East Maitland
Rapid growth is reshaping East Maitland: the suburb carries a 3.16% annual forecast, equal to about 310 extra people a year, while still looking strongly detached-house in form. Its $700,000 median house price and 74.5% separate-house share sit alongside household income at the 41.9 national percentile, so affordability is a central part of its appeal. Compared with nearby Maitland CBD and Green Hills, East Maitland works as a residential base between civic services and retail access, with growth being pulled mainly by internal migration rather than overseas arrivals.
Population
11,860
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,422/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
183
Median House
$700K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers get a housing market led by family-scale dwellings: 74.5% are separate houses, 17.4% are semi-detached and only 8.1% are apartments. The median house price is $700,000, while the price series moved from $675,000 in 2024 to $720,000 in 2025, a 6.7% rise with the latest quarter matching the peak. Three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 42.2%, with 4 or more bedrooms at 30.4%. Mortgage costs are 28.1% of income, below stress settings, which supports buyers because prices have risen but repayments remain contained relative to local incomes.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a housing market led by family-scale dwellings: 74.5% are separate houses, 17.4% are semi-detached and only 8.1% are apartments. The median house price is $700,000, while the price series moved from $675,000 in 2024 to $720,000 in 2025, a 6.7% rise with the latest quarter matching the peak. Three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 42.2%, with 4 or more bedrooms at 30.4%. Mortgage costs are 28.1% of income, below stress settings, which supports buyers because prices have risen but repayments remain contained relative to local incomes.
For Investors
The investor case is more growth-led than yield-led. Renters make up 37.6% of households and the median weekly rent is $330, giving a visible tenant pool, but the 6.0% vacancy rate is higher than a tight-market setting and may limit short-term rent pressure. Demand is underpinned by internal migration at 213 people a year, compared with 23 from overseas migration, plus 160 development applications in 12 months. The 56.0% rent growth signal shows momentum, but pricing should allow for vacancy risk and new supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
753
Last 12 Months
183
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+46.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in East Maitland iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 449 students
Linuwel School Ltd
K-12 · 244 students
Maitland East Public School
K-6 · 559 students
OneSchool Global NSW - Maitland
3-12 · 108 students
Maitland Grossmann High School
7-12 · 900 students
Demographics
East Maitland has 11,860 residents, a median age of 40 and an average household size of 2.3, which is 0.2 below the national benchmark. The suburb is less migrant-heavy than Australia overall, with 9.7% born overseas, 11.9 percentage points below national, and university attainment of 25.7%, 4.4 points below national. English ancestry is the largest count at 5,299, followed by Irish at 1,491 and Scottish at 1,292. That profile helps explain the detached, locally rooted character, while small language counts such as Mandarin 23 and Cantonese 22 show limited overseas diversity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
74.5%
Houses
17.4%
Townhouse
8.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is broad but not apartment-led. Separate houses account for 74.5% of dwellings, apartments 8.1% and semi-detached homes 17.4%, so supply is more spacious than inner urban markets. Ownership is mixed, with 30.8% owned outright, 31.6% mortgaged and 37.6% rented. Prices rose from $675,000 in 2024 to $720,000 in 2025, a 6.7% gain, while the peak-to-latest change is 0.0% because the latest reading is the peak. With rent-to-income at 23.2% and mortgage-to-income at 28.1%, housing costs sit below stress flags despite household income only ranking at the 41.9 national percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$744
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.0%
Unoccupied
315
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples, no children
9,009
Total families
Economy & Employment
East Maitland's labour base leans public-service and care-sector rather than high-income corporate work. Healthcare is the largest industry at 20.4% or 755 workers, followed by Education at 12.3%, Construction at 8.8%, Public Admin at 8.2% and Professional/Tech at 6.7%. Professionals are the largest occupation count at 1,131, above Clerical/Admin at 694 and Community/Personal at 673. The unemployment rate is 5.3%, participation is 54.6% and the full-time rate is 63.1%. SEIFA sits below the national middle across IEO decile 4, IER decile 4, IRSD decile 4 and IRSAD decile 4, reflecting moderate incomes and mixed advantage.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
4,916
Unemployed
222
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.1%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
54.6%
Employed
5,080
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.7%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
9.7%
Dwellings
4,892
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented, with 91.0% of commuters driving, 1.1% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling. That suits households wanting space, but it means access depends more on roads than rail or bus frequency. Schooling is a clear local strength: 6 schools span Government, Catholic and Independent sectors, with ICSEA ranging from 947 to 1063. St Joseph's Primary School leads at 1063 with 449 enrolments, followed by Linuwel School at 1041 and Maitland East Public School at 975. IRSAD decile 4 is below the national middle, so amenity is practical rather than prestige-driven.
Drive
91.0%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.16%/yr
(+310 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast growth is the standout signal. The trend is 3.16% a year, or about 310 people annually, and migration is led by internal moves at 213 people a year compared with 23 from overseas. The medium path lists population rising from 10,116 in 2026 to 11,667 in 2031. The shift pattern is Rejuvenating, with young share up 3.8 points, senior share down 3.2 points and working share up 1.4 points. Gentrification is marked Active with a score of 40, below the stronger shift score of 54, suggesting change is real but still at a practical suburban pace.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+23
Net Internal / yr
+213
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +213/yr, Accelerating: 37% → 45%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How East Maitland compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is East Maitland a good suburb to live in?
East Maitland suits buyers who want detached housing, local schools and a suburban base near Maitland services. It has 11,860 residents, 74.5% separate houses and 6 local schools, but daily life is car-heavy with 91.0% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in East Maitland?
The median house price in East Maitland is $700,000. The latest price series moved from $675,000 in 2024 to $720,000 in 2025, a 6.7% rise, with the latest quarter equal to the recorded peak.
What schools are in East Maitland?
East Maitland has 6 schools across Government, Catholic and Independent sectors. St Joseph's Primary has ICSEA 1063, Linuwel School has 1041, Maitland East Public has 975, and the local high schools sit at 960 and 947.
Is East Maitland safe?
Safety is harder to benchmark because a local crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available. For context, East Maitland has 11,860 residents and IRSAD decile 4, below the national middle, so buyers should check current police maps and specific streets.
Is East Maitland good for property investment?
East Maitland has investment demand signals, including 37.6% renting, $330 median weekly rent and forecast growth of 3.16% a year. The caution is vacancy at 6.0%, which is higher than a tight rental market.
How is East Maitland's population changing?
East Maitland is forecast to grow by 3.16% a year, or about 310 people annually. Internal migration is the main driver at 213 people a year, compared with 23 from overseas migration.
What development is happening in East Maitland?
Development activity is elevated, with 160 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include a restaurant or cafe and food and drink premise applications dated 2026-04-09 and 2026-04-08.
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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