Soldiers Point
With a median age of 56, Soldiers Point sits 16 years above the national figure, making it one of the most age-skewed communities on the Port Stephens peninsula. That demographic shapes nearly everything else: a 44.4% labour participation rate, 48.4% of homes owned outright with no mortgage, and 46.1% of families structured as couples with no children. The 32.0% vacancy rate is striking for a suburb of 1,564 people and reflects a substantial holiday and second-home component across its 1.09 km2 footprint. House prices reached a median of $1,132,000, well above the national median, despite household incomes sitting at the 34.6th percentile nationally.
Population
1,564
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,350/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $1,132,000, and recent PSI data shows a 6.2% decline from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,078,500 in 2025. Separate houses make up 62.3% of stock, with apartments at 21.1% and semi-detached at 14.2%, so detached-house buyers have reasonable choice. The dominant bedroom configuration is 3-bedroom (42.2%), followed by 4-plus (34.6%), which suits owner-occupiers more than renters. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,152, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.8% exceeds the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit at the 34.6th percentile nationally. That gap between premium pricing and moderate incomes is the key tension for first-time buyers considering this market.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $1,132,000, and recent PSI data shows a 6.2% decline from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,078,500 in 2025. Separate houses make up 62.3% of stock, with apartments at 21.1% and semi-detached at 14.2%, so detached-house buyers have reasonable choice. The dominant bedroom configuration is 3-bedroom (42.2%), followed by 4-plus (34.6%), which suits owner-occupiers more than renters. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,152, but the mortgage-to-income ratio of 36.8% exceeds the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit at the 34.6th percentile nationally. That gap between premium pricing and moderate incomes is the key tension for first-time buyers considering this market.
For Investors
Rental demand in Soldiers Point is thin relative to its price point. The renting share is 25.8% and weekly rent averages $400, implying a gross yield around 1.8% against the $1,132,000 median, well below typical investment benchmarks. The 32.0% vacancy rate, the highest single metric in this brief, indicates a large segment of dwellings sits empty for extended periods as holiday or second homes rather than generating consistent rental income. Development activity is modest at 18 applications over 12 months, mostly dwelling alterations. The aging demographic profile and below-average income levels suggest demand growth will come from retiree migration rather than young families, which supports stable owner-occupier demand but limits rental yield expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
126
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Soldiers Point iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Soldiers Point Public School
K-6 · 267 students
Demographics
The median age of 56 is 16 years above the national average, a gap that signals a deliberate retirement and sea-change destination rather than a family suburb. Labour force participation at 44.4% reflects this, with 657 residents classified as not in the labour force. The ancestry profile is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (776), Irish (212) and Scottish (200) are the top three groups, and overseas-born residents at 19.1% run 2.5 points below the national figure. University qualifications reach 28.6%, sitting 1.5 percentage points below the national figure. Household size averages 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, consistent with the dominant couples-without-children structure at 46.1% of families. Volunteering at 16.4% reflects the community engagement common to retiree-majority suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
62.3%
Houses
14.2%
Townhouse
21.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure data reveals a debt-free suburb: 48.4% of households own their home outright, nearly double the 25.8% who carry a mortgage, a ratio that stands in contrast to most growth-corridor suburbs where mortgage holders dominate. The renting share also sits at 25.8%. The stock leans toward larger homes, with 3-bedroom dwellings at 42.2% and 4-plus at 34.6%, and separate houses accounting for 62.3% of all dwellings. The median house price moved from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,078,500 in 2025, a 6.2% decline over one year. Mortgage repayments average $2,152 a month, but against a household income at the 34.6th percentile nationally, the 36.8% mortgage-to-income ratio triggers stress classification, highlighting the affordability squeeze for buyers entering this market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,152
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$719
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
32.0%
Unoccupied
314
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.8% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.1%
Couples, no children
1,195
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 16.0% of workers (65 people), followed by Construction at 10.6% (43), Professional/Technical services at 9.9% (40), Education at 9.6% (39) and Hospitality at 8.6% (35). By occupation, Professionals (101) and Managers (98) lead, followed by Community/Personal service workers (76) and Clerical/Admin (69). The unemployment rate is 5.4%, above the low rates typical in tighter metro markets, and the full-time employment rate is 51.5%. Household income averages $1,350 per week, placing the suburb at the 34.6th percentile nationally, below the median household income. The high share of non-workers reflects the retirement demographic rather than economic weakness, since 657 residents are not in the labour force by choice.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.5%
Part-time
43.1%
Participation
44.4%
Employed
573
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.6%
Postgraduate
7.0%
Born Overseas
19.1%
Dwellings
655
Transport to Work
Car dependency is almost universal: 92.1% of residents drive to work, compared to lower rates seen in urban NSW suburbs, and only 4.4% walk or cycle, reflecting the peninsular geography and limited public transport. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families with school-age children depend on services in neighbouring Port Stephens communities. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb. Rent-to-income sits at 29.6%, near but below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting renters are under manageable pressure. The combination of waterfront setting, low-turnover resident base, and volunteering at 16.4% of residents points to a cohesive community where the primary livability trade-off is car dependence and limited walkable services.
Drive
92.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Soldiers Point compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Soldiers Point a good suburb to live in?
Soldiers Point suits retirees and sea-changers well: 48.4% of homes are owned outright, volunteering runs at 16.4% and the resident turnover rate is low at 21.0%. The trade-offs are high car dependence (92.1% drive), no schools recorded within the suburb, and a median house price of $1,132,000 against household incomes at the 34.6th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Soldiers Point?
The median house price is $1,132,000 based on 2024-2025 PSI data. Recent figures show a 6.2% decline from $1,150,000 in 2024 to $1,078,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,152.
What schools are in Soldiers Point?
No schools are recorded inside the Soldiers Point boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Port Stephens suburbs. The local population has a university qualification rate of 28.6%, which is 1.5 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Soldiers Point safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Soldiers Point in this dataset. The suburb has a stable, low-turnover resident base with 79.0% of people staying at the same address year to year, and 48.4% own their homes outright, indicators typically associated with settled, low-transience communities.
Is Soldiers Point good for property investment?
The investment case is challenging. Weekly rent of $400 against a $1,132,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%, below typical investment benchmarks. The 32.0% vacancy rate indicates many properties are holiday or second homes rather than consistently tenanted. The 6.2% price decline from 2024 to 2025 adds caution.
How is Soldiers Point's population changing?
Soldiers Point has a population of 1,564 across 1.09 km2, with a median age of 56, which is 16 years above the national figure. The high outright ownership rate and low resident turnover suggest a stable, aging base rather than rapid population growth. The 32.0% vacancy rate reflects a large holiday-home component that inflates dwelling counts relative to permanent residents.
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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