Greta
With a median age of 33 and 96.1% separate houses, Greta reads as a younger-than-average owner-occupier suburb in the Hunter Valley region, 7 years below the national median age. Household income sits at the 72.2nd percentile nationally despite a low university qualification rate of 13.5%, because the workforce is anchored in Mining (15.7%) and healthcare, both offering above-average wages without requiring degrees. Nearly 55% of dwellings carry a mortgage, well above the outright-ownership share of 25.3%, pointing to a predominantly recent-buyer population still in their first or second decade of ownership.
Population
3,349
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,929/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
65
Median House
$675K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price in Greta is $675,000, which rose from $655,000 in 2024 to $693,000 in 2025 before settling back slightly, representing 5.8% growth over the year. Detached housing dominates almost completely at 96.1%, so buyers are competing within a single product type with very little apartment or townhouse alternative. The bedroom mix skews large: 48.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 40.5% have 3, making small-format housing rare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,755, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.0%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers at the current median are carrying a manageable debt load relative to local incomes at the 72.2nd percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price in Greta is $675,000, which rose from $655,000 in 2024 to $693,000 in 2025 before settling back slightly, representing 5.8% growth over the year. Detached housing dominates almost completely at 96.1%, so buyers are competing within a single product type with very little apartment or townhouse alternative. The bedroom mix skews large: 48.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 40.5% have 3, making small-format housing rare. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,755, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.0%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers at the current median are carrying a manageable debt load relative to local incomes at the 72.2nd percentile nationally.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 20.2% of dwellings are rented, below the national average, and the vacancy rate of 7.1% is high, indicating more properties available than tenants to fill them. Weekly rent of $360 against a $675,000 median implies a gross yield of approximately 2.8%, modest but not negligible. Development activity is active at 60 applications in the past 12 months, mostly residential, suggesting the suburb continues to grow its housing stock. The mortgage-belt identity and low rental share mean Greta's investment case depends more on long-run capital growth than rental income, supported by the 5.8% price gain recorded between 2024 and 2025.
Development Activity
Total DAs
471
Last 12 Months
65
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+8.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Greta iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Greta Public School
K-6 · 186 students
Demographics
The median age of 33 sits 7 years below the national figure, giving Greta one of the younger resident bases in the region. English (1,410), Irish (371) and Scottish (369) ancestries dominate, consistent with a predominantly Anglo-Celtic community where overseas-born residents make up only 7.6%, which is 14 percentage points below the national share. University qualifications reach just 13.5%, or 16.6 points below the national figure, which reflects an economy built on trade and industry rather than professional services. Average household size is 2.8, marginally above the national average, and couples with children (1,397) are the most common family type. Volunteering sits at 10.3% of the population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.1%
Houses
3.6%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Greta is overwhelmingly owner-occupied: 25.3% own outright and 54.6% are paying off a mortgage, leaving only 20.2% as renters. That 54.6% mortgage share is characteristic of a suburb that grew quickly in the past decade, attracting first and second home buyers rather than long-established families with paid-off properties. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.1%, compared to the national average where apartments and medium density account for a much larger share. Four-plus bedroom homes make up 48.6% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes at 40.5%, meaning smaller configurations are rare. The median house price moved from $655,000 in 2024 to $693,000 in 2025, a 5.8% gain, and the rent-to-income ratio of 18.7% keeps renters below the 30% stress level.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,755
Rent / wk
$360
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$803
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.1%
Unoccupied
88
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.1%
Couples, no children
2,808
Total families
Economy & Employment
The top industries by employment are Healthcare (18.1%, 184 workers), Mining (15.7%, 160) and Construction (9.3%, 95), an unusual combination that reflects Greta's proximity to Hunter Valley coal and energy operations alongside the broader regional healthcare base. By occupation, Machinery and Drivers (274 workers) is the single largest group, ahead of Community and Personal (221) and Labourers (194), reflecting the blue-collar character of the local workforce. The full-time employment rate is 65.3% and the unemployment rate is 5.2%, slightly above a typical low-unemployment regional baseline but consistent with trade-cycle sensitivity in mining-adjacent areas. The SEIFA IEO decile of 3 places Greta in the lower third nationally for education and occupation advantage, while the IER decile of 9 signals strong economic resources, a divergence explained by the high-wage, low-credentialed mining and trades workforce.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.3%
Part-time
29.5%
Participation
62.4%
Employed
1,522
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.5%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
7.6%
Dwellings
1,155
Transport to Work
Car reliance is very high at 92.8% of commuters driving, which is expected given Greta's regional location and low public transport share. Walking and cycling account for 1.9% of trips. Rent-to-income at 18.7% and mortgage-to-income at 21.0% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress thresholds, meaning day-to-day housing costs are manageable compared to national and state averages. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on nearby facilities in the broader Cessnock and Hunter Valley area. The IRSAD decile of 5 places Greta at the national median for relative advantage and disadvantage. The need-for-assistance rate of 5.6% (181 people) is in line with a younger population, and only 5.2% are unemployed, suggesting a functioning local economy.
Drive
92.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Greta compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Greta a good suburb to live in?
Greta suits young families and trades workers well. The median age of 33 is 7 years below national, mortgage-to-income sits at 21.0% well below the 30% stress threshold, and the IRSAD decile of 5 places it at the national median for disadvantage. Housing costs are manageable and 96.1% of dwellings are separate houses on land.
What is the median house price in Greta?
The median house price is $675,000 (2024-2025 period). Prices rose 5.8% from $655,000 in 2024 to $693,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $360 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,755, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.0%.
What schools are in Greta?
No schools are recorded inside the Greta suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in Greta's 3,349-person community rely on schools in nearby Cessnock and surrounding Hunter Valley towns. The suburb's university qualification rate of 13.5% reflects a workforce oriented toward trades and industry rather than professional qualifications.
Is Greta safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Greta in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the IRSAD decile of 5 places it at the national median for relative advantage and disadvantage, and only 5.6% of the 3,349 residents (181 people) require daily assistance. The unemployment rate of 5.2% is close to regional norms.
Is Greta good for property investment?
Greta recorded 5.8% price growth from $655,000 to $693,000 between 2024 and 2025. However, the vacancy rate is 7.1%, above comfortable investor levels, and only 20.2% of dwellings are rented. Weekly rent of $360 implies a gross yield near 2.8% on the $675,000 median. The investment case is primarily capital-growth driven rather than yield driven.
How is Greta's population changing?
Greta's current population is 3,349, with a young median age of 33 that sits 7 years below the national figure. The 54.6% mortgage rate and active development pipeline of 60 applications in 12 months signal ongoing household formation. Residential stability is high, with 73.4% of residents having stayed in the same address over 5 years.
How much development is happening in Greta?
There were 60 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling houses, earthworks and complying development certificates. This level of activity is consistent with a growing outer-metropolitan suburb still expanding its housing stock, supported by a median age of 33 and a strong 54.6% mortgage-holder 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.
Explore Greta on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map