Nelsons Plains vs Seaham

Seaham is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 48 in Nelsons Plains. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Nelsons Plains: a median of $1.98 million, against $1.28 million in Seaham, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Seaham tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Seaham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (83% vs 72%)

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

First-home buyers

Seaham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,285,000 vs $1,975,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Seaham

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 25%)
  • has cheaper rent ($360/wk vs $553/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Nelsons Plains

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (126 min vs 134 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (170.6 km vs 179.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Nelsons Plains

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (14/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 13%)

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

Where they sit

Nelsons Plains and Seaham drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Nelsons Plains Seaham
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.

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Walkability 14 / 0
Nelsons Plains — Walkability: 14/100 Seaham — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 33 / 37
Nelsons Plains — Safety: 33/100 Seaham — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 86 / 82
Nelsons Plains — Low fire risk: 86/100 Seaham — Low fire risk: 82/100

Demographics

Seaham has more residents (1,011 vs 326); Nelsons Plains rents higher ($553/wk vs $360/wk).

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Population 326 1,011
+210% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +0.4%
Median age 48 41
Median household income $117,000/yr $120,224/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $553/wk
+35% vs other
 $360/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Nelsons Plains Seaham
0-4 6.4% / 4.7%
Nelsons Plains — 0-4: 6.4% Seaham — 0-4: 4.7%
5-14 15.6% / 15.0%
Nelsons Plains — 5-14: 15.6% Seaham — 5-14: 15.0%
15-19 7.1% / 8.3%
Nelsons Plains — 15-19: 7.1% Seaham — 15-19: 8.3%
20-24 3.4% / 7.1%
Nelsons Plains — 20-24: 3.4% Seaham — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 4.9% / 8.7%
Nelsons Plains — 25-34: 4.9% Seaham — 25-34: 8.7%
35-44 10.1% / 9.3%
Nelsons Plains — 35-44: 10.1% Seaham — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 14.1% / 15.6%
Nelsons Plains — 45-54: 14.1% Seaham — 45-54: 15.6%
55-64 16.9% / 17.4%
Nelsons Plains — 55-64: 16.9% Seaham — 55-64: 17.4%
65-74 15.6% / 9.7%
Nelsons Plains — 65-74: 15.6% Seaham — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 3.7% / 3.2%
Nelsons Plains — 75-84: 3.7% Seaham — 75-84: 3.2%
85+ 2.1% / 0.6%
Nelsons Plains — 85+: 2.1% Seaham — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Nelsons Plains 66.0% couple families
Nelsons Plains — Couple Families: 66.0% Nelsons Plains — Lone Person: 16.0% Nelsons Plains — One Parent Families: 6.0% Nelsons Plains — Other Families: 12.0% Nelsons Plains — Group Household: 0.0%
Seaham 71.1% couple families
Seaham — Couple Families: 71.1% Seaham — Lone Person: 15.1% Seaham — One Parent Families: 11.5% Seaham — Other Families: 0.0% Seaham — Group Household: 2.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Nelsons Plains 3.2% renting
Nelsons Plains — Owned Outright: 50.5% Nelsons Plains — Mortgage: 46.2% Nelsons Plains — Renting: 3.2%
Seaham 7.3% renting
Seaham — Owned Outright: 41.5% Seaham — Mortgage: 51.2% Seaham — Renting: 7.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Nelsons Plains Seaham
England 1.2% / 1.7%
Nelsons Plains — England: 1.2% Seaham — England: 1.7%
New Zealand 1.2% / 1.3%
Nelsons Plains — New Zealand: 1.2% Seaham — New Zealand: 1.3%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Nelsons Plains — Scotland: not among its largest Seaham — Scotland: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.5%
Nelsons Plains — Philippines: not among its largest Seaham — Philippines: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.7%).

Qualifications

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

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Certificate III & IV 17.2% / 23.1%
Nelsons Plains — Certificate III & IV: 17.2% Seaham — Certificate III & IV: 23.1%
Bachelor Degree 10.4% / 9.7%
Nelsons Plains — Bachelor Degree: 10.4% Seaham — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 8.3%
Nelsons Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Seaham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.1% / 2.1%
Nelsons Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1% Seaham — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 1.0%
Nelsons Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Seaham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Nelsons Plains 98.9% houses
Nelsons Plains — Houses: 98.9% Nelsons Plains — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Seaham 97.9% houses
Seaham — Houses: 97.9% Seaham — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Median house price $1,975,000 $1,285,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,030,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 84 days
from 7 sales

Zoning mix

Nelsons Plains has more rural and farming land (93% vs 70%); Seaham has more land zoned for conservation (25% vs 4%).

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Rural and farming 93% 70%
Environmental 4% 25%
Residential 2% 4%
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

Nelsons Plains Seaham
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Nelsons Plains Seaham
House price Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Income Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of NSW Higher than 4% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 50% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW

Liveability

Nelsons Plains is more walkable (14 vs 0).

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Grade — C
Score — 41/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Bushfire Low
14/100
 Low
18/100
Crime Moderate
67/100
 Moderate
63/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Nelsons Plains

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

Schools in Seaham

  • Seaham Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 1 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Waterways 0 14

Mobility

Seaham sits further from the CBD (179.5 km vs 170.6 km).

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Walkability score 14/100 0/100
Distance to Sydney 170.6 km 179.5 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 126 min 134 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2324
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 54
postcode 2324
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.

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Car (driver) 57.7% / 72.5%
Nelsons Plains — Car (driver): 57.7% Seaham — Car (driver): 72.5%
Worked from Home 29.2% / 24.9%
Nelsons Plains — Worked from Home: 29.2% Seaham — Worked from Home: 24.9%
Car (passenger) 8.5% / 1.2%
Nelsons Plains — Car (passenger): 8.5% Seaham — Car (passenger): 1.2%
Walked Only 4.6% / 1.4%
Nelsons Plains — Walked Only: 4.6% Seaham — Walked Only: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.5%).

Setting

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.1 km 18.7 km

NBN connectivity

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
116 premises
 0%
389 premises

Climate

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm 996 mm
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C 30.0°C
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C 7.1°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Nelsons Plains Seaham
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Division Lyne
same for both
Member Alison Penfold
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Nelsons Plains Seaham
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Nelsons Plains

Family Rural

Seaham

Acreage River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Nelsons Plains

Nelsons Plains vs Raymond Terrace Nelsons Plains vs Wallalong Nelsons Plains vs Brandy Hill Nelsons Plains vs Hinton Nelsons Plains vs Millers Forest Nelsons Plains vs Eagleton

Other comparisons with Seaham

Seaham vs Wallalong Seaham vs Brandy Hill Seaham vs Duns Creek Seaham vs Woodville Seaham vs Glen Oak Seaham vs East Seaham
Full data on Nelsons Plains Full data on Seaham
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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