Bonnells Bay
A 26.4% work-from-home rate is one of Bonnells Bay's clearest signals, alongside a strongly detached housing profile and an aging trajectory. The suburb has 4,066 residents, a median age of 42, which is 2.0 years above the national figure, and 94.1% of dwellings are separate houses. More than half of homes, 51.7%, have 4 or more bedrooms, supporting family households and downsizers seeking space. Compared with nearby Morisset as a search alternative, Bonnells Bay stands out for the clarity of its detached-house profile. Household income sits at the 44.8th percentile, below the midpoint, while 40.4% of homes are owned outright. The result is a settled, car-oriented suburb where housing form and lifestyle may appeal more than apartment convenience or strong public transport access.
Population
4,066
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,460/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
Bonnells Bay suits buyers prioritising detached space, because 94.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 51.7% contain 4 or more bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes account for another 39.1%, so the stock is much more family-sized than compact. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,820 per month, while advertised rent is $400 per week; mortgage costs represent 28.8% of household income compared with 27.4% for rent, with neither measure flagged as stress. Buyers should check recent comparable sales rather than infer a median price from repayment data. Compared with nearby Morisset as an alternative search area, Bonnells Bay's detached, larger-home profile is a useful point of distinction, but car dependence and only 1.1% public transport use should be included in the budget.
For Buyers
Bonnells Bay suits buyers prioritising detached space, because 94.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 51.7% contain 4 or more bedrooms. Three-bedroom homes account for another 39.1%, so the stock is much more family-sized than compact. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,820 per month, while advertised rent is $400 per week; mortgage costs represent 28.8% of household income compared with 27.4% for rent, with neither measure flagged as stress. Buyers should check recent comparable sales rather than infer a median price from repayment data. Compared with nearby Morisset as an alternative search area, Bonnells Bay's detached, larger-home profile is a useful point of distinction, but car dependence and only 1.1% public transport use should be included in the budget.
For Investors
The rental case is supported by a 26.3% renter share and weekly rent of $400, but the 8.5% vacancy rate is a higher risk signal than a tightly supplied market. That level can mean longer letting periods or more negotiation, so investors should allow for leasing incentives and inspect competing stock. Development activity is also notable, with 26 applications recorded across 12 months, including demolition, alterations, pools, secondary dwellings and new dwelling work. The suburb's forecast migration driver is Balanced, while annual growth is 1.31%, suggesting demand may be steadier than sharply accelerated. Detached houses dominate at 94.1%, which may support family tenants, but the 40.4% outright ownership rate points to a settled market compared with a highly investor-dependent suburb.
Development Activity
Total DAs
185
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-21.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bonnells Bay
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Bonnells Bay has an older profile than Australia overall: the median age is 42, or 2.0 years above the national figure. The aging pattern is consistent with 43.3% of families being couples without children, compared with 36.1% couples with children, while one-parent families account for 20.1%. English ancestry is reported by 1,733 people, followed by Scottish at 461 and Irish at 426, giving the suburb an Anglo-leaning profile. Overseas-born residents make up 13.5%, which is 8.1 percentage points below the national comparison, and university attainment is 22.7%, 7.4 points lower nationally. No religion is recorded by 1,634 people versus 2,127 identifying with Christianity. The 75.6% five-year stay rate is higher than the 24.4% turnover rate, supporting a relatively settled community profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.1%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Bonnells Bay is substantially more detached than apartment-oriented, with 94.1% separate houses, 5.0% semi-detached dwellings and only 0.8% apartments. Larger homes dominate: 51.7% have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.1% have 3 bedrooms, compared with just 7.7% with 2 bedrooms. Tenure is mixed but settled, with 40.4% owned outright, 32.5% mortgaged and 26.3% rented. Mortgage repayments average $1,820 per month, while rent is $400 per week; mortgage-to-income is 28.8%, slightly higher than the 27.4% rent-to-income measure, and neither is flagged as stress. Compared with a denser neighbouring market, this stock favours families and space-seeking buyers, although the 8.5% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly occupied rental setting.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $400.
$668
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $695
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$685
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
144
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.1%
Couples with children
43.3%
Couples, no children
20.1%
Single parent
1,193
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Bonnells Bay's largest employment industry at 24.5%, representing 279 workers, followed by construction at 11.7% and education at 11.1%. Professional and technical work accounts for 6.5%, while retail contributes 6.1%, giving the local economy a service and essential-work base rather than a single specialist concentration. The labour-force participation rate is 54.5%, unemployment is 5.5%, and 53.1% of employed residents work full time. Personal weekly income is $685 and household weekly income is $1,460, placing household income at the 44.8th percentile, below the midpoint. SEIFA results sit around the middle but are uneven: IEO is decile 4, IER decile 6, IRSD decile 5 and IRSAD decile 4. Compared with higher-ranked areas, the lower education and advantage deciles may reflect fewer university-qualified residents and a stronger trades and service mix.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
1,804
Unemployed
99
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.1%
Part-time
35.2%
Participation
54.5%
Employed
1,705
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.7%
Postgraduate
5.2%
Born Overseas
13.5%
Dwellings
1,554
Transport to Work
Daily life in Bonnells Bay is more car-oriented than public-transport-led: 68.5% of residents drive to work, compared with 1.1% using public transport and 1.0% walking or cycling. The 26.4% work-from-home rate may reduce commuting pressure for some households, but access to services and employment still benefits from a car. One local school is listed, Bonnells Bay Public School, in the government primary sector; families should confirm enrolment zones and current capacity against the exact address. A suburb-level crime rate should be checked through current NSW Police resources before making a safety decision, as no usable rate is available here. IRSAD is decile 4 and IRSD decile 5, placing relative advantage below the middle on IRSAD but near the middle on disadvantage. Compared with a more transit-rich setting, Bonnells Bay trades convenience for larger homes and a quieter, established residential environment.
Drive
68.5%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
26.4%
Population Forecast
+1.31%/yr
(+134 people/yr)
EstablishedBonnells Bay's growth outlook is measured rather than explosive, with the forecast trend at 1.31% annually and migration labelled Balanced. Across the wider area, population change is 22.1% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging. That direction is supported by a 3.2 percentage-point increase in the senior share, a 1.3-point decline in the young share and a 1.9-point decline in the working-age share. Gentrification is still at the Early signs stage, with a score of 30, while the separate shift measure records a score of 39 at the same stage. Real income growth is 13.2% and rent growth is 42.9%, so housing costs have risen faster than incomes in recent years. Compared with growth driven by strong migration inflows, the Balanced driver and aging pattern point to gradual change shaped by established households, family housing and selective redevelopment.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+41
Net Internal / yr
+56
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +24% since 2011, Net internal migration +56/yr, Accelerating: 8% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bonnells Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bonnells Bay a good suburb to live in?
Bonnells Bay can suit households wanting detached housing and a quieter, car-oriented setting. The suburb has 94.1% separate houses, 68.5% car drivers and 26.4% working from home, while the median age is 42, or 2.0 years above the national figure.
What is the median house price in Bonnells Bay?
A current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales rather than inferred from the $1,820 monthly mortgage figure. Bonnells Bay is dominated by separate houses at 94.1%, and 51.7% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms.
What schools are in Bonnells Bay?
Bonnells Bay Public School is the listed local option and is a government primary school. Check the exact address against enrolment zones and current capacity, because one local school does not describe every nearby option. The suburb has 4,066 residents.
Is Bonnells Bay safe?
There is not enough current crime information to label Bonnells Bay safe or unsafe. Check NSW Police crime mapping and inspect the area at different times before deciding. The suburb has 4,066 residents, and 75.6% of residents stayed at the same address over five years.
Is Bonnells Bay good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking detached family housing, but the 8.5% vacancy rate is a higher risk signal than a tightly supplied market. Weekly rent is $400, 26.3% of homes are rented, and 26 development applications were recorded across 12 months.
How is Bonnells Bay's population changing?
The wider area's forecast points to an aging trajectory: annual growth is 1.31%, and population change across 10 years is 22.1%. The senior share increased by 3.2 percentage points, the young share fell 1.3 points, and migration is labelled Balanced.
What development is occurring in Bonnells Bay?
There were 26 development applications across 12 months, including demolition, alterations, swimming pools, secondary dwellings and dwelling houses. This suggests ongoing small-scale change rather than a clearly stated large project pipeline, so buyers should check approvals for the exact street.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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