Warabrook
At a median age of 45, Warabrook sits 5 years above the national figure, making it one of the older-skewing suburbs in the Newcastle region. Its 1,982 residents are concentrated in a compact 1.5 km2 footprint at 1,325 people per km2, and 38.2% own their homes outright, well above the national average. Household income sits at the 56.5th percentile nationally, pointing to a solid middle-income base. The suburb's top employment sector is Healthcare at 29%, which combined with Education at 13.6% accounts for over 40% of the local workforce, giving the economy a public-service flavour that provides stability through economic cycles.
Population
1,982
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,634/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$835K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $835,000 in 2024-2025, up from $745,000 in 2024 to $871,000 in 2025, a 16.9% rise over one year. That climb outpaces most NSW regional markets and reflects genuine demand pressure in a limited-supply suburb of only 1.5 km2. The stock leans heavily toward separate houses at 69.5%, compared to apartments at just 3.9%, so detached-home buyers face a concentrated but available market. Bedrooms skew large, with 39.8% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 39.2% having 3 bedrooms, suiting families rather than singles or couples. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,790, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $835,000 in 2024-2025, up from $745,000 in 2024 to $871,000 in 2025, a 16.9% rise over one year. That climb outpaces most NSW regional markets and reflects genuine demand pressure in a limited-supply suburb of only 1.5 km2. The stock leans heavily toward separate houses at 69.5%, compared to apartments at just 3.9%, so detached-home buyers face a concentrated but available market. Bedrooms skew large, with 39.8% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 39.2% having 3 bedrooms, suiting families rather than singles or couples. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,790, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
For Investors
Warabrook's 34.2% renter share provides a consistent tenant base, and the $375 weekly rent against an $835,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is moderate, not tight enough to guarantee quick leasing, but within a normal range for regional NSW. Net overseas migration adds 128 residents a year while internal migration removes just 12, leaving a positive net flow that sustains demand. Development activity ran to 16 applications in the past 12 months, mostly alterations rather than new supply, so dwelling stock is not expanding rapidly. Rent grew 43.4% over the measurement period, well above income growth of 27%, signalling that landlords have captured genuine affordability shifts in this market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
70
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national median, and the senior share rose 1 point over the decade while working-age share grew 1.3 points, a mixed trajectory. University qualifications reach 36.4%, which is 6.3 percentage points above the national figure, consistent with the suburb's concentration of healthcare and education workers. Overseas-born residents represent 21.7% of the population, roughly on par with the national rate at just 0.1 points above. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (659 residents), Scottish (205) and Irish (184) lead, while Chinese (147) is the largest non-European group. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below the national figure, and 28.8% of families are couples with no children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.5%
Houses
26.6%
Townhouse
3.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 38.2%, compared to mortgage holders at 27.6% and renters at 34.2%. That owner-to-mortgage imbalance is notable: outright ownership exceeds mortgage holdings by 10.6 percentage points, pointing to a longer-established resident base carrying little debt. Separate houses make up 69.5% of dwellings, while semi-detached properties account for 26.6% and apartments just 3.9%, meaning supply is almost entirely ground-level residential. The price moved from $745,000 in 2024 to $871,000 in 2025, a 16.9% gain. Rent-to-income sits at 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so tenants are not under acute pressure despite the rent growth of 43.4% over the decade.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,790
Rent / wk
$375
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$747
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.8%
Couples, no children
1,438
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 29% of Warabrook's working residents (175 people), with Education at 13.6% (82) and Retail at 8% (48). Together, Healthcare and Education account for over 40% of local employment, a public-sector-heavy profile that historically delivers stable incomes through recessions. Professionals form the largest occupation group at 227 workers, followed by Community and Personal service workers at 122 and Clerical/Admin at 115. The unemployment rate is 4.5%, above the sub-4% figures typical of tighter labour markets. Full-time employment accounts for 58.7% of employed residents, while participation sits at 51.1%, partly because of the older age profile. SEIFA scores are mixed: IEO decile 6 shows mid-range education and occupation advantage, but IRSD decile 4 indicates moderate disadvantage relative to the national average.
Unemployment
6.1%
Labour Force
9,203
Unemployed
560
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
36.8%
Participation
51.1%
Employed
831
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.4%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
21.7%
Dwellings
738
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 89.1% of commuters driving, compared to just 3% using public transport and 2.9% walking or cycling. That pattern reflects the suburban layout and limited heavy rail access typical of Newcastle's outer residential areas. No schools are recorded within the Warabrook boundary in this dataset, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring suburbs. At a SEIFA IRSAD decile of 5, the suburb sits at the national midpoint for combined advantage and disadvantage, neither notably privileged nor deprived. The rent-to-income ratio of 22.9% keeps housing costs manageable for tenants. Volunteering reaches 13.3% of residents, and 15.3% (294 people) need daily assistance, a higher need-for-assistance rate than lower-median-age suburbs, consistent with the older resident profile.
Drive
89.1%
Public Transport
3.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+59 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.37%, adding roughly 59 people per year. The 10-year population change of 6% confirms slow but steady expansion, and medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population reaching around 16,306 by 2031. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver at a net gain of 128 people per year, while internal migration is slightly negative at minus 12, suggesting the suburb retains residents but draws new ones from overseas rather than domestic sources. The gentrification score of 45 classifies as active gentrification in the shift data, consistent with the 43.4% rent growth and improving affordability trend from 51.1% in 2011 to 46.9% in 2021. Real income growth of 27% over the decade supports the capacity to absorb higher prices.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+128
Net Internal / yr
-12
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Warabrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warabrook a good suburb to live in?
Warabrook suits owner-occupier families well: 69.5% of dwellings are separate houses, mortgage-to-income sits at a manageable 25.3%, and 38.2% of residents own outright. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 5 places it at the national midpoint. The main trade-offs are high car dependency at 89.1% and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Warabrook?
The median house price is $835,000 based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose from $745,000 in 2024 to $871,000 in 2025, a 16.9% increase over one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,790, and weekly rent averages $375.
What schools are in Warabrook?
No schools are recorded within the Warabrook boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population has a university qualification rate of 36.4%, which is 6.3 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the suburb's healthcare and education workforce.
Is Warabrook safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Warabrook in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA IRSAD decile 5, placing it at the national midpoint for advantage and disadvantage. The 78.6% resident stability rate (proportion who stayed over the year) suggests a settled community rather than high transience.
Is Warabrook good for property investment?
Rent of $375 per week against an $835,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%. Rent grew 43.4% over the measurement period, outpacing national averages. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is moderate, and net overseas migration of 128 per year supports ongoing demand. The 16.9% price rise from 2024 to 2025 suggests capital growth momentum.
How is Warabrook's population changing?
Population grows at 0.37% annually, adding around 59 people per year, with a 6% rise over the past decade. Overseas migration is the primary driver at a net gain of 128 residents a year, while internal migration is marginally negative at minus 12. Medium forecasts project continued slow growth through 2031.
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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