Dapto (NSW)

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According to investigations of ABS demographic releases for the wider region, alongside address points verified by Districts following the Census, the suburb of Dapto has an estimated residency of 11,256 individuals in May 2026. This represents an expansion of 302 people (2.8%) relative to the 2021 Census, which documented 10,954 residents. The modification is calculated from a resident headcount of 11,208, determined by Districts through analyzing the June 2025 ABS ERP publication and tracking 46 validated new addresses post-Census. Such a population size results in a density of 1,523 persons per square kilometer, outstripping the typical figures recorded across domestic areas analyzed by Districts. The post-Census growth of 2.8% in the suburb of Dapto is within 1.9 percentage points of the wider SA3 territory (4.7%), exhibiting competitive expansion metrics. Gains were primarily supported by arrivals from other states, accounting for approximately 40.0% of the aggregate population increase, though positive contributions were observed across all components, including international migration and natural increase.

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The suburb of Dapto supports a balanced workforce distributed across professional and manual occupations, with a strong showing in public service roles, an unemployment rate of 8.5%, and an estimated job growth rate of 2.4% over the prior year, derived from Districts statistical consolidations. In March 2026, the employed resident count stood at 5,427, with the local unemployment rate sitting 4.3% higher than the Regional NSW benchmark of 4.1%, pointing to capacity for labor market improvement, while participation is relatively typical at 64.4% compared to 60.6% in Regional NSW. Census records indicate a moderate 18.5% of the working population performed their duties from home, though this figure was likely influenced by public health restrictions related to Covid-19.

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Based on Districts consolidations of the latest postcode-level ATO statistics released for the 2023 financial year, the suburb of Dapto recorded a median taxpayer income of $53,346, with the average income recorded at $65,765. This sits slightly below the national benchmark and compares to median and average figures of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW. Applying a Wage Price Index escalation of 10.32% since the 2023 financial year, current estimated values would be roughly $58,851 for the median and $72,552 for the average as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and individual incomes are positioned moderately, ranking between the 25th and 34th percentiles. The distribution shows that 34.3% of residents (representing 3,860 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income band, which is comparable to the regional rate of . Pressures on housing affordability are significant, with only of income remaining after housing costs, placing the area in the st percentile.

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Residential structures in the suburb of Dapto at the time of the latest Census consisted of 84.9% standalone houses and 15.1% alternative dwellings such as townhouses, units, or other options, compared to Regional NSW where houses comprised 82.6% and other formats made up 17.4%. Home ownership rates in the suburb of Dapto tracked lower than the Regional NSW benchmark, sitting at 35.6%, with remaining homes held under a mortgage (39.1%) or occupied by tenants (25.4%). The median monthly home loan payment was higher than the Regional NSW average at $1,880, and the median weekly rent was recorded at $400, compared to regional figures of $1,733 and $330. On a national level, housing loan repayments exceed the Australian median of $1,863, and weekly rents are above the countrywide figure of $375.

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Families represent the majority of local arrangements at 72.4% of households, consisting of couples with offspring at 30.0%, couples without offspring at 26.4%, and single-parent structures at 14.9%. Non-family living situations account for the remaining 27.6% of homes, with single-person households at 25.0% and shared group households representing 2.5%. The median household occupancy of 2.5 residents is slightly larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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The locality presents educational variations, with university completion rates standing at 12.7%, which is considerably lower than the NSW benchmark of 32.2%. This difference offers a clear opportunity for focused local educational strategies. Undergraduate degrees are the most common higher qualification at 8.7%, followed by postgraduate study at 2.5% and graduate diplomas at 1.5%. Practical and technical qualifications are highly prevalent, with 43.5% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, consisting of advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificate level training at 33.8%.

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Public transit reviews show 90 active transit stops in the suburb of Dapto, combining railway and bus services. These points of access are connected to 54 separate routes, which combine to support 3,133 weekly passenger boardings. Local access to transit is classified as excellent, with average distances to the nearest stop standing at 151 meters. Due to the area's residential focus, the vast majority of workers travel outside the suburb, with private vehicles remaining the main choice at 93%. Car ownership stands at an average of 1.4 vehicles per home. Around 18.5% of employed residents performed their duties from home, using the 2021 Census metrics, which could reflect pandemic-related working arrangements.

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Medical statistics indicate notable difficulties for the suburb of Dapto based on Districts assessments of mortality patterns and the presence of chronic illnesses, which are evident across younger and older demographics alike, while the rate of private medical insurance sits slightly ahead of the typical SA2 area at approximately 53% of the population, representing about 5,960 citizens.

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The suburb of Dapto exhibits lower levels of ethnic diversity than average, with 83.9% of the population born within Australia, 91.9% holding citizenship, and 92.8% using only English at home. The predominant religious affiliation is Christianity, chosen by 54.5% of the population, which compares to 55.9% recorded across Regional NSW.

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With a median age of 38, the suburb of Dapto is younger than the Regional NSW average of 43 and aligns with the national median of 38. The 25 - 34 cohort is well represented at 15.0% compared to Regional NSW, while the 65 - 74 demographic is less common at 9.1%. Post the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 25 to 34 expanded from 13.4% to 15.0%, and those aged 35 to 44 rose from 12.1% to 13.3%. In contrast, the 65 to 74 age bracket shrank from 10.0% to 9.1%. Population forecasting models suggest the local age profile will undergo major shifts by . Leading this change, the to cohort is projected to increase by (adding people) to reach from while the number of residents in the to age bracket is forecast to decrease by .

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Dapto currently has an estimated 720 children under 5 years old, comprising approximately 427 children aged 0-2 and 284 children aged 3-4. This cohort grew by an estimated 8% since the previous census. while population forecasts indicate future growth, with an anticipated increase of 20% by 2041 (to approximately 867 children). Meanwhile the 5-12 cohort currently amounts to 1,061. While growth has been positive birth rates observed in the area have been moderate, with approximately 11.2 births per 1,000 residents recorded over the latest two-year period analysed which ranks the area within the middle tier nationally. This rate has slowed down slightly in recent years however.