Davistown
With a median age of 48 and 43.7% of residents owning their home outright, Davistown on the Central Coast reads as a settled, owner-occupied enclave rather than a speculative market. The median house price reached $1,245,000 by 2024-2025, while household income sits at the 39.2nd percentile nationally, meaning buyers are stretching further than the income base would typically support. SEIFA IRSD ranks at decile 8 nationally, reflecting low relative disadvantage despite the below-average income, because outright ownership reduces financial pressure. The suburb covers just 1.61 km2 and holds 2,602 residents, giving a density of 1,615 people per km2.
Population
2,602
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,380/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,245,000 represents a 5% rise from $1,210,000 in 2024 to $1,270,000 in 2025, modest compared to broader Sydney-region markets. Detached houses dominate at 73.1% of dwellings, with apartments at 18.0% and semi-detached homes at 8.9%. The 3-bedroom configuration is the most common at 39.1%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 31.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3%, above the 30% stress threshold. That pressure is partly offset by the fact that 43.7% of owners carry no mortgage at all, a share well above the national average, suggesting the existing owner base is financially insulated while incoming buyers face steeper servicing costs.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,245,000 represents a 5% rise from $1,210,000 in 2024 to $1,270,000 in 2025, modest compared to broader Sydney-region markets. Detached houses dominate at 73.1% of dwellings, with apartments at 18.0% and semi-detached homes at 8.9%. The 3-bedroom configuration is the most common at 39.1%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 31.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3%, above the 30% stress threshold. That pressure is partly offset by the fact that 43.7% of owners carry no mortgage at all, a share well above the national average, suggesting the existing owner base is financially insulated while incoming buyers face steeper servicing costs.
For Investors
Rental supply is limited: only 16.0% of residents rent, well below the national average, making tenant competition relatively strong. Weekly rent sits at $420, and the vacancy rate of 9.7% is elevated, suggesting some softness in the rental market despite the low renter share. The gap likely reflects the investor-held holiday accommodation typical of Central Coast waterfront areas, where properties sit empty for extended periods. Development activity is modest at 19 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations and additions, pointing to negligible new supply. Net overseas migration brings approximately 42 new residents a year, the primary growth driver, while internal migration is balanced. The combination of thin rental stock and limited new supply keeps the market stable but yield growth constrained.
Development Activity
Total DAs
143
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 48 is 8.0 years above the national figure, making Davistown one of the older communities on the Central Coast. The senior share grew 3.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 1.0 point, reinforcing an aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents account for 12.8% of the population, 8.8 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,212 residents), Irish (376), and Scottish (298). University qualifications reach 20.4% of residents, which is 9.7 points below the national figure, consistent with a trade and services workforce profile. Couples without children at 34.2% of families reflect the older household structure, and average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national benchmark.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.1%
Houses
8.9%
Townhouse
18.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is concentrated in ownership: 43.7% own outright and 40.3% carry a mortgage, leaving only 16.0% renting, a ratio that positions Davistown as ownership-dominant well above state averages. The price moved from $1,210,000 in 2024 to $1,270,000 in 2025, a 5.0% one-year gain. Separate houses make up 73.1% of dwellings, reinforcing the suburban character of the 1.61 km2 footprint. The 3-bedroom layout is most common at 39.1%, and 4-plus bedroom homes at 31.2% suggest family-sized stock. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3% exceeds the stress threshold and sits higher than the national median benchmark, reflecting the mismatch between the $1.2 million price point and a household income at the 39.2nd percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$699
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
113
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.4% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.3% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.2%
Couples, no children
2,079
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 19.4% of workers (136 people), followed by Construction at 17.2% (121) and Education at 11.7% (82), a mix typical of a residential Central Coast suburb rather than a commercial centre. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group (191), followed by Clerical/Admin (153) and Managers (126). The unemployment rate is 4.3%, close to the national benchmark, and the full-time employment rate among those working is 63.3%. Participation stands at 45.7%, lower than the national figure because 965 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the large share of retirees in a suburb where the median age is 48. SEIFA IEO decile sits at 6 nationally, reflecting a middle-range education and occupation profile despite the high homeownership rate.
Unemployment
1.3%
Labour Force
3,928
Unemployed
50
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
32.4%
Participation
45.7%
Employed
939
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.4%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
12.8%
Dwellings
1,045
Transport to Work
Transport options are almost entirely car-dependent: 93.4% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average where car use is lower, and only 0.5% use public transport, reflecting the suburb's geography on the Kooindah Waters peninsula. No schools are recorded within the Davistown boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 7 indicates above-average advantage nationally, and the IRSD decile of 8 confirms low relative disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 12.1% and 7.6% of residents (189 people) need daily assistance, a rate consistent with an older population where the median age is 48. Rent stress affects those renting, with rent-to-income at 30.4% on the threshold, though the majority of households own rather than rent.
Drive
93.4%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.48%/yr
(+36 people/yr)
EstablishedDavistown is a slow-growth suburb: annual population increase is 0.48%, adding approximately 36 residents per year. Over the past decade, the population grew 8.0% to reach its current 2,602. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 reaching 7,618 by 2031 from 7,432 in 2025, a gradual trajectory. The migration profile is balanced, with overseas arrivals of 42 per year the primary net positive. Gentrification scores 52 on a 100-point scale, classified as Active, because rent grew 53.3% over the period and real incomes rose 18.5%, both above passive baseline rates. Affordability worsened slightly, moving from 55.9% in 2011 to 58.7% in 2021, meaning households are allocating a rising share of income to housing compared to a decade ago.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+42
Net Internal / yr
0
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Davistown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Davistown a good suburb to live in?
Davistown scores IRSAD decile 7 and IRSD decile 8 nationally, placing it in the upper tier for low disadvantage. With 43.7% of residents owning their homes outright, the suburb has a settled, stable character. The main trade-offs are high car dependence at 93.4% driving to work, no schools recorded within the boundary, and a median house price of $1,245,000 against household income at the 39.2nd percentile.
What is the median house price in Davistown?
The median house price is $1,245,000, rising from $1,210,000 in 2024 to $1,270,000 in 2025, a 5.0% gain. Weekly rent averages $420. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.3%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Davistown?
No schools are recorded within the Davistown boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs. The local population has a university qualification rate of 20.4%, which is 9.7 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a trades-oriented workforce profile.
Is Davistown safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Davistown in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage nationally, placing it in the top 20% for low disadvantage. The high outright ownership rate of 43.7% and stable, slow-growth profile of 0.48% annual population growth are consistent with a low-turnover community.
Is Davistown good for property investment?
Rent of $420 per week against a $1,245,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%, thin for investors. The 9.7% vacancy rate is elevated, likely driven by holiday-use properties. However, rent grew 53.3% over the past decade and prices rose 5.0% in the past year. Low renter share of 16.0% limits the tenant pool, making the suburb better suited to capital growth than rental income strategies.
How is Davistown's population changing?
Population grows at 0.48% annually, adding roughly 36 residents per year. The 10-year growth rate was 8.0%. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 3.4 points and the working-age share falling 1.0 point over the decade. Overseas migration of 42 people per year is the primary net driver, while internal migration is balanced.
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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