New South Wales · Postcode 2315
Nelson Bay postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 155 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Nelson Bay at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Detailed comparison table
Nelson Bay vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Nelson Bay | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,305 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $380 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,842 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 51 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 4/10 -NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 5.2% ≈NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Nelson Bay (2315) is a coastal town in regional New South Wales. It lies around 155 km from Sydney by road. The locality is part of the Port Stephens statistical area. It is administered by Port Stephens.
According to the 2021 Census, Nelson Bay has a population of 6,141 with a median age of 51. The median weekly household income is $1,305, below the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. The Indigenous population is 265 (4.3% of residents).
Housing in Nelson Bay includes a median weekly rent of $380, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,842, with 2,579 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 68.5% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Nelson Bay scores in decile 4 out of 10, which is below the national average.
Nelson Bay is served by St Michael's Primary School.
Nelson Bay is part of the Port Stephens statistical area in New South Wales.
Nelson Bay details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2315 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 6,141 |
| Median Age | 51 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,305/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $689/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $380 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,842 |
| Average Household Size | 2.2 persons |
| Area | 15.7 km² |
| Population Density | 392/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 2,579 |
| Australian Citizens | 89.6% |
| Indigenous Population | 265 (4.3%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 4/10 (below average) |
| Latitude | -32.715 |
| Longitude | 152.151111 |
| Distance from Sydney | 155 km |
| Region (SA4) | Hunter Valley exc Newcastle |
| Area (SA3) | Port Stephens |
| Local Government | Port Stephens |
| Federal Electorate | Paterson |
| State Electorate | Port Stephens |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 819 (13.3%) |
| 15–24 years | 589 (9.6%) |
| 25–44 years | 1,126 (18.3%) |
| 45–64 years | 1,798 (29.3%) |
| 65+ years | 1,797 (29.3%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 849 (13.8%) |
| Asthma | 490 (8.0%) |
| Heart Disease | 364 (5.9%) |
| Diabetes | 316 (5.1%) |
| Cancer | 270 (4.4%) |
| Lung Condition | 153 (2.5%) |
| Dementia | 37 (0.6%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 130 (5.1%) |
| 1 vehicle | 1,074 (42.2%) |
| 2 vehicles | 981 (38.5%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 362 (14.2%) |
Schools in Nelson Bay
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Nelson Bay. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Nelson Bay
Same Postcode (2315)
More Nelson Bay Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.