Chain Valley Bay
With a median age of 63, Chain Valley Bay sits 23 years above the national figure, making it one of the oldest-skewing residential communities in NSW. Of 2,773 residents, 66.7% own their home outright, far above the national ownership norm, because this is primarily a retirement and downsizer enclave rather than a growth suburb. Household income lands in the 6.5th percentile nationally, not from poverty but from a workforce participation rate of just 30.1%, with 1,419 residents not in the labour force. Separate houses account for 90.4% of the stock and median house prices reached $808,500 in 2024-2025.
Population
2,773
Median Age
63.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$866/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Median House
$808K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $808,500, with prices rising from $750,000 in 2024 to $820,000 in 2025, a 9.3% gain in one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, but mortgage stress flags at 43.9% of income because household incomes are in the 6.5th percentile nationally. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 90.4% separate houses and only 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.6%, followed by two-bedroom at 31.5% and four-plus at 19.3%. The outright ownership rate of 66.7% is well above typical suburban levels, signalling that most buyers here are equity-rich retirees or downsizers rather than first-home buyers using debt.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $808,500, with prices rising from $750,000 in 2024 to $820,000 in 2025, a 9.3% gain in one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, but mortgage stress flags at 43.9% of income because household incomes are in the 6.5th percentile nationally. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 90.4% separate houses and only 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.6%, followed by two-bedroom at 31.5% and four-plus at 19.3%. The outright ownership rate of 66.7% is well above typical suburban levels, signalling that most buyers here are equity-rich retirees or downsizers rather than first-home buyers using debt.
For Investors
Chain Valley Bay is a low-yield investor market. Weekly rent averages $370 against an $808,500 median, implying a gross yield near 2.4%, below what most investors target. The vacancy rate sits at 4.8%, slightly elevated compared to tight markets, and the renter share is just 9.8%, one of the lowest proportions you will find, so the tenant pool is thin. Only 11 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, reflecting a settled, low-churn community. The 9.3% house price rise over 2024-2025 is the main investment signal, but with a participation rate of 30.1% and income in the 6.5th percentile nationally, rental demand growth is structurally limited by the retirement demographic.
Development Activity
Total DAs
54
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+62.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 63 is 23 years higher than the national median, placing Chain Valley Bay firmly in retirement territory. Average household size is 2.1, below the national average of 2.5, consistent with the 47.3% couples-without-children profile. Overseas-born residents make up 15.6%, which is 6 percentage points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,264), Irish (351) and Scottish (319) lead. University qualifications reach only 10.2%, running 19.9 percentage points below national, reflecting cohort effects from an era when university attendance was far less common. The volunteering rate of 9.5% and 10.6% needing daily assistance both align with an older population that is largely settled and active in the community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.4%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tells the retirement story clearly: 66.7% own outright, 23.6% carry a mortgage and only 9.8% rent, ratios that are the inverse of most suburban markets. Separate houses account for 90.4% of the 5.6 km2 suburb, with semi-detached at 9.0% and apartments at just 0.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 47.6%, followed by two-bedroom at 31.5%. The median price rose 9.3% from $750,000 to $820,000 between 2024 and 2025, reaching a current assessed median of $808,500. Rent-to-income sits at 42.7%, which flags as stress, but the small renter cohort of 9.8% means this affects few households. Turnover is low at 19.6%, with 80.4% of residents staying put, consistent with an owner-occupier base that chose this location for the long term.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wk
$370
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$530
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.8%
Unoccupied
62
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
42.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
43.9% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.3%
Couples, no children
1,997
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 21.9% of workers (105 people), reflecting demand from an aging local population and nearby aged-care and medical facilities. Construction follows at 14.8% (71 workers), with Retail and Education tied at 9.8% each and Public Admin at 6.7%. Community and personal service workers are the largest occupation group (124), ahead of Sales (94) and Professionals (92). The unemployment rate is 6.7%, above the national figure, and the participation rate is just 30.1% compared to national norms near 65%, because 1,419 of 2,773 residents are not in the labour force. Household income lands in the 6.5th percentile nationally, a figure driven by retirement income rather than low wages for those who do work.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
30.1%
Employed
697
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.2%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
15.6%
Dwellings
1,234
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total at 93.7% of commuters driving, with public transport at just 1.1% and walking or cycling at 1.3%. This is characteristic of a lake-side residential suburb without a rail link, where daily errands require driving. No schools are recorded within the Chain Valley Bay boundary, so families with children rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. About 10.6% of residents (270 people) need daily assistance, higher than metro averages, consistent with the median age of 63 that is 23 years above national. Crime data is not available for this suburb in the current dataset. The low density of 495 residents per km2, coupled with 90.4% detached housing and a stable 80.4% long-term resident base, gives the suburb a quiet, settled character that suits its largely retired population.
Drive
93.7%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chain Valley Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chain Valley Bay a good suburb to live in?
Chain Valley Bay suits retirees and downsizers well. With 66.7% of residents owning outright, a median age of 63, and 80.4% of residents staying long-term, it is a settled, low-churn community. Car dependence is high at 93.7% and no schools are listed within the boundary, so it is less suited to families with school-age children.
What is the median house price in Chain Valley Bay?
The median house price is $808,500, based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose from $750,000 in 2024 to $820,000 in 2025, a 9.3% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,647, though household income sits in the 6.5th percentile nationally, so mortgage-to-income stress flags at 43.9%.
What schools are in Chain Valley Bay?
No schools are recorded within the Chain Valley Bay boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby suburbs. University qualifications among residents are 10.2%, which is 19.9 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting an older cohort rather than current school access issues.
Is Chain Valley Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Chain Valley Bay in this dataset. The suburb has a low-turnover, owner-occupier character with 66.7% outright ownership and 80.4% long-term residents, which is generally associated with community stability. Direct crime rate comparison with state or national averages is not possible from available data.
Is Chain Valley Bay good for property investment?
Investment fundamentals are modest. Weekly rent of $370 against an $808,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.4%, below average. The renter share is only 9.8%, so the tenant pool is small. The 9.3% house price rise from 2024 to 2025 is encouraging for capital growth, but the low participation rate of 30.1% limits rental demand expansion.
How is Chain Valley Bay's population changing?
Population stands at 2,773 with a median age of 63, which is 23 years above the national median. The 80.4% resident stability rate and only 11 development applications in the past 12 months indicate minimal new supply or turnover. The aging demographic profile suggests gradual natural attrition rather than growth, with little inflow of younger families evident from the data.
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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