoining landholdings southeast of Maitland in the Lower Hunter. The Stony Pinch Group is a consortium formed under a legal agreement between major landowners in the area - The Bloomfield Group, Ashtonfields and Yancoal (which acquired the adjoining Donaldson site) - to coordinate future land use and development outcomes across their combined holdings. Earlier conceptual structure planning referenced in Bloomfield's Modification 4 environmental assessment envisaged a substantial mixed-use precinct extending from John Renshaw Drive towards East Maitland, including residential, town centre, employment lands, and recreation, with significant bushland retention. The site sits within the Hunter Regional Plan 2041 'Four Mile Creek Precinct', which is identified for employment uses leveraging access to the M1 Pacific Motorway and rail, the repurposing of existing infrastructure to support transition to new uses, and the conservation of high environmental value lands. Bloomfield Colliery currently operates under Project Approval 07_0087 with mining permitted until 31 December 2030. A Modification 5 (Bloomfield Colliery Continuation Project) is under assessment by the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and the Commonwealth under the EPBC Act, seeking to extend mining to 31 December 2035, reduce the production rate to 0.9 Mtpa, and amend the approved final landform. The Environmental Impact Statement was on public exhibition from 22 April to 20 May 2025, and a Response to Submissions report was lodged in September 2025. The currently approved final land use is grazing pasture; any future urban development would require separate planning approvals through Maitland and Cessnock Councils and the NSW Government.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis reveals Tenambit recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide
Tenambit has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include essential services. The unemployment rate was 5.1% as of December 2025.
Employment stability over the past year is relative. There are 1,416 residents employed currently, with an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is 1.2% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation stands at 52.9%, significantly lower than Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census data, 19.8% of residents work from home.
Leading industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Mining shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 0.9%. Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased by 0.4% while labour force rose by 0.1%, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Regional NSW saw employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decrease by 0.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies between sectors. Applying these projections to Tenambit's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data
The suburb of Tenambit's income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Tenambit was $46,201 and the average income stood at $56,610. These figures compare to Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $50,969 (median) and $62,452 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Tenambit all fall between the 17th and 17th percentiles nationally. Distribution data reveals 30.8% of the population (1,047 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Tenambit with only 81.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 15th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Tenambit is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region
The dwelling structure in Tenambit, as per the latest Census, was 87.9% houses and 12.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tenambit stood at 36.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.9% and rented ones at 32.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,625, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Tenambit was $345, slightly higher than Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Tenambit's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Tenambit features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size
Family households account for 68.8% of all households, including 22.8% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 17.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.2%, with lone person households making up 29.9% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Tenambit faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally
The area's university qualification rate is 14.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (30.0%).
Educational participation is high at 27.2%, with 9.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Transport analysis indicates 29 active public transport stops in Tenambit, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 31 different routes, collectively offering 487 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 140 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the area's primarily residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average.
According to the 2021 Census, 19.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 69 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Tenambit is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts
Tenambit faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across various health conditions impacting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (around 1,678 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.
Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 12.5% and 11.5% of residents respectively. However, 55.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. The working-age population has notably high chronic condition rates. Tenambit has 25.0% of its population aged 65 and over (850 people), higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. While health outcomes among seniors are generally in line with national rankings, they present some challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
The latest Census data sees Tenambit placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics
Tenambit, as per the census conducted on Tuesday 27 June 2016, showed a lower cultural diversity compared to the average. It had 92.4% of its population born in Australia, with 93.2% being citizens and 97.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Tenambit, with 58.5%, slightly higher than the Regional NSW average of 55.9%.
The top three ancestry groups were English (32.8%), Australian (30.9%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, Polish ethnicity was overrepresented at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, Australian Aboriginal at 6.6% versus 4.6%, and Maori at 0.6% against a regional average of 0.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Tenambit's median age exceeds the national pattern
Tenambit's median age is 41 years, which is lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but higher than Australia's national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group comprises 9.9%, compared to Regional NSW's figure. The 45-54 cohort represents 10.0% in Tenambit, which is less prevalent than the regional average. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 75-84 age group grew from 8.2% to 9.9%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort decreased from 12.5% to 11.3%, and the 45-54 group fell from 11.1% to 10.0%. By 2041, Tenambit's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 25-34 cohort is expected to grow by 35%, adding 151 residents for a total of 580. Meanwhile, the 15-24 cohort is predicted to grow minimally at just 6%, with an increase of 24 people.