Warners Bay
Warners Bay stands out for an older, settled profile: 8,237 residents have a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national comparison. Internal stability is also strong, with 78.9% of residents staying at the same address over the reference period, while 45.0% own outright. Compared with nearby Eleebana, Warners Bay's age and mobility figures point to a mature Lake Macquarie market rather than a strongly transient one, although 106 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing renewal. Housing is mainly separate houses at 67.8%, and 43.4% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms. Healthcare accounts for 23.4% of local employment, while 65.8% of commuters drive. Population change across the wider area is 15.1% over 10 years, but the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.4 percentage points.
Population
8,237
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,494/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
107
Homebuyers are choosing between detached stock and a meaningful medium-density segment. Separate houses make up 67.8%, semi-detached homes 23.2% and apartments 8.9%; 3-bedroom dwellings account for 43.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 28.4%. The $2,058 monthly mortgage figure needs to be tested against deposit and income, because mortgage costs reach 31.8% of household income and are flagged as stress. Compared with renters at 23.8%, outright owners are a larger 45.0% group, pointing to resident stability. A 2.3 person average household means buyers should test whether extra floor area and maintenance justify larger-home pricing. Check settled-sales medians and exact flood, traffic and school-zone conditions before offering, since suburb averages can hide street-level differences.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing between detached stock and a meaningful medium-density segment. Separate houses make up 67.8%, semi-detached homes 23.2% and apartments 8.9%; 3-bedroom dwellings account for 43.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 28.4%. The $2,058 monthly mortgage figure needs to be tested against deposit and income, because mortgage costs reach 31.8% of household income and are flagged as stress. Compared with renters at 23.8%, outright owners are a larger 45.0% group, pointing to resident stability. A 2.3 person average household means buyers should test whether extra floor area and maintenance justify larger-home pricing. Check settled-sales medians and exact flood, traffic and school-zone conditions before offering, since suburb averages can hide street-level differences.
For Investors
Investors get a mixed rental signal. Weekly rent is $420, renting households represent 23.8%, and vacancy is 5.5%, so tenant demand should be tested property by property rather than assumed from the suburb label. Compared with owner households, the renter base is smaller than the 45.0% outright-owner group and the 30.6% mortgage group, which can reduce turnover but may also limit the depth of the tenant pool. Development activity is notable at 106 applications in 12 months, creating potential for upgraded housing but also future competition between similar dwellings. The forecast trend is 0.99% annually and growth is driven by internal migration, supporting a steady rather than speculative thesis. Rent growth of 36.7% and an Active gentrification score of 41 add momentum, but mortgage stress at 31.8% makes purchase price, insurance and maintenance central to the cash-flow test.
Development Activity
Total DAs
606
Last 12 Months
107
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Warners Bay
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Warners Bay has an older and more settled demographic than the national profile. Median age is 46, 6 years above national, while university attainment is 31.4%, or 1.3 percentage points above the national comparison. Only 12.6% of residents were born overseas, 9 points below national, and the largest reported ancestries are English at 3,767, Scottish at 1,026 and Irish at 903. Christianity is recorded for 4,354 people and no religion for 3,278, showing a sizeable secular cohort alongside established faith identification. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below national, consistent with 43.8% of families being couples without children and 36.5% couples with children. Compared with nearby Charlestown, Warners Bay presents an older profile, while 21.1% household turnover and a 3.4 point rise in the senior share reinforce its established, aging trajectory.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
67.8%
Houses
23.2%
Townhouse
8.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Warners Bay's tenure mix leans toward established ownership: 45.0% of households own outright, 30.6% have a mortgage and 23.8% rent. The dwelling mix is more detached than apartment-led, with 67.8% separate houses, 23.2% semi-detached homes and 8.9% apartments. Three-bedroom homes are the largest category at 43.4%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 28.4%, reflecting family-capable stock even though the average household has only 2.3 people. Compared with renters, outright owners form the stronger tenure group, which can support lower turnover and more stable streets. Weekly rent is $420 and rent absorbs 28.1% of income, below the 31.8% mortgage burden, making ownership costs the sharper affordability test for leveraged households. Density is 1,499.5 people per square kilometre across 5.49 square kilometres, so buyers should compare land size, parking and shared-wall exposure rather than relying on suburb averages.
Mortgage / mo
$2,058
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $420.
$725
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $725
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$766
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
196
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.8% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.5%
Couples with children
43.8%
Couples, no children
17.9%
Single parent
2,386
Total families
Economy & Employment
Warners Bay's employment base is anchored by service sectors. Healthcare accounts for 627 workers or 23.4% of industry employment, followed by Education at 366 or 13.6%, Construction at 258 or 9.6%, Public Administration at 219 or 8.2%, and Professional and Technical services at 200 or 7.5%. This concentration helps explain why Professionals number 958 and Clerical and Administrative workers 565, while Trades contribute 510. Unemployment is 3.7% among a labour force of 3,995, with participation at 57.8%, despite 2,664 people outside the labour force. Household income sits at the 46.7th percentile, close to the middle rather than a premium position. SEIFA results are consistent but not uniform: IEO is decile 6, IER decile 7, IRSD decile 6 and IRSAD decile 6. The higher resources decile may reflect income and housing conditions, while the other deciles point to a generally middle-of-range socioeconomic setting.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
3,995
Unemployed
146
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.7%
Part-time
36.5%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
3,849
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.4%
Postgraduate
7.0%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
3,382
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical but car-oriented. 65.8% of residents drive to work, compared with only 0.6% using public transport and 2.0% walking or cycling, while 27.4% work from home. That pattern suits households with parking and flexible work arrangements, but it makes route planning important for commuting and services. Three local government schools provide a clear sector mix: 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school, with enrolment zones needing address-level checks. The socioeconomic profile sits around the middle, with IRSAD decile 6, while 14.5% volunteer, supporting local participation. For safety, inspect current police incident information, lighting and pedestrian conditions before renting or buying. Compared with a transit-led suburb, Warners Bay is better suited to residents who can combine a car with selective walking and cycling.
Drive
65.8%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
27.4%
Population Forecast
+0.99%/yr
(+155 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady but not youthful in character. The forecast trend is 0.99% a year, with Internal migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 15.1% over 10 years. Compared with a flat established-suburb outlook, those figures indicate continuing demand, but the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 3.4 percentage points, the young share has fallen 1.7 points and rent growth has reached 36.7%. Gentrification is rated Active with a score of 41, while the shift measure records Early signs at 38, suggesting renewal is underway at different intensities across the area. Affordability improved from 54.6 in 2011 to 51.1 in 2021, and real income growth was 18.8%, which may help explain why internal movers continue to support established housing demand. Expect change through infill, renovations and tenure turnover rather than a sudden population surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+53
Net Internal / yr
+163
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal migration +163/yr, Accelerating: 3% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Warners Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warners Bay a good suburb to live in?
Warners Bay suits residents who value established housing, local schools and a quieter age profile. It has 8,237 residents, a median age of 46 and 27.4% working from home. Daily travel is car-oriented, with 65.8% driving, so check parking, commute routes and the exact street before choosing a home.
What is the median house price in Warners Bay?
Use the latest settled-sales median for Warners Bay rather than an asking price, because the suburb includes 67.8% separate houses, 23.2% semi-detached homes and 8.9% apartments. Compare like-for-like 3-bedroom and 4-plus-bedroom sales, which represent 43.4% and 28.4% of dwellings, before treating any single median as representative.
What schools are in Warners Bay?
Three government schools are located in Warners Bay: Biddabah Public School, Warners Bay Public School and Warners Bay High School. The mix is 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school. Check the exact enrolment zone and intake rules for any address, because school access can change by street and year level.
Is Warners Bay safe?
Treat safety as an address-level question rather than relying on a suburb label. Review current police incident information, visit the street in daylight and after dark, and check lighting, parking and pedestrian activity. Warners Bay has 8,237 residents across 5.49 square kilometres, so conditions can vary between local pockets.
Is Warners Bay good for property investment?
Warners Bay can suit a steady, established-market strategy, but returns need careful testing. Weekly rent is $420, vacancy is 5.5% and development activity reached 106 applications in 12 months. Growth is forecast at 0.99% annually and is driven by internal migration, while mortgage stress at 31.8% makes purchase price, insurance and maintenance important to the cash-flow result.
How is Warners Bay's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 15.1% over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 0.99% and Internal migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 3.4 percentage points while the young share fell 1.7 points. Gentrification is rated Active at 41, so renewal is occurring alongside demographic aging.
What development is occurring in Warners Bay?
Development activity is material, with 106 applications recorded in 12 months. Recent examples include a swimming pool, a dwelling demolition and a new dwelling, indicating varied residential activity rather than one single project. Check approvals, construction timing, flood exposure and likely local competition before relying on future uplift.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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