Rathmines
With 45.0% of residents owning their homes outright, Rathmines sits well above the national average for debt-free ownership, a signal of an established, long-settled community on the western shore of Lake Macquarie. The median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure, and the suburb's 92.9% separate-house stock reflects an almost exclusively detached residential character. Population growth has been modest at 8.7% over the past decade, tracking below the pace of most NSW coastal suburbs. Household income places at the 47.4th percentile nationally, meaning incomes here are close to the midpoint rather than the top, which keeps housing stress manageable at a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.4%.
Population
2,076
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,517/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$772K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $772,000, with prices softening 2.8% from $780,000 in 2024 to $758,000 in 2025. That correction follows no COVID dip, so the current level reflects a measured pullback from a stable peak rather than a distressed market. Separate houses dominate at 92.9% of stock, with semi-detached at 7.1% and no recorded apartment supply, making this an almost purely detached-house market. Bedroom sizes lean large: 43.2% have 3 bedrooms and 42.8% have 4 or more, which is unusual for the price point and suggests generous land sizes compared to metro equivalents. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.4% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers are not overstretched relative to incomes at the 47.4th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $772,000, with prices softening 2.8% from $780,000 in 2024 to $758,000 in 2025. That correction follows no COVID dip, so the current level reflects a measured pullback from a stable peak rather than a distressed market. Separate houses dominate at 92.9% of stock, with semi-detached at 7.1% and no recorded apartment supply, making this an almost purely detached-house market. Bedroom sizes lean large: 43.2% have 3 bedrooms and 42.8% have 4 or more, which is unusual for the price point and suggests generous land sizes compared to metro equivalents. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.4% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers are not overstretched relative to incomes at the 47.4th percentile nationally.
For Investors
Rathmines has limited rental demand by design. Only 13.9% of dwellings are rented, far below the national average, while 45.0% of homes are owned outright and 41.1% carry a mortgage. Weekly rent of $400 against a $772,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.7%, which is low but consistent with an owner-occupier suburb rather than a rental market. The 4.7% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention, because it suggests the small rental pool includes supply that cannot easily attract tenants. Development activity is modest at 16 applications in the past 12 months, mostly pool installations and structural works rather than new dwellings, so supply pressure is minimal. Net overseas migration of 34 per year supports steady baseline demand over the medium term.
Development Activity
Total DAs
119
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rathmines iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Rathmines Public School
K-6 · 311 students
Demographics
Rathmines skews older than almost any comparable NSW suburb: the median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure. The senior share of the population rose 7.0 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 5.2 points, accelerating an aging trajectory that is reshaping household composition. Couples with no children account for 32.2% of families, consistent with a post-child-rearing demographic. The overseas-born share is 11.8%, which is 9.8 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (951 residents), Scottish (286) and Irish (234). University qualifications at 24.3% are 5.8 points below the national rate, reflecting a trades and services workforce rather than a knowledge-economy concentration.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.9%
Houses
7.1%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Rathmines is skewed firmly toward ownership: 45.0% own outright, 41.1% hold a mortgage and only 13.9% rent, making this one of the more owner-dominant suburbs nationally. The stock is 92.9% separate houses with 7.1% semi-detached and no recorded apartments, which limits entry options for buyers who cannot stretch to a full detached purchase. Bedroom distribution favours larger homes, with 43.2% at 3 bedrooms and 42.8% at 4 or more bedrooms, suggesting the stock was built for families even as the household composition shifts toward couples without children. The median price moved from $780,000 in 2024 to $758,000 in 2025, a 2.8% decline. Rent-to-income at 26.4% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, so renters are not severely burdened despite limited supply.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$728
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.7%
Unoccupied
38
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.2%
Couples, no children
1,739
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer by a wide margin, accounting for 23.4% of employed residents (144 workers), followed by Education at 12.5% (77) and Construction at 10.2% (63). This pattern reflects a workforce that largely commutes to regional service centres rather than working locally. By occupation, Professionals (170) are the largest group, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (134), Clerical and Administrative workers (105), and Managers and Machinery Operators both at 78. The unemployment rate is 5.9% and labour force participation is 51.3%, both reflecting the aging demographic: 694 residents are not in the labour force. Real income growth of 10.4% over the decade is positive but places below the national median gain, consistent with the 47.4th percentile household income position.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
4,803
Unemployed
185
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.2%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
51.3%
Employed
825
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.3%
Postgraduate
4.9%
Born Overseas
11.8%
Dwellings
764
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 92.4% of residents drive to work and only 1.9% use public transport, with 0.7% walking or cycling. This is consistent with a lakeside suburb without a train line, where road access to Newcastle and Maitland is the primary link. No schools are recorded within the Rathmines boundary, so families use services in surrounding Lake Macquarie suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint for advantage, while the IER decile of 7 shows above-average economic resources relative to the broader picture. The volunteering rate of 14.2% and need-assistance share of 7.1% both point to a community with moderate support needs, proportionate to the older age profile. Housing stress is contained, with both rent-to-income and mortgage-to-income at 26.4%.
Drive
92.4%
Public Transport
1.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.44%/yr
(+43 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 8.7% over the decade to reach approximately 2,076 residents, below the pace of most NSW coastal markets. The forecast trend is 0.44% annual growth, adding around 43 residents per year, and the medium scenario projects the broader SA2 area reaching 9,907 by 2031. Migration is balanced, with net overseas arrivals of 34 per year and net internal gain of 9 per year, neither large enough to shift the suburb's character rapidly. The gentrification score of 32 places Rathmines at an early signs stage, meaning price pressure and demographic change are beginning to register but have not yet become defining features. Affordability has been stable, moving from 50.1% in 2011 to 50.5% in 2021, which indicates no structural shift in the cost burden for residents over time.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+34
Net Internal / yr
+9
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rathmines compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rathmines a good suburb to live in?
Rathmines appeals to owner-occupiers: 45.0% own their homes outright and housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 26.4%. The suburb scores at the 47.4th percentile nationally for household income and IRSAD decile 5, placing it near the national midpoint on advantage. The median age of 47 is 7 years above national, so it suits established households more than young families.
What is the median house price in Rathmines?
The median house price is $772,000. Prices eased 2.8% from $780,000 in 2024 to $758,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.4%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Rathmines?
No schools are recorded within the Rathmines boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Lake Macquarie suburbs. University qualifications locally sit at 24.3%, which is 5.8 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting a workforce oriented toward trades, healthcare and community services rather than tertiary pathways.
Is Rathmines safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Rathmines in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 6 on the index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and the IRSAD decile of 5 places it at mid-range nationally. Only 7.1% of residents (141 people) require daily assistance, consistent with an established low-density community.
Is Rathmines good for property investment?
The investment case is limited by a thin rental market: only 13.9% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is an elevated 4.7%. Weekly rent of $400 against a $772,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.7%, low by NSW standards. Price declined 2.8% in 2024-2025. Modest annual growth of 0.44% and 16 development applications in 12 months signal a stable but slow-moving market.
How is Rathmines's population changing?
Population grew 8.7% over the decade and is forecast to rise 0.44% per year, adding roughly 43 residents annually. Net overseas migration contributes 34 arrivals per year. The demographic shift is toward older residents: the senior share rose 7.0 points and the working-age share fell 5.2 points over the past 10 years.
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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