Planning Maps / Areas / Maitland / East Maitland

East Maitland flood map & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of East Maitland (Maitland, NSW) - 16.11 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to East Maitland's boundary, with the flood, bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address.

East Maitland at a glance

Parcels 5,132 Median lot 694 m² Mapped easements 6 Train East Maitland Station, Metford Station, Victoria Street Station Bus stops 269

How East Maitland is zoned

General Residential 34%
Rural Landscape 20%
Public Recreation 10%
Special Activities 9%
Primary Production 8%
Environmental Conservation 5%

Buying in East Maitland? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.

Across its 16.11 km², East Maitland is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 55% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 85 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is General Residential. The median lot measures about 694 m² across 5,132 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.

Who lives in East Maitland

Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the East Maitland suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.

Population
11,860
usual residents, 2021
Median age
40
years
Median household income
$1,422
per week, Maitland suburb typical $2,015
Median rent
$330
per week, Maitland suburb typical $384
Median mortgage
$1,733
per month
Household size
2.3
people, average

Socio-economic standing

ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.

Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) Decile 4
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 959, and decile 3 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 3
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of East Maitland's 11,860 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 5.5%
5-14 11.7%
15-19 6.0%
20-24 6.1%
25-34 13.1%
35-44 12.5%
45-54 12.9%
55-64 11.8%
65-74 11.0%
75-84 6.6%
85+ 2.9%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of East Maitland - Metford, the wider ABS statistical area containing East Maitland. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than East Maitland itself.

14,674 in 2001 to 18,334 in 2025, up 25%.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.

East Maitland data sources and coverage

Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.

DatasetCoveragePublisher
Flood mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Bushfire-prone mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
ZoningMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Heritage and environmentMapped where publishedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
DemographicsAvailableAustralian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA)

Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.

Check a specific East Maitland address

See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.

See what's in the $9 report →

East Maitland planning - frequently asked

Where can I see a flood map of East Maitland?

The schematic on this page is a East Maitland flood map: the mapped flood overlays drawn over the suburb's terrain and street grid. Flood lines vary block to block, so for a specific property use the free interactive map - search any East Maitland address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.

Is East Maitland flood-prone?

Flood mapping covers East Maitland and none of the suburb falls within a mapped flood overlay. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.

Is East Maitland bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 55% of East Maitland is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Maitland average of 80%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in East Maitland?

The dominant planning zone in East Maitland is General Residential, though the suburb also includes Rural Landscape and Public Recreation. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does East Maitland have heritage-listed places?

East Maitland has 85 heritage-listed places on record. Heritage listing affects what you can alter or demolish, so confirm whether a specific property is listed or near a heritage place.

What is the typical lot size in East Maitland?

Across 5,132 surveyed parcels in East Maitland, the median lot size is about 694 m². There are also 6 registered easements mapped in the suburb - an easement can restrict where you can build, so always check the title and overlays for the specific lot.

Does East Maitland have a train station?

Yes - East Maitland has 3 train stations: East Maitland Station, Metford Station, Victoria Street Station. It is also served by 269 bus stops.

What is the population of East Maitland?

At the 2021 Census East Maitland had 11,860 usual residents, with a median age of 40 and an average household size of 2.3 people. The wider East Maitland - Metford statistical area, which contains East Maitland, went from 14,674 people in 2001 to 18,334 in 2025, up 25%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than East Maitland alone.

Is East Maitland an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), East Maitland scores 959 and sits in decile 4 of 10 nationally and decile 3 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.

What is the median household income in East Maitland?

Median household income in East Maitland was $1,422 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,015 for the typical suburb in Maitland. Median rent was $330 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a East Maitland property?

An East Maitland planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.

Compare nearby suburbs

Nearby suburbDistanceFlood mappedBushfire-prone
Ashtonfield 2.4 km Not mapped 75%
South Maitland 2.5 km 0% 70%
Metford 2.5 km 0% 38%
Horseshoe Bend 3.3 km 0% 74%
Tenambit 3.5 km 0% 34%
Pitnacree 3.5 km 0% 98%
Louth Park 3.7 km 0% 90%
Maitland 3.9 km 0% 51%
Lorn 4.0 km 0% 86%
Raworth 4.5 km 0% 74%

See all Maitland suburb profiles →