Avoca Beach
A $1,540,000 median house price sits alongside a 27.4% vacancy rate here, and the gap tells the story of a holiday-coast suburb where many homes stay empty between owner visits. Household income reaches the 89.5th percentile nationally and the suburb scores decile 9 on both IRSAD and IRSD plus decile 10 on economic resources, placing it firmly in the advantaged tier. The housing is overwhelmingly detached at 86.7%, larger than the national mix, and 55.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms. The median age of 43 runs 3.0 years above national, and university qualifications at 40.4% sit 10.3 points higher than the country as a whole.
Population
4,708
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,358/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
76
Median House
$1.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,540,000 median reflects a market built around large family houses, with 86.7% of dwellings detached and only 7.3% apartments, so buyers compete for genuine separate homes rather than units. Prices rose 6.3% over the year, from $1,505,500 in 2024 to $1,600,000 in 2025, a steady climb rather than a spike. Four-bedroom-plus homes dominate at 55.4% and three-bedroom homes add 33.4%, which suits the 2.8-person average household, above the national figure. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,508, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to incomes in the 89.5th percentile. Mortgage holders at 44.0% outnumber outright owners at 38.9%, signalling a market still active with financed family buyers rather than purely settled retirees.
For Buyers
The $1,540,000 median reflects a market built around large family houses, with 86.7% of dwellings detached and only 7.3% apartments, so buyers compete for genuine separate homes rather than units. Prices rose 6.3% over the year, from $1,505,500 in 2024 to $1,600,000 in 2025, a steady climb rather than a spike. Four-bedroom-plus homes dominate at 55.4% and three-bedroom homes add 33.4%, which suits the 2.8-person average household, above the national figure. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,508, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold thanks to incomes in the 89.5th percentile. Mortgage holders at 44.0% outnumber outright owners at 38.9%, signalling a market still active with financed family buyers rather than purely settled retirees.
For Investors
Renters make up just 17.1% of households here, a shallow tenant pool compared with most coastal markets, and weekly rent of $530 against the $1,540,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%, low by any standard. The headline 27.4% vacancy rate looks alarming but reflects holiday and second homes left empty rather than failed long-term lettings, a pattern common to beachside suburbs. Rent has still grown 42.9% over the period, so escalation is real even if turnover is thin. Demand drivers are modest and balanced: net internal migration adds 34 residents a year and overseas migration just 8. Development activity is steady at 71 applications in 12 months, mostly alterations and pool work on existing dwellings rather than new supply, so the investment case leans on capital growth and rent escalation more than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
419
Last 12 Months
76
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+11.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Avoca Beach iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Avoca Beach Public School
K-6 · 455 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, and the profile is aging: the senior share rose 7.8 points while the working-age share fell 5.4 points and the young share dropped 2.5 points over the decade. University qualifications reach 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above national, pointing to a well-educated resident base. Overseas-born residents sit at 20.3%, 1.3 points below national, so the suburb is more Anglo-leaning than the country average, led by English (2,288), Irish (757) and Scottish (613) ancestry. The average household size of 2.8 runs 0.3 above national, consistent with the family-house stock, and couples with children (1,788 families) outnumber couples without children (965), reinforcing a family rather than empty-nester identity despite the older median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.7%
Houses
5.7%
Townhouse
7.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward financed ownership: 44.0% carry a mortgage, 38.9% own outright and only 17.1% rent. Mortgage holders outnumbering outright owners points to an active buyer market rather than a settled, debt-free one. The stock is 86.7% separate houses with apartments at just 7.3% and semi-detached at 5.7%, so detached supply defines the market and keeps prices firm. Four-bedroom-plus homes account for 55.4% and three-bedroom 33.4%, while two-bedroom dwellings are only 9.1%. The median house price climbed from $1,505,500 to $1,600,000 across 2024 and 2025, a 6.3% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 24.6% and rent-to-income at 22.5% both stay below stress thresholds, a sign that the 89.5th-percentile incomes here keep housing costs manageable relative to many Sydney markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,508
Rent / wk
$530
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$927
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
27.4%
Unoccupied
582
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.7%
Couples, no children
3,913
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in services: Healthcare leads at 21.7% (364 workers), Education follows at 15.1% (253) and Construction at 12.8% (215), with Professional/Tech at 11.4% and Public Admin at 5.5%. By occupation, Professionals (738) and Managers (376) form the largest groups, which aligns with the decile 8 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.0% and the full-time employment rate is 55.3%. Participation reads 56.9%, held down because the aging profile leaves 1,231 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 12.2% over the decade. The IER economic resources score reaches decile 10, the top tier, higher than the decile 8 IEO, because the high rate of owner-occupied family homes lifts aggregate household wealth even where formal qualifications are slightly lower.
Unemployment
1.1%
Labour Force
4,218
Unemployed
47
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.3%
Part-time
41.7%
Participation
56.9%
Employed
2,056
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.4%
Postgraduate
8.7%
Born Overseas
20.3%
Dwellings
1,539
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 89.1% drive to work while only 1.2% use public transport and 3.2% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars and a reflection of the suburb's coastal, low-density layout at 1,059.9 residents per km2. The suburb earns decile 9 on IRSAD, in the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 9 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Volunteering runs at 20.5% and only 3.3% (149 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 43. No schools are recorded inside the 4.44 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for a beachside community of 4,708 spread across detached homes.
Drive
89.1%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.61%/yr
(+22 people/yr)
EstablishedAvoca Beach is a slow-growth established market: annual population growth runs 0.61%, about 22 residents a year, and the 10-year change is just 7.0%. Medium forecasts lift the population from 3,615 in 2026 to 3,723 by 2031, modest expansion rather than a boom. Growth is balanced across drivers, with net internal migration of 34 a year and overseas migration of only 8, so most gains come from people relocating within Australia rather than new arrivals. The gentrification reading shows early signs with a score of 39, supported by rent growth of 42.9% and real income growth of 12.2%, though the suburb is not yet classified as actively gentrifying given it already sits at decile 9 advantage with limited room to climb.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+8
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Avoca Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Avoca Beach a good suburb to live in?
Avoca Beach ranks in decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 10 on economic resources, the advantaged tier nationally, with household income in the 89.5th percentile. University qualifications reach 40.4%, 10.3 points above national. The main trade-offs are a $1,540,000 median house price and heavy car reliance, with 89.1% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Avoca Beach?
The median house price is $1,540,000. Prices rose 6.3% from $1,505,500 in 2024 to $1,600,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $530 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,508, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.6%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Avoca Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.44 km2 Avoca Beach boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 40.4%, which is 10.3 points above the national figure.
Is Avoca Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Avoca Beach in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, near the highest tier, and only 3.3% of its 4,708 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Avoca Beach good for property investment?
Rent of $530 a week against a $1,540,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%, low, and renters make up just 17.1% of households. The 27.4% vacancy rate reflects holiday homes rather than failed lettings. With 0.61% annual population growth, returns depend on capital growth more than yield.
How is Avoca Beach's population changing?
Population growth is 0.61% annually, about 22 residents a year, with a 7.0% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.8 points and the working-age share down 5.4 points over the decade. Forecasts lift the population to 3,723 by 2031.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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