Mayfield West
At a median age of 34, Mayfield West skews 6 years younger than the national figure, and its 40.3% renter share is notably above what the 79.2% separate-house stock might suggest. Population density sits at 864 people per km2 across 2.31 square kilometres in Newcastle's inner west. Weekly household income of $1,592 places the suburb at the 52.2nd income percentile nationally, making it genuinely middle-income rather than either aspirational or disadvantaged. The identity signals are detached-dominant with an Anglo-Celtic ancestry base, yet the turnover rate of 25.1% per year points to a population more mobile than the settled house-ownership rate implies.
Population
1,993
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,592/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
38
Median House
$730K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $730,000 sits well below the Sydney metropolitan average, reflecting Mayfield West's position in Newcastle's middle ring. Prices moved from $706,532 in 2024 to $760,000 in 2025, a 7.6% gain over the period. Separate houses account for 79.2% of stock, with 3-bedroom dwellings the most common at 49.4% of all homes. The monthly mortgage repayment of $1,844 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the standard 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable compared to many east-coast markets. Outright owners at 24.5% are outnumbered by mortgage holders at 35.2% and renters at 40.3%, consistent with a suburb still attracting new buyers rather than settled long-term owners.
For Buyers
The median house price of $730,000 sits well below the Sydney metropolitan average, reflecting Mayfield West's position in Newcastle's middle ring. Prices moved from $706,532 in 2024 to $760,000 in 2025, a 7.6% gain over the period. Separate houses account for 79.2% of stock, with 3-bedroom dwellings the most common at 49.4% of all homes. The monthly mortgage repayment of $1,844 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the standard 30% stress threshold, making repayments manageable compared to many east-coast markets. Outright owners at 24.5% are outnumbered by mortgage holders at 35.2% and renters at 40.3%, consistent with a suburb still attracting new buyers rather than settled long-term owners.
For Investors
A 40.3% renter share is above average for a suburb where 79.2% of dwellings are separate houses, signalling genuine rental demand rather than just apartment-driven tenancy. Weekly rent of $370 against a $730,000 median implies a gross yield of roughly 2.6%, modest but typical for established Newcastle suburbs. The vacancy rate of 5.8% is elevated and warrants watching, as prolonged vacancies erode yield. Development activity reached 36 applications in the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings and complying development certificates, indicating incremental densification rather than major new supply. Rent-to-income at 23.2% keeps tenants below the 30% stress threshold, which supports rent-paying reliability. The 7.6% price gain from 2024 to 2025 is in line with the broader Newcastle market trend.
Development Activity
Total DAs
205
Last 12 Months
38
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-11.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, reflecting a workforce-age dominated population rather than a retiring one. University qualification rates reach 31.1%, just 1 percentage point above the national average, meaning educational attainment is near typical rather than elevated. Overseas-born residents make up 11.6% of the population, which is 10 percentage points below the national rate, so the suburb is less internationally diverse than the Australian average. Ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (820), Scottish (251) and Irish (230). Average household size of 2.3 is slightly below the national figure. Couples with children (539 families) outnumber couples without children (384 families), suggesting the suburb attracts young families more than retirees.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
79.2%
Houses
14.4%
Townhouse
6.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Mayfield West's housing market recorded a 7.6% price rise from $706,532 in 2024 to $760,000 in 2025. The tenure split reveals a predominantly leveraged and renting population: 35.2% hold a mortgage, 40.3% rent, and only 24.5% own outright. The 24.5% outright ownership rate is notably lower than older established suburbs, consistent with the younger median age of 34. Stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 79.2%, with semi-detached at 14.4% and apartments at just 6.4%. The dominant bedroom count is 3 bedrooms at 49.4% of dwellings, followed by 2 bedrooms at 26.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,844, and at 26.8% of household income, they remain below the stress threshold that weighs on higher-cost markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,844
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$808
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
49
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.4%
Couples, no children
1,399
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 27.3% of workers (187 people), nearly double the next sector Education at 14.4% (99 workers). Public Administration contributes 7.7%, Construction 7.6% and Professional/Technical services 6.6%, rounding out a workforce tilted toward public-sector and service industries rather than finance or technology. Professionals are the largest occupational group at 256 workers, followed by Community/Personal service workers at 131 and Managers at 111. The full-time employment rate is 62.5% and the unemployment rate is 5.5%, slightly above the national average, which may reflect the younger workforce age profile where career establishment takes time. Household income at the 52.2nd percentile nationally is typical for a Newcastle inner-ring suburb and consistent with the healthcare and education employment base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.5%
Part-time
32.0%
Participation
58.7%
Employed
910
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.1%
Postgraduate
7.5%
Born Overseas
11.6%
Dwellings
798
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high at 88.7% of commuters, with public transport use at just 2.4% and walking or cycling at 5.6%. This reflects the suburban layout rather than poor services, and it is consistent with most inner-Newcastle suburbs where bus routes exist but frequency is limited. No school data is recorded for the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in adjacent Mayfield or Waratah. The volunteering rate of 13.5% indicates reasonable community participation. Housing stress metrics are favourable: rent-to-income at 23.2% and mortgage-to-income at 26.8% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, giving residents more financial headroom than in higher-cost Sydney equivalents. With 5.4% of residents (100 people) needing daily assistance, care infrastructure needs are present but not unusually high for the population size.
Drive
88.7%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mayfield West compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mayfield West a good suburb to live in?
Mayfield West suits young families and workforce-age buyers, with a median age of 34 (6 years below national) and 79.2% separate house stock. Mortgage repayments average $1,844 per month at 26.8% of household income, below the 30% stress threshold. Housing affordability is meaningfully better than Sydney, with a $730,000 median house price.
What is the median house price in Mayfield West?
The median house price is $730,000, up 7.6% from $706,532 in 2024 to $760,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,844. Weekly rent is $370, reflecting the 40.3% renter share in a suburb dominated by separate houses at 79.2% of stock.
What schools are in Mayfield West?
No schools are recorded inside the Mayfield West boundary in this dataset, so families typically rely on schools in neighbouring Mayfield and Waratah. The suburb's 31.1% university qualification rate is near the national average, and the population includes 539 families with children.
Is Mayfield West safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mayfield West in this dataset. As context, the suburb sits at the 52.2nd household income percentile nationally, indicating a middle-income area. Housing stress indicators are low, with both rent-to-income (23.2%) and mortgage-to-income (26.8%) below the 30% threshold, which generally correlates with lower financial-pressure-driven crime.
Is Mayfield West good for property investment?
The 40.3% renter share is above average for a separate-house suburb, supporting demand. Weekly rent of $370 against a $730,000 median gives a gross yield around 2.6%. The vacancy rate of 5.8% is elevated and should be monitored. Prices grew 7.6% from 2024 to 2025, and 36 development applications in 12 months show active incremental activity.
How is Mayfield West's population changing?
Mayfield West has a turnover rate of 25.1% annually, meaning roughly 1 in 4 residents changes each year, which is relatively high and reflects the suburb's younger profile with a median age of 34. The population of 1,993 across 2.31 km2 gives a density of 864 per km2. The proportion of families with children (539 couples with children) outnumbers couples without children (384), suggesting the suburb continues to attract young families.
How much development is happening in Mayfield West?
There were 36 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings and complying development certificates for pools and spas. This level of activity indicates steady infill development within existing lots rather than large-scale redevelopment, consistent with the suburb's 2.31 km2 constrained footprint.
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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