Pelican Postcode
New South Wales
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
How Pelican Compares
Pelican vs the NSW average and the national average (2021 Census, population-weighted).
| Metric | Pelican | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,448 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $370 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,785 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 48 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 4/10 -NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 6.4% +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.
Pelican is a locality 97 km from Sydney in New South Wales, classified as inner regional by the ABS. The postcode is 2281. It falls within the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie region. The local government area is Lake Macquarie.
According to the 2021 Census, Pelican has a population of 874 with a median age of 48. The median weekly household income is $1,448, below the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 6.4%, higher than the NSW average. The Indigenous population is 33 (3.8% of residents).
Housing in Pelican includes a median weekly rent of $370, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,785, with 346 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 81.1% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Pelican scores in decile 4 out of 10, which is below the national average.
Pelican is served by Pelican Flat Public School.
Pelican is part of the Lake Macquarie - East statistical area in New South Wales.
Pelican Details
| Postcode | 2281 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 874 |
| Median Age | 48 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,448/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $706/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $370 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,785 |
| Average Household Size | 2.5 persons |
| Area | 1.0 km² |
| Population Density | 875/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 346 |
| Australian Citizens | 94.7% |
| Indigenous Population | 33 (3.8%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 4/10 (below average) |
| Latitude | -33.0710868 |
| Longitude | 151.6435782 |
| Distance from Sydney | 97 km |
| Region (SA4) | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |
| Area (SA3) | Lake Macquarie - East |
| Local Government | Lake Macquarie |
| Federal Electorate | Shortland |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 151 (17.3%) |
| 15–24 years | 68 (7.8%) |
| 25–44 years | 183 (20.9%) |
| 45–64 years | 251 (28.7%) |
| 65+ years | 234 (26.8%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA Socio-economic Index
Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD), decile 4 of 10. Higher deciles indicate more advantage.
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 127 (14.5%) |
| Asthma | 84 (9.6%) |
| Heart Disease | 63 (7.2%) |
| Diabetes | 52 (5.9%) |
| Cancer | 35 (4.0%) |
| Lung Condition | 17 (1.9%) |
| Dementia | 4 (0.5%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 13 (3.9%) |
| 1 vehicle | 111 (33.1%) |
| 2 vehicles | 137 (40.9%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 74 (22.1%) |
Schools in Pelican
Suburbs Near Pelican
Same Postcode (2281)
More Pelican 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.