Little Bay
Apartment living defines Little Bay more than its coastal image: 55.4% of dwellings are apartments, compared with 29.0% separate houses. The suburb has 4,817 residents across 2.46 sq km, and 48.7% work from home, which helps explain demand for smaller, amenity-focused homes. Residents are older than the national average by 2.0 years, while the overseas-born share is 39.4%, or 17.8 percentage points above the national figure. Household income ranks at the 89.6th percentile. Compared with nearby Malabar and Maroubra, Little Bay reads as a compact, apartment-led market with strong professional participation rather than a conventional detached-house district.
Population
4,817
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,364/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
35
Little Bay suits buyers who value apartment choice, coastal surroundings and space for working from home. Buyers should benchmark the exact dwelling type before making an offer because apartments account for 55.4% of homes, versus 29.0% separate houses and 15.6% semi-detached dwellings. The monthly mortgage figure is $3,000, with mortgage costs equal to 29.3% of household income compared with 25.0% for rent. Bedroom supply is unusually even: 24.5% has 0 or 1 bedroom, 24.5% has 2, 25.4% has 3 and 25.6% has 4 or more. Compared with detached-house markets, unit buyers have a broader range of dwelling sizes but should check strata costs, outlook and parking carefully.
For Buyers
Little Bay suits buyers who value apartment choice, coastal surroundings and space for working from home. Buyers should benchmark the exact dwelling type before making an offer because apartments account for 55.4% of homes, versus 29.0% separate houses and 15.6% semi-detached dwellings. The monthly mortgage figure is $3,000, with mortgage costs equal to 29.3% of household income compared with 25.0% for rent. Bedroom supply is unusually even: 24.5% has 0 or 1 bedroom, 24.5% has 2, 25.4% has 3 and 25.6% has 4 or more. Compared with detached-house markets, unit buyers have a broader range of dwelling sizes but should check strata costs, outlook and parking carefully.
For Investors
Little Bay has a sizeable tenant base, with 40.7% renting compared with 28.3% owning outright and 28.5% paying a mortgage. Weekly rent is $590, while rent represents 25.0% of household income, supporting demand from households seeking access to the area without purchasing. The 9.1% vacancy rate is a key offset, because landlords may face stronger competition between listings than in tighter rental markets. Development activity also matters: 38 applications were recorded over 12 months, including subdivisions and a swimming pool project. With apartments forming 55.4% of housing, the investment case is more closely tied to unit presentation, amenity and strata management than to detached-house scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
215
Last 12 Months
35
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Little Bay has an older age profile than the national average, with a median age of 42, or 2.0 years above the national figure. Its 39.4% overseas-born share is 17.8 percentage points higher than nationally, while 47.5% of residents have university qualifications, 17.4 points above the national rate. English ancestry is recorded for 1,353 people, followed by Other at 763, Irish at 708, Chinese at 448 and Scottish at 340. Christianity is the largest religious affiliation at 2,490 people, compared with 1,620 reporting no religion. Average household size is 2.4, slightly lower than the national figure by 0.1, helping explain the strong apartment and smaller-dwelling presence.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
29.0%
Houses
15.6%
Townhouse
55.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Little Bay has an apartment-dominant housing structure, with 55.4% apartments compared with 29.0% separate houses and 15.6% semi-detached homes. Tenure is evenly divided between outright ownership at 28.3% and mortgages at 28.5%, while renting is higher at 40.7%. Compared with outright owners, mortgage holders are only 0.2 percentage points higher, suggesting a mixed market rather than one dominated by a single tenure group. The bedroom profile is spread across 24.5% for 0 or 1 bedroom, 24.5% for 2, 25.4% for 3 and 25.6% for 4 or more. Mortgage costs equal 29.3% of household income versus 25.0% for rent, so affordability depends heavily on dwelling type and purchase price.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $590.
$1,100
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,498 · units $1,050
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,141
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
185
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.7%
Couples with children
44.0%
Couples, no children
10.6%
Single parent
1,310
Total families
Economy & Employment
Little Bay has a professional employment base, led by Healthcare at 13.8% of jobs, Professional and Technical services at 12.7%, Education at 11.2%, Construction at 11.0% and Public Administration at 8.8%. This aligns with 745 Professionals and 492 Managers, compared with 301 Clerical and Administrative workers and 239 in Trades. The labour force includes 2,400 people, with 1,417 employed full time and 683 part time. Unemployment is 2.8% and participation is 60.1%, while the full-time rate is 60.8%. Household income ranks at the 89.6th percentile, above most Australian areas, which helps support demand for well-located apartments and higher-quality local services.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
2,400
Unemployed
68
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
29.3%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
2,332
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.5%
Postgraduate
15.6%
Born Overseas
39.4%
Dwellings
1,850
Transport to Work
Little Bay offers a compact, relatively dense setting at 1,960.5 residents per sq km across 2.46 sq km. Work-from-home participation is 48.7%, higher than the 43.9% share who drive a car, which can reduce daily commuting pressure for many households. Public transport accounts for 2.8% of travel and walking or cycling for 2.2%, so car access and remote work are more prominent than active or public transport. Families should check school enrolment zones against the exact address, since practical access depends on catchments beyond the suburb boundary. Safety decisions should include a current NSW Police or council check for the specific street and building, particularly in a suburb with 4,817 residents and 40.7% renters.
Drive
43.9%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
48.7%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Little Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Little Bay a good suburb to live in?
Little Bay suits residents seeking an apartment-led coastal setting with strong work-from-home participation. Apartments make up 55.4% of dwellings, 48.7% work from home and the average household size is 2.4 people. The 9.1% vacancy rate gives renters more choice, while buyers should compare strata costs and exact building quality.
What is the median house price in Little Bay?
Use recent sales in postcode 2036 to confirm the current median house price before buying. Little Bay has 55.4% apartments but only 29.0% separate houses, so a house-only figure may be less representative than comparing both house and unit benchmarks. A $3,000 monthly mortgage figure also makes borrowing capacity and dwelling type important.
What schools are in Little Bay?
Check school enrolment zones against the exact address and include nearby suburbs in the search. Little Bay has an average household size of 2.4 people and 48.7% of residents work from home, so school travel, childcare and daily commute arrangements may be important when comparing properties.
Is Little Bay safe?
Check current NSW Police or council crime information for the exact street, building and travel routes before deciding. Little Bay has 4,817 residents, a density of 1,960.5 people per sq km and 40.7% renters, so conditions can vary between apartment buildings, local roads and shared public areas.
Is Little Bay good for property investment?
Little Bay has a substantial rental market, with 40.7% of households renting, and weekly rent is $590. The 9.1% vacancy rate means investors should test achievable rent carefully. Development activity reached 38 matters over 12 months, so apartment quality, strata management, parking and future competition are important to returns.
How is Little Bay's population changing?
Little Bay has 4,817 residents today, with 76.4% staying at the same address and 23.6% moving during the measured period. Development activity reached 38 matters over 12 months, so change is likely to come through building upgrades, subdivisions and household turnover rather than rapid churn alone.
What languages are spoken in Little Bay?
English is the dominant background language, while Mandarin is recorded for 79 people, French for 59, Greek for 53, Cantonese for 43 and Portuguese for 34. The overseas-born share is 39.4%, which is 17.8 percentage points above the national figure and contributes to a broader language mix.
What development is occurring in Little Bay?
There were 38 development matters over 12 months, including 2 subdivision applications and an application for a swimming pool. The activity is notable within a 2.46 sq km suburb and may gradually affect housing choice, construction activity and competition between existing apartment and house listings.
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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