Dudley
A household income percentile of 92.2 is the clearest clue to Dudley's position: its 2,505 residents live in a small, detached-home suburb with above-average earning power and a settled profile. The median age is 39, only 9.4% were born overseas, and 85.9% stayed at the same address. Housing is 92.4% separate houses, while 42.8% carry a mortgage and 42.5% own outright. Compared with nearby Charlestown and Whitebridge, Dudley is quieter and more family-oriented, with 34.2% working from home and just 0.3% using public transport. Its 0.46% annual growth forecast supports a stable, low-turnover outlook rather than rapid expansion.
Local council: Lake Macquarie
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
31
Dudley suits buyers prioritising land, privacy and conventional family layouts over apartment choice. Separate houses account for 92.4% of homes, with 43.6% having 3 bedrooms and 44.9% having 4 or more, so the stock is more house-led than compact. Monthly mortgage payments average $2,324 and equal 21.6% of household income, while the household income percentile is 92.2. The 14.3% rental share is lower than in a more transient market, supporting continuity but limiting entry-level choice. Compared with Charlestown, buyers should expect fewer dense options; compared with Whitebridge, the decision remains centred on house condition, block usability and services. Check flood, bushfire and renovation constraints at the exact address.
For Buyers
Dudley suits buyers prioritising land, privacy and conventional family layouts over apartment choice. Separate houses account for 92.4% of homes, with 43.6% having 3 bedrooms and 44.9% having 4 or more, so the stock is more house-led than compact. Monthly mortgage payments average $2,324 and equal 21.6% of household income, while the household income percentile is 92.2. The 14.3% rental share is lower than in a more transient market, supporting continuity but limiting entry-level choice. Compared with Charlestown, buyers should expect fewer dense options; compared with Whitebridge, the decision remains centred on house condition, block usability and services. Check flood, bushfire and renovation constraints at the exact address.
For Investors
Investor appeal rests on low rental stress and a largely owner-occupied base, but the market is not built around high rental turnover. Rent is $420 a week and 14.3% of dwellings are rented, while vacancy is 5.2%, giving tenants more choice than in a tightly constrained market. Mortgage payments absorb 21.6% of household income and rent absorbs 16.9%, with both stress flags recorded as false. Development activity reached 35 applications in 12 months, including demolition, a new dwelling and subdivision, so renewal may add competition as well as improve stock. Compared with a denser centre such as Charlestown, Dudley has fewer obvious high-yield formats and more detached-house exposure. The 0.46% annual growth trend is below a rapid-growth profile, so investors should focus on land, upkeep and realistic vacancy assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
229
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-16.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dudley
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Dudley has a median age of 39, 1 year below the national comparison, but its household structure is strongly family weighted: 48.9% of couples have children, compared with 37.2% without children, and average household size is 2.7, or 0.2 above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 9.4%, 12.2 percentage points below the national comparison, while English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 1,129, 348 and 343. University attainment is 47.1%, 17 percentage points above the national comparison, helping explain the concentration of professionals at 452 and managers at 165. No religion is recorded for 1,285 residents versus 1,066 identifying with Christianity. Compared with nearby Whitebridge and Charlestown, Dudley presents as more settled and Anglo-leaning, reinforced by an 85.9% same-address retention rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.4%
Houses
7.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing defines Dudley: 92.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 7.6% are semi-detached, with 44.9% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 43.6% containing 3. Only 1.1% of homes have 0 or 1 bedroom, making the suburb more family-house oriented than compact. Tenure is split almost evenly between outright ownership at 42.5% and mortgages at 42.8%, while renting is just 14.3%, lower than in many renter-oriented suburbs. Mortgage payments average $2,324 per month and represent 21.6% of household income; weekly rent is $420, or 16.9% of household income. Compared with nearby Charlestown, Dudley is more detached and land-dependent, so renovation quality, block slope and bushfire exposure matter more than apartment amenity. The affordability measure improved from 49.9 in 2011 to 45.0 in 2021, while the mortgage share remained 42.8%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,324
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $420.
$700
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $728 · units $520
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
48.9%
Couples with children
37.2%
Couples, no children
12.1%
Single parent
718
Total families
Economy & Employment
Dudley's economic profile is professional and service-led. Healthcare is the largest industry at 26.0%, followed by Professional/Tech at 13.1%, Education at 12.6%, Construction at 8.3% and Public Administration at 7.1%. That mix aligns with 452 professionals, 165 managers, 158 clerical and administrative workers, 148 trades workers and 114 community and personal service workers. Labour force participation is 66.1%, unemployment is 3.9%, and 56.4% of employed residents work full time, supporting household income of $2,487 a week at the 92.2 percentile. IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD measures all sit at decile 6, placing Dudley above lower-income areas but below the most advantaged deciles. Compared with Charlestown, Dudley has a more residential economic setting, while 34.2% working from home makes dedicated home workspace relevant.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
1,285
Unemployed
50
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.4%
Part-time
36.8%
Participation
66.1%
Employed
1,235
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.1%
Postgraduate
12.4%
Born Overseas
9.4%
Dwellings
870
Transport to Work
Daily life is most practical for households with cars and flexible work routines. The car-driver share is 59.2%, compared with 0.3% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling; 34.2% work from home, so usable study space may matter more than being near a frequent transit corridor. Dudley has 1 local government primary school, Dudley Public School, and families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. The suburb has 2,505 residents across 5.46 square kilometres, a density of 459.1 people per square kilometre, and a volunteering rate of 18.7%. Its IRSAD decile is 6, above the most disadvantaged areas but below the top deciles. Compared with central Charlestown, Dudley is less transit-oriented and more dependent on driving. Check current NSW Police incident information and council updates before deciding on a property.
Drive
59.2%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
34.2%
Growth Outlook
Dudley has an established, slow-growth outlook rather than a rapid expansion cycle. The forecast trend is 0.46% annually, and population change across the wider area is 7.2% over 10 years. The trajectory is Stable, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. These signals point to gradual demand shaped by existing households and selected redevelopment, not a sudden rise in resident numbers. The shift indicators show rent growth of 39.3%, real income growth of 25.6% and an affordability trend labelled Improving from 49.9 in 2011 to 45.0 in 2021. Gentrification signals are mixed: the shift measure records an Active stage and score of 45, but the separate gentrification measure records Not gentrifying with a score of 0. Compared with faster-changing parts of Lake Macquarie, Dudley is more likely to evolve through renovations, subdivisions and infill than wholesale transformation.
Population trend: Lake Macquarie council area
Dudley sits in the Lake Macquarie council area. These are the council area's residents, not Dudley's.
Residents 2025
224,540
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
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 Dudley compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dudley a good suburb to live in?
Dudley can suit households seeking detached homes, space and a settled neighbourhood. Separate houses make up 92.4% of dwellings, 34.2% work from home and 85.9% stayed at the same address. Compared with more transit-oriented Charlestown, daily life is more car dependent, so the suburb suits buyers who value a house and local calm over dense amenities.
What is the median house price in Dudley?
A current median house price should be checked through recent Dudley sales and a local appraisal rather than an old estimate. A house-focused benchmark is more relevant than an apartment median because 92.4% of dwellings are separate houses, including 44.9% with 4 or more bedrooms. Land, renovation quality and block constraints can create wide price differences.
What schools are in Dudley?
Dudley Public School is the suburb's local government primary school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone and compare nearby secondary pathways before signing a lease or contract, because school access can differ more than the suburb name suggests. Dudley has 2,505 residents and 48.9% of couples have children, so school access is a practical consideration for many households.
Is Dudley safe?
Check current NSW Police incident information and inspect the exact street at different times before deciding. Dudley has 2,505 residents, a density of 459.1 people per square kilometre and an IRSAD decile of 6; these describe scale and socioeconomic context, not personal safety. Compare the address with nearby streets rather than relying on a suburb-wide assumption.
Is Dudley good for property investment?
Dudley can work for a long-term investor who values detached-house demand, but the rental profile is not especially tight. Weekly rent is $420, 14.3% of homes are rented and vacancy is 5.2%, while 35 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing renewal. Compared with a denser market, the strategy depends more on land, upkeep and tenant appeal than apartment turnover.
How is Dudley's population changing?
Dudley's population is changing gradually. The suburb has 2,505 residents today, while the wider-area forecast indicates 0.46% annual growth and 7.2% population change over 10 years. The trajectory is Stable and overseas migration is the primary driver. Compared with a fast-growth corridor, this points to incremental change through household turnover, renovations and selected redevelopment rather than a sudden expansion.
What development is occurring in Dudley?
Development activity reached 35 applications in 12 months, including demolition, a dwelling house, subdivision and alterations to existing homes. That pattern points to incremental renewal rather than a single large project, so buyers should check approvals, construction impacts and future overlooking at the exact address. Compared with a greenfield release area, Dudley's likely change is more lot-by-lot and renovation-led.
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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