Pottsville
At 76.3% separate houses and just 4.1% apartments, Pottsville reads as a low-density coastal town rather than a unit market, and that scarcity of attached stock helps explain why the median house price reached $1,250,000. The median age of 42 sits 2 years above the national figure, and the forecast aging trajectory (senior share rising 5.3 points while the working-age share falls 2.1) signals a maturing population rather than a young-family influx. Born-overseas residents at 15.1% run 6.5 points below national, confirming an Anglo-leaning profile led by 3,295 English and 1,057 Irish ancestry responses. With 91.2% of commuters driving and only 0.5% using public transport, the suburb functions as a car-dependent enclave near the Tweed coast.
Population
7,238
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,556/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
57
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,250,000 median house price reflects a market built almost entirely of detached homes, which make up 76.3% of dwellings against just 4.1% apartments. Three-bedroom (45.7%) and four-plus-bedroom (44.7%) houses dominate, so buyers are paying for family-scale homes rather than compact units. Recent quarters show momentum, with the median moving from $1,195,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, an 8.8% rise. Affordability is the catch: the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6% trips the stress threshold because the personal income of $730 per week is modest relative to prices. That tension shows in tenure, where 38.9% carry a mortgage and 37.9% own outright, leaving owner-occupiers as the clear majority compared with the 23.2% who rent.
For Buyers
The $1,250,000 median house price reflects a market built almost entirely of detached homes, which make up 76.3% of dwellings against just 4.1% apartments. Three-bedroom (45.7%) and four-plus-bedroom (44.7%) houses dominate, so buyers are paying for family-scale homes rather than compact units. Recent quarters show momentum, with the median moving from $1,195,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, an 8.8% rise. Affordability is the catch: the mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6% trips the stress threshold because the personal income of $730 per week is modest relative to prices. That tension shows in tenure, where 38.9% carry a mortgage and 37.9% own outright, leaving owner-occupiers as the clear majority compared with the 23.2% who rent.
For Investors
Renters make up 23.2% of households, a shallow tenant pool compared with the owner-occupier majority, which limits the rental base in a town of detached family homes. Weekly rent of $500 against a $1,250,000 median produces a gross yield near 2.1%, low even by coastal NSW standards, so this is a capital-growth play rather than an income one. The 8.2% vacancy rate is elevated and points to soft rental absorption. Demand drivers are balanced, with net overseas migration of 76 per year and net internal migration of 51, both modest. Development is active at 53 DAs in the past 12 months, including subdivision activity, suggesting supply will keep expanding. Rent-to-income at 32.1% already flags rental stress, which caps how far landlords can push rents.
Development Activity
Total DAs
407
Last 12 Months
57
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pottsville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Ambrose Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 373 students
Pottsville Beach Public School
K-6 · 556 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national median, and the aging trajectory reinforces this with the senior share rising 5.3 points while the young share slipped 1.5. Born-overseas residents at 15.1% sit 6.5 points below national, and ancestry is firmly Anglo-Celtic, led by 3,295 English, 1,057 Irish and 881 Scottish responses. University qualifications at 29.8% land just 0.3 points under the national rate, a near-average education profile. Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, consistent with the family orientation of couples with children (2,866 families) outnumbering couples without (1,593). Christianity at 3,077 adherents dominates the religious profile, and a volunteering rate of 16.8% points to an engaged local community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.3%
Houses
17.7%
Townhouse
4.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupiers dominate tenure, with 38.9% holding a mortgage and 37.9% owning outright, leaving renters at 23.2%, well below the proportions seen in apartment-heavy suburbs. The stock is 76.3% separate houses, 17.7% semi-detached and only 4.1% apartments, and bedroom counts skew large with 45.7% three-bedroom and 44.7% four-plus homes. The median house price climbed from $1,195,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, an 8.8% gain over a single year. Both stress indicators are triggered: mortgage-to-income at 30.6% and rent-to-income at 32.1% exceed the 30% benchmark, because incomes here lag the price growth. The household income percentile of 49.6 sits almost exactly at the national midpoint, so affordability pressure stems from high prices meeting average earnings.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,063
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$730
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
225
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.1% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.0%
Couples, no children
5,899
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 22.2% (473 workers), followed by Education at 15.4% (328) and Construction at 13.7% (292), a service-and-trades base typical of a coastal town rather than a corporate hub. Professionals (706) top the occupation list ahead of Community and Personal Service workers (439) and Managers (369). The unemployment rate of 4.9% sits near the national average, but the participation rate of 53.4% is low, consistent with the aging population and 2,065 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA places the suburb mid-table, with an IRSAD decile of 5 and an index of economic resources decile of 7, the higher IER reflecting widespread home ownership. Real incomes grew 22.0% over the decade, trailing local house-price growth.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
6,971
Unemployed
164
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.4%
Part-time
41.7%
Participation
53.4%
Employed
2,818
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.8%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
15.1%
Dwellings
2,519
Transport to Work
Pottsville is heavily car-dependent, with 91.2% of commuters driving and just 0.5% using public transport, far below the levels of transit-served metro suburbs, so a vehicle is effectively essential here. Active transport is minimal at 3.6% walking or cycling despite the coastal setting. The community shows stability, with 78.9% of residents having stayed put and a turnover rate of just 21.1%, low churn that supports neighbourhood cohesion and a 16.8% volunteering rate. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint for advantage, neither disadvantaged nor affluent. With 6.2% of residents needing assistance with daily activities, slightly above what the younger demographics elsewhere show, the aging profile is shaping local service demand.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.29%/yr
(+190 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is growing at 1.29% per year, roughly 190 residents annually, a steady established-suburb pace rather than a boom. The 10-year change of 16.0% confirms consistent expansion without the volatility of a frontier growth corridor. Migration is balanced, splitting between net overseas inflow of 76 per year and net internal inflow of 51, so no single driver dominates. The gentrification score of 12 classifies the suburb as not gentrifying, with the signals limited to the 17% population rise since 2011 and modest internal migration. The trajectory is firmly aging, with the senior share up 5.3 points and the working-age share down 2.1, which compared with younger growth suburbs points to demand shifting toward downsizers and retirees rather than first-home families.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+76
Net Internal / yr
+51
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal migration +51/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pottsville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pottsville a good suburb to live in?
Pottsville suits owner-occupiers wanting a quiet coastal lifestyle, with 76.3% of homes being separate houses and 78.9% of residents staying put long term. The IRSAD decile of 5 is mid-table nationally. The trade-offs are heavy car dependence at 91.2% of commuters and mortgage-to-income stress at 30.6%.
What is the median house price in Pottsville?
The median house price is $1,250,000. Recent quarters rose from $1,195,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, an 8.8% increase. Weekly rent averages $500 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,063, producing a gross rental yield near 2.1%.
What schools are in Pottsville?
No schools are recorded in the dataset for Pottsville's boundary, so the 0 listed means families likely commute to schools in neighbouring Tweed coast towns. With 44.7% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms, the suburb is family-oriented, but education facilities sit outside the immediate area.
Is Pottsville safe?
Crime statistics are not available in the current dataset for Pottsville, so a crime rate cannot be reported. As a low-density coastal suburb at 573 residents per square km with 78.9% long-term residents and 21.1% turnover, the area shows the stable settlement pattern typical of established family towns.
Is Pottsville good for property investment?
Investment leans toward capital growth over income. The renter share is only 23.2% and gross yield sits near 2.1% ($500/week on a $1,250,000 median), low for the cost. The 8.2% vacancy rate is elevated, though 53 development applications in 12 months show ongoing market activity.
How is Pottsville's population changing?
Population grows about 1.29% per year, near 190 residents, with a 16.0% increase over 10 years. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.3 points while the working-age share fell 2.1. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, with balanced migration of 76 overseas and 51 internal per year.
How active is development in Pottsville?
Development is steady, with 53 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including dwelling alterations and a subdivision. This activity sits alongside population growth of 1.29% per year and a housing stock that is 76.3% separate houses, indicating ongoing low-density residential expansion.
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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