Booker Bay
A $1,207,500 median house price on a 0.49 km2 peninsula where 45.4% of owners carry no mortgage at all tells a clear story about Booker Bay: this is a suburb that attracts settled, older households rather than first-home buyers. The median age of 54 is 14 years above the national figure, the highest aging gap you would expect to see outside retirement-specific postcodes. Vacancy sits at 13.5%, well above typical coastal norms, pointing to a meaningful holiday-home component in the 33.4% renter share. Household incomes land in the 26th percentile nationally despite asset values that far exceed median levels, because many residents are asset-rich retirees on lower current incomes.
Population
1,442
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,218/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,207,500 represents a 4.2% gain from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, a moderate pace compared to broader Sydney coastal markets. The housing mix skews toward semi-detached dwellings at 40.0%, with separate houses making up 51.3% and apartments just 5.7%, so buyers have a reasonable detached-home supply to draw from. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.8% and four-plus bedrooms reach 18.5%, making the stock well suited to couples or small families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, but the mortgage-to-income ratio is 41.1%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are in the 26th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 45.4% far exceed mortgage holders at 21.1%, signalling that much of the stock is held debt-free by long-term residents.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,207,500 represents a 4.2% gain from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, a moderate pace compared to broader Sydney coastal markets. The housing mix skews toward semi-detached dwellings at 40.0%, with separate houses making up 51.3% and apartments just 5.7%, so buyers have a reasonable detached-home supply to draw from. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.8% and four-plus bedrooms reach 18.5%, making the stock well suited to couples or small families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, but the mortgage-to-income ratio is 41.1%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are in the 26th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 45.4% far exceed mortgage holders at 21.1%, signalling that much of the stock is held debt-free by long-term residents.
For Investors
Rental demand is real but the numbers require scrutiny. The 33.4% renter share and $400 weekly rent against a $1,207,500 median imply a gross yield around 1.7%, which is low for a non-prime market. A 13.5% vacancy rate is the key risk indicator, significantly higher than the national rental vacancy norm of around 1-2%, suggesting a material share of rental stock turns over frequently or sits empty between holiday lets. Development activity shows 20 applications in the past 12 months, a modest pipeline for a 0.49 km2 suburb. Population growth in the broader SA2 area runs at 0.5% annually, with overseas migration adding 162 residents a year while net internal migration runs at negative 66, so the underlying demand base is not expanding fast enough to tighten the 13.5% vacancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
137
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 54 sits 14 years above the national average, making this one of the more age-concentrated suburbs in coastal NSW. The aging trajectory is confirmed by a 3.5-point rise in the senior share and a 1.3-point drop in the working-age share over the decade. Overseas-born residents account for 17.5% of the population, which is 4.1 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile: English (656), Irish (206) and Scottish (159) are the top three ancestries. University qualifications reach 26.0%, which is 4.1 percentage points below national, and average household size of 2.1 is 0.4 below national, reflecting the high proportion of couples without children at 42.9% of families. Volunteering is relatively active at 14.3% of residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
51.3%
Houses
40.0%
Townhouse
5.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 45.4%, more than double the mortgage-holder share of 21.1%, which is a direct consequence of the median age of 54: many residents paid off their homes years ago. Renters at 33.4% form a significant third of the market, but the 13.5% vacancy rate dilutes effective demand. The stock leans toward three-bedroom homes at 49.8%, with two-bedroom dwellings at 27.0% and four-plus bedrooms at 18.5%. Semi-detached housing is unusually prevalent at 40.0%, reflecting the compact 0.49 km2 footprint where land is limited. Prices rose from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025, a 4.2% one-year gain. Mortgage-to-income stress stands at 41.1% for buyers who do borrow, and rent-to-income sits at 32.8%, both above stress thresholds because incomes rank in the 26th percentile nationally despite strong asset values.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$659
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.5%
Unoccupied
101
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.8% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
41.1% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.9%
Couples, no children
1,078
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local economy is narrow by design: with a participation rate of just 36.7%, most of the 1,442 residents are retired or not in the workforce. Of those who do work, Healthcare leads at 16.9% (57 workers), followed by Construction at 14.5% (49) and Professional/Tech at 13.4% (45), with Education at 9.2% and Public Admin at 7.4%. By occupation, Professionals (111) and Managers (82) hold the top two ranks, consistent with the Professional/Tech and Healthcare industry split. The unemployment rate is 5.9% among labour force participants, slightly above typical coastal suburb averages. SEIFA tells a nuanced story: the IRSD decile of 4 flags moderate relative disadvantage, yet the IEO decile of 5 indicates middle-ground education and occupation outcomes, a divergence explained by income-poor but asset-rich retirees skewing the disadvantage index downward.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
11,795
Unemployed
494
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
33.0%
Participation
36.7%
Employed
427
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.0%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
17.5%
Dwellings
653
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 91.8% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average well below this level, and only 2.7% use public transport, reflecting the suburb's peninsular location with limited bus access. Walking and cycling account for 2.3% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the Booker Bay boundary, so families depend on institutions in nearby Ettalong Beach, Woy Woy and surrounding Central Coast centres. Crime data is not available in the dataset for this suburb, but the IRSAD decile of 4 indicates below-average relative advantage nationally. The need-for-assistance rate is 8.1% (110 residents), above the national norm, which aligns with the concentrated older population at median age 54. The 13.5% vacancy rate means the street-level feel varies between holiday peaks and quieter periods.
Drive
91.8%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.5%/yr
(+125 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth in the broader SA2 context runs at 0.5% annually, adding around 125 persons a year, which is slow relative to most NSW coastal suburbs. Over 10 years the population grew 9.6% in the SA2 area. The migration pattern is mixed: overseas migration contributes a positive 162 residents a year while internal migration records a net outflow of 66, suggesting Booker Bay draws international arrivals but loses working-age locals to larger centres. Medium forecast scenarios project the SA2 population rising from around 25,057 in 2025 to 25,983 by 2031, a subdued trajectory. The gentrification score of 41 with a stage of early signs indicates some pressure from higher-income buyers entering the market, driven partly by the 44.4% rent growth over the period. The affordability ratio held steady at roughly 59% in both 2011 and 2021, a stability that is unusual in NSW coastal markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+162
Net Internal / yr
-66
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Booker Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Booker Bay a good suburb to live in?
Booker Bay suits settled, older households particularly well. With 45.4% of homes owned outright and a median age of 54 that is 14 years above the national figure, it attracts residents who value a quiet coastal setting. The trade-off is limited public transport at 2.7% usage, no recorded schools within the boundary, and a high 13.5% vacancy rate that reflects a notable holiday-let presence.
What is the median house price in Booker Bay?
The median house price is $1,207,500, rising 4.2% from $1,200,000 in 2024 to $1,250,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, but the mortgage-to-income ratio hits 41.1% because household incomes sit in the 26th percentile nationally, making new purchases financially demanding.
What schools are in Booker Bay?
No schools are recorded within the Booker Bay boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs such as Woy Woy and Ettalong Beach. Local university qualification rates stand at 26.0%, which is 4.1 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Booker Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Booker Bay in this dataset. As a proxy indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 4, below the national median on the relative disadvantage index. The need-for-assistance rate is 8.1% (110 residents), above typical averages, largely because of the highly aged population profile with a median age of 54.
Is Booker Bay good for property investment?
The 33.4% renter share provides a tenant pool, but weekly rent of $400 against a $1,207,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.7%, which is low. The 13.5% vacancy rate is the main concern, well above national rental norms, and population growth in the SA2 runs at just 0.5% annually. The investment case rests on capital growth rather than yield, with prices rising 4.2% over the last year.
How is Booker Bay's population changing?
The broader SA2 area grew 9.6% over 10 years and is forecast to add roughly 125 people annually at 0.5% growth. Overseas migration contributes a positive 162 residents a year while internal migration shows a net outflow of 66. The demographic trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 3.5 points and working-age share falling 1.3 points over the decade.
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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