Stockton
A $1.2 million median house price on a peninsula suburb of 4,046 people sets Stockton apart from most coastal NSW communities at a comparable size. The suburb registers SEIFA decile 5 on both IRSD and IRSAD, placing it squarely at the national middle band for advantage, yet its median age of 47 sits 7 years above the national average, making it one of the more age-skewed coastal communities in the Hunter region. Owner-occupancy is strong, with 38.1% owning outright and 31.2% carrying a mortgage, and separate houses dominate at 82.5% of dwellings. That combination of older residents, high outright ownership, and premium land values points to a suburb that has been held and matured rather than actively turned over.
Population
4,046
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,535/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
88
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1.2 million reflects strong demand for Stockton's peninsula location, and prices moved from $1,125,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, an 11.1% rise in a single year. Separate houses make up 82.5% of the housing stock, giving buyers strong access to detached dwellings compared to most urban markets. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 47.0%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 23.8% and 2-bedroom at 22.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 30.1%, crossing the standard stress threshold, because household incomes sit near the 48.4th income percentile nationally. Outright owners at 38.1% outnumber mortgage holders at 31.2%, a pattern more typical of an older, established suburb than an aspirational growth corridor.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1.2 million reflects strong demand for Stockton's peninsula location, and prices moved from $1,125,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, an 11.1% rise in a single year. Separate houses make up 82.5% of the housing stock, giving buyers strong access to detached dwellings compared to most urban markets. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 47.0%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 23.8% and 2-bedroom at 22.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 30.1%, crossing the standard stress threshold, because household incomes sit near the 48.4th income percentile nationally. Outright owners at 38.1% outnumber mortgage holders at 31.2%, a pattern more typical of an older, established suburb than an aspirational growth corridor.
For Investors
Stockton's rental yield story is shaped by the gap between its $1.2 million median and $370 weekly rent, producing a gross yield near 1.6%, low by regional standards. The renter share is 30.7%, which provides a reasonable tenant pool, but the 8.7% vacancy rate is elevated and suggests that demand for rental stock does not fully absorb supply. Development activity is active, with 83 applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering demolitions, new houses, and dwelling additions, so supply-side pressure on rents is ongoing. The suburb sits at income percentile 48.4 nationally, meaning tenants have moderate but not deep spending capacity. The investment case leans on capital growth, given the 11.1% price rise in 2024 to 2025, rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
417
Last 12 Months
88
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Stockton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Peter's Primary School
K-6 · 180 students
Stockton Public School
P-6 · 254 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, the strongest single signal in Stockton's profile. This aging base is consistent with the 38.1% outright ownership rate and the 31.9% couples-without-children family share. Overseas-born residents account for only 9.4% of the population, which is 12.2 percentage points below the national average, making Stockton one of the more Anglo-Celtic concentrated suburbs in coastal NSW. English ancestry leads at 1,829 residents, followed by Irish (527) and Scottish (519). University qualifications at 27.2% sit 2.9 percentage points below national, a modest gap that reflects the trade and public-sector orientation of the local workforce. The volunteering rate of 17.0% and 6.6% walking or cycling to work suggest an engaged, locally oriented community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.5%
Houses
7.0%
Townhouse
10.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership patterns show a tenure split of 38.1% owning outright, 31.2% carrying a mortgage, and 30.7% renting, relatively balanced but tilting toward owner-occupiers. The 82.5% separate house share is notably high compared to inner urban markets, leaving apartments at just 10.2% and semi-detached at 7.0%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.0%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 23.8% indicating family-scale demand. The price moved from $1,125,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, an 11.1% annual gain. Despite median incomes near the 48.4th percentile nationally, monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.1%, at the stress boundary, because purchase prices have risen faster than local wages. Rent-to-income at 24.1% is below the 30% stress threshold for tenants.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$753
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
152
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.1% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.9%
Couples, no children
2,988
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading industry at 20.2% of employed residents (245 workers), well above the national share, followed by Education at 12.4% (151), Construction at 10.6% (129), Public Administration at 10.2% (124), and Professional/Tech at 9.1% (111). By occupation, Professionals lead at 423 workers, followed by Community/Personal at 228, Clerical/Admin at 213, Managers at 199, and Labourers at 158. The unemployment rate is 6.1%, above the national average, and the labour force participation rate of 50.8% is low, largely because 1,269 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a median age of 47. Household income at the 48.4th percentile places Stockton in the national middle, and the SEIFA IEO decile 5 score for education and occupation confirms a broad middle-skill workforce rather than a high-income professional enclave.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.5%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
50.8%
Employed
1,634
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.2%
Postgraduate
6.8%
Born Overseas
9.4%
Dwellings
1,590
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Stockton, with 88.5% of residents driving to work, compared to significantly lower rates in inner urban areas, and public transport accounts for just 0.3% of commutes. Walking and cycling are used by 6.6%, reflecting the suburb's manageable size and flat terrain. No schools are recorded within Stockton's 3.68 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Crime statistics are not available for Stockton in this dataset, but the SEIFA IRSD decile 5 score places the suburb at the national median for disadvantage, neither low-disadvantage nor high-risk. Rent-to-income at 24.1% keeps the rental cost burden below the 30% stress level, and 17.0% of residents volunteer, above the national average, pointing to a community with local civic engagement well beyond what the income decile alone would suggest.
Drive
88.5%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Stockton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stockton a good suburb to live in?
Stockton sits at SEIFA decile 5 on both IRSD and IRSAD, placing it at the national median for advantage and disadvantage. The suburb has high owner-occupancy at 69.3% combined (outright plus mortgage), a low rental cost burden at 24.1% of income, and a volunteering rate of 17.0%. The main trade-offs are limited public transport at 0.3% of commuters and no schools within the 3.68 km2 boundary.
What is the median house price in Stockton?
The median house price is $1,200,000, rising 11.1% from $1,125,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $370 and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.1%, at the standard stress threshold relative to local household incomes.
What schools are in Stockton?
No schools are recorded within the Stockton 2295 boundary in this dataset. Families commute to schools in neighbouring Newcastle suburbs. University qualification rates at 27.2% are 2.9 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the suburb's trade and public-sector workforce orientation.
Is Stockton safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Stockton in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSD decile 5, placing it at the national median for relative disadvantage, and 8.4% of residents (321 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 47 rather than high deprivation.
Is Stockton good for property investment?
The gross rental yield is approximately 1.6% based on $370 weekly rent against a $1.2 million median, which is low. The 8.7% vacancy rate is elevated above typical investment benchmarks. However, capital growth was 11.1% from 2024 to 2025, and the peninsula geography limits new supply, supporting the long-term capital case over yield.
How is Stockton's population changing?
Stockton's population is 4,046 with a median age of 47, which is 7 years above the national average. The residential turnover rate is 22.4%, meaning approximately 1 in 5 households changed in the observation period. The suburb shows aging-in-place signals with 38.1% owning outright and 77.6% of residents having stayed from the prior period.
How much development is happening in Stockton?
There were 83 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, covering demolitions, new dwelling houses, and additions to existing buildings. Given the suburb's 3.68 km2 peninsula area, this is a relatively active rate, mostly involving rebuilds and extensions rather than new estate construction, consistent with a constrained-supply coastal market.
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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