Teralba
Household income in the 77.2nd percentile nationally sits alongside SEIFA decile 3 scores, a pairing that tells the Teralba story clearly: residents earn above the national midpoint but face structural disadvantage on education and economic resources measures. The suburb is 87.5% separate houses with 48.8% of those having 4 or more bedrooms, making it one of the more family-scale, detached-stock suburbs in the Lake Macquarie corridor. Population has grown 18% since 2011, driven by 125 net internal arrivals per year, yet only 9.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 12.4 points below the national figure.
Population
2,654
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,060/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
61
Median House
$810K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $885,000 in 2025, up from $732,000 in 2024, a 20.9% one-year rise well above typical annual movements. The stock strongly favours detached houses at 87.5% of dwellings, with 48.8% having 4 or more bedrooms and only 0.8% apartments. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners account for 27.8% of households against 49.5% carrying mortgages, a mortgage-belt profile consistent with suburban owner-occupier demand.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $885,000 in 2025, up from $732,000 in 2024, a 20.9% one-year rise well above typical annual movements. The stock strongly favours detached houses at 87.5% of dwellings, with 48.8% having 4 or more bedrooms and only 0.8% apartments. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners account for 27.8% of households against 49.5% carrying mortgages, a mortgage-belt profile consistent with suburban owner-occupier demand.
For Investors
Teralba's 22.7% renter share is lower than the national average, reflecting a predominantly owner-occupier market. Weekly rent averages $363 and the vacancy rate is 4.5%, above the sub-3% threshold typical of tightly held rental markets. Rent grew 48.7% over the study period, outpacing real income growth of 30.4%, so yields have expanded from a low base. Against an $885,000 median, $363 weekly rent implies gross yield near 2.1%. Development activity runs at 57 applications in the past 12 months and internal migration adds 125 net arrivals per year, sustaining steady demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
326
Last 12 Months
61
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-6.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Teralba iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Teralba Public School
K-6 · 111 students
Demographics
The median age is 37, which is 3 years below the national figure, pointing to a working-age and family-stage population. Overseas-born residents are 9.2%, which is 12.4 points below national, reflecting Anglo-Celtic heritage: English ancestry leads at 1,224 residents, followed by Scottish (296) and Irish (282). University qualifications reach 23.2%, some 6.9 points below the national rate, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 3 ranking. Resident stability is high: 71.7% stayed at the same address over five years, compared to higher turnover in rental-heavy suburbs, because owner-occupiers dominate at 77.3% of households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.5%
Houses
7.2%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is mortgage-heavy: 49.5% carry a mortgage, 27.8% own outright and 22.7% rent. The bedroom profile skews large, with 48.8% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and only 6.6% having 0-1 bedrooms, above the national share of large-format family housing. Stock is 87.5% detached houses and just 0.8% apartments. Prices moved from $732,000 in 2024 to $885,000 in 2025, a 20.9% one-year shift. Rent-to-income at 17.6% is below the 25% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 24.3% is comfortable relative to national stress norms.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$363
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$843
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.5%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.4%
Couples, no children
2,133
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates employment at 23.2% (206 workers), more than double the next sector, reflecting proximity to Lake Macquarie and Hunter healthcare facilities. Education follows at 11.3% and Construction at 10.5%. Professionals lead by occupation at 278, followed by Community and Personal service workers at 172. Unemployment is 4.7%, slightly above the national average, and full-time employment runs at 66.3%. SEIFA IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3 place Teralba in the lower third nationally despite incomes at the 77.2nd percentile, a divergence explained by lower education attainment than comparable income-level suburbs.
Unemployment
5.9%
Labour Force
5,213
Unemployed
309
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.3%
Part-time
29.0%
Participation
56.9%
Employed
1,150
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.2%
Postgraduate
4.8%
Born Overseas
9.2%
Dwellings
920
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 93.3% of residents drive to work and only 1.5% use public transport, well below the NSW state average, making a vehicle a practical necessity. No schools are recorded within the Teralba boundary, so families rely on nearby institutions. The IRSAD decile 3 ranking places the suburb in the lower third nationally, reflecting the educational and occupational structure rather than acute deprivation. Rent-to-income at 17.6% is comfortable for renters and mortgage-to-income at 24.3% is below the 30% stress threshold. Volunteering runs at 11.5% of residents.
Drive
93.3%
Public Transport
1.5%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.08%/yr
(+115 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 16.5% over the past decade and the annual rate now runs at 1.08%, above the national average for established suburbs. The medium forecast projects the population rising from 10,607 in 2026 to 11,183 by 2031. Internal migration at 125 net arrivals per year is the dominant driver, outpacing the 28 annual net overseas arrivals. The gentrification score of 36 points to early-stage transition, with accelerating internal migration shifting from negative 4% to positive 22%. Affordability improved from 50.3% in 2011 to 46.6% in 2021, meaning housing costs declined relative to incomes over the decade.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+28
Net Internal / yr
+125
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal migration +125/yr, Accelerating: -4% → 22%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Teralba compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Teralba a good suburb to live in?
Teralba suits owner-occupier families looking for large detached homes at prices below Sydney's median. Household income ranks at the 77.2nd percentile nationally and mortgage-to-income sits at a manageable 24.3%. The trade-offs are heavy car dependence at 93.3% commuting by car and SEIFA decile 3 on education and occupation measures, placing it in the lower third nationally.
What is the median house price in Teralba?
The median house price reached $885,000 in 2025, up from $732,000 in 2024, a 20.9% rise. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167. Weekly rent is $363 and rent-to-income sits at 17.6%, below the 25% stress threshold.
What schools are in Teralba?
No schools are recorded within the Teralba boundary in this dataset. The suburb's median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, indicating a family-stage population that relies on nearby schools in the broader Lake Macquarie area. University qualifications locally reach 23.2%, which is 6.9 points below the national rate.
Is Teralba safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Teralba in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the SEIFA IRSD decile 3 score places it in the lower third nationally for relative disadvantage, though 71.7% of residents remained at the same address for 5 years, which suggests stable community tenure. About 9.4% of the 2,654 residents need daily assistance.
Is Teralba good for property investment?
Rent grew 48.7% over the study period, outpacing real income growth of 30.4%, which is positive for yield expansion. At $363 weekly rent against an $885,000 median, gross yield is near 2.1%. The 4.5% vacancy rate is above tight-market thresholds, and internal migration of 125 per year supports steady demand. The 20.9% one-year price jump may reflect thin sales volumes rather than a durable trend.
How is Teralba's population changing?
Population grew 16.5% over the past decade and is growing at 1.08% annually, adding about 115 residents per year. The medium forecast projects the population reaching 11,183 by 2031. Internal migration drives growth at 125 net arrivals per year, while overseas migration contributes 28 annually. The gentrification score of 36 points to early-stage transition.
How much development is happening in Teralba?
There were 57 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling houses and subdivision works. With 87.5% of existing stock being detached houses and 48.8% of those having 4 or more bedrooms, most new activity extends the established low-density residential character rather than adding apartment supply.
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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