Empire Bay
With 93.3% of dwellings being separate houses and a median house price of $1,117,500, Empire Bay is one of the Central Coast's most distinctly detached-house markets. The suburb's median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, and household incomes sit at the 70.3rd percentile nationally, placing it comfortably above the middle of the national distribution. Only 17.8% of residents rent, compared to the national average, pointing to a stable, ownership-oriented community. The workforce leans heavily toward Healthcare (19.8%) and Construction (16.6%), which together account for more than a third of all local employment.
Population
2,522
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,884/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a median house price of $1,117,500, Empire Bay offers detached living on the Central Coast at a significant premium over median Australian values, though prices have eased 5.2% from the 2024 peak of $1,160,000 to $1,100,000 in 2025. The stock is overwhelmingly freestanding: 93.3% of dwellings are separate houses, with apartments at just 2.2%. Large homes dominate, with 44.5% having 4 or more bedrooms and a further 36.7% at 3 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,165, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners (39.2%) nearly match mortgage holders (43.0%), signalling a mature buyer base rather than a speculative wave.
For Buyers
At a median house price of $1,117,500, Empire Bay offers detached living on the Central Coast at a significant premium over median Australian values, though prices have eased 5.2% from the 2024 peak of $1,160,000 to $1,100,000 in 2025. The stock is overwhelmingly freestanding: 93.3% of dwellings are separate houses, with apartments at just 2.2%. Large homes dominate, with 44.5% having 4 or more bedrooms and a further 36.7% at 3 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,165, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners (39.2%) nearly match mortgage holders (43.0%), signalling a mature buyer base rather than a speculative wave.
For Investors
Empire Bay presents a mixed investment picture. The 17.8% renter share is lower than the national average, reducing tenant pool depth, and a vacancy rate of 8.7% is elevated, suggesting supply outpaces demand in the current rental market. Weekly rent of $410 against a $1,117,500 median implies a gross yield around 1.9%, which is thin for the price point. Development activity in the past 12 months reached 20 applications, mostly alterations and additions rather than new dwellings, consistent with a suburb in maintenance mode rather than expansion. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5% indicates existing owners are not under stress, reducing forced-sale risk, but the high vacancy rate warrants caution for buy-to-rent investors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
136
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+57.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Empire Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Empire Bay Public School
K-6 · 426 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, consistent with a post-family-raising cohort on the Central Coast. University qualifications at 24.9% sit 5.2 percentage points below the national average, while the overseas-born share of 13.4% is 8.2 points below national, pointing to an Anglo-Celtic population with limited migrant diversity. Ancestry is led by English (1,089), Scottish (302) and Irish (283). Average household size of 2.7 is 0.2 above national, and 43.2% of families are couples with children versus 25.3% couples without children, a profile consistent with established family households rather than empty-nesters. Volunteering at 13.5% is a modest sign of community participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.3%
Houses
3.9%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split in Empire Bay favours ownership: 39.2% own outright and 43.0% hold a mortgage, leaving just 17.8% renting. This is significantly skewed toward ownership compared to national norms. Separate houses account for 93.3% of all dwellings, with semi-detached at 3.9% and apartments at just 2.2%. Bedroom profile skews large: 4-plus bedroom homes make up 44.5% and 3-bedroom 36.7%, so the suburb's housing stock is overwhelmingly family-scaled. Prices moved from $1,160,000 in 2024 to $1,100,000 in 2025, a 5.2% decline. At a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5% and rent-to-income of 21.8%, neither mortgage holders nor renters face financial stress by conventional benchmarks.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,165
Rent / wk
$410
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$755
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
83
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.3%
Couples, no children
2,138
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 19.8% of employed residents (155 workers), followed by Construction at 16.6% (130) and Education at 11.2% (88). Public Admin and Professional/Tech together add a further 15.4%. By occupation, Professionals (226) and Managers (166) lead, with Clerical/Admin (164) and Community/Personal (150) reflecting the healthcare and education base. Unemployment sits at 4.0%, close to the national average, with a full-time employment rate of 58.4% and participation rate of 52.7%, the latter lower than national norms because 722 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 42. Household income at the 70.3rd percentile nationally is above median, driven by the professional and managerial occupational mix.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
37.6%
Participation
52.7%
Employed
1,018
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.9%
Postgraduate
6.1%
Born Overseas
13.4%
Dwellings
880
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Empire Bay: 90.4% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, while only 2.1% use public transport and 2.1% walk or cycle, reflecting the peninsula's limited transit access. The suburb covers 3.97 square kilometres at low density, with most amenities requiring a car trip to nearby Gosford or Woy Woy. No schools are recorded within the Empire Bay boundary in this dataset, so families rely on surrounding suburbs. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The rent-to-income ratio of 21.8% and mortgage-to-income of 26.5% both sit below stress thresholds, and only 5.4% of residents (129 people) need daily assistance, lower than many outer-suburban areas.
Drive
90.4%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Empire Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Empire Bay a good suburb to live in?
Empire Bay suits buyers seeking large detached houses in a low-density waterfront setting on the Central Coast. Household incomes are at the 70.3rd percentile nationally, ownership rates are high at 82.2% combined, and neither mortgage nor rental stress is triggered. The main limitations are strong car dependence (90.4% drive) and limited on-site amenities, with no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Empire Bay?
The median house price in Empire Bay is $1,117,500. Prices peaked at $1,160,000 in 2024 and eased to $1,100,000 in 2025, a 5.2% decline. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,165, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5% stays below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Empire Bay?
No schools are recorded within the Empire Bay suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Woy Woy and Gosford. The local university qualification rate is 24.9%, which is 5.2 percentage points below the national average.
Is Empire Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Empire Bay in this dataset. As context, only 5.4% of residents (129 people) need daily assistance, and the high homeownership rate of 82.2% combined (outright plus mortgage) is generally associated with residential stability and lower transient population.
Is Empire Bay good for property investment?
Empire Bay has a thin rental market: only 17.8% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 8.7%, above typical investment benchmarks. Weekly rent of $410 against a $1,117,500 median implies a gross yield around 1.9%, which is low. The 5.2% price decline from 2024 to 2025 adds caution. Investors seeking yield rather than capital growth may find more attractive options in higher-density or higher-turnover markets.
How is Empire Bay's population changing?
Empire Bay has a population of 2,522 across 3.97 square kilometres. The residential turnover rate is 17.8%, with 82.2% of residents staying at the same address over the survey period, indicating very low churn. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, consistent with an aging, long-settled community rather than one attracting significant new arrivals.
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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