Long Beach
A median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, making Long Beach one of NSW's older coastal communities. The suburb's 1,758 residents are concentrated in separate houses (91.2% of dwellings), and 48.9% own their home outright, far above the national average. The vacancy rate of 31.4% is exceptionally high, signalling a large share of holiday or investment stock rather than permanent occupancy. Household income sits at the 39.6th percentile nationally, reflecting the retirement-skewed workforce profile where labour force participation is just 46.1%.
Population
1,758
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,389/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Median House
$845K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $845,000 in 2024-2025, with prices moving from $820,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a 4.3% annual gain. Separate houses dominate at 91.2% of stock, so buyers face a genuinely detached-house market with almost no apartment alternative. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 49.1% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes a further 42.6%, meaning larger family properties are the norm rather than the exception. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,699, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 39.6th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $845,000 in 2024-2025, with prices moving from $820,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a 4.3% annual gain. Separate houses dominate at 91.2% of stock, so buyers face a genuinely detached-house market with almost no apartment alternative. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 49.1% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes a further 42.6%, meaning larger family properties are the norm rather than the exception. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,699, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, which stays below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 39.6th percentile nationally.
For Investors
The 31.4% vacancy rate is the defining investor signal: it is significantly higher than most comparable coastal NSW suburbs, pointing to a holiday-letting or absentee-ownership market rather than stable long-term rental demand. Weekly rent of $410 against an $845,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%, below most metropolitan benchmarks. Only 16.2% of residents rent on a permanent basis, which limits the pool of traditional long-term tenants. On the positive side, 29 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling builds, indicating ongoing construction activity. The 4.3% price growth from 2024 to 2025 is above the national average for the period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
203
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-14.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 51 sits 11 years above the national figure, placing Long Beach firmly in the older-resident category. Overseas-born residents account for 15.9% of the population, which is 5.7 percentage points below the national average, reflecting an Anglo-Celtic heritage that shows up in ancestry data led by English (791), Irish (238) and Scottish (200). University qualifications reach 24.2%, compared to the national average of around 30.1%, a gap of 5.9 percentage points. Household size averages 2.5, matching the national figure, and couples without children make up 41.6% of families, consistent with the post-child-rearing age profile of this community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.2%
Houses
8.3%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews heavily toward ownership: 48.9% own outright, 34.8% carry a mortgage and only 16.2% rent, compared to national renting rates above 30%. Outright ownership at nearly half of all households reflects the older demographic rather than recent buyers. Separate houses represent 91.2% of dwellings, making Long Beach almost purely a detached-house suburb. Four-plus bedroom homes lead at 49.1% of dwellings, with three-bedroom at 42.6%. Prices grew from $820,000 to $855,000 across 2024-2025, a 4.3% gain. Rent-to-income sits at 29.5%, just below the 30% stress threshold.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,699
Rent / wk
$410
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$687
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
31.4%
Unoccupied
306
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.6%
Couples, no children
1,419
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 19.9% (93 workers), followed by Construction at 15.0% (70) and Public Administration at 13.3% (62), reflecting both the coastal retirement demographic and the surrounding regional economy. Education (9.2%) and Retail (8.8%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals lead at 109 workers, with Community and Personal Service (104) and Clerical and Administrative (96) also prominent. Labour force participation is 46.1%, lower than the national average because the older age profile places 672 residents outside the workforce. Unemployment sits at 4.9% among those seeking work.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.7%
Part-time
42.4%
Participation
46.1%
Employed
640
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.2%
Postgraduate
6.7%
Born Overseas
15.9%
Dwellings
671
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total at 92.2% driving to work, higher than the national average, with public transport use at just 1.4% reflecting limited transit options in this coastal setting. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby centres. Volunteering reaches 17.5% of residents, consistent with the community engagement typical of older coastal areas. Mortgage-to-income sits at 28.2% and rent-to-income at 29.5%, both below the 30% stress threshold. Only 6.3% of residents (106 people) need daily assistance, which is modest given a median age of 51 that is 11 years above the national figure.
Drive
92.2%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Long Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Long Beach a good suburb to live in?
Long Beach suits owner-occupiers seeking a quiet coastal lifestyle, with 48.9% owning outright and 91.2% of homes being separate houses. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, reflecting a predominantly older demographic. Car ownership is essential as 92.2% of residents drive to work and public transport use is only 1.4%.
What is the median house price in Long Beach?
The median house price is $845,000 based on 2024-2025 data. Prices rose from $820,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a 4.3% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,699, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.2%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Long Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Long Beach suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications in Long Beach reach 24.2%, which is 5.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the older, post-working-age profile of the community.
Is Long Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Long Beach in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 6.3% of the 1,758 residents (106 people) need daily assistance, and the community has a high outright ownership rate of 48.9%, both associated with stable, established neighbourhoods. The suburb sits at the 39.6th income percentile nationally.
Is Long Beach good for property investment?
The 31.4% vacancy rate is the key risk for investors: it signals a large holiday or absentee-ownership pool and a small permanent rental market of just 16.2% of residents. Weekly rent of $410 against an $845,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%, below metropolitan averages. Prices gained 4.3% from 2024 to 2025, with 29 development applications lodged in the past year showing active market interest.
How is Long Beach's population changing?
Long Beach has a stable, low-turnover population: 76.3% of residents have not moved in the five years to the census, compared to a national turnover rate that is much higher. With a median age of 51, which is 11 years above the national figure, and a labour force participation rate of just 46.1%, the demographic profile points toward gradual aging rather than population expansion.
How much development is happening in Long Beach?
There were 29 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling constructions, garage additions and secondary dwelling applications. This moderate level of activity, for a suburb of 1,758 residents, suggests organic infill rather than large-scale development. The vacancy rate of 31.4% indicates significant existing stock sits unused on a permanent basis.
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.
Explore Long Beach on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map