Killarney Vale
Killarney Vale stands out for its 91.7% separate-house share across just 3.02 square kilometres, supporting a settled, car-oriented profile for 7,491 residents. At a median age of 39, it is 1.0 year younger than the national comparison, while household income sits at the 47.8th percentile. The suburb has 40.4% mortgage holders and 27.0% renters, so owner-occupier demand shapes the streetscape. Growth is measured at 0.32% annually, reinforcing an established pace. For buyers comparing Killarney Vale with nearby Bateau Bay or Long Jetty, the main distinction is its low-rise housing concentration rather than rapid expansion.
Population
7,491
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,524/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
78
Homebuyers are choosing predominantly detached stock: 91.7% separate houses, 49.7% three-bedroom dwellings and 32.7% with four or more bedrooms. That mix suits households averaging 2.6 people because space is more common than in an apartment-led setting, while apartments account for only 0.2%. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,907 against weekly household income of $1,524, with mortgage commitments at 28.9% and no mortgage-stress flag. Ownership is 31.8% outright and 40.4% mortgaged, while 27.0% rent. Compared with smaller-home options, buyers should weigh land, upkeep and commuting needs.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing predominantly detached stock: 91.7% separate houses, 49.7% three-bedroom dwellings and 32.7% with four or more bedrooms. That mix suits households averaging 2.6 people because space is more common than in an apartment-led setting, while apartments account for only 0.2%. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,907 against weekly household income of $1,524, with mortgage commitments at 28.9% and no mortgage-stress flag. Ownership is 31.8% outright and 40.4% mortgaged, while 27.0% rent. Compared with smaller-home options, buyers should weigh land, upkeep and commuting needs.
For Investors
Investors face 27.0% renting, a $400 weekly rent and 5.8% vacancy. This makes property condition and tenant appeal important, because rental performance can vary by address even in a detached-house market. Development activity reached 77 applications in 12 months; examples include a 1-dwelling house application and complying development certificates. Rent growth of 48.1% is higher than real income growth of 23.3%, while the annual trend is 0.32%. That favours a measured, cash-flow-aware strategy over a rapid-growth thesis, with overseas migration the primary forecast driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
387
Last 12 Months
78
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+18.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Killarney Vale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
At 39, Killarney Vale is 1.0 year younger than the national comparison, but its 18.1% university-educated share is 12.0 percentage points below national and 10.4% were born overseas, 11.2 points below national. This helps explain an English-Irish-Scottish ancestry pattern, with counts of 3,194, 800 and 670, rather than a strongly migrant-led profile. Christianity accounts for 3,732 responses and no religion 3,003. Household size is 2.6 people, 0.1 above national, while 81.0% stayed at the same address and turnover was 19.0%. Compared with nearby Bateau Bay or Tumbi Umbi, the practical distinction is a stable, Anglo-leaning profile with modest overseas representation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.7%
Houses
8.1%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached housing defines Killarney Vale: 91.7% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 0.2% apartments and 8.1% semi-detached homes. Three bedrooms are the largest category at 49.7%, higher than the 32.7% share with four or more bedrooms, so the stock suits families without being dominated by large homes. Tenure is 31.8% owned outright, 40.4% mortgaged and 27.0% rented, with 0.8% in other arrangements. The $400 weekly rent and $1,907 monthly mortgage indicator describe different tenure costs; mortgage stress is false at 28.9% and rent stress at 26.2%. For buyers comparing Killarney Vale with nearby Long Jetty, detached-lot condition and renovation scope are central.
Mortgage / mo
$1,907
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $400.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $680 · units $525
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$711
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.8%
Unoccupied
165
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.6%
Couples with children
34.3%
Couples, no children
24.1%
Single parent
2,034
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is led by Healthcare at 24.0% or 495 workers, Construction at 15.0% or 309, Education at 11.4% or 236, Retail at 7.0% or 144, and Public Administration at 6.4% or 133. Occupations are led by Trades at 541, Professionals at 538, Community and Personal workers at 458, Clerical and Administration at 422 and Labourers at 398. Unemployment is 4.6%, participation 56.6% and full-time employment 51.1%. SEIFA measures are uneven: IEO is decile 4, IER decile 6, IRSD decile 4 and IRSAD decile 4. IER ranks higher than the other three, suggesting income conditions are stronger than education and broad disadvantage measures, while household income sits at the 47.8th percentile. Healthcare and construction matter because they support both essential services and trade-based work.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
3,372
Unemployed
156
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.1%
Part-time
37.2%
Participation
56.6%
Employed
3,216
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.1%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
10.4%
Dwellings
2,679
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 69.0% travel as car drivers, compared with 1.1% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling, while 23.9% work from home. This makes vehicle access important because non-car travel is a small share of reported travel modes. Two government primary schools operate locally, giving families a nearby primary option, and enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Density is 2,482.1 people per square kilometre across 3.02 square kilometres, making Killarney Vale more compact than a low-density outer setting even though detached homes dominate. IRSAD is decile 4, lower than the IER decile 6, so transport costs and household budgets deserve attention when comparing it with Bateau Bay or Long Jetty.
Drive
69.0%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
23.9%
Population Forecast
+0.32%/yr
(+74 people/yr)
EstablishedKillarney Vale has an established, slow-growth outlook: the annual trend is 0.32%, while population change across the wider area is 6.8% over 10 years and overseas migration is the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Mixed, with rent growth of 48.1% higher than real income growth of 23.3%, suggesting housing costs have moved faster than earnings. Gentrification signals are mixed: the shift stage is Active with a score of 45, while the gentrification stage is Not gentrifying with a score of 0. The pattern points to incremental change rather than rapid repositioning, because affordability is labelled Stable from 57.0 in 2011 to 55.6 in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+81
Net Internal / yr
+6
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Killarney Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Killarney Vale a good suburb to live in?
Killarney Vale suits buyers wanting detached housing and an established setting: 91.7% of dwellings are separate houses, the median age is 39 and 69.0% drive to work. Its 0.32% annual trend is slower than a rapid-growth market, so expect steady rather than dramatic change.
What is the median house price in Killarney Vale?
A reliable current median house price should be checked against recent Killarney Vale sales rather than inferred from suburb averages. The stock is 91.7% separate houses, with 49.7% three-bedroom and 32.7% four-plus-bedroom dwellings, so price comparisons should match land, condition and bedroom count.
What schools are in Killarney Vale?
Killarney Vale has 2 locally listed schools, both government primary schools: Brooke Avenue Public School and Killarney Vale Public School. Check the exact enrolment zone before buying or renting, because local access is more limited than a suburb with government, independent and secondary options.
Is Killarney Vale safe?
Check current NSW Police and Central Coast Council information before deciding, and inspect the exact street at different times. Killarney Vale has 7,491 residents and 69.0% car-driver commuting, so activity can vary by pocket. Compare the address with nearby streets rather than treating the whole suburb as uniform.
Is Killarney Vale good for property investment?
It can suit a measured investment strategy, but not a guaranteed high-growth thesis. Rents are $400 weekly, vacancy is 5.8%, renting is 27.0% and 77 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Growth is 0.32% annually, lower than rent growth of 48.1%, so investors should stress-test costs and future supply.
How is Killarney Vale's population changing?
The suburb has 7,491 residents today. Growth is slow, with an annual trend of 0.32%, while wider-area population change is 6.8% over 10 years and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, so change is more incremental than a sharp expansion. An 81.0% same-address share also points to a settled base.
What development is happening in Killarney Vale?
Development activity includes 77 applications over 12 months, including complying development certificates and a recorded dwelling-house example with 1 dwelling. That example is lower than the total application count, so the headline figure should not be read as 77 new homes. Check each proposal's status, dwelling count and construction timing.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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