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 78.5% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned with a mortgage at 42.3%. 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%
SA4 · 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).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 14,374 to 17,554 over 24 years, averaging 0.8% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbGovernment 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 (79%), built for families (57% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Hazard data is not yet available for NSW.
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.