Rutherford flood map & planning overlays
A planning-constraint profile of Rutherford (Maitland, NSW) - 13.42 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained.
Everything below is suburb-wide. Overlays change block to block - see which ones actually touch your lot. The map is free.
Constraint readout
13.42 km² - this suburb is highly constrained by planning overlays.
Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Rutherford'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.
Rutherford at a glance
How Rutherford is zoned
Buying in Rutherford? 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 13.42 km², Rutherford is highly constrained by planning overlays. Flood mapping covers the suburb and none of it falls within a mapped flood overlay, and 34% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 2 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is General Residential. The median lot measures about 664 m² across 5,252 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 Rutherford
Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Rutherford suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.
Socio-economic standing
ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.
Score 897, and decile 1 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.
Age profile
Share of Rutherford's 13,091 residents in each ABS age band.
Population trend, 2001 to 2025
Estimated resident population of Rutherford (South) - Telarah, the wider ABS statistical area containing Rutherford. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Rutherford itself.
6,295 in 2001 to 9,366 in 2025, up 49%.
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.
Rutherford 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.
| Dataset | Coverage | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Flood mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Bushfire-prone mapping | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Zoning | Mapped | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Heritage and environment | Mapped where published | NSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies |
| Demographics | Available | Australian 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 Rutherford 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 →Rutherford planning - frequently asked
Where can I see a flood map of Rutherford?
The schematic on this page is a Rutherford 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 Rutherford address and it shows the flood, zoning and bushfire mapping on the exact lot boundary.
Is Rutherford flood-prone?
Flood mapping covers Rutherford 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 Rutherford bushfire-prone?
Yes - around 34% of Rutherford 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 Rutherford?
The dominant planning zone in Rutherford is General Residential, though the suburb also includes Productivity Support and General Industrial. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.
Does Rutherford have heritage-listed places?
Rutherford has 2 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 Rutherford?
Across 5,252 surveyed parcels in Rutherford, the median lot size is about 664 m². There are also 10 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 Rutherford have a train station?
There is no train station inside Rutherford itself. The suburb is served by 269 bus stops.
What is the population of Rutherford?
At the 2021 Census Rutherford had 13,091 usual residents, with a median age of 35 and an average household size of 2.6 people. The wider Rutherford (South) - Telarah statistical area, which contains Rutherford, went from 6,295 people in 2001 to 9,366 in 2025, up 49%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Rutherford alone.
Is Rutherford an advantaged suburb?
On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Rutherford scores 897 and sits in decile 2 of 10 nationally and decile 1 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 Rutherford?
Median household income in Rutherford was $1,475 a week at the 2021 Census, against $2,015 for the typical suburb in Maitland. Median rent was $360 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 Rutherford property?
A Rutherford 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 suburb | Distance | Flood mapped | Bushfire-prone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberglasslyn | 2.6 km | 0% | 50% |
| Farley | 2.9 km | 0% | 90% |
| Telarah | 3.1 km | 0% | 27% |
| Oakhampton Heights | 3.4 km | 0% | 96% |
| Anambah | 3.8 km | Not mapped | 97% |
| Melville | 3.8 km | Not mapped | 100% |
| Windella | 4.0 km | Not mapped | 58% |
| Mount Dee | 4.2 km | 0% | 99% |
| Oakhampton | 4.5 km | 0% | 99% |
| Maitland | 4.7 km | 0% | 51% |