Aberdare
With 80.1% of dwellings being separate houses and a median age of 36, Aberdare sits 4 years below the national median, making it one of the younger-skewing residential pockets in the Hunter region. Household income lands at the 27.8th percentile nationally, well below average, yet the suburb recorded 19.3% house price growth from 2024 to 2025, outpacing many higher-income areas. Healthcare employs 22.6% of the local workforce, nearly double the share of Mining at 9.3%, pointing to a service-worker rather than resource-worker base despite the region's mining heritage.
Population
2,542
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,251/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$605K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $605,000, and the price history shows a sharp move from $550,000 in 2024 to $656,000 in 2025, a 19.3% gain in one year. Separate houses dominate at 80.1% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 51.0% of stock and four-plus bedroom homes at 21.2%, so the market caters to families rather than singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,421, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers at the median can service debt comfortably compared to many Sydney markets. Semi-detached homes make up 18.7% of stock, offering an entry point below the detached median.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $605,000, and the price history shows a sharp move from $550,000 in 2024 to $656,000 in 2025, a 19.3% gain in one year. Separate houses dominate at 80.1% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 51.0% of stock and four-plus bedroom homes at 21.2%, so the market caters to families rather than singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,421, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers at the median can service debt comfortably compared to many Sydney markets. Semi-detached homes make up 18.7% of stock, offering an entry point below the detached median.
For Investors
Renters make up 35.6% of Aberdare households, a meaningful tenant pool for a suburb of 2,542 residents. Weekly rent averages $303, low in absolute terms but rent-to-income at 24.2% is below the stress threshold, meaning tenants can generally sustain payments without financial pressure. The vacancy rate of 6.9% is elevated, suggesting more supply than demand at current rent levels, a factor that limits near-term rent growth. Development activity logged 21 applications in the past 12 months, including subdivision and new structure applications, indicating ongoing lot-level activity. The 19.3% price gain from 2024 to 2025 is the strongest near-term signal, though investors should weigh this against the below-average household income at the 27.8th percentile nationally.
Development Activity
Total DAs
119
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Aberdare's median age of 36 runs 4 years below the national figure, reflecting a relatively young population base. Overseas-born residents account for just 6.0% of the population, which is 15.6 percentage points below the national share, making this a firmly Anglo-Australian suburb. Ancestry data bears this out: English (1,121 residents), Scottish (333) and Irish (181) are the top three groups. University qualifications reach only 10.4%, sitting 19.7 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a working-class occupational profile. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure, and couples with children account for 710 of 1,993 total families. The community has low residential turnover, with 78.3% of residents having lived in the same address for five or more years.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.1%
Houses
18.7%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 80.1% of Aberdare's dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 18.7% and apartments at just 1.2%, a stock profile concentrated almost entirely in ground-level residential. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.0% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes for 21.2%, so the market skews large. Tenure divides into 35.6% renting, 34.2% with a mortgage and 30.2% owning outright. The median house price moved from $550,000 in 2024 to $656,000 in 2025, a 19.3% annual rise compared to flatter national price movements in the same period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,421, and mortgage stress stays below threshold at 26.2% of income, lower than many comparable NSW regional markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,421
Rent / wk
$303
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$640
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
73
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.8%
Couples, no children
1,993
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Aberdare's industry base at 22.6% of employed residents (143 workers), followed by Mining at 9.3% (59), Construction at 9.0% (57), Public Administration at 8.1% (51) and Hospitality at 7.3% (46). By occupation, Community and Personal Services is the largest category at 203 workers, followed by Labourers (155) and Machinery Operators and Drivers (147). The unemployment rate is 8.1%, above the national average, and the participation rate is relatively low at 52.7%, with 789 residents not in the labour force. Full-time employment accounts for 60.0% of employed residents. Personal weekly income averages $640 and household weekly income $1,251, placing the suburb at the 27.8th percentile nationally, reflecting the trades and services workforce profile.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.0%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
52.7%
Employed
978
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.4%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
6.0%
Dwellings
991
Transport to Work
Car dependency in Aberdare is high, with 92.2% of employed residents driving to work, well above the national average, which reflects the suburb's layout and distance from major public transport corridors. Walking and cycling account for 2.3% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in surrounding suburbs. Crime statistics are not available for Aberdare in this dataset. Rent-to-income sits at 24.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 26.2% also stays comfortable, which means most households in Aberdare are not under housing cost pressure compared to high-cost metropolitan areas. The volunteering rate is 10.2% and 8.8% of residents need some form of daily assistance.
Drive
92.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Aberdare compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Aberdare a good suburb to live in?
Aberdare suits working families well. Separate houses make up 80.1% of stock and mortgage-to-income sits at 26.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. The median age of 36 is 4 years below national, pointing to a younger community. The main limitations are high car dependency at 92.2% of commuters and a below-average household income at the 27.8th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Aberdare?
The median house price is $605,000, with prices rising 19.3% from $550,000 in 2024 to $656,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,421, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 26.2%. Weekly rent averages $303 for those who choose to rent rather than buy.
What schools are in Aberdare?
No schools are recorded within the Aberdare suburb boundary in this dataset. Residents rely on schools in the surrounding Cessnock area. University qualifications among local residents reach just 10.4%, which is 19.7 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the suburb's working-class occupational profile.
Is Aberdare safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Aberdare in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low: mortgage-to-income is 26.2% and rent-to-income is 24.2%, both below the 30% threshold. The community is stable, with 78.3% of residents having lived at the same address for 5 or more years.
Is Aberdare good for property investment?
Prices rose 19.3% from $550,000 in 2024 to $656,000 in 2025, a strong short-term signal. However, the vacancy rate is 6.9%, which is elevated, and weekly rent of $303 against a $605,000 median implies a tight gross yield. The 35.6% renter share provides a tenant pool, but household income at the 27.8th percentile nationally limits further rent growth capacity.
How is Aberdare's population changing?
Aberdare has a current population of 2,542 with a residential stability rate of 78.3%, meaning the vast majority of residents stayed in place over the past 5 years. Turnover is low at 21.7%. The suburb logged 21 development applications in the past 12 months, including subdivision, suggesting gradual lot-level growth rather than large-scale development.
How much development is happening in Aberdare?
There were 21 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including subdivision, shed erection and demolition works. This represents active but modest activity for a suburb of 2,542 residents covering 3.3 square kilometres. The focus on lot-level works rather than multi-dwelling projects reflects the detached house character of the area, where 80.1% of dwellings are separate houses.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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