Fern Bay
Almost half of Fern Bay households own their home outright, a figure that sits well above the national average and signals a mature, settled community rather than a high-turnover one. The suburb spans 8.3 square kilometres on the NSW coast with a population of 4,046 and a median age of 43, which is 3 years above the national figure. Detached houses make up 98.2% of dwellings, one of the highest rates you will find anywhere in NSW, and the median house price reached $965,000 in 2025. Weekly household income of $1,435 places residents at the 42.5th percentile nationally, meaning most buyers here are stretching to meet that price point.
Population
4,046
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,435/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$950K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price rose from $947,500 in 2024 to $965,000 in 2025, a 1.8% gain that is modest compared to many NSW coastal markets. At 98.2% detached houses, buyers get true separation and land, with 45.4% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,299, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.0%, above the 30% stress threshold given household income at the 42.5th percentile nationally. A 4-plus bedroom share of 45.4% is higher than most NSW suburbs, so families looking for space will find more options here than in denser coastal towns. Outright owners at 48.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 27.0%, indicating that much of the existing stock is held by long-term, debt-free residents.
For Buyers
The median house price rose from $947,500 in 2024 to $965,000 in 2025, a 1.8% gain that is modest compared to many NSW coastal markets. At 98.2% detached houses, buyers get true separation and land, with 45.4% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,299, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.0%, above the 30% stress threshold given household income at the 42.5th percentile nationally. A 4-plus bedroom share of 45.4% is higher than most NSW suburbs, so families looking for space will find more options here than in denser coastal towns. Outright owners at 48.3% outnumber mortgage holders at 27.0%, indicating that much of the existing stock is held by long-term, debt-free residents.
For Investors
Renters make up 24.7% of households, below typical investment suburbs, and weekly rent sits at $510. Against the $965,000 median house price that implies a gross yield near 2.75%, low for an outer-coastal market. The vacancy rate of 4.6% is elevated compared to a healthy 2-3% benchmark, suggesting some oversupply in the rental pool. Development activity shows 24 applications lodged in the past 12 months, including subdivision works, which points to gradual lot creation rather than large-scale unit construction. The 1.8% price increase from 2024 to 2025 is positive but thin, so the investment case depends on longer-term capital growth from coastal demand rather than near-term yield or rapid appreciation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
169
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+8.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Fern Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Fern Bay Public School
K-6 · 182 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, placing Fern Bay firmly in the older-skewing coastal category. Overseas-born residents account for 12.5% of the population, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile: English (1,762), Irish (496) and Scottish (440) are the top three groups. University qualifications reach 27.6%, which is 2.5 percentage points below national, while the participation rate of 46.8% is low compared to the national average, largely because 1,413 residents are not in the labour force, a pattern typical of suburbs with a higher share of retirees. Average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national 2.5. Volunteering at 15.0% of residents reflects a relatively engaged community for its size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.2%
Houses
1.6%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Fern Bay's tenure structure is unusual: outright owners at 48.3% are nearly double the mortgage holders at 27.0%, and renters account for 24.7%. That ownership skew reflects a long-settled population rather than recent buyer activity. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.2%, with semi-detached at 1.6% and apartments at just 0.2%, a concentration of detached housing that is higher than state and national norms. The largest bedroom cohort is 4-plus at 45.4%, followed by 2-bedroom at 29.8% and 3-bedroom at 21.2%. Median house price moved from $947,500 in 2024 to $965,000 in 2025, a 1.8% gain. Rent-to-income at 35.5% indicates rental stress for tenants, and mortgage-to-income at 37.0% exceeds the 30% stress threshold, putting both tenure groups under pressure relative to local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,299
Rent / wk
$510
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$735
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.5% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.0% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.1%
Couples, no children
3,221
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 19.1% of employed residents (225 workers), followed by Public Administration at 16.5% (194) and Education at 12.9% (152). Professional and Technical services account for 7.9% and Construction for 7.7%, the latter consistent with ongoing development activity across the Hunter region. By occupation, Professionals lead with 390 workers, followed by Community and Personal service roles at 213 and Managers at 206. The unemployment rate is 4.4%, above the national average, and the full-time employment rate of 65.7% is moderate. Weekly personal income of $735 and household income at the 42.5th national percentile indicate a working-to-middle-income suburb rather than a high-earning one, with income levels below the state median.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.7%
Part-time
29.9%
Participation
46.8%
Employed
1,453
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.6%
Postgraduate
7.0%
Born Overseas
12.5%
Dwellings
1,637
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme: 95.1% of residents drive to work, compared to significantly lower national averages, while walking or cycling accounts for just 1.0%. This reflects the suburban footprint and limited public transport options typical of outer coastal NSW. Rent-to-income at 35.5% and mortgage-to-income at 37.0% both exceed standard stress thresholds, meaning affordability is a real challenge despite the suburb sitting at the 42.5th income percentile nationally. No dedicated schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in nearby areas such as Williamtown and Medowie. Assistance needs affect 7.8% of residents (299 people), slightly higher than lower-disadvantage suburbs, consistent with the older median age profile. The vacancy rate of 4.6% is above a healthy rental market benchmark, suggesting some slack in the local housing supply.
Drive
95.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Fern Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fern Bay a good suburb to live in?
Fern Bay suits buyers seeking detached housing in a settled coastal area. The suburb has 98.2% separate houses, a median age of 43 and 48.3% outright ownership, well above national norms. The trade-offs are high car dependency at 95.1%, a median house price of $965,000, and mortgage-to-income stress at 37.0%.
What is the median house price in Fern Bay?
The median house price is $965,000 as of 2025, up 1.8% from $947,500 in 2024. Weekly rent averages $510 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $2,299, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.0% against household income at the 42.5th national percentile.
What schools are in Fern Bay?
No schools are recorded inside the Fern Bay boundary in this dataset. Families rely on nearby schools in adjoining areas. The local university qualification rate is 27.6%, which is 2.5 percentage points below the national average, and the population skews older with a median age of 43.
Is Fern Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Fern Bay in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has 48.3% outright home ownership, a low-turnover resident base (69.2% stayed over the measured period), and an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is modestly above the national level.
Is Fern Bay good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $510 against a $965,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.75%, below typical investment thresholds. The vacancy rate of 4.6% is above the healthy 2-3% range. Prices rose 1.8% from 2024 to 2025, and 24 development applications in 12 months including subdivision work suggests slow but steady supply growth.
How is Fern Bay's population changing?
Fern Bay has a population of 4,046 with a resident turnover rate of 30.8%, meaning 69.2% of residents stayed over the measured period. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure. The suburb shows signs of gradual growth through subdivision activity rather than major infill development.
How much development is happening in Fern Bay?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including subdivision works, additions, caravan park changes and swimming pool installations. This level of activity is modest and skewed toward existing property upgrades and lot creation rather than large new housing supply, consistent with a lower-density 8.3 square kilometre suburb.
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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