Blacksmiths
Blacksmiths stands out for an older, settled profile: its median age is 50, or 10.0 years above the national comparison, while 80.5% of residents stayed at the same address and forecast annual growth is just 0.02%. Separate houses account for 88.6% of homes, and household income sits at the 27.8th percentile. Compared with nearby Swansea and Caves Beach, buyers should weigh Blacksmiths' mature housing base and slow-growth outlook because the suburb is better suited to stability than rapid change.
Local council: Lake Macquarie
Population
1,881
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,252/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Homebuyers get a detached-dominant market, with separate houses making up 88.6% of dwellings compared with 2.4% apartments and 7.0% semi-detached homes. The 48.7% outright ownership share is higher than the 27.6% mortgage share, indicating a large established owner base. Housing costs still need careful budgeting because the monthly mortgage figure is $1,733 and mortgage stress reaches 32.0% of income. The bedroom mix is practical for established households, with 38.0% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 26.4% having 4 or more. Compared with apartment-heavy markets, Blacksmiths is more focused on detached family-style housing.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a detached-dominant market, with separate houses making up 88.6% of dwellings compared with 2.4% apartments and 7.0% semi-detached homes. The 48.7% outright ownership share is higher than the 27.6% mortgage share, indicating a large established owner base. Housing costs still need careful budgeting because the monthly mortgage figure is $1,733 and mortgage stress reaches 32.0% of income. The bedroom mix is practical for established households, with 38.0% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 26.4% having 4 or more. Compared with apartment-heavy markets, Blacksmiths is more focused on detached family-style housing.
For Investors
Investment conditions are mixed. The suburb has a 22.5% renting share, weekly rent of $390 and a 9.6% vacancy rate, so leasing demand should be tested carefully rather than assumed. Rent growth of 38.7% provides a positive recent signal, but the forecast annual trend is only 0.02% and migration is described as Balanced, limiting the case for rapid capital growth. The renting share is lower than the 48.7% outright ownership share, reflecting a stable owner base. Development activity reached 33 applications over 12 months, which may support property upkeep and renewal, although the mix includes household works rather than confirmed new dwelling supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
141
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+77.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Blacksmiths
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Blacksmiths has 1,881 residents and a median age of 50, which is 10.0 years above the national comparison. The population is also less university-qualified than the national level, with 19.0% holding a university qualification, 11.1 percentage points below the national comparison. Only 6.3% of residents were born overseas, 15.3 points below the national figure, while English ancestry is reported by 853 people, followed by Scottish at 219 and Irish at 209. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below the national comparison. This older, Anglo-leaning profile helps explain the high 80.5% address-stability rate and the strong presence of couples without children, who account for 43.2% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.6%
Houses
7.0%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is strongly oriented toward established ownership. Outright ownership is 48.7%, higher than the 27.6% mortgage share and the 22.5% renting share. Separate houses represent 88.6% of dwellings, compared with 7.0% semi-detached homes and 2.4% apartments. The largest bedroom groups are 3-bedroom homes at 38.0%, 2-bedroom homes at 28.9% and 4-plus-bedroom homes at 26.4%. Affordability remains a pressure point because weekly household income is $1,252, weekly rent is $390 and rent-to-income stress is 31.2%; the monthly mortgage figure is $1,733 with mortgage-to-income stress at 32.0%. Compared with apartment-heavy suburbs, the local stock is more detached and space-oriented.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $390.
$700
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $750 · units $550
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$636
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
82
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.2% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.0% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.3%
Couples with children
43.2%
Couples, no children
20.8%
Single parent
530
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is spread across health, construction, education, public administration and retail. Healthcare leads at 18.1%, or 92 workers, followed by construction at 15.8% and 80, education at 13.4% and 68, public administration at 7.7% and 39, and retail at 6.7% and 34. The occupation mix is similarly practical, led by trades at 143, professionals at 122, clerical and administration at 110, community and personal service at 106, and sales at 100. Of 860 people in the labour force, participation is 52.7% and unemployment is 5.7%, while 54.3% of workers are full time. Socio-economic scores sit below higher-decile areas, with IEO decile 2, IER 3, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 2. The consistent low ranking across education, resources and disadvantage measures aligns with household income at the 27.8th percentile.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
860
Unemployed
49
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.3%
Part-time
35.9%
Participation
52.7%
Employed
811
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.0%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
6.3%
Dwellings
762
Transport to Work
Daily life is relatively car dependent. Some 71.9% of residents travel as car drivers, far higher than the 3.0% who walk or cycle, while 21.2% work from home. This pattern makes private transport practical for errands and commuting, but less convenient for households seeking a low-car lifestyle. There is 1 local school option, Blacksmiths Public School, a government primary school; families should check enrolment boundaries and places for the exact address rather than assuming nearby homes share the same intake. Safety due diligence should use current NSW Police information and visits at different times because conditions can vary by street. Socio-economic positioning is below higher-decile areas, with IRSAD decile 2 and IRSD decile 3, so household budgets may matter more than amenity premiums.
Drive
71.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
21.2%
Growth Outlook
Growth is effectively flat, with the forecast annual trend at 0.02% and population change across the wider area at 1.0% over 10 years. Migration is labelled Balanced, so expansion is not being driven by a single strong inflow. The trajectory is Aging, supported by a 5.0% rise in the senior share, a 2.2% fall in the young share and a 1.4% decline in the working-age share. Gentrification signals are limited: the current indicator records a score of 0 and the stage Not gentrifying, although the shift profile records a score of 20 and Early signs. Because the resident base is aging and turnover is only 19.5%, change is likely to be slower than in expansion-led suburbs.
Population trend: Lake Macquarie council area
Blacksmiths sits in the Lake Macquarie council area. These are the council area's residents, not Blacksmiths's.
Residents 2025
224,540
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blacksmiths compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blacksmiths a good suburb to live in?
Blacksmiths may suit households seeking an established setting with a median age of 50, 88.6% separate houses and 21.2% working from home. Car use is high at 71.9%, while walking or cycling is 3.0%, so it is better suited to people comfortable with driving than to car-free living.
What is the median house price in Blacksmiths?
Check the latest settled sales before relying on a median price, especially because Blacksmiths is 88.6% separate houses. The housing mix includes 38.0% 3-bedroom homes and 26.4% with 4 or more bedrooms, so the result can differ from apartment-heavy markets rather than reflecting a single typical dwelling.
What schools are in Blacksmiths?
Blacksmiths Public School is the named local option and is a government primary school. Families should confirm enrolment boundaries, places and transport for the exact address, especially in a compact suburb of 1.95 square kilometres with 1,881 residents. Check the intake zone rather than assuming nearby homes have the same access.
Is Blacksmiths safe?
Safety checks should use current NSW Police information and visits at different times because crime can vary by street and time. Blacksmiths has 1,881 residents and a median age of 50, but neither figure is a crime measure. Compare recent incidents around the exact address before deciding.
Is Blacksmiths good for property investment?
Investment appeal rests on a 22.5% renting share, $390 weekly rent and a 9.6% vacancy rate, with 33 development applications over 12 months. Rent growth of 38.7% is positive, but the 0.02% annual forecast is slow, so investors should stress-test vacancy and maintenance rather than assume rapid capital growth.
How is Blacksmiths's population changing?
Blacksmiths has 1,881 residents and a median age of 50. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 1.0% over 10 years, while the annual trend is 0.02% and the trajectory is Aging. The senior share has risen 5.0% and the young share has fallen 2.2%, so growth is slower than in expansion-led areas.
What development is happening in Blacksmiths?
Development activity includes 33 applications over 12 months, including a swimming pool, dwelling alterations and a shed. The mix suggests household upgrades more than a confirmed wave of new housing. Buyers should check approvals, construction timing and site constraints for each address rather than treating application volume as new dwelling supply.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Blacksmiths on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map