Fullerton Cove vs Salt Ash

Salt Ash is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 69 in Fullerton Cove. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Fullerton Cove, most households are people living alone. In Salt Ash, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Fullerton Cove: a median of $1.21 million, against $1.09 million in Salt Ash. On these figures, Fullerton Cove tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Salt Ash suits couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Salt Ash

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 39%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 72%)
  • But Fullerton Cove carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 80/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Salt Ash

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (31% vs 41%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,089,000 vs $1,208,750)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Salt Ash

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (12% vs 1%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (21% vs 28%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Fullerton Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (178.3 km vs 183.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Fullerton Cove

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (28% vs 2%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (63% vs 21%)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 80/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Fullerton Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (29.9% vs -2.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Walkability 12 / 18
Fullerton Cove — Walkability: 12/100 Salt Ash — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 49 / 20
Fullerton Cove — Safety: 49/100 Salt Ash — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 50 / 32
Fullerton Cove — Low fire risk: 50/100 Salt Ash — Low fire risk: 32/100

Demographics

Salt Ash has more residents (1,103 vs 735); Fullerton Cove skews older (69 vs 46).

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Population 735 1,103
+50% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +29.9% -2.2%
Median age 69 46
Median household income $55,224/yr $75,972/yr
+38% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $310/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
0-4 1.1% / 4.3%
Fullerton Cove — 0-4: 1.1% Salt Ash — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 4.8% / 13.4%
Fullerton Cove — 5-14: 4.8% Salt Ash — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 2.4% / 6.7%
Fullerton Cove — 15-19: 2.4% Salt Ash — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 1.9% / 5.6%
Fullerton Cove — 20-24: 1.9% Salt Ash — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 3.1% / 7.6%
Fullerton Cove — 25-34: 3.1% Salt Ash — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 3.4% / 11.2%
Fullerton Cove — 35-44: 3.4% Salt Ash — 35-44: 11.2%
45-54 5.7% / 14.5%
Fullerton Cove — 45-54: 5.7% Salt Ash — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 13.5% / 16.2%
Fullerton Cove — 55-64: 13.5% Salt Ash — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 36.5% / 12.4%
Fullerton Cove — 65-74: 36.5% Salt Ash — 65-74: 12.4%
75-84 23.9% / 7.0%
Fullerton Cove — 75-84: 23.9% Salt Ash — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ 2.4% / 1.5%
Fullerton Cove — 85+: 2.4% Salt Ash — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (36.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Fullerton Cove 55.6% lone person
Fullerton Cove — Lone Person: 55.6% Fullerton Cove — Couple Families: 26.7% Fullerton Cove — One Parent Families: 12.6% Fullerton Cove — Group Household: 5.2% Fullerton Cove — Other Families: 0.0%
Salt Ash 27.4% lone person
Salt Ash — Lone Person: 27.4% Salt Ash — Couple Families: 47.9% Salt Ash — One Parent Families: 20.2% Salt Ash — Group Household: 3.4% Salt Ash — Other Families: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Fullerton Cove 1.4% renting
Fullerton Cove — Owned Outright: 80.4% Fullerton Cove — Mortgage: 18.2% Fullerton Cove — Renting: 1.4%
Salt Ash 12.5% renting
Salt Ash — Owned Outright: 42.4% Salt Ash — Mortgage: 45.2% Salt Ash — Renting: 12.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Certificate III & IV 17.6% / 24.5%
Fullerton Cove — Certificate III & IV: 17.6% Salt Ash — Certificate III & IV: 24.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 6.3%
Fullerton Cove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Salt Ash — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Bachelor Degree 9.3% / 5.8%
Fullerton Cove — Bachelor Degree: 9.3% Salt Ash — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 0.7%
Fullerton Cove — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Salt Ash — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 0.6%
Fullerton Cove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Salt Ash — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.5%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
England 6.9% / 3.4%
Fullerton Cove — England: 6.9% Salt Ash — England: 3.4%
New Zealand 1.4% / 0.5%
Fullerton Cove — New Zealand: 1.4% Salt Ash — New Zealand: 0.5%
Germany 1.2% / 0.5%
Fullerton Cove — Germany: 1.2% Salt Ash — Germany: 0.5%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Fullerton Cove — Philippines: not among its largest Salt Ash — Philippines: 0.7%
Netherlands 0.5% / —
Fullerton Cove — Netherlands: 0.5% Salt Ash — Netherlands: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.5%
Fullerton Cove — Thailand: not among its largest Salt Ash — Thailand: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Fullerton Cove 72.3% houses
Fullerton Cove — Houses: 72.3% Fullerton Cove — Townhouses: 25.8% Fullerton Cove — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Salt Ash 97.6% houses
Salt Ash — Houses: 97.6% Salt Ash — Townhouses: 2.4% Salt Ash — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Median house price $1,208,750 $1,089,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,035,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 11 sales

Zoning mix

Fullerton Cove has more rural and farming land (64% vs 30%); Salt Ash has more land zoned for conservation (61% vs 33%).

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Rural and farming 64% 30%
Environmental 33% 61%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 8%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
House price Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Income Higher than 15% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW

Liveability

Fullerton Cove scores higher overall (34 vs 19).

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Grade C D
Score 34/100 19/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Salt Ash carries more crime risk (80 vs 51); Salt Ash carries more bushfire risk (68 vs 50).

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Bushfire Moderate
50/100
 Moderate
68/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
80/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
66/100
 Moderate
60/100
Aircraft noise High
70/100
 High
100/100
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Fullerton Cove

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Salt Ash

  • Salt Ash Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 0 2
Fuel stations 0 6
Waterways 0 6

Mobility

Salt Ash sits further from the CBD (183.1 km vs 178.3 km).

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Walkability score 12/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 178.3 km 183.1 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 134 min 138 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 39.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 91.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2318
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2318
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Car (driver) 65.0% / 71.7%
Fullerton Cove — Car (driver): 65.0% Salt Ash — Car (driver): 71.7%
Worked from Home 24.4% / 20.9%
Fullerton Cove — Worked from Home: 24.4% Salt Ash — Worked from Home: 20.9%
Car (passenger) 8.1% / 3.0%
Fullerton Cove — Car (passenger): 8.1% Salt Ash — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only 2.4% / 3.0%
Fullerton Cove — Walked Only: 2.4% Salt Ash — Walked Only: 3.0%
Bus — / 1.4%
Fullerton Cove — Bus: not among its largest Salt Ash — Bus: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.7%).

Setting

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.1 km 3.0 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Connectivity score 60/100 40/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 37%
347 premises
 6%
468 premises

Climate

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
PM2.5 7.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 30.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.73 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Fullerton Cove Salt Ash
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Fullerton Cove

Coastal Retirees Rural Townhouses

Salt Ash

Acreage

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Full data on Fullerton Cove Full data on Salt Ash
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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