Macmasters Beach

Development Activity

Demographics

The median age of 49 is 9.0 years above the national figure, and the senior share rose 6.6 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.5 points, a more pronounced aging shift than most NSW suburbs. University qualifications reach 43.1%, which is 13.0 percentage points above the national average, pointing to a well-educated, professional-background resident base. Overseas-born residents represent 16.4%, which is 5.2 points below the national figure. Ancestry leans strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (652), Irish (240) and Scottish (208) are the top three groups. The volunteering rate of 25.3% is high, and 34.3% of families are couples without children, consistent with an older, post-family-stage demographic profile.

Tenure here is dominated by outright owners at 49.4%, more than double the 35.9% carrying a mortgage, a split that reflects long-held coastal assets rather than active buyer churn. Renters account for just 14.7%. The stock is 97.1% separate houses with apartments at only 2.9%, creating a single-product market where detached properties set all price benchmarks. Four-bedroom-plus homes comprise 57.2% of the market, compared to 32.2% with three bedrooms. Prices fell 15.9% from $1,903,000 in 2024 to $1,600,000 in 2025, and the 35.6% vacancy rate signals that demand for permanent occupation is thin at these price levels. Rent-to-income at 22.8% stays below stress territory for tenants who are present.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads local employment at 20.4% (102 workers), followed by Education at 15.8% (79) and Construction at 15.4% (77), with Professional and Technical services at 13.2% (66). By occupation, Professionals (219) and Managers (103) together represent the majority of working residents. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, below the national average, and the full-time employment rate among workers is 58.1%. Participation runs at only 52.1% because 456 residents are outside the labour force, largely consistent with the aging profile and retired population. SEIFA scores are strong across all four indexes, with IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 8 indicating low disadvantage relative to state and national benchmarks. Real incomes grew 14.7% over the decade.

Transport to Work

Car dependency is near-total at 93.8% of commuters driving, compared to only 1.3% using public transport, reflecting the coastal location and limited transit infrastructure. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in nearby Central Coast communities. The IRSAD decile 8 score indicates low disadvantage, placing Macmasters Beach above the national median on combined advantage measures. Only 3.1% of residents need daily assistance, and the housing stress indicators are benign: rent-to-income at 22.8% and mortgage-to-income at 26.0% both sit below stress thresholds. The volunteering rate of 25.3% is well above typical suburban averages, pointing to a community that is engaged despite its relatively small population of 1,399.

Population Forecast

Annual population growth is 0.33%, adding approximately 37 people per year to the 1,399 residents. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 area (which includes Macmasters Beach) reaching around 11,487 by 2031 from 11,289 in 2025, a modest trajectory. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver at a net 70 arrivals per year, offsetting net internal outflow of 37 people annually. The 10-year population change of 6.8% is slow compared to the national rate. Gentrification is not in evidence at this stage, which makes sense for a suburb already positioned in the 83.4th income percentile. Affordability has been stable at around 57.7% since 2011, suggesting the suburb has maintained its price premium without excessive further expansion.

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

How Macmasters Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions