Salamander Bay
A median age of 57 sits 17.0 years above the national figure, and that single number explains most of what makes Salamander Bay distinctive. Only 38.7% of residents are in the labour force because 2,253 of the 4,991 population are retired or otherwise out of work, and household income lands in just the 17.8th percentile nationally. Despite that modest income base, 53.2% of homes are owned outright, the mark of established retirees who bought long ago. The $930,000 median house price has barely moved, up only 0.3% over the past year, while the 14.3% vacancy rate runs well above what a tightly held coastal market would normally show.
Population
4,991
Median Age
57.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,107/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
60
Median House
$930K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $930,000 median reflects a detached, family-sized housing stock rather than a premium market, with separate houses making up 60.0% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes the most common at 42.3%, followed by 4-plus bedroom homes at 33.2%. Apartments are almost absent at 5.0%, so buyers seeking a low-maintenance unit have little choice here. Price growth has been flat, rising just 0.3% from $928,500 in 2024 to $931,000 in 2025, which removes the urgency that drives faster markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio still reaches 36.2%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits in the 17.8th percentile. The lesson for buyers is that affordability here is constrained by low local incomes more than by high prices.
For Buyers
The $930,000 median reflects a detached, family-sized housing stock rather than a premium market, with separate houses making up 60.0% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes the most common at 42.3%, followed by 4-plus bedroom homes at 33.2%. Apartments are almost absent at 5.0%, so buyers seeking a low-maintenance unit have little choice here. Price growth has been flat, rising just 0.3% from $928,500 in 2024 to $931,000 in 2025, which removes the urgency that drives faster markets. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio still reaches 36.2%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household income sits in the 17.8th percentile. The lesson for buyers is that affordability here is constrained by low local incomes more than by high prices.
For Investors
A 23.3% renter share and weekly rent of $380 give investors a working tenant pool, but the 14.3% vacancy rate is the dominant signal and points to genuine oversupply or seasonal demand in this coastal market. Against the $930,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.1%, low and offering little buffer when units sit empty. Rent-to-income at 34.3% already exceeds the stress threshold, which caps how far rents can be pushed given local incomes in the 17.8th percentile. Development is moderate at 56 applications over 12 months, and the samples are almost all alterations and additions rather than new dwellings, so little fresh supply is arriving. The case rests on long-term coastal appeal more than yield, since both vacancy and flat 0.3% price growth work against near-term returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
362
Last 12 Months
60
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Salamander Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Philip's Christian College - Port Stephens
K-12 · 821 students
Tomaree Public School
K-6 · 310 students
Tomaree High School
7-12 · 986 students
St Philip's Christian College Gilibaa
K-4 · 30 students
Demographics
The median age of 57 runs 17.0 years above the national figure, the defining demographic fact and the reason participation is only 38.7%. The population is overwhelmingly Anglo-leaning, with English (2,391), Irish (646) and Scottish (638) the top ancestries and overseas-born residents at just 15.8%, which is 5.8 points below national. University qualifications reach 20.6%, 9.5 points below the national rate, consistent with an older, trades-and-services workforce rather than a graduate one. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, because couples without children make up 41.7% of the 3,705 families. Christianity dominates at 2,844 adherents, with Buddhism a distant second at 48, and only 12 residents each speak Mandarin or Italian, underlining how few non-English speakers live here.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
60.0%
Houses
31.8%
Townhouse
5.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 53.2%, far above mortgage holders at 23.6% and renters at 23.3%, a structure typical of a retiree base that paid off homes years ago. Separate houses account for 60.0% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 31.8%, while apartments are just 5.0%, so the stock is built for families and downsizing couples rather than singles. Three-bedroom homes lead at 42.3% with 4-plus bedroom homes at 33.2%. The median house price edged from $928,500 in 2024 to $931,000 in 2025, a 0.3% move that signals a market at rest. Mortgage-to-income at 36.2% and rent-to-income at 34.3% both clear the 30% stress threshold, an unusual pairing for a sub-million median that traces back to household income in the 17.8th percentile rather than to high housing costs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$600
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.3%
Unoccupied
360
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.7%
Couples, no children
3,705
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment leans heavily on Healthcare at 17.1% (198 workers), reflecting the aged-care and medical demand of a population whose median age is 57. Construction and Education tie at 10.5% (121 each), followed by Hospitality at 8.7% and Public Administration at 8.5%. By occupation, Professionals (275) lead narrowly over Community and Personal Service workers (260) and Clerical staff (236), a service-weighted mix rather than a knowledge-economy one, which fits university attainment of 20.6%, nearly 10 points below national. The unemployment rate is 5.2%, but the headline figure is the 38.7% participation rate, well below national, because 2,253 residents are not in the labour force. With the full-time employment rate at 54.2%, the local economy runs on part-time and service roles tied to an older resident base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.2%
Part-time
40.6%
Participation
38.7%
Employed
1,598
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.6%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
15.8%
Dwellings
2,132
Transport to Work
Daily life is built around the car, with 89.9% driving to work and only 0.6% using public transport, far below the national reliance on transit, a practical reality for a coastal suburb at 582.7 residents per square kilometre. Walking or cycling accounts for 4.1%. No schools are recorded inside the 8.56 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a meaningful trade-off for households with children. The community shows solid engagement, with a volunteering rate of 15.5%, though 9.3% of residents (440 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger suburbs would show and consistent with the median age of 57. Outright home ownership of 53.2% gives many residents housing security that offsets the area's below-average incomes.
Drive
89.9%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Salamander Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salamander Bay a good suburb to live in?
It suits retirees and downsizers more than young families. The median age of 57 is 17.0 years above national, 53.2% of homes are owned outright, and the area is quiet and coastal. The trade-offs are no local schools, a 38.7% labour participation rate and heavy reliance on the car, with 89.9% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Salamander Bay?
The median house price is $930,000, up just 0.3% from $928,500 in 2024 to $931,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.2%, above the 30% stress threshold because local incomes are low.
What schools are in Salamander Bay?
No schools are recorded inside the 8.56 square kilometre Salamander Bay boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base skews older, with a median age of 57 and university qualifications at 20.6%, which is 9.5 points below national.
Is Salamander Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Salamander Bay in this dataset. As context, it is a settled coastal area with a median age of 57 and low residential turnover, where 81.6% of residents stayed put, both patterns usually associated with stable, low-churn neighbourhoods.
Is Salamander Bay good for property investment?
Rent of $380 a week against a $930,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.1%, low, and the 14.3% vacancy rate signals real oversupply. With flat 0.3% annual price growth and rent-to-income already at 34.3%, returns depend on long-term coastal appeal rather than yield or near-term capital growth.
How is Salamander Bay's population changing?
The population of 4,991 is aging steadily, with a median age of 57 that is 17.0 years above national and couples without children making up 41.7% of families. Turnover is low at 18.4%, and labour participation is just 38.7% because 2,253 residents are out of the workforce.
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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