Charmhaven
At 6.2% vacancy, Charmhaven gives renters more choice than a tightly held market, while its 92.8% separate-house share makes the built form clear. The suburb has 2,501 residents across 7.07 sq km, with a median age of 39, one year below the national figure. Household income sits at the 39.7th percentile and 31.2% of homes are rented. Compared with nearby Lake Haven and Gorokan, Charmhaven presents as a detached-home market with slower projected growth of 0.42% a year because it is an established area rather than a major expansion front.
Local council: Central Coast (NSW)
Population
2,501
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,392/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Charmhaven suits buyers prioritising detached homes, practical floorplans and established neighbourhoods over apartment living. Separate houses account for 92.8% of dwellings, while 49.2% have 3 bedrooms and 31.0% have 4 or more, giving families more choice than the 0.8% apartment segment. The typical mortgage payment is $1,705 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.3%, higher than the 26.9% rent-to-income ratio but without a mortgage stress flag. Compared with denser parts of the Central Coast, the suburb's housing form is more conventional, because land-based homes dominate the available stock.
For Buyers
Charmhaven suits buyers prioritising detached homes, practical floorplans and established neighbourhoods over apartment living. Separate houses account for 92.8% of dwellings, while 49.2% have 3 bedrooms and 31.0% have 4 or more, giving families more choice than the 0.8% apartment segment. The typical mortgage payment is $1,705 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.3%, higher than the 26.9% rent-to-income ratio but without a mortgage stress flag. Compared with denser parts of the Central Coast, the suburb's housing form is more conventional, because land-based homes dominate the available stock.
For Investors
Charmhaven offers a rental strategy centred on detached housing rather than high-density units. Weekly rent is $375, 31.2% of households rent, and the 6.2% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly held market, which may mean more leasing competition between properties. Development activity is notable at 32 applications over 12 months, including examples involving secondary dwellings and dwelling houses. The annual growth trend of 0.42% is lower than a high-growth corridor, so the investment case depends more on rental demand, manageable maintenance and careful purchase pricing than on rapid capital appreciation. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
139
Last 12 Months
28
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
Demographics
Charmhaven has a median age of 39, one year below the national figure, while university attainment is 15.0%, or 15.1 percentage points below the national level. This helps explain the suburb's practical employment and housing profile. English ancestry is recorded for 1,081 people, followed by Scottish ancestry at 296 and Irish ancestry at 253. Christianity accounts for 1,190 people and no religion for 1,113, showing two sizeable groups rather than one dominant outlook. Only 11.3% of residents were born overseas, 10.3 percentage points below the national comparison, and the average household size of 2.6 is 0.1 above the national figure. Compared with the broader Central Coast, Charmhaven has a more Anglo-leaning demographic profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.8%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Charmhaven is dominated by detached housing, with separate houses making up 92.8% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 6.5% and apartments only 0.8%. The largest bedroom groups are 3-bedroom homes at 49.2% and 4 or more bedrooms at 31.0%, while 2-bedroom dwellings account for 16.7%. Tenure is divided between 30.4% owned outright, 37.2% with a mortgage and 31.2% rented. The mortgage payment of $1,705 per month compares with weekly rent of $375, and mortgage costs equal 28.3% of household income. The apartment share is lower than the separate-house share by 92.0 percentage points, because Charmhaven's established stock is designed mainly around family-sized houses.
Mortgage / mo
$1,705
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $375.
$580
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $600 · units $500
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$631
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
61
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.7%
Couples with children
37.4%
Couples, no children
24.6%
Single parent
676
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Charmhaven's largest industry at 24.8% and 160 workers, followed by construction at 14.7% and 95, retail at 9.0% and 58, education at 8.0% and 52, and hospitality at 7.4% and 48. The leading occupations are trades with 179 workers, community and personal services with 176, labourers with 153, machinery and drivers with 116, and clerical and administration with 113. Participation is 55.2%, unemployment is 6.4% and 150 employed residents work away from the suburb. This hands-on employment mix is consistent with university attainment of 15.0%, below the national figure by 15.1 percentage points. SEIFA results rank the suburb in decile 1 for IEO, decile 2 for IER, decile 2 for IRSD and decile 1 for IRSAD, placing it below the national middle on socioeconomic measures.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
1,134
Unemployed
73
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.6%
Part-time
34.2%
Participation
55.2%
Employed
1,061
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.0%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
11.3%
Dwellings
928
Transport to Work
Daily life in Charmhaven is strongly car based: 74.1% of residents drive to work, compared with only 0.7% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling. A further 17.3% work from home, which can reduce commuting pressure for some households but does not replace the need for a car for many daily trips. With 2,501 residents across 7.07 sq km and density of 353.8 people per sq km, the suburb is less dense than an apartment-led centre. Socioeconomic measures sit below the middle of the national scale, with IRSAD and IEO both in decile 1 and IER and IRSD in decile 2. That combination makes affordability and car access important practical considerations.
Drive
74.1%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
17.3%
Growth Outlook
Charmhaven has an established, lower-growth profile, with an annual trend of 0.42% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 8.2% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Mixed. Affordability is classified as Stable, moving from 59.2 in 2011 to 57.6 in 2021, and the senior share increased by 2.2 percentage points. Gentrification signals are split: the shift measure records a score of 48 and stage Active, while the current gentrification score is 0 and stage Not gentrifying. This points to gradual change rather than a rapid repositioning, because established detached housing and slow annual growth limit the pace of turnover.
Population trend: Central Coast (NSW) council area
Charmhaven sits in the Central Coast (NSW) council area. These are the council area's residents, not Charmhaven's.
Residents 2025
357,816
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
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 Charmhaven compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charmhaven a good suburb to live in?
Charmhaven can suit households wanting detached housing and a quieter, car-oriented setting. It has 2,501 residents, 92.8% separate houses and 17.3% working from home. Buyers should weigh the lower socioeconomic rankings, limited public transport use at 0.7% and the need to verify services for the exact address.
What is the median house price in Charmhaven?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales rather than guessed. Charmhaven is 92.8% separate houses, with 49.2% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 31.0% containing 4 or more, so comparisons should use similar home sizes, land parcels and renovation standards.
What schools are in Charmhaven?
Families should verify current school options, sector and enrolment zones for the exact address because catchments can change. Charmhaven covers 7.07 sq km and has 2,501 residents, but those figures do not establish eligibility. Confirm availability directly before purchasing or signing a lease.
Is Charmhaven safe?
Safety should be checked using current NSW Police incident information and the exact street, rather than relying on a single suburb-wide label. Charmhaven has 2,501 residents across 7.07 sq km, so local conditions can vary between streets. Inspect the area at different times and ask nearby residents about lighting, traffic and public spaces.
Is Charmhaven good for property investment?
Charmhaven may suit investors seeking detached rental stock, with weekly rent of $375, renting households at 31.2% and 32 development applications over 12 months. The 6.2% vacancy rate and 0.42% annual growth trend call for conservative assumptions. Compare recent sale prices, maintenance costs and achievable rent before estimating returns.
How is Charmhaven's population changing?
Charmhaven has 2,501 residents today, with a forecast annual growth trend of 0.42%. Population change across the wider area is 8.2% over 10 years and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while the senior share has increased by 2.2 percentage points, pointing to gradual rather than rapid change.
What development is occurring in Charmhaven?
Charmhaven recorded 32 development applications over 12 months, including examples for residential accommodation, a secondary dwelling with carport and a dwelling house. This indicates ongoing small-scale additions rather than a clearly stated major project pipeline. Buyers should check approval conditions, construction status and likely effects on parking before committing.
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).
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