Booragul
At a median age of 51, Booragul sits 11 years above the national figure, making it one of the older resident bases on the NSW Central Coast fringe. The suburb is overwhelmingly owner-occupied and detached: 84.8% of dwellings are separate houses, and 31.3% of residents own outright with no mortgage. Household income sits at the 18.1st percentile nationally, well below average, yet the median house price reached $827,500 in 2024-2025. That combination puts homebuyers under real pressure, with mortgage-to-income at 33.9%, above the standard 30% stress threshold. Just 1,623 people live across 1.24 square kilometres, giving a modest density of 1,307 per km2.
Population
1,623
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,114/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$828K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $827,500, up from $764,050 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, an 11.9% gain in one year. Separate houses dominate at 84.8% of stock, with semi-detached homes at 12.5% and apartments a minimal 2.7%, so buyers face a predominantly detached market with limited apartment alternatives. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 51.6% of dwellings, with four-plus bedrooms at 18.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,636, but with household income at the 18.1st percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 33.9%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 31.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.1%, reflecting a long-established base that purchased at lower historic prices rather than at current market rates.
For Buyers
The median house price is $827,500, up from $764,050 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, an 11.9% gain in one year. Separate houses dominate at 84.8% of stock, with semi-detached homes at 12.5% and apartments a minimal 2.7%, so buyers face a predominantly detached market with limited apartment alternatives. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 51.6% of dwellings, with four-plus bedrooms at 18.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,636, but with household income at the 18.1st percentile nationally, the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 33.9%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 31.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.1%, reflecting a long-established base that purchased at lower historic prices rather than at current market rates.
For Investors
Renters make up 40.5% of Booragul households, a share higher than the detached-suburb norm, which underpins rental demand. Weekly rent sits at $320, producing a gross yield of approximately 2.0% against the $827,500 median, lower than most regional NSW markets. The vacancy rate is 5.0%, elevated compared to tighter Sydney markets, suggesting moderate competition among landlords rather than a supply shortage. Development activity is modest at 15 applications in the past 12 months, including secondary dwelling and demolition-and-rebuild projects. The 11.9% price growth from 2024 to 2025 is a notable one-year result, though the low income base at the 18.1st household income percentile nationally caps how far prices can move on local purchasing power alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
78
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+58.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Booragul iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Paul's Catholic College
7-12 · 636 students
Booragul Public School
K-6 · 206 students
Lake Macquarie High School
7-12 · 435 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, the clearest signal of Booragul's age profile. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic: English (680 residents), Irish (134) and Scottish (133) are the top three groups, consistent with long-settled lake-and-suburb communities in this part of NSW. Overseas-born residents account for 10.3% of the population, which is 11.3 percentage points below the national figure, and English is effectively the only community language. University qualifications reach just 16.3%, which is 13.8 points below the national average, while Community and Personal Services workers (86) outnumber professionals (81). Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national figure of 2.5, and 30.1% of families are couples without children, consistent with an empty-nester cohort.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.8%
Houses
12.5%
Townhouse
2.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupier tenure is strong: 31.3% own outright and 28.1% carry a mortgage, leaving 40.5% renting. The outright-owner share exceeds the mortgage share, which is typical of older suburbs where residents bought decades ago and have paid off loans. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 84.8%, with semi-detached at 12.5% and apartments at 2.7%, far less apartment density than the national average. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.6% of dwellings and four-plus bedrooms 18.6%, so stock skews towards family-sized homes. Prices rose 11.9% from $764,050 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025. Rent-to-income sits at 28.7%, just below the 30% stress line, while mortgage-to-income at 33.9% is above it, meaning buyers face more financial strain than renters at current price and income levels.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,636
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$613
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.0%
Unoccupied
31
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.9% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
1,071
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local industry mix at 25.9% of employed residents (79 workers), nearly three times the share of the next sector. Retail follows at 10.5% (32), Construction at 10.2% (31) and Manufacturing at 9.8% (30), with Education at 7.5% (23). Community and Personal Services is the largest single occupation category at 86 workers, ahead of Professionals (81) and Labourers (74). Unemployment is 5.5%, above national norms, and the participation rate is just 38.2%, reflecting a large retired population among the 556 residents not in the labour force. Personal weekly income averages $613, below the national median, consistent with household income at the 18.1st percentile. The high healthcare share suggests many residents commute to nearby Lake Macquarie hospitals and aged care facilities.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.6%
Part-time
33.9%
Participation
38.2%
Employed
503
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.3%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
10.3%
Dwellings
585
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 90.5% of residents drive to work, compared to a national average far lower, and only 0.8% use public transport. Walking and cycling account for 2.2% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the 1.24 km2 boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Toronto and Morisset. Crime data is not available for Booragul in this dataset. Volunteering sits at 11.1%, a reasonable community participation rate. Rent stress is absent at a 28.7% rent-to-income ratio, though mortgage holders face the 33.9% stress mark. With 10.3% of residents requiring daily assistance, slightly above the national average, the aging profile creates meaningful demand for local services.
Drive
90.5%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Booragul compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Booragul a good suburb to live in?
Booragul suits owner-occupiers and retirees who prefer a quiet, detached-house environment. The median age is 51, which is 11 years above the national figure, and 77.7% of residents stayed between Census periods, indicating high stability. The main trade-offs are limited public transport at 0.8% usage and household income at the 18.1st percentile nationally, which keeps local amenity investment modest.
What is the median house price in Booragul?
The median house price is $827,500 based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose from $764,050 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a gain of 11.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,636, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 33.9%, above the 30% stress threshold given household income at the 18.1st percentile nationally.
What schools are in Booragul?
No schools are recorded within the Booragul boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Lake Macquarie suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 16.3%, which is 13.8 points below the national average, reflecting the older and trade-oriented workforce profile.
Is Booragul safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Booragul in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a stable, long-settled character: 77.7% of residents stayed between Census periods, and the 40.5% renter share is tempered by a strong 31.3% outright-owner base, both consistent with a low-transient area.
Is Booragul good for property investment?
Renters make up 40.5% of households, providing a tenant pool, but weekly rent of $320 against an $827,500 median implies a gross yield around 2.0%, below most regional NSW benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 5.0% is elevated. The 11.9% price gain from 2024 to 2025 is a positive signal, though the low income base at the 18.1st household income percentile nationally limits sustained demand.
How is Booragul's population changing?
Booragul's population is 1,623 across 1.24 km2. The median age of 51 is 11 years above national, indicating an aging base with limited household formation from within. Residential stability is high at 77.7% of residents remaining between Census periods, with a turnover rate of 22.3%, suggesting population change comes mainly from external buyers replacing departing older residents.
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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