Canton Beach
A median age of 61 places Canton Beach 21 years above the national figure, making it one of the most age-advanced coastal suburbs in NSW. The suburb is small at 1,202 residents packed into 0.83 square kilometres on the Central Coast, with household income in the 2.2nd percentile nationally, well below average. Yet the median house price sits at $847,500, reflecting the waterfront location premium rather than local earnings. That disconnect is the defining tension: high property values in a community where 55.3% own their home outright, indicating long-held wealth rather than current income, and where only 27% of residents participate in the labour force.
Population
1,202
Median Age
61.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$710/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$848K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $847,500 demands careful budget planning because local household income sits at the 2.2nd percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 57.9%, well above the 30% stress threshold. Prices fell 13.4% from $930,000 in 2024 to $805,000 in 2025, which softens entry costs but signals a cooling market. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 73.4%, with semi-detached dwellings at 15.2% and apartments at 7.1%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.1%, reflecting the older couples profile, with three-bedroom homes at 25.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,781, but because median household income is low, buyers typically come in with substantial existing equity rather than high salaries.
For Buyers
The median house price of $847,500 demands careful budget planning because local household income sits at the 2.2nd percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 57.9%, well above the 30% stress threshold. Prices fell 13.4% from $930,000 in 2024 to $805,000 in 2025, which softens entry costs but signals a cooling market. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 73.4%, with semi-detached dwellings at 15.2% and apartments at 7.1%. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.1%, reflecting the older couples profile, with three-bedroom homes at 25.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,781, but because median household income is low, buyers typically come in with substantial existing equity rather than high salaries.
For Investors
A 33.2% renter share provides a reasonable tenant pool, with weekly rent at $300, low compared to broader NSW coastal markets. The vacancy rate of 8.9% is elevated and suggests seasonal or holiday-rental pressure rather than persistent demand, which creates risk for long-term lease investors. Only 5 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating low new supply pressure but also limited capital works activity. Rent-to-income at 42.3% for existing renters flags affordability stress, which caps rent growth potential. With prices down 13.4% year-on-year and gross yield running well below 2% against the $847,500 median, the investment case depends on long-term coastal lifestyle demand rather than near-term yield or growth metrics.
Development Activity
Total DAs
39
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 61 is 21 years above the national average, among the oldest profiles of any NSW suburb. Average household size of 1.8 is 0.7 below national, consistent with the dominant couples-without-children pattern where 39.8% of families are couples with no children. Only 14.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 7 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (569 residents), Irish (175) and Scottish (120). University qualifications reach just 9.9%, which is 20.2 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the older retired cohort whose working lives predated mass higher education. Residential stability is exceptionally high, with 78.5% of residents having stayed at the same address, compared to more transient metropolitan suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.4%
Houses
15.2%
Townhouse
7.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Canton Beach is unusual nationally, with 55.3% owning outright, far above typical mortgage-belt suburbs, while only 11.6% carry a mortgage. This pattern points to a retirement community where long-held properties have been paid off over decades. Renters account for 33.2%. The price trajectory fell from $930,000 in 2024 to $805,000 in 2025, a 13.4% decline, reversing prior gains. Separate houses make up 73.4% of dwellings, and two-bedroom configurations dominate at 55.1%, well above the national mix, because the older couples demographic needs fewer bedrooms than family-oriented suburbs. The 8.9% vacancy rate is above average for a permanent residential suburb, suggesting some properties serve as holiday or part-time residences rather than full-time homes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,781
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
1.8
Personal Income / wk
$526
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
61
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
42.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
57.9% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.8%
Couples, no children
694
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry at 26.6% of employed residents (47 workers), followed by Construction at 19.8% (35 workers) and Education at 9.0% (16 workers). However, the broader economic picture is shaped by a labour force participation rate of just 27%, far below national norms, because 616 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a predominantly retired population. Unemployment among those who do participate is 8.3%, above the national average, and full-time employment runs at 58% of the employed. Weekly personal income averages $526, with household income in the 2.2nd percentile nationally. The leading occupations are Labourers (61), Community/Personal workers (47) and Clerical/Admin (41), a pattern reflecting part-time and care-sector roles rather than high-income professional employment.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.0%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
27.0%
Employed
264
Occupations
Top Industries
University
9.9%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
14.6%
Dwellings
624
Transport to Work
Canton Beach is almost entirely car-dependent, with 89.5% of residents driving to work, well above the national rate, and just 1.5% walking or cycling. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with children rely on nearby schools outside the postcode 2263 catchment. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the dataset, though the low-income, high-outright-ownership profile with 78.5% residential stability is associated with established community patterns rather than high-turnover areas. Rent-to-income stress at 42.3% affects the renting third of the population. With 13.7% of residents (150 people) needing daily assistance and a median age of 61, the suburb has a meaningful aged-care demand profile, higher than the national average, which shapes local service provision.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Canton Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canton Beach a good suburb to live in?
Canton Beach suits retirees and sea-change buyers more than young families or professionals. The median age of 61 is 21 years above national, 55.3% own their homes outright, and 78.5% of residents have stayed at the same address, reflecting a stable and settled community. There are no schools in the suburb and car ownership is near-universal at 89.5%, so it is not a walkable location.
What is the median house price in Canton Beach?
The median house price is $847,500, based on 2024-2025 data. Prices fell 13.4% from $930,000 in 2024 to $805,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,781. Weekly rent is $300. Household income sits at the 2.2nd percentile nationally, making affordability a genuine challenge for buyers who rely on current income rather than equity.
What schools are in Canton Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Canton Beach boundary in this dataset. The suburb has a population of 1,202 across 0.83 square kilometres, and with a median age of 61 and dominant couples-without-children profile at 39.8% of families, school-age children are a small share of residents. Families use schools in surrounding Central Coast postcodes.
Is Canton Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Canton Beach in this dataset. As context, the suburb has 78.5% residential stability, meaning most residents have lived there for at least 5 years, and 55.3% own their homes outright. The low-transience, retirement-oriented profile with 1,202 residents in a small 0.83 square kilometre area is generally associated with lower property crime than high-turnover urban areas.
Is Canton Beach good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $300 against a $847,500 median implies a gross yield below 2%, low by national standards, and the 8.9% vacancy rate is elevated. Prices declined 13.4% in the year to 2025. The 33.2% renter share provides some tenant demand, but rent-to-income at 42.3% among renters limits further rent growth. Returns depend on long-term coastal lifestyle appreciation rather than near-term yield.
How is Canton Beach's population changing?
The current population is 1,202, concentrated in a small 0.83 square kilometre area giving a density of 1,445 per square kilometre. The median age of 61 and 78.5% residential stability suggest slow organic turnover. With only 5 development applications in the past 12 months and a fully built-out footprint, significant population growth is unlikely in the near term. National sea-change and retirement migration trends may sustain gradual demand over the longer term.
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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