NSW 2261 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Long Jetty

A median house price of $1,050,000 that jumped 22.1% in a single year, from $950,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, sits oddly beside a 13.1% vacancy rate, and both facts point to a Central Coast suburb in transition. Household income lands in just the 25.3rd percentile nationally, yet 42.1% of homes are rented and prices keep climbing, a gap that explains why mortgage repayments now consume 37.5% of local income. The resident base is older, with a median age of 45, five years above the national figure, and only 13.8% were born overseas, 7.8 points below national. The housing stock leans low-rise, 54.2% separate houses and 38.5% semi-detached, with apartments at only 6.4%.

Long Jetty urban fabric map

Population

6,736

Median Age

45.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,201/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

114

Median House

$1.1M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

2.54 km²· 2,653 people/km²· Family income $1,684/wk

The $1,050,000 median makes Long Jetty a serious purchase for a suburb where household income is in the 25.3rd percentile, and that mismatch shows up in a 37.5% mortgage-to-income ratio, well above the 30% stress threshold. Prices rose 22.1% in one year, from $950,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, so buyers are chasing a fast-moving market. The stock favours families wanting space: 54.2% are separate houses and 38.5% semi-detached, with apartments just 6.4%. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.2% and four-plus-bedroom homes account for 20.5%, while smaller two-bedroom options sit at 30.3%. Outright owners (32.8%) outnumber mortgage holders (25.1%), a sign that much of the housing is held by established, debt-free residents rather than recent buyers, which tightens supply for newcomers.

For Buyers

The $1,050,000 median makes Long Jetty a serious purchase for a suburb where household income is in the 25.3rd percentile, and that mismatch shows up in a 37.5% mortgage-to-income ratio, well above the 30% stress threshold. Prices rose 22.1% in one year, from $950,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, so buyers are chasing a fast-moving market. The stock favours families wanting space: 54.2% are separate houses and 38.5% semi-detached, with apartments just 6.4%. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.2% and four-plus-bedroom homes account for 20.5%, while smaller two-bedroom options sit at 30.3%. Outright owners (32.8%) outnumber mortgage holders (25.1%), a sign that much of the housing is held by established, debt-free residents rather than recent buyers, which tightens supply for newcomers.

For Investors

A 42.1% renter share gives landlords a deep tenant pool, but weekly rent of $360 against the $1,050,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%, low even by coastal standards. The 13.1% vacancy rate signals genuine softness in finding tenants, which caps rent growth despite demand. Development is active at 104 applications over 12 months, with recent lodgements including dual-occupancy, secondary dwellings and dwelling houses, mostly small-scale subdivision rather than apartment supply, consistent with a stock that is only 6.4% apartments. The investment case is weighted toward capital growth, supported by the 22.1% one-year price rise, more than rental yield. Rent-to-income at 30.0% means tenants are already stretched, so further rent escalation faces a ceiling against incomes in the 25.3rd percentile.

Development Activity

Total DAs

484

Last 12 Months

114

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+9.6%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
46
Demolition
46
Multi-Dwelling / Townhouse
33
Swimming Pool / Spa
32
New Dwelling
24
Subdivision
20
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
8
Other
3

Schools in Long Jetty iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College The Entrance Campus

ICSEA 987 Secondary Government

7-12 · 756 students

Demographics

The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above the national figure, and a 45.6% participation rate with 2,321 residents not in the labour force confirms an older, semi-retired profile. Only 13.8% were born overseas, 7.8 points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,695), Irish (888) and Scottish (704). University qualifications reach 22.6%, which is 7.5 points below national, consistent with a workforce tilted toward trades and care work rather than professional services. The top non-English languages are Arabic and Punjabi at just 22 speakers each, underscoring how few residents come from a non-English background. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and couples without children make up 29.0% of families, both fitting the aging trajectory.

Age Distribution

0-14
15.9%
15-24
10.4%
25-44
23.6%
45-64
26.1%
65+
23.9%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
8.0%
2 bed
30.3%
3 bed
41.2%
4+ bed
20.5%

Dwelling Structure

54.2%

Houses

38.5%

Townhouse

6.4%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 32.8% Mortgage 25.1% Rent 42.1%

Tenure is unusual for a house-dominated suburb: 42.1% rent, 32.8% own outright and only 25.1% carry a mortgage. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth among older residents rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is 54.2% separate houses and 38.5% semi-detached, with apartments at just 6.4%, so density comes from duplexes rather than towers. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 41.2% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 20.5%. The median rose from $950,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025, a 22.1% one-year move, while weekly rent held at $360. Mortgage-to-income at 37.5% sits well above the stress threshold and rent-to-income at 30.0% is at the edge, a double squeeze that reflects how steep prices have become against incomes in the 25.3rd percentile.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,950

Rent / wk

$360

HH Size

2.2

Personal Income / wk

$665

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

13.1%

Unoccupied

438

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

30.0%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

37.5% stressed

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Arabic
22
Punjabi
22
Italian
16
Mandarin
11
Portuguese
11

Ancestry

English
2,695
Irish
888
Scottish
704
Other
451
Ancestry NS
412
Italian
210

Household Composition

29.0%

Couples, no children

4,790

Total families

Economy & Employment

The workforce concentrates in care and trades rather than knowledge sectors: Healthcare leads at 23.0% (412 workers), Construction follows at 14.3% (256) and Education at 12.9% (232), with Public Admin at 8.2% and Retail at 6.9%. By occupation, Professionals (520) lead but Community and Personal Services (404), Clerical (340), Managers (315) and Labourers (306) are tightly bunched, a flatter mix than higher-income suburbs. Unemployment is elevated at 6.7%, above the national rate, and the full-time employment rate is 58.6%. Participation reads just 45.6% because the aging profile leaves 2,321 residents out of the labour force. The Healthcare concentration is not coincidental: it reflects demand from an older population where 7.7% of residents need daily assistance.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

58.6%

Part-time

34.7%

Participation

45.6%

Employed

2,413

Occupations

Professionals 520
Community/Personal 404
Clerical/Admin 340
Managers 315
Labourers 306
Sales 252
Machinery/Drivers 141

Top Industries

Healthcare 23.0%
Construction 14.3%
Education 12.9%
Public Admin 8.2%
Retail 6.9%

University

22.6%

Postgraduate

4.1%

Born Overseas

13.8%

Dwellings

2,883

Transport to Work

Car dependence is near-total: 90.0% of commuters drive, while public transport carries just 1.5% and 2.8% walk or cycle, well below the levels seen in transit-rich inner suburbs. No schools are recorded inside the 2.54 km2 boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs, a practical trade-off in a low-density area at 2,653 residents per km2. Volunteering runs at 11.2% and 7.7% of residents (484 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger suburbs would show, consistent with the median age of 45. Rent-to-income at 30.0% sits at the affordability edge for the 42.1% who rent, while the coastal setting and separate-house stock (54.2%) draw older owners who value space over walkability.

Drive

90.0%

Public Transport

1.5%

Walk / Cycle

2.8%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Long Jetty compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 8%
Household Income
Bottom 25%
Rent Level
Top 24%
Apartments
Top 39%
Renters
Top 14%
Uni Educated
Bottom 46%
Public Transport
Bottom 25%
Born Overseas
Bottom 48%
Density
Top 5%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Long Jetty a good suburb to live in?

Long Jetty suits older residents and families who want space, with 54.2% separate houses and a median age of 45, five years above national. The main trade-offs are car dependence, with 90.0% driving to work, and affordability strain, as mortgage repayments take 37.5% of local income.

What is the median house price in Long Jetty?

The median house price is $1,050,000, having risen 22.1% in a year from $950,000 in 2024 to $1,160,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $360 and mortgage repayments consume 37.5% of household income, above the 30% stress threshold.

What schools are in Long Jetty?

No schools are recorded inside the 2.54 km2 Long Jetty boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs. Education employs 12.9% of the local workforce, or 232 people, the third-largest industry after healthcare and construction.

Is Long Jetty safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Long Jetty in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, 7.7% of residents (484 people) need daily assistance and volunteering runs at 11.2%, a settled, older community profile with a median age of 45 rather than a high-turnover area.

Is Long Jetty good for property investment?

Rent of $360 a week against a $1,050,000 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%, and the 13.1% vacancy rate signals it can take time to find tenants. The 42.1% renter share supports demand, but with 22.1% annual price growth the case rests on capital gains over yield.

How is Long Jetty's population changing?

Long Jetty's 6,736 residents skew older, with a median age of 45, five years above national, and 2,321 people not in the labour force. Growth now comes from inward buyer demand and density, shown by 104 development applications and a 22.1% one-year price rise, rather than natural increase.

How much development is happening in Long Jetty?

There were 104 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, notable for a 2.54 km2 suburb. Recent lodgements favour dual-occupancy, secondary dwellings and dwelling houses, lifting density on existing house blocks rather than adding apartments, which remain just 6.4% of stock.

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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