Salamander Bay, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Salamander Bay NSW is 4,991 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Salamander Bay is $600 per week ($31,200 per year). Median rent in Salamander Bay is $380 per week ($1,647 per month). Salamander Bay has a median age of 57 years, older than the national median of 38. Salamander Bay has a population density of 583 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Salamander Bay is England. The most common religion is No religion (34.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Salamander Bay is $1,733.

There were 65 recorded offences in Salamander Bay in 2025-26, a rate of 13 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (20 offences).

Population
4,991
Census 2021
Median income
$600/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$380/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
57years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Salamander Bay vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Salamander Bay is $600 a week, 22% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,754th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $380 a week, $5 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 34.3% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 57, 14 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureSalamander BayTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$600/wk$765/wk −22%$766/wk
Household income$1,107/wk$1,704/wk −35%$1,637/wk
Rent$380/wk$385/wk −1%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,965/mo −12%$1,733/mo
Median age5743 +14 yrs42
Rent share of household income34.3%22.6% +11.7 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Salamander Bay, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Salamander Bay Population

4,991 residents at the 2021 Census.

Salamander Bay Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$600/wk
$31,200 per year
Ranked 7,087 of 14,663
Median Rent
$380/wk
$1,647 per month
Ranked 2,445 of 14,663
Median Age
57years
19 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Salamander Bay Rent Prices & Affordability

34% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,107/wk
Median rent $380/wk
Rent to income 34.3%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Salamander Bay against your income

About $4,797 a month
Median rent $380/wk
Left after rent $727/wk
Rent share 34.3%

Salamander Bay Schools

7
schools nearby
3
government
956
avg ICSEA score
2,414
total students
St Philip's Christian College - Port Stephens Independent
Combined · K-12 · 821 students
1072
ICSEA
Soldiers Point Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 267 students
992
ICSEA
Tomaree Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 310 students
981
ICSEA
Tomaree High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 986 students
970
ICSEA
St Philip's Christian College Gilibaa Independent
Primary · K-4 · 30 students
763
ICSEA
St Philip's Christian College Dynamic Learning - Port Stephens Independent
Combined
Edmondson Park College Independent
Primary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Salamander Bay, with a map

Salamander Bay Map

Salamander Bay, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Salamander Bay

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.2% (2,306) Female 53.8% (2,686)

Population Density

583
people per km²
4,991 people · 8.6 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,466
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
5.5%
New Zealand
1.3%
Scotland
0.7%
South Africa
0.7%
Germany
0.6%
United States of America
0.4%
Philippines
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
0.5%
German
0.4%
Spanish
0.3%
Croatian
0.3%
French
0.3%
Mandarin
0.3%
Thai
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
47.9%
Australian
38.3%
Irish
12.9%
Scottish
12.8%
German
4.2%
Australian Aboriginal
3.3%
Italian
2.1%
Dutch
1.3%
Maltese
1.0%
Welsh
0.9%
Croatian
0.8%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
34.8%
Anglican
21.7%
Catholic
21.0%
Not stated
6.5%
Uniting Church
4.0%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.4%
Pentecostal
2.1%
Christian (other)
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

3.7%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
49.4% 2,156
Separated
2.9% 128
Divorced
12.3% 536
Widowed
10.9% 474
Never married
24.5% 1,067

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
42.3%
Couple: children under 15
29.7%
Couple: no children under 15
13.1%
One parent: no children under 15
7.6%
One parent: children under 15
7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
33.9%
2 persons
40.0%
3 persons
11.6%
4 persons
8.8%
5 persons
3.8%
6+ persons
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Salamander Bay

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,159 occupied private dwellings in Salamander Bay at the 2021 Census, 21.6% were rented, 49.4% owned outright and 21.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
4.7% 102 dwellings
Owned outright
49.4% 1,067 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
21.9% 473 dwellings
Rented
21.6% 467 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.0% 43 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
65.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
20.6%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
14.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.6%
2 bedrooms
20.9%
3 bedrooms
42.3%
4 bedrooms
27.5%
5 bedrooms
5.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.5%
$300-$449/mo
2.2%
$450-$599/mo
1.2%
$600-$799/mo
7.3%
$800-$999/mo
3.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
15.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.2%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
12.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
8.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.5%
1 vehicle
45.7%
2 vehicles
33.6%
3 vehicles
9.2%
4+ vehicles
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Salamander Bay

Employment

Employed full-time
22.1% 871 people
Employed part-time
18.6% 731 people
Unemployed
2.2% 85 people
Not in labour force
57.1% 2,247 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
21.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
20.5%
Community & Personal Service
14.9%
Clerical & Administrative
12.6%
Managers
12.1%
Sales Workers
7.6%
Labourers
6.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.9%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
3.1%
$400-$499/wk
8.9%
$500-$649/wk
8.8%
$650-$799/wk
10.6%
$800-$999/wk
10.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.8%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.7%
$4,000+/wk
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.8%
$1-$149/wk
5.3%
$150-$299/wk
7.3%
$300-$399/wk
7.4%
$400-$499/wk
6.5%
$500-$649/wk
5.7%
$650-$799/wk
11.5%
$800-$999/wk
11.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
6.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.1%
$3,500+/wk
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.6%
Did not go to work
22.7%
Car (passenger)
4.2%
Walked only
2.3%
Bicycle
0.8%
Truck
0.8%
Bus
0.4%
Other
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
44.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
38.2%
Year 9 or equivalent
9.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
46.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
21.0%
Bachelor Degree
20.7%
Postgraduate Degree
5.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.4%
Certificate I/II
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.6%
Engineering
17.6%
Society & Culture
12.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
10.1%
Health
9.6%
Education
9.0%
Architecture & Building
8.9%
Creative Arts
4.0%
Agriculture & Environment
2.9%
Information Technology
2.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.9%
Secondary: Government
26.3%
Vocational Education
13.4%
Pre-school
9.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.4%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.1%
Primary: Catholic
4.4%
Secondary: Catholic
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
85.9%
Has need for assistance
8.8%
Need for assistance not stated
5.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
574
Arthritis
348
Heart disease
228
Diabetes
207
Asthma
182
Lung condition
177
Cancer
159
Kidney disease
89
Stroke
71
Dementia
36

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.0% 614
Did not provide
85.0% 3,472

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.5% 637
Not a volunteer
84.5% 3,472

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.7% 28
Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 12
Previously served
5.0% 206
Never served
94.0% 3,872

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
24.1%
1 child
11.1%
2 children
34.3%
3 children
21.0%
4 children
7.6%
5+ children
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
35
1951: 1960
81
1961: 1970
170
1971: 1980
115
1981: 1990
83
1991: 2000
59
2001: 2010
74
2011: 2015
37
2016
12
2017
8
2018
6
2019
9
2020
14
2021
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

13.6%
moved in the last year
44.2%
moved in the last 5 years
4.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
42.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,036
Moved from NSW
286
Moved: same area (SA2)
260
Moved from overseas
39
Moved from VIC
16
Moved from QLD
9
Moved from SA
8
Moved from NT
6
Moved from ACT
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
18.7%
5: 14 hours
27.9%
15: 29 hours
14.1%
30+ hours
10.3%
Did not do domestic work
29.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
85.8%
Step family: no other children
10.0%
Blended family: no other children
3.5%
Intact family: other children present
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Salamander Bay Crime Statistics

65 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
20
Assault
13
Other Against Property
10
Other Against Person
8
Property Damage
8
Sexual Offences
4
Drug Offences
1
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Salamander Bay

The closest suburb to Salamander Bay is Corlette, 2.3 km away.

Corlette
2.3 km away · income $674/wk · rent $445/wk
Soldiers Point
3.5 km away · income $719/wk · rent $400/wk
Anna Bay
4.4 km away · income $612/wk · rent $390/wk
Nelson Bay (NSW)
4.5 km away · income $689/wk · rent $380/wk
Lemon Tree Passage
6.0 km away · income $533/wk · rent $365/wk
Fingal Bay
7.6 km away · income $573/wk · rent $390/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Salamander Bay

What is the population of Salamander Bay NSW?

The population of Salamander Bay NSW is 4,991 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 583 people per km². Salamander Bay is ranked #1,567 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Salamander Bay?

The median personal income in Salamander Bay NSW is $600 per week, or $31,200 per year. The median household income is $1,107 per week. Family income is $1,466 per week. Salamander Bay is ranked #7,087 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Salamander Bay?

Median rent in Salamander Bay NSW is $380 per week ($1,647 per month). Rent represents 34.3% of household income, which is considered moderate. Salamander Bay ranks #2,445 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Salamander Bay?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Salamander Bay NSW is $1,733. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Salamander Bay?

The median age in Salamander Bay NSW is 57 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Salamander Bay a good suburb to live in?

Salamander Bay is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,991. The median income is $600/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (34.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13478. All dollar figures in AUD.