Wickham
At just 0.73 square kilometres, Wickham packs 1,637 residents into a density of 2,236 per km2, making it one of the more compact urban pockets in the Newcastle area. The standout figure is a 56.9% renter majority, well above the national average, combined with a 13.9% vacancy rate that signals genuine oversupply in the apartment segment, which accounts for 45.5% of dwellings. Household income sits in the 71st percentile nationally, and the median age of 32 is 8 years below the national figure, reflecting a young professional base. The IRSAD and IRSD deciles both land at 7, indicating moderate advantage compared to suburbs nationally.
Population
1,637
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,902/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$768K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $768,500 in 2024-2025, up from $730,000 in 2024 to $850,000 in 2025, a 16.4% rise over just one year. That rapid price movement means affordability is tightening: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,024, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.6%, still below the 30% stress threshold, which is more manageable than many comparable inner-city suburbs. Separate houses make up only 20.8% of stock, which limits options for buyers seeking detached properties. The dominant dwelling types are apartments at 45.5% and semi-detached homes at 31.7%, with two-bedroom dwellings comprising 46.8% of all households. Buyers competing for the scarce 20.8% separate-house segment face limited supply in a tightly bounded 0.73 km2 area.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $768,500 in 2024-2025, up from $730,000 in 2024 to $850,000 in 2025, a 16.4% rise over just one year. That rapid price movement means affordability is tightening: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,024, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.6%, still below the 30% stress threshold, which is more manageable than many comparable inner-city suburbs. Separate houses make up only 20.8% of stock, which limits options for buyers seeking detached properties. The dominant dwelling types are apartments at 45.5% and semi-detached homes at 31.7%, with two-bedroom dwellings comprising 46.8% of all households. Buyers competing for the scarce 20.8% separate-house segment face limited supply in a tightly bounded 0.73 km2 area.
For Investors
With 56.9% of residents renting, Wickham's tenant pool is among the larger shares compared to most suburban markets nationally. Weekly rent averages $470, and the rent-to-income ratio of 24.7% keeps affordability in a comfortable range for tenants, supporting stable occupancy. However, the 13.9% vacancy rate is elevated and signals meaningful competition between landlords, particularly in the apartment sector that dominates at 45.5%. Development activity is moderate at 16 applications in the past 12 months, including dwelling houses and commercial alterations, without a flood of new supply. The 50% turnover rate means half of residents have moved within a defined period, giving investors regular opportunity to reset rents but also indicating transient demand rather than deeply entrenched long-term tenants.
Development Activity
Total DAs
103
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-10.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 32 is 8 years below the national median, placing Wickham firmly in the younger professional segment relative to most Australian suburbs. University qualifications reach 46.6%, which is 16.5 percentage points above the national figure, one of the more significant education differentials in the region. The overseas-born share of 16.9% is 4.7 points below national, so the population is predominantly Australian-born, with ancestry led by English (722), Irish (260) and Scottish (221). Average household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national, consistent with the dominance of couples without children at 54.1% of families, and a high proportion of one and two-person dwellings driven by the young renter cohort.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
20.8%
Houses
31.7%
Townhouse
45.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is low across the board: only 18.2% own outright and 24.9% hold a mortgage, while 56.9% rent, a renter majority that is higher than most comparable NSW suburbs. The price moved from $730,000 in 2024 to $850,000 in 2025, a 16.4% gain in one year, the fastest appreciation over the available price history. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 46.8%, followed by three-bedroom at 29.5%, with studio and one-bedroom units accounting for a notable 19.9%, above average nationally. Apartments represent 45.5% of stock and semi-detached homes 31.7%, leaving separate houses at just 20.8%. The 13.9% vacancy rate is above a healthy market level, indicating the apartment supply is running ahead of current absorption, which could moderate rent growth in the near term.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,024
Rent / wk
$470
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$1,135
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.9%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
54.1%
Couples, no children
910
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 22.0% (176 workers), followed by Public Administration at 12.5% (100 workers), Professional and Technical services at 11.1% (89 workers), Education at 10.6% (85 workers) and Construction at 6.5% (52 workers). By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 344, ahead of Managers at 160 and Community and Personal Service workers at 153. The unemployment rate is low at 3.2%, matching national levels, and the full-time employment rate is 67% with a participation rate of 71%. The SEIFA IEO decile of 8 reflects a well-educated and professionally employed population, while the IER decile of 3 indicates lower-than-average economic resource accumulation, explained largely by the renter-majority tenure structure where wealth is less tied to property ownership.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.0%
Part-time
29.8%
Participation
71.0%
Employed
1,032
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.6%
Postgraduate
12.2%
Born Overseas
16.9%
Dwellings
808
Transport to Work
Walking and cycling account for 13.3% of commutes, well above the national average, reflecting the compact, inner-urban scale of the 0.73 km2 suburb. Car use at 78.4% remains the dominant mode, while public transport is low at 3.4%. No schools are recorded within the Wickham boundary, so families depend on nearby Newcastle institutions. The IRSAD decile of 7 positions the suburb in the upper-middle advantage tier nationally, and only 3.3% of residents (52 people) require daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 32. Volunteering runs at 15.1%, a moderate level of civic engagement. Rent-to-income at 24.7% and mortgage-to-income at 24.6% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes in the 71st percentile nationally.
Drive
78.4%
Public Transport
3.4%
Walk / Cycle
13.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Wickham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wickham a good suburb to live in?
Wickham suits young professionals well. The median age is 32, which is 8 years below the national figure, and 46.6% of residents hold university qualifications, 16.5 points above national. Household income sits in the 71st percentile nationally. The main trade-offs are a 13.9% vacancy rate in the apartment sector and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Wickham?
The median house price reached $768,500 in the 2024-2025 period, rising from $730,000 in 2024 to $850,000 in 2025, a one-year gain of 16.4%. Weekly rent averages $470 and monthly mortgage repayments average $2,024, putting the mortgage-to-income ratio at 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Wickham?
No schools are recorded inside the Wickham suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Newcastle suburbs. Despite this, the local education level is high, with 46.6% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 16.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Wickham safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Wickham are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSAD index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage, placing it in the upper-middle tier nationally. Only 3.3% of residents, or about 52 people, require daily assistance, consistent with a relatively low-disadvantage profile.
Is Wickham good for property investment?
The 56.9% renter majority provides a large tenant pool, and weekly rent of $470 against a $768,500 median gives a gross yield around 3.2%. However, the 13.9% vacancy rate signals apartment oversupply, which could limit rent growth. The price rose 16.4% in one year from $730,000 to $850,000, suggesting solid short-term capital growth momentum.
How is Wickham's population changing?
Wickham has a population of 1,637 in a compact 0.73 km2 area, giving a density of 2,236 residents per km2. The 50% residential turnover rate indicates high churn. The young median age of 32, which is 8 years below national, and the renter-majority profile at 56.9% suggest ongoing demand from young professionals rather than settled family growth.
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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