Woodrising
With 96% of dwellings being separate houses on just 0.6 km2, Woodrising is one of the most house-dominant suburbs in the Lake Macquarie area, a reflection of its tightly packed, owner-occupier character rather than a place defined by apartments or rentals. The median house price sits at $770,000, and 83% of residents stayed in their home over the past year, signalling a stable, rooted community rather than a transient population. Household income lands at the 56.5th percentile nationally, comfortably above the median, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers reasonable affordability compared to comparable Lake Macquarie suburbs.
Population
1,176
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,634/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$770K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price in Woodrising reached $787,500 in 2025, up 7.1% from $735,000 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,570, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, making entry more manageable than in higher-cost Lake Macquarie suburbs. Separate houses account for 96% of all dwellings, so buyers get genuine house-and-land stock. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.7% and four-or-more bedroom homes follow at 35.3%, meaning the market caters almost entirely to families. Outright ownership is 29.9% and mortgage holders are 53.1%, a mortgage-belt profile where most residents are actively building equity.
For Buyers
The median house price in Woodrising reached $787,500 in 2025, up 7.1% from $735,000 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,570, and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% sits well below the 30% stress threshold, making entry more manageable than in higher-cost Lake Macquarie suburbs. Separate houses account for 96% of all dwellings, so buyers get genuine house-and-land stock. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 61.7% and four-or-more bedroom homes follow at 35.3%, meaning the market caters almost entirely to families. Outright ownership is 29.9% and mortgage holders are 53.1%, a mortgage-belt profile where most residents are actively building equity.
For Investors
Rental demand is modest: only 17% of households rent, which is lower than the national average, and weekly rent averages $378. The vacancy rate at 2.5% reflects a balanced market rather than acute shortage. Five development applications in the past 12 months were all alterations rather than new dwellings, so supply is not growing. Capital growth has been the stronger story, with prices up 7.1% from $735,000 to $787,500 over the year. Income at the 56.5th percentile nationally supports sustainable tenant demand, but investors should expect yield to remain modest given the house-dominant stock and thin renter pool.
Development Activity
Total DAs
31
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, pointing to a younger-than-average resident base. Overseas-born residents make up 9.3%, which is 12.3 percentage points below the national rate, giving the suburb a strongly Australian-born character. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (485 people) leads, followed by Scottish (128) and Irish (108). University qualifications at 17.6% are 12.5 percentage points below national, reflecting a trades and services workforce rather than a professional one. Average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above the national figure, consistent with family presence: 381 households are couples with children compared to 208 couples without.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.0%
Houses
3.3%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Woodrising's stock is almost entirely detached houses at 96%, substantially above the national share, with semi-detached at 3.3% and apartments at just 0.8%. Three-bedroom homes are 61.7% of dwellings and four-or-more bedroom homes are 35.3%, so the market is almost entirely family-scale. The median rose from $735,000 to $787,500 over 2024-2025, a 7.1% gain. Ownership splits into 29.9% outright owners, 53.1% under mortgage and 17% renters. Both rent-to-income at 23.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.2% fall below the 30% stress threshold, making Woodrising more affordable than many comparable NSW suburbs relative to household income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,570
Rent / wk
$378
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$718
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
2.5%
Unoccupied
10
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.2%
Couples, no children
983
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 25% of working residents, well above the national industry average, likely driven by proximity to Lake Macquarie and Hunter region health facilities. Construction follows at 12.1% and Retail at 10%, with Public Administration (7.9%) and Education (7.4%) rounding out the top five. Community and Personal service workers are the largest occupation group at 91 people, ahead of Clerical and Admin at 68 and Professionals at 64. The unemployment rate of 7% is above the national average, and participation at 58.2% is lower than state norms, reflecting 311 residents not in the labour force. Household income at the 56.5th percentile nationally positions the suburb in the middle tier.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
58.2%
Employed
506
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.6%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
9.3%
Dwellings
397
Transport to Work
Car dependency is pronounced: 92.8% of employed residents drive to work, well above the national average, because public transport usage is just 1.4% and walking or cycling 1.7%. This is typical of Lake Macquarie LGA suburbs where bus services are limited. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on nearby institutions. The volunteering rate of 9.8% indicates community participation. With rent-to-income at 23.1% and a 2.5% vacancy rate, residents face no housing stress. The need-for-assistance rate of 7.7% covers 86 people, moderate for a suburb with a median age of 36 that is 4 years below the national figure.
Drive
92.8%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woodrising compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woodrising a good suburb to live in?
Woodrising suits families and owner-occupiers who prioritise house-and-land over apartment living. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% is well below the 30% stress threshold, and 83.6% of residents stayed in the same home over the past year, pointing to genuine satisfaction with the area. Car dependency is high at 92.8%, so access to a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Woodrising?
The median house price in Woodrising is $770,000, reaching $787,500 in 2025, up from $735,000 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,570, and rent averages $378 per week. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.2% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Woodrising?
No schools are recorded within the Woodrising suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Lake Macquarie LGA suburbs. The suburb has a median age of 36, which is 4 years below the national figure, and 381 households are couples with children, indicating strong family demand for nearby schooling.
Is Woodrising safe?
Crime statistics for Woodrising are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb's household income sits at the 56.5th percentile nationally, unemployment is 7%, and the residential stability rate of 83.6% who stayed in the same dwelling suggests a settled community rather than a high-transience area.
Is Woodrising good for property investment?
Woodrising recorded 7.1% price growth from $735,000 in 2024 to $787,500 in 2025. The renter share is only 17%, below the national average, and weekly rent averages $378. The vacancy rate of 2.5% is balanced. Capital growth has outperformed yield here, making it more suited to long-term holders than high-yield investors.
How is Woodrising's population changing?
Woodrising has a small population of 1,176 on a compact 0.6 km2 footprint at 1,950 people per km2. Residential turnover is low at 16.4%, with 83.6% of residents remaining in place year-on-year. There were only 5 development applications in the past 12 months, all for alterations, suggesting very little new housing supply and a stable, established population.
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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