Dudley
With household income sitting in the 92.2nd percentile nationally and 47.1% of residents holding university qualifications (17 percentage points above the national figure), Dudley ranks as one of the Newcastle region's more affluent coastal pockets. The suburb's 2,505 residents are spread across 5.46 km2 at a low density of 459 per km2, with 92.4% of dwellings being separate houses. A median house price of $1,250,000 and a vacancy rate of 5.2% confirm its character as an owner-occupier suburb with limited rental turnover. Identity signals point to a mortgage-belt, Anglo-leaning community with stable, slow growth patterns.
Population
2,505
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,487/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Dudley's median house price reached $1,280,000 in 2025, up from $1,162,500 in 2024, representing 10.1% growth in a single year. Separate houses dominate at 92.4% of the stock, with 44.9% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and a further 43.6% at 3 bedrooms, making this a family-oriented market where large homes are the norm rather than the exception. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,324, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold and is low compared to many Sydney markets at this price point. Outright owners (42.7%) and mortgage holders (42.9%) split the market almost evenly, suggesting an established community with both long-term holders and active buyers.
For Buyers
Dudley's median house price reached $1,280,000 in 2025, up from $1,162,500 in 2024, representing 10.1% growth in a single year. Separate houses dominate at 92.4% of the stock, with 44.9% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and a further 43.6% at 3 bedrooms, making this a family-oriented market where large homes are the norm rather than the exception. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,324, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold and is low compared to many Sydney markets at this price point. Outright owners (42.7%) and mortgage holders (42.9%) split the market almost evenly, suggesting an established community with both long-term holders and active buyers.
For Investors
A rental market this thin requires careful consideration: only 14.4% of dwellings are rented and weekly rent averages $420, implying a gross yield of approximately 1.7% against the $1,280,000 median, below typical investment thresholds. The 5.2% vacancy rate is elevated for an owner-dominated suburb, pointing to limited rental demand relative to available stock. Development activity tells a more constructive story, with 31 applications lodged in the past 12 months, largely alterations and rebuilds on existing detached houses rather than new supply. Migration data shows a net internal outflow of 103 residents annually, partially offset by overseas arrivals of 136 per year. Capital growth of 10.1% over the 2024-2025 period is the primary investment case rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
222
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dudley iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Dudley Public School
K-6 · 245 students
Demographics
Dudley's median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure, and the population skews Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,129 residents), Scottish (348) and Irish (343) the dominant ancestries. Overseas-born residents account for just 9.4%, which is 12.2 percentage points below the national average, making this one of the less internationally diverse suburbs in NSW. University qualifications reach 47.1%, running 17 points above the national figure and placing residents firmly in the professional class. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national. The volunteering rate of 18.7% and a need-for-assistance rate of just 3.5% (86 residents) suggest a capable, well-resourced community. Couples with children (1,043 families) outnumber couples without children (538 families) at the household level.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.4%
Houses
7.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 92.4% separate houses and just 7.6% semi-detached dwellings. Apartments recorded as null in the brief, confirming this is one of NSW's most purely detached suburban environments. The price moved from $1,162,500 in 2024 to $1,280,000 in 2025 (10.1% CAGR), with the current price sitting at the most recent peak. Tenure is balanced between outright ownership (42.7%) and mortgagees (42.9%), while only 14.4% rent, placing Dudley well below the national renter average. Mortgage-to-income at 21.6% and rent-to-income at 16.9% both stay below stress levels, indicating existing residents face manageable housing costs despite the elevated median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,324
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,075
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
48
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.9%
Couples, no children
2,161
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 26.0% of workers (247 residents), more than double the share of the next sector. Professional and technical services follow at 13.1% (124 workers) and Education at 12.6% (120 workers), making knowledge and care work the backbone of the local economy. By occupation, Professionals (452) and Managers (165) are the top two groups, consistent with a suburb whose university qualification rate is 17 percentage points above national. All four SEIFA deciles sit at 6, meaning Dudley ranks at approximately the 55th percentile nationally on both advantage and disadvantage measures, above average but not at the top. The unemployment rate is 4.2% and the full-time employment rate of 60.5% reflects the professional workforce profile. Real incomes grew 25.6% over the decade, outpacing many comparable suburbs.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
14,400
Unemployed
544
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.5%
Part-time
35.3%
Participation
61.8%
Employed
1,152
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.1%
Postgraduate
12.4%
Born Overseas
9.4%
Dwellings
870
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme in Dudley, with 90.0% of residents driving to work, far higher than the national average, and only 0.4% using public transport. This reflects the suburb's low-density, coastal geography with limited bus frequency. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 6 places Dudley at approximately the 55th percentile nationally on the combined advantage and disadvantage index, above average but not in the top tier. With just 3.5% of residents needing daily assistance and a volunteering rate of 18.7%, community resilience is high. The 5.46 km2 area at low density of 459 residents per km2 provides the space and amenity typical of coastal NSW settlements.
Drive
90.0%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.46%/yr
(+119 people/yr)
EstablishedDudley's population grew 7.2% over the past 10 years, adding approximately 119 residents annually at a 0.46% annual rate, classed as slow but steady growth compared to many coastal NSW suburbs experiencing sharper swings. The medium forecast projects the broader area reaching 26,670 residents by 2031. The suburb did not experience a COVID price dip, and rent growth of 39.3% over the period indicates landlords captured strong rental appreciation despite the thin renter base. The affordability trend is improving: mortgage-to-income fell from 49.9% in 2011 to 45.0% in 2021. The gentrification score of 45 rates as Active, with the brief citing real income growth of 25.6% as the primary driver. Net internal outflow of 103 residents per year is offset by overseas migration inflow of 136.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+136
Net Internal / yr
-103
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -103/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dudley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dudley a good suburb to live in?
Dudley offers high incomes (92.2nd percentile nationally), university qualifications at 47.1% (17 points above national) and manageable housing costs, with mortgage-to-income at just 21.6%. The main trade-offs are extreme car dependence (90% drive to work), no schools within the suburb boundary and a $1,280,000 median house price that limits accessibility.
What is the median house price in Dudley?
The median house price reached $1,280,000 in 2025, up 10.1% from $1,162,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,324 and rent averages $420 per week. At 92.4% separate houses, almost all sales are detached family homes with 3 or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Dudley?
No schools are recorded inside the Dudley suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with 47.1% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 17 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Dudley safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Dudley in this dataset. As proxy indicators, the suburb scores IRSAD decile 6 (above average nationally), only 3.5% of the 2,505 residents need daily assistance, and household income sits in the 92.2nd percentile nationally, all consistent with a low-disadvantage environment.
Is Dudley good for property investment?
Capital growth is the primary case: median house prices rose 10.1% in 2024-2025 from $1,162,500 to $1,280,000. However, the rental yield is low (approximately 1.7% gross at $420 per week against a $1,280,000 median), only 14.4% of dwellings are rented, and the vacancy rate of 5.2% is elevated for an owner-dominated suburb. Investor returns depend heavily on price appreciation.
How is Dudley's population changing?
Population grew 7.2% over the past decade at approximately 0.46% annually, adding around 119 residents per year. The suburb experiences a net internal outflow of 103 residents annually, offset by overseas migration inflow of 136. The medium forecast projects continued slow, steady growth through to 2031, with no significant acceleration expected.
How much development is happening in Dudley?
There were 31 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, most involving alterations and additions to existing dwellings or new detached house constructions. This level of activity is consistent with a stable, established suburb of 2,505 residents and confirms that new supply additions are modest, which supports existing property values.
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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