Kotara
NSWKotara is a growing suburb in NSW with 3,980 residents.
- SAL code
- 12208
- SA2
- 111031222
- Population
- 3,980
- LGA
- Newcastle
Kotara, NSW had 3,980 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 5.9% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 45-54 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,167 a month. Around 77.6% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 41.8%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 88.5% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 9 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?3,980
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+5.9%
3yr: +4.3% · 10yr: +9.4%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,077/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?8/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?3.1%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
in suburb
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?3
3 long day
Parks & green space
?9
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?40
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?92
Newcastle · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Adamstown - Kotara (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Kotara suburb alone is ~3,980 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 14,374 to 17,554 over 24 years, averaging 0.8% per year.
Schools
2 in suburbSector
2 public
Type
1 primary
Total enrolment
334
Avg per school
167
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Kotara SPS63.5%
- New Lambton PS 16.3%
- Garden Suburb PS 13.9%
- Belair PS 5.7%
- New Lambton SPS 0.5%
- Wallsend SPS 0.2%
Secondary
Kotara HS69.7%
- Lambton HS 16.4%
- Cardiff HS 13.9%
Infants
New Lambton Hts IS
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 0.5%Almost entirely detached houses (88.5%), owner-occupied (77.6%), built for families (57% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: NSW RFS BFPL via SEED
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
7 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 54.6% | 1.36 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 12.2% | 0.31 km² |
| C3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 9.1% | 0.23 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 8.7% | 0.22 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 8.4% | 0.21 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 5.2% | 0.13 km² |
| R3 | ZoneResidential | 1.7% | 0.04 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.