Erina
A median age of 61 sets Erina apart from almost any Sydney-orbit market, sitting 21 years above the national figure and shaping nearly everything else about the suburb. Household income lands in just the 13th percentile nationally, yet the median house price reached $1,050,000 in 2025, a tension that pushes the mortgage-to-income ratio to 49.1% and flags real affordability stress. The dwelling stock is 75.5% separate houses across a 5.16 km2 footprint, and 54.7% of residents own outright, well above the share carrying a mortgage. SEIFA places the suburb mid-pack, at decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 6 on education and occupation, a moderately advantaged profile built on retirees rather than high earners.
Population
5,205
Median Age
61.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,010/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
65
Median House
$988K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Erina's median house price climbed from $872,500 in 2024 to $1,050,000 in 2025, a 20.3% one-year jump that has outpaced local incomes badly. Household income in the 13th percentile against a seven-figure median produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 49.1%, far above the 30% stress threshold, so monthly repayments of $2,146 are manageable mainly for the 54.7% who own outright rather than for new buyers. The stock favours houses: 75.5% are separate dwellings and just 4.3% apartments, with semi-detached at 20.2%. Two-bedroom homes dominate the mix at 43.3%, while 4-plus bedroom houses make up 27.7% and three-bedroom 23.4%, a smaller-footprint profile that suits the downsizing retirees who define the suburb more than growing families.
For Buyers
Erina's median house price climbed from $872,500 in 2024 to $1,050,000 in 2025, a 20.3% one-year jump that has outpaced local incomes badly. Household income in the 13th percentile against a seven-figure median produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 49.1%, far above the 30% stress threshold, so monthly repayments of $2,146 are manageable mainly for the 54.7% who own outright rather than for new buyers. The stock favours houses: 75.5% are separate dwellings and just 4.3% apartments, with semi-detached at 20.2%. Two-bedroom homes dominate the mix at 43.3%, while 4-plus bedroom houses make up 27.7% and three-bedroom 23.4%, a smaller-footprint profile that suits the downsizing retirees who define the suburb more than growing families.
For Investors
Renters make up 21.2% of Erina households, a thinner tenant pool than most metro markets, and weekly rent of $380 against a $1,050,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.9%, low for a regional coastal market. The vacancy rate of 5.2% sits above tight metro levels, signalling softer rental demand. Rent has still grown 49.1% across the measured period, so the case rests on escalation rather than starting yield. Demand support is modest: net overseas migration adds about 111 residents a year and net internal migration adds 67, both positive but small against an established base. Development is steady at 65 applications in 12 months, weighted toward secondary dwellings and alterations rather than new apartment supply, which keeps the detached-house scarcity that underpins capital values.
Development Activity
Total DAs
358
Last 12 Months
65
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Erina iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Central Coast Adventist School
K-12 · 1136 students
Woodport Public School
K-6 · 429 students
Erina High School
7-12 · 781 students
Demographics
The median age of 61 runs 21 years above national, the single most defining statistic here, and the trajectory is aging further: the senior share rose 5.8 points while the working-age share fell 3.2 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 24.6%, only 3 points above national, so the suburb is less internationally mixed than typical Sydney areas. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,133), Irish (580) and Scottish (526), and the largest non-English languages are Mandarin (32), Arabic (19) and Cantonese (14), small absolute counts. University qualifications sit at 24.1%, which is 6 points below national, consistent with an older, less degree-heavy population. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, and couples without children form 38.9% of the 3,402 families, outnumbering couples with children at 1,156.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.5%
Houses
20.2%
Townhouse
4.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is owner-dominated: 54.7% own outright, 24.1% carry a mortgage and 21.2% rent, so debt-free retirees outnumber every other group, a direct consequence of the median age of 61. The stock is 75.5% separate houses and 20.2% semi-detached, leaving apartments at just 4.3%, which keeps detached supply scarce and supports prices. Two-bedroom dwellings lead at 43.3%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.7% and three-bedroom at 23.4%, reflecting a downsizer-heavy mix. The median rose from $872,500 to $1,050,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 20.3% gain. Mortgage-to-income at 49.1% and rent-to-income at 37.6% both exceed the 30% stress threshold, a divergence from the high outright-ownership rate that shows costs bite hardest on the minority who still owe money or rent.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,146
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$607
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
119
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.6% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
49.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.9%
Couples, no children
3,402
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 24.1% of workers (263 people), more than double the next sector, Construction at 11.3% (123), followed by Education at 10.4% (113), Professional/Tech at 7.2% and Retail at 6.6%. By occupation, Professionals (364) lead ahead of Clerical/Admin (234) and Managers (212), a service-heavy profile that fits a suburb anchored by the Erina commercial precinct. Unemployment is low at 4.6%, but the participation rate is only 31.7% because 2,199 residents are not in the labour force, a direct effect of the median age of 61. SEIFA reads decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 8 on economic resources (IER), above the midpoint, while education and occupation (IEO) sits lower at decile 6, the gap reflecting an asset-rich, lower-income retiree base rather than a high-earning workforce.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
6,897
Unemployed
121
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.0%
Part-time
37.4%
Participation
31.7%
Employed
1,380
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.1%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
24.6%
Dwellings
2,143
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 89.0% of commuters drive, while only 2.0% use public transport and 4.5% walk or cycle, well below the active-transport share of denser suburbs and a function of the spread-out, 75.5% detached layout. The suburb scores decile 7 on IRSAD, above the national midpoint, indicating moderate overall advantage, though 11.4% of residents (526 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger suburbs because of the median age of 61. No schools are recorded inside the 5.16 km2 Erina boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Volunteering runs at 14.0%, and with 54.7% owning outright, the suburb reads as a settled, retiree-oriented place where stability outweighs the limited transport and school options on its own footprint.
Drive
89.0%
Public Transport
2.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.33%/yr
(+49 people/yr)
EstablishedErina is an established, slow-growth market: the trend forecast adds about 49 people a year, an annual rate near 0.33%, after 8.6% population change over the past decade. Migration is balanced and modest, with net overseas inflow of roughly 111 a year and net internal inflow of 67, both positive but too small to shift the trajectory. The gentrification reading is mixed, scored 47 and labelled active on the shift measure yet only 8 on the secondary index, so any upgrading is gradual rather than rapid. Affordability has worsened, with the stress measure rising from 54.9% in 2011 to 59.2% in 2021 as the median pushed past $1,000,000 while incomes stayed in the 13th percentile. The aging profile, with the senior share up 5.8 points, points to continued slow, retiree-led expansion rather than a development surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+111
Net Internal / yr
+67
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +67/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Erina compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Erina a good suburb to live in?
Erina scores decile 7 on IRSAD and decile 8 on economic resources, both above the national midpoint, and 54.7% of residents own their home outright. It suits retirees and downsizers given the median age of 61, though the median house price near $1,050,000 against incomes in the 13th percentile makes it costly for new buyers.
What is the median house price in Erina?
The median house price reached $1,050,000 in 2025, up 20.3% from $872,500 in 2024. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,146, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 49.1%, well above the 30% affordability stress threshold.
What schools are in Erina?
No schools are recorded inside the 5.16 km2 Erina boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident profile skews older, with university qualifications at 24.1%, which is 6 points below the national figure.
Is Erina safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Erina in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and 78.2% of residents stayed put over the period, both consistent with a stable, settled area.
Is Erina good for property investment?
Rent of $380 a week against a $1,050,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.9%, low for the region, and the vacancy rate of 5.2% sits above tight metro levels. Net overseas migration of about 111 a year supports demand, but with renters at just 21.2%, returns lean on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Erina's population changing?
Growth is slow, with the trend forecast adding about 49 residents a year, near 0.33% annually, after an 8.6% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.8 points and the working-age share down 3.2 points over the decade, leaving a median age of 61.
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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