Blue Bay
A 26.7% vacancy rate is the standout feature of Blue Bay's compact 0.47 sq km footprint, where 1,060 residents create a density of 2,239.1 people per sq km. The median age is 52, or 12.0 years above the national figure, pointing to an older resident base and a smaller average household of 2.1 people. Compared with the busier centres around The Entrance and Long Jetty, Blue Bay reads as a tightly contained coastal pocket with substantial unoccupied housing. Its 40.7% outright ownership rate supports stability, while 32.7% working from home helps explain why local amenity matters even when commuting is limited.
Local council: Central Coast (NSW)
Population
1,060
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,323/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
24
Blue Bay suits buyers prioritising compact coastal housing and lower-maintenance layouts, but borrowing capacity needs careful testing. The $2,167 monthly mortgage figure and 37.8% mortgage-to-income ratio are higher than the 28.7% rent-to-income measure, making interest rates and household income important to the purchase decision. Housing is mixed rather than purely detached, with 50.8% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and 15.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes lead at 45.3%, followed by two-bedroom dwellings at 28.7%. Compared with a conventional family-home market, this mix gives downsizers and couples more choice, while 40.7% outright ownership suggests many established owners. Buyers should also check strata costs and vacancy conditions because they can materially alter monthly affordability.
For Buyers
Blue Bay suits buyers prioritising compact coastal housing and lower-maintenance layouts, but borrowing capacity needs careful testing. The $2,167 monthly mortgage figure and 37.8% mortgage-to-income ratio are higher than the 28.7% rent-to-income measure, making interest rates and household income important to the purchase decision. Housing is mixed rather than purely detached, with 50.8% separate houses, 34.2% semi-detached homes and 15.0% apartments. Three-bedroom homes lead at 45.3%, followed by two-bedroom dwellings at 28.7%. Compared with a conventional family-home market, this mix gives downsizers and couples more choice, while 40.7% outright ownership suggests many established owners. Buyers should also check strata costs and vacancy conditions because they can materially alter monthly affordability.
For Investors
Investors face a rent-and-vacancy trade-off in Blue Bay. The $380 weekly rent may attract tenants, but a 26.7% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly held rental market and can erode annual income through empty periods. The 37.3% renting share indicates a meaningful tenant base, while 40.7% outright ownership points to a substantial owner-occupier presence. Development activity also matters because 24 applications in 12 months include a secondary dwelling, alterations and a dual occupancy involving 2 dwellings. Compared with a low-vacancy suburb, investors should stress-test rent, vacancy, insurance and maintenance rather than assume advertised rent becomes stable yield. A current sale median is still needed to calculate a defensible gross yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
126
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+60.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Blue Bay has an older demographic profile, with a median age of 52 that is 12.0 years above the national figure. Average household size is 2.1 people, or 0.4 below the national level, while couples without children make up 48.8% of families, compared with 25.4% for couples with children and 21.7% for one-parent families. The overseas-born share is 13.2%, 8.4 percentage points below the national level, and university attainment is 26.9%, 3.2 points lower. English ancestry is recorded for 458 residents, followed by Irish at 127 and Scottish at 124. Compared with nearby The Entrance and Long Jetty, Blue Bay's profile is more strongly shaped by older, smaller households because 76.4% of residents stayed at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.8%
Houses
34.2%
Townhouse
15.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Blue Bay's housing is divided between long-term ownership and a sizable rental component. Outright owners account for 40.7%, households with a mortgage represent 20.3%, renters make up 37.3% and other tenure accounts for 1.7%. The built form is more varied than a detached-only suburb: separate houses comprise 50.8%, semi-detached dwellings 34.2% and apartments 15.0%. Three-bedroom homes are the largest group at 45.3%, with two-bedroom dwellings at 28.7%, four or more bedrooms at 22.4% and one-bedroom or studio homes at 3.7%. Compared with a lower-density family suburb, the semi-detached share creates more compact options, while the 26.7% vacancy rate may reflect holiday, investor or intermittently occupied housing. This mix suits downsizers and couples because smaller dwellings are common.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $380.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $680 · units $525
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$731
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.7%
Unoccupied
172
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.8% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.4%
Couples with children
48.8%
Couples, no children
21.7%
Single parent
295
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Blue Bay's leading industry at 26.1%, representing 77 workers, ahead of education at 14.2% and 42 workers, construction at 13.6% and 40, public administration at 8.1% and 24, and hospitality at 7.1% and 21. The occupation profile includes 106 professionals, 73 community and personal service workers, 67 managers, 56 clerical and administrative workers, and 55 sales workers. Compared with a highly concentrated white-collar employment base, this combination is broader because care, education, construction and service work all contribute. Participation is 52.4%, unemployment is 6.5% and the full-time rate is 49.8%. A household income percentile of 33.0 sits below the midpoint, which fits a suburb where 381 people are outside the labour force and the median age is 52.
Unemployment
6.5%
Labour Force
494
Unemployed
32
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.8%
Part-time
36.1%
Participation
52.4%
Employed
462
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.9%
Postgraduate
7.8%
Born Overseas
13.2%
Dwellings
474
Transport to Work
Blue Bay is compact, but daily movement is strongly car-oriented. About 59.7% of residents drive a car, compared with only 0.8% using public transport and 3.5% walking or cycling, while 32.7% work from home. Compared with a transit-oriented centre, this pattern makes parking, local errands and road access more important because public transport has a limited role. Families should check nearby primary and secondary options against the exact address and enrolment zone, since the 0.47 sq km footprint does not guarantee that the closest campus is the designated choice. A volunteering rate of 13.4% and a need-assistance rate of 5.0% add context for local support networks. For safety, use recent street-level incident and council information rather than infer risk from the density of 2,239.1 people per sq km.
Drive
59.7%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
32.7%
Growth Outlook
Blue Bay's near-term change is more visible in its built form than in household turnover. There were 24 development applications in 12 months, including a secondary dwelling, alterations and a dual occupancy involving 2 dwellings. That activity can gradually increase housing choice because smaller additions and attached dwellings use the existing 0.47 sq km footprint rather than requiring a large new estate. At the same time, 76.4% of residents stayed at the same address and the turnover rate was 23.6%, indicating more stability than a rapidly changing suburb. Compared with a major greenfield growth corridor, Blue Bay is likely to experience incremental renewal because its population base is 1,060 and its established housing stock is already dense at 2,239.1 people per sq km.
Population trend: Central Coast (NSW) council area
Blue Bay sits in the Central Coast (NSW) council area. These are the council area's residents, not Blue Bay's.
Residents 2025
357,816
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.6%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Blue Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Bay a good suburb to live in?
Blue Bay may suit residents seeking a compact coastal setting, work-from-home flexibility and established housing. Its population is 1,060, median age is 52 and 32.7% work from home. Compared with busier nearby centres, the 59.7% car-driver share means daily life is more vehicle dependent.
What is the median house price in Blue Bay?
A current median house price should be verified through recent settled sales and local agent evidence before budgeting. The $2,167 monthly mortgage figure and 37.8% mortgage-to-income ratio describe borrowing pressure, not a sale median, so compare the eventual purchase price with those measures and with nearby The Entrance sales.
What schools are in Blue Bay?
Families considering Blue Bay should check nearby primary and secondary options using the exact address, because enrolment zones can differ even across a compact 0.47 sq km area. Compare each school's sector, year levels and intake rules rather than assuming the closest campus is automatically the designated choice.
Is Blue Bay safe?
Safety should be assessed using recent street-level incident information, lighting and activity around the exact address. Blue Bay has 1,060 residents and a density of 2,239.1 people per sq km, but those figures cannot establish risk. Compare patterns over 12 months rather than infer safety from population size alone.
Is Blue Bay good for property investment?
Blue Bay requires a cautious investment assessment. Rent is $380 per week and 37.3% of households rent, but the 26.7% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly held market. Twenty-four development applications may add competing stock, so compare expected rent with vacancy, insurance, maintenance and the verified purchase price.
How is Blue Bay's population changing?
Blue Bay appears relatively stable, with 76.4% of residents staying at the same address and a turnover rate of 23.6%. Its median age is 52, while 24 development applications indicate gradual physical change. Compared with a fast-turnover growth suburb, change is more likely to come through infill and redevelopment than rapid household churn.
What development is happening in Blue Bay?
There were 24 development applications in 12 months, including a secondary dwelling, alterations and a dual occupancy involving 2 dwellings. Compared with a large estate release, this points to incremental infill that can change individual streets without transforming the entire 0.47 sq km suburb. Check each proposal's approval status and final dwelling count.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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