Belmont
A median age of 48, eight years above the national figure, combined with 41.7% outright ownership tells the story of a suburb that bought in early and stayed. Belmont's $850,000 median house price grew 6.4% year-on-year, yet household incomes at the 29th percentile nationally create genuine mortgage stress at 37.1% of income, above the 30% threshold. The healthcare sector employs 22.8% of workers, more than double the national share, reflecting proximity to Lake Macquarie hospital infrastructure. This is a suburb where property wealth has outpaced income growth, creating a widening gap between existing owners and new entrants.
Population
7,289
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,280/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
84
Median House
$850K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $850,000, Belmont sits above the Lake Macquarie median, with prices up 6.4% from $820,000 in 2024 to $872,500 in 2025. Mortgage stress at 37.1% of household income is a red flag, 7 points above the danger line, meaning new buyers at current prices face genuine strain. The housing stock is 70% detached houses, with a higher apartment share (14.8%) and semi-detached share (12.8%) than most Lake Macquarie suburbs. Bedroom mix is balanced: 33.9% three-bed, 28.5% four-plus, and 27.1% two-bed. The 41.7% outright ownership rate is among the highest in the region, reflecting long-tenured residents who purchased decades ago.
For Buyers
At $850,000, Belmont sits above the Lake Macquarie median, with prices up 6.4% from $820,000 in 2024 to $872,500 in 2025. Mortgage stress at 37.1% of household income is a red flag, 7 points above the danger line, meaning new buyers at current prices face genuine strain. The housing stock is 70% detached houses, with a higher apartment share (14.8%) and semi-detached share (12.8%) than most Lake Macquarie suburbs. Bedroom mix is balanced: 33.9% three-bed, 28.5% four-plus, and 27.1% two-bed. The 41.7% outright ownership rate is among the highest in the region, reflecting long-tenured residents who purchased decades ago.
For Investors
The 31.6% renter share and $340 weekly rent on an $850,000 median produce a gross yield of approximately 2.1%, below the cost of capital. The 6.5% vacancy rate exceeds the healthy threshold, indicating periodic oversupply. With 80 DAs lodged in 12 months, including retail premises and new dwellings, the supply pipeline is active. Population growth at 0.5% per year (+76 persons) is modest. The gentrification score of 50 flags active-stage change, with real income growing 23% over the decade. Net internal outflow of -146 per year, perfectly offset by overseas inflow of +146, creates a population that is replacing rather than growing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
370
Last 12 Months
84
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+21.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Belmont iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis Xavier's Primary School
K-6 · 124 students
Floraville Public School
K-6 · 488 students
Belmont High School
7-12 · 812 students
Belmont Public School
K-6 · 257 students
Belmont North Public School
K-6 · 160 students
Demographics
Belmont's median age of 48 is 8 years above the national figure, the highest in this batch. University attainment at 25% sits 5.1 points below the national rate. English ancestry dominates (3,293), with Scottish (900) and Irish (823) completing a strongly Anglo-Celtic profile. Only 10.8% were born overseas, 10.8 points below the national average. The 2.2 average household size, 0.3 below the national figure, combined with 34.2% couples without children, confirms a downsizer and empty-nester community. The 48% participation rate is well below the national average, consistent with a high retiree population and 2,615 residents not in the labour force.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
70.0%
Houses
12.8%
Townhouse
14.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The median house price of $850,000 rose 6.4% year-on-year from $820,000 in 2024. Ownership favours outright holders at 41.7%, well above the national average, while 26.7% carry mortgages and 31.6% rent. This outright ownership dominance reflects long-term residents who purchased when Belmont was far cheaper. The housing mix of 70% detached, 14.8% apartment, and 12.8% semi-detached offers more diversity than most Lake Macquarie suburbs. Mortgage-to-income of 37.1% flags genuine stress for new buyers, while rent-to-income of 26.6% approaches the upper comfort limit for tenants. The 8.4% need-for-assistance rate exceeds the national average.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,058
Rent / wk
$340
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$697
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.5%
Unoccupied
214
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.2%
Couples, no children
5,473
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 22.8% of employment (461 workers), more than double the typical national share, driven by Lake Macquarie's hospital and aged care infrastructure. Construction follows at 13.9% (282 workers), with education at 11.3%. Community and personal services workers (406) slightly outnumber professionals (610), indicating a service-oriented rather than knowledge economy. Unemployment at 5.9% exceeds the national average, and the participation rate of 48% is dragged down by the large retired population. SEIFA scores are middling: IRSAD decile 5, IEO decile 4, suggesting limited educational opportunity despite moderate economic resources at IER decile 6.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
8,396
Unemployed
351
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
48.0%
Employed
2,815
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.0%
Postgraduate
5.6%
Born Overseas
10.8%
Dwellings
3,090
Transport to Work
Five schools serve the area, with St Francis Xavier's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1048, 124 students) and Floraville Public School (Government, ICSEA 1026, 488 students) performing above the national benchmark. Belmont High School (Government, ICSEA 973, 812 students) is the main secondary option. Belmont North Public School (ICSEA 946, 160 students) and Belmont Public School (ICSEA 956, 257 students) sit below average. Car dependency at 87.3% is standard for Lake Macquarie, with public transport at 1.7%. Walking and cycling at 4.9% benefits from lake foreshore access. The IRSAD decile of 5 places Belmont at the national midpoint.
Drive
87.3%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
4.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.5%/yr
(+76 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth of 0.5% per year (+76 persons) is modest, projecting to 15,645 by 2031. The unusual migration pattern, where the net internal outflow of -146 per year exactly matches overseas inflow of +146, means population composition is changing without growing. Belmont is stable in trajectory, with the young share actually increasing 0.8 points and the senior share declining 0.8 points over the decade, a rare reversal compared to the national aging trend. Real income growth of 23%, above the national median, and the gentrification score of 50 both point to active renewal. Affordability improved from 45.8% mortgage-to-income in 2011 to 43.8% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+146
Net Internal / yr
-146
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -146/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Belmont compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Belmont a good suburb to live in?
Belmont suits downsizers and established residents who purchased earlier, with 41.7% owning outright. New buyers face mortgage stress at 37.1% of income on the $850,000 median. Five schools provide primary and secondary options, with 2 above the national ICSEA benchmark. The median age of 48 signals a quieter, retirement-oriented community.
What is the median house price in Belmont?
The median house price is $850,000 as of 2025, up 6.4% from $820,000 in 2024. At household incomes in the 29th percentile nationally, mortgage repayments absorb 37.1% of income, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Belmont?
Belmont has 5 schools: St Francis Xavier's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1048, 124 students), Floraville Public (ICSEA 1026, 488), Belmont High School (ICSEA 973, 812), Belmont Public (ICSEA 956, 257), and Belmont North Public (ICSEA 946, 160). Two of the 5 score above the national average of 1000.
Is Belmont safe?
Crime data is not available for Belmont in the current dataset. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 5 places it at the national midpoint. The high outright ownership rate of 41.7% and low turnover (78.6% stayed 5 years) suggest residential stability, which typically correlates with lower property crime rates.
Is Belmont good for property investment?
Gross yield of approximately 2.1% ($340/week on $850,000) is below the cost of capital. The 6.5% vacancy rate exceeds the healthy threshold. However, 80 DAs in 12 months indicate an active development pipeline, and the gentrification score of 50 suggests the suburb is undergoing compositional change that could support medium-term capital growth.
How is Belmont's population changing?
Population grows at 0.5% per year (+76 persons), projecting to 15,645 by 2031. Unusually, net internal outflow of -146 per year is exactly offset by overseas arrivals of +146, meaning the population is replacing rather than growing. The 10-year change of 10.2% is moderate.
What recent development is happening in Belmont?
Belmont recorded 80 development applications in the past 12 months, including retail premises, new dwellings, and building modifications. The active pipeline combined with a gentrification score of 50 signals ongoing renewal in the suburb.
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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