Gloucester
At a median age of 55, Gloucester sits 15 years above the national figure, the most immediately striking fact about this Mid-Coast town. Household income falls in the 12.5th percentile nationally, yet median house prices reached $575,000 in 2025, pushing the mortgage-to-income ratio to 30.5% and into stress territory. More than half of residents (51.8%) own their homes outright, well above national norms, because the dominant cohort is older and debt-free rather than young buyers. Healthcare employs 18.9% of local workers, almost double the share of any other sector, making the town's economy more dependent on public-sector services than on agriculture or construction.
Population
3,133
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$985/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
39
Median House
$550K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price rose from $520,000 in 2024 to $575,000 in 2025, a 10.6% one-year gain that outpaced income growth. At that price, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5% sits above the 30% stress threshold because household income is in the 12.5th percentile nationally. Separate houses make up 91.1% of the housing stock, so buyers face a near-uniform detached market with apartments at only 2.1%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common configuration at 48.5%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 31.8%. The 51.8% outright ownership rate, well above the national average, signals that most of the market is long-held and changes hands infrequently, which limits supply and supports prices despite limited income growth.
For Buyers
The median house price rose from $520,000 in 2024 to $575,000 in 2025, a 10.6% one-year gain that outpaced income growth. At that price, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5% sits above the 30% stress threshold because household income is in the 12.5th percentile nationally. Separate houses make up 91.1% of the housing stock, so buyers face a near-uniform detached market with apartments at only 2.1%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common configuration at 48.5%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 31.8%. The 51.8% outright ownership rate, well above the national average, signals that most of the market is long-held and changes hands infrequently, which limits supply and supports prices despite limited income growth.
For Investors
A 26.5% renter share and $275 weekly rent combine with a $575,000 median to produce a gross yield of roughly 2.5%, below typical regional NSW benchmarks. The 9.0% vacancy rate is elevated and points to weak rental demand relative to supply, driven partly by the aging, owner-occupier dominated population. Development activity shows 36 applications in the past 12 months, mostly sheds, alterations and outbuildings rather than new dwellings. Net internal migration averages 34 arrivals a year and overseas migration adds 14, providing modest but stable demand support. The 10-year population growth of 9.1% is slow, and forecasts project annual growth of 0.5% to 2031, so capital growth depends on the price-to-income compression trend continuing rather than population surge.
Development Activity
Total DAs
286
Last 12 Months
39
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-4.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gloucester iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 35 students
Gloucester Public School
K-6 · 275 students
Gloucester High School
7-12 · 309 students
Demographics
Gloucester skews strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,429 residents), Scottish (385) and Irish (320) are the top three ancestries, and overseas-born residents make up just 8.3%, which is 13.3 percentage points below the national figure. The median age of 55 is 15 years above national, reflecting the aging trajectory signal, with the senior share rising 7.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.1 points. University qualifications stand at 16.2%, which is 13.9 points below national, consistent with the blue-collar and services-sector employment base. Average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, driven by the high proportion of older couples without children at 41.7% of all families. Volunteering is notable at 21.5%, above typical suburban rates, reflecting strong community participation in a smaller town.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.1%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure here is defined by outright ownership: 51.8% own without a mortgage, compared with 21.7% on a mortgage and 26.5% renting. That 51.8% outright rate is considerably above national norms and reflects the older, settled demographic rather than recent buyers. The stock is 91.1% separate houses, with semi-detached at 5.5% and apartments at only 2.1%, meaning the market offers very little flat or townhouse product. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most prevalent at 48.5%, with four-plus bedroom at 31.8%. The price moved from $520,000 in 2024 to $575,000 in 2025, a 10.6% gain. Despite relatively affordable absolute prices compared to coastal NSW, the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5% crosses the stress threshold because local incomes are in the 12.5th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$275
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$553
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
135
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.7%
Couples, no children
2,304
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 18.9% of the workforce (124 workers), followed by Construction at 11.6% (76) and Education at 11.0% (72). Retail accounts for 8.2% and Manufacturing 6.6%, pointing to a service-and-trade mix rather than a single industrial anchor. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (172) and Labourers (160) outnumber Professionals (133), which aligns with the SEIFA IRSD and IEO decile 2 scores, placing Gloucester among the bottom 20% nationally on both disadvantage and education-occupation indexes. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, above state averages, and the participation rate of 39.9% is low because 1,367 residents are outside the labour force entirely, consistent with a large retired and semi-retired population. Real incomes grew 8.4% over the decade, lagging national averages.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
2,383
Unemployed
83
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
36.9%
Participation
39.9%
Employed
999
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.2%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
8.3%
Dwellings
1,355
Transport to Work
Car reliance is extreme at 84.4% of commuters, well above the national average, while public transport usage is just 0.5%, consistent with a regional town without rail. Walking and cycling account for 9.6% of commuters, relatively high for a non-urban setting and reflecting short travel distances within the compact town. Schools are not recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset. The IRSAD decile of 2 places Gloucester in the bottom 20% nationally on combined advantage and disadvantage, and the IEO decile of 2 similarly reflects lower education and occupational attainment. By contrast, the IER (economic resources) score reaches decile 4, higher than the income percentile alone would suggest, because the 51.8% outright ownership rate contributes housing-wealth resources that lift the score above pure income measures. Nearly 9.6% of residents (286 people) need daily assistance, above the national average, which is consistent with the older age profile.
Drive
84.4%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
9.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.5%/yr
(+27 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.5% a year, adding roughly 27 people annually, and the 10-year increase of 9.1% is slow by NSW standards. Medium-scenario forecasts project the population reaching 5,542 by 2031, up from 5,379 in 2025, a 3.0% six-year expansion. Migration is described as balanced, with net internal inflows of 34 per year and overseas arrivals of 14, modest figures that reflect steady rather than surging demand. The gentrification score registers 50, in the active stage using the shift model, driven by rent growing 57.1% and affordability worsening from 41.4% in 2011 to 48.8% in 2021, even as population growth stays slow. The young-adult share fell 2.1 points over the decade while the senior share rose 7.4 points, reinforcing an aging trajectory that is likely to continue through the forecast window.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+14
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gloucester compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gloucester a good suburb to live in?
Gloucester suits older owner-occupiers who value a quiet, low-density setting with 91.1% separate houses and 51.8% of residents owning outright. The IRSAD decile is 2, placing it in the bottom 20% nationally on combined advantage metrics, and household income sits in the 12.5th percentile, so service access and economic opportunity are more limited than in larger centres. The 21.5% volunteering rate signals a strong community culture for those who engage locally.
What is the median house price in Gloucester?
The median house price reached $575,000 in 2025, up from $520,000 in 2024, a 10.6% one-year rise. Weekly rent averages $275 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5% crosses the stress threshold because local household income is in the 12.5th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Gloucester?
No schools are recorded inside the Gloucester suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb's population of 3,133 and SEIFA IEO decile 2 score, placing it in the bottom 20% nationally for education and occupation, suggest families typically access schooling via nearby facilities in the broader Mid-Coast LGA.
Is Gloucester safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gloucester in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the IRSD decile of 2 places the suburb in the bottom 20% nationally on relative disadvantage, and 9.6% of residents (286 people) need daily assistance, above the national average. These signals suggest some structural disadvantage, though they do not directly measure crime rates.
Is Gloucester good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $275 against a $575,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%, below most NSW regional benchmarks. The 9.0% vacancy rate signals weak rental demand, and population growth of 0.5% a year is slow. The 10.6% price gain from 2024 to 2025 is encouraging for capital growth, but the small renter pool of 26.5% and an aging demographic limit upside for rental-focused investors.
How is Gloucester's population changing?
The population was 5,379 in 2025, growing at 0.5% a year (roughly 27 people). Medium forecasts project 5,542 by 2031. Over the past decade the population grew 9.1%, but the age profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.4 points and the working-age share down 4.1 points. Net internal migration adds 34 people a year on average.
How much development is happening in Gloucester?
There were 36 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most involve alterations to existing buildings, sheds, carports and swimming pools rather than new dwellings, which is consistent with a slow-growth town at 0.5% annual population increase. The limited new housing supply helps underpin existing property values despite the low income base.
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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