Salt Ash
With only 1,103 residents spread across 51.3 square kilometres, Salt Ash has a population density of 21.5 people per km2, among the lowest you will find in coastal NSW. The median age of 46 sits 6 years above the national figure, the oldest end of the regional age spectrum, and 88% of residents stayed put over the five-year survey period, a stability rate that is markedly above average. Owner-occupiers dominate at 87.6% combined owned-outright and mortgaged, while renters make up just 12.5%, well below state norms. The suburb's identity is shaped by its large lot rural-residential character, an Anglo-heritage ancestry profile, and a workforce drawn primarily to healthcare and construction.
Population
1,103
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,461/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$938K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $937,500, derived from NSW PSI data for the 2024-2025 period. Price history shows a peak of $1,060,000 in 2024 falling to $900,000 in 2025, a correction of 15.1% in one year, which is steeper than most Hunter Region markets over the same period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.8%, just above the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.6%, with semi-detached making up the remaining 2.4% and apartments absent. Nearly half of all dwellings have four or more bedrooms at 49.9%, and three-bedroom homes add another 40.8%, so buyers are choosing between large family homes on rural blocks rather than a typical urban mix.
For Buyers
The median house price is $937,500, derived from NSW PSI data for the 2024-2025 period. Price history shows a peak of $1,060,000 in 2024 falling to $900,000 in 2025, a correction of 15.1% in one year, which is steeper than most Hunter Region markets over the same period. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.8%, just above the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.6%, with semi-detached making up the remaining 2.4% and apartments absent. Nearly half of all dwellings have four or more bedrooms at 49.9%, and three-bedroom homes add another 40.8%, so buyers are choosing between large family homes on rural blocks rather than a typical urban mix.
For Investors
The rental market in Salt Ash is thin. Only 12.5% of dwellings are rented, well below state averages, and the weekly median rent is $310, which is lower than surrounding Hunter Region coastal markets. Against a $937,500 median price, that rent implies a gross yield below 1.8%. The vacancy rate of 8.6% is elevated, signalling more rental supply than active demand. Development activity is modest at 13 applications in the past 12 months, mostly sheds and accessory structures rather than new dwellings. The low renter share and high vacancy together point to a market driven by owner-occupier lifestyle demand rather than investment yield, and the 15.1% price correction from peak suggests the speculative premium has unwound.
Development Activity
Total DAs
75
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Salt Ash iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Salt Ash Public School
K-6 · 142 students
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, and 37.3% of families are couples without children, pointing to a post-family or pre-retirement resident base. Overseas-born residents account for just 9.2% of the population, which is 12.4 percentage points below the national share, making Salt Ash one of the more Anglo-heritage communities in coastal NSW. Ancestry is led by English (473), Irish (105) and Scottish (96). Average household size is 2.7, marginally above national at 2.5. The volunteering rate of 12.6% is within the typical community range. Participation in the labour force is 49.3%, below national, partly because the older age profile places more residents outside working years.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.6%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupier dominance is a defining feature: 42.4% own outright and 45.2% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 12.5%, far below NSW state averages. The outright-ownership rate of 42.4% is high for a suburb with a $937,500 median price, suggesting many residents bought at lower price points years earlier. Four-plus bedroom homes are 49.9% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes 40.8%, so the housing stock skews larger than typical suburban markets. Separate houses are 97.6% of all dwellings, with virtually no apartments. Mortgage holders are under mild pressure with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.8%, just above the stress threshold compared to a national benchmark of 30%. Rent at $310 per week is below state median levels for regional NSW.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$610
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
35
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.8% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.6%
Couples, no children
893
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 16.9% of workers (53 people), followed closely by Construction at 15.9% (50), Education at 9.6%, Public Administration at 8.0%, and Manufacturing at 7.3%. This industry spread is more blue-collar and service-oriented than national averages, reflecting the suburb's semi-rural, lower-income character. By occupation, Community and Personal Service, Professionals, Clerical, Labourers and Managers each employ around 50 to 57 workers, an unusually flat distribution that contrasts with the professional concentration seen in higher-income suburbs. The unemployment rate is 7.6% and the participation rate is 49.3%, both weaker than national benchmarks. Household weekly income of $1,461 sits at the 44.8th percentile nationally, indicating below-median earnings for the area.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
34.0%
Participation
49.3%
Employed
416
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.1%
Postgraduate
1.5%
Born Overseas
9.2%
Dwellings
376
Transport to Work
Salt Ash is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 90.7% of residents drive to work, while public transport use is just 1.7%, among the lowest in NSW. Walking and cycling account for 3.8%. This reflects the suburb's 51.3 km2 footprint with low density of 21.5 people per km2, meaning services and employment are not within walking distance. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in nearby Medowie or Raymond Terrace. Crime statistics are not available in the dataset. The rent-to-income ratio of 21.2% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, making the suburb accessible to renters who can find available stock given the 8.6% vacancy rate. SEIFA decile data is not available for this suburb.
Drive
90.7%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Salt Ash compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salt Ash a good suburb to live in?
Salt Ash suits buyers seeking large rural-residential blocks, with 97.6% separate houses and nearly 50% of homes having four or more bedrooms. The median age of 46 is 6 years above national, and 88% of residents stayed over five years, reflecting strong community stability. The main trade-offs are car dependence at 90.7% and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Salt Ash?
The median house price is $937,500 based on NSW PSI data for 2024-2025. Prices peaked at $1,060,000 in 2024 and fell 15.1% to $900,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.8%, just above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Salt Ash?
No schools are recorded inside the Salt Ash suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Medowie and Raymond Terrace. The suburb's university qualification rate is 13.1%, which is 17 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting its rural-residential and trade-oriented workforce profile.
Is Salt Ash safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Salt Ash are not available in this dataset. As context, the suburb has an 88% five-year residential stability rate, which is well above typical metropolitan benchmarks, and the low renter share of 12.5% compared to state averages is generally associated with more settled, lower-turnover communities.
Is Salt Ash good for property investment?
The investment case is challenging. Weekly rent of $310 against a $937,500 median implies a gross yield below 1.8%, and the vacancy rate of 8.6% is elevated above typical healthy market levels of 2-3%. Prices fell 15.1% from the 2024 peak, and the low renter share of 12.5% means the market is driven by owner-occupier demand rather than rental income.
How is Salt Ash's population changing?
Salt Ash has a small population of 1,103 residents across 51.3 km2 and no forecast data is available. The 88% five-year stay rate suggests very low churn. The median age of 46 is 6 years above national, indicating gradual demographic aging. With only 13 development applications in the past 12 months, mostly non-residential, significant population growth is unlikely in the near term.
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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