Blacksmiths
At a median age of 50, Blacksmiths sits 10 years above the national figure, making it one of the oldest-skewing residential pockets on the NSW Central Coast. That demographic weight explains a lot: the 47.8% participation rate is far below national norms, outright ownership reaches 49.3% (nearly half of all dwellings), and household income lands in the 27.8th percentile nationally. Yet the median house price hit $1,250,000 in 2025, up 24.1% from $1,007,500 a year earlier, a striking premium relative to local incomes. The 1.95 km2 suburb is dominated by separate houses at 88.6% of stock, with almost no apartments, pointing to a quiet coastal lifestyle rather than urban density.
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
29
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $1,250,000 in 2025, a 24.1% rise from $1,007,500 in 2024, though that single-year jump reflects thin transaction volume in a small suburb rather than a confirmed trend. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, but the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 32.0%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income is in the 27.8th percentile nationally. Separate houses account for 88.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 7.0% and apartments at only 2.4%, so buyers face a stock dominated by detached homes. Bedroom distribution leans mid-size: 38.0% are 3-bedroom, 26.4% are 4-plus bedroom, and 28.9% are 2-bedroom. Outright owners at 49.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.0%, reflecting the older resident base rather than active first-home buyer demand.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $1,250,000 in 2025, a 24.1% rise from $1,007,500 in 2024, though that single-year jump reflects thin transaction volume in a small suburb rather than a confirmed trend. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, but the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 32.0%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income is in the 27.8th percentile nationally. Separate houses account for 88.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 7.0% and apartments at only 2.4%, so buyers face a stock dominated by detached homes. Bedroom distribution leans mid-size: 38.0% are 3-bedroom, 26.4% are 4-plus bedroom, and 28.9% are 2-bedroom. Outright owners at 49.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.0%, reflecting the older resident base rather than active first-home buyer demand.
For Investors
Renters make up 22.8% of households, below the national average, and weekly rent sits at $390, modest compared to Sydney-metro benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 9.6% is elevated, signalling limited pressure on landlords to fill properties quickly and suggesting that rental demand does not absorb supply comfortably. Development activity is moderate with 27 applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and new dwellings rather than larger infill projects. Net overseas migration averages 20 persons per year while internal migration is balanced, giving a population growth rate of just 0.02% annually. Rent grew 38.7% over the decade, outpacing real income growth of 16.7%, which has pushed rent-to-income to 31.2%, above the affordability stress threshold. Yield is constrained: at $390 per week against a $1,250,000 median, gross yield sits below 1.7%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
133
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+70.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Blacksmiths iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Blacksmiths Public School
K-6 · 103 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.0 points while the working-age share fell 1.4 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents at 6.3% are 15.3 points below the national share, making this one of the more Anglo-homogenous suburbs in NSW. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (853 residents), Scottish (219), Irish (209), and German (69) dominate. University qualifications reach 19.0%, which is 11.1 points below the national figure, consistent with the older profile where fewer residents completed tertiary education compared to younger cohorts nationally. Average household size is 2.3, marginally below national. Couples without children account for 31.1% of families, higher than typical for younger suburbs, because the aging demographic skews toward empty-nester and retirement-stage households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.6%
Houses
7.0%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright ownership at 49.3% is the defining tenure characteristic, nearly double the share of mortgage holders at 28.0%, and renters at 22.8% are in the minority. This pattern reflects an older, debt-free owner base rather than a market driven by recent purchasers or investors. The stock is 88.6% separate houses, with almost no apartments (2.4%), making dwelling typology far less diverse than in urban Sydney. The median price moved from $1,007,500 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, a 24.1% shift over one year, though the brief notes only two data points, so this movement should be read cautiously. Mortgage stress is real: at a 32.0% mortgage-to-income ratio, the typical buyer is at the threshold, given household income sits in the 27.8th percentile nationally. Both rent stress (31.2% rent-to-income) and mortgage stress flags are active.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$390
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
31.1%
Couples, no children
1,448
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 18.1% of workers (92 residents), followed by Construction at 15.8% (80), and Education at 13.4% (68). Public Admin accounts for 7.7% and Retail 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals (122) narrowly lead, with Clerical/Admin (110), Community/Personal services (106), Sales (100), and Labourers (95) close behind. The spread is flat compared to high-income urban suburbs, consistent with the SEIFA picture: IRSAD decile 2 and IEO decile 2 place Blacksmiths in the lower 20% nationally for socio-economic advantage and education/occupation outcomes. The unemployment rate of 6.3% is above typical metro benchmarks, and the 47.8% participation rate is depressed because 687 residents are not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the aged demographic profile.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
2,826
Unemployed
150
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
47.8%
Employed
731
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.0%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
6.3%
Dwellings
762
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme: 91.2% of residents drive to work, above state and national norms for a coastal suburb, and walking or cycling accounts for only 3.8%, reflecting the low-density, detached-housing layout. Public transport use is not recorded for the suburb. No schools are listed within the Blacksmiths boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 2 places the suburb in the lower 20% nationally for relative socio-economic advantage, and 7.9% of residents (141 people) need daily assistance, a figure consistent with the elevated median age of 50. Volunteering reaches 15.5% of the population, a positive community engagement signal. The 9.6% vacancy rate and low apartment share suggest a quiet, low-density environment with limited amenity pressure, but also limited walkable services compared to more urban suburbs.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.02%/yr
(+1 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is effectively flat at 0.02%, adding roughly 1 person per year, and the 10-year change is only 1.0%. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population (which includes surrounding areas) staying near 5,752 through 2031, with no meaningful expansion expected. Net overseas migration averages 20 per year and internal migration is balanced, so there is no external demand driver pushing growth. The gentrification stage is classified not gentrifying, which fits a suburb already constrained by low incomes relative to prices. Affordability was 52.3% in 2011 and improved slightly to 50.5% in 2021, a stable trend rather than a compression or expansion signal. Rent growth of 38.7% over the decade outpaced the real income growth of 16.7% by more than 20 percentage points, tightening affordability for the minority who rent.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+20
Net Internal / yr
0
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
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 suits owner-occupiers seeking a quiet, low-density coastal lifestyle, given that 49.3% of residents own their home outright and 88.6% of dwellings are separate houses. The trade-off is limited services: no schools within the boundary, 91.2% car dependency, and a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 2, placing it in the lower 20% nationally for socio-economic advantage.
What is the median house price in Blacksmiths?
The median house price is $1,250,000 as of 2025, up 24.1% from $1,007,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.0%, above the 30% stress threshold relative to the local household income at the 27.8th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Blacksmiths?
No schools are recorded within the Blacksmiths boundary in this dataset, so families depend on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications among local residents reach 19.0%, which is 11.1 percentage points below the national figure, partly reflecting the older age profile with a median age of 50.
Is Blacksmiths safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Blacksmiths in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSAD decile 2 nationally, which signals lower socio-economic resources, though 7.9% of residents (141 people) needing daily assistance is broadly consistent with the older median age of 50 rather than acute disadvantage.
Is Blacksmiths good for property investment?
The investment case is cautious. Rent of $390 per week against a $1,250,000 median implies a gross yield below 1.7%, and the 9.6% vacancy rate is elevated. Renter demand is limited at 22.8% of households. Population growth is 0.02% annually, so capital growth rather than rental income or population-driven demand would need to carry returns.
How is Blacksmiths's population changing?
Population growth is almost flat at 0.02% annually, adding roughly 1 person per year. The 10-year growth rate is 1.0%. Medium forecasts hold the SA2 population near 5,752 through 2031. The demographic shift is toward aging: the senior share rose 5.0 points and the working-age share fell 1.4 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Blacksmiths?
There were 27 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including dwelling houses, alterations and additions, and pool installations. The mix reflects an established suburb upgrading existing stock rather than adding significant new supply, consistent with a population growth rate of just 0.02% annually.
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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