Moonee Beach
With 90.2% of dwellings being separate houses and a median house price of $560,000, Moonee Beach sits well below the NSW coastal average while delivering lifestyle conditions that typically command a premium. The suburb covers 18.22 square kilometres but holds only 2,176 residents, giving a density of just 119 per square kilometre. Household income ranks in the 68th percentile nationally, above the midpoint despite the modest price point. Owner-occupiers dominate at 80.8% combined, and 57.3% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, a profile more typical of outer-suburban estates than holiday-zone fringe suburbs.
Population
2,176
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,875/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
113
Median House
$560K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $560,000 remains accessible compared to broader NSW coastal markets, and prices grew 9.5% from $552,500 in 2024 to $605,000 in 2025 on a one-year basis. Separate houses make up 90.2% of stock, which is substantially higher than the NSW state average, and 57.3% of those homes have 4 or more bedrooms, indicating family-scale land. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,965, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 38.9% and mortgage holders at 41.9% together account for over 80% of residents, meaning the market is owner-occupier driven rather than investor-led.
For Buyers
The median house price of $560,000 remains accessible compared to broader NSW coastal markets, and prices grew 9.5% from $552,500 in 2024 to $605,000 in 2025 on a one-year basis. Separate houses make up 90.2% of stock, which is substantially higher than the NSW state average, and 57.3% of those homes have 4 or more bedrooms, indicating family-scale land. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,965, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 38.9% and mortgage holders at 41.9% together account for over 80% of residents, meaning the market is owner-occupier driven rather than investor-led.
For Investors
Renters make up 19.2% of households, a thin pool compared to most regional NSW suburbs, and the vacancy rate sits at 7.0%, which is elevated and signals some oversupply pressure. Weekly rent averages $450, and against a $560,000 median, the implied gross yield is near 4.2%. Development activity is substantial at 104 applications in the past 12 months, including CDC-approved new dwelling houses, indicating ongoing supply additions. The low renter share limits demand-side rental competition, so investors should weigh the reasonable yield against the 7.0% vacancy and ongoing development pipeline.
Development Activity
Total DAs
442
Last 12 Months
113
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-5.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, making Moonee Beach a slightly older-skewing suburb. Overseas-born residents account for just 12.7% of the population, which is 8.9 percentage points below the national average, reflecting an Anglo-Celtic heritage concentration: English ancestry leads at 1,050 residents, followed by Irish (286) and Scottish (259). University qualifications reach 27.6%, which is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate. Average household size of 2.8 is 0.3 above national, consistent with the high prevalence of couples with children (868 families) relative to a total family count of 1,885.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
5.6%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Moonee Beach is overwhelmingly a separate-house suburb at 90.2%, with apartments at just 0.7% and semi-detached at 5.6%, giving buyers little choice outside freestanding dwellings. Bedroom mix skews large: 57.3% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 33.1% have 3, leaving only 9.6% of the stock at 2 bedrooms or below. Prices moved from $552,500 in 2024 to $605,000 in 2025, a 9.5% shift over one year. Tenure splits to 38.9% owned outright and 41.9% under mortgage, with renters at 19.2%. Rent-to-income sits at 24.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress line, which aligns with the suburb's identity as a mortgage-belt owner-occupier market rather than a high-pressure rental zone.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,965
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$801
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.0%
Unoccupied
56
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.9%
Couples, no children
1,885
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.2% of workers (150 residents), followed by Construction at 15.0% (111) and Public Admin and Education tied at 11.3% each (84 workers apiece). By occupation, Professionals form the largest group at 219, ahead of Clerical/Admin at 154 and Community/Personal Services at 145. The unemployment rate is 3.9%, and full-time employment reaches 56.2% of employed people. Participation sits at 62.1%, below the national average, partly because 552 residents are not in the labour force. Weekly household income of $1,875 places the suburb in the 68th percentile nationally, above median despite the regional cost base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.2%
Part-time
39.9%
Participation
62.1%
Employed
1,011
Occupations
Top Industries
University
27.6%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
736
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total at 92.3% of commuters, above the national average, and only 1.9% walk or cycle, reflecting the low-density, rural-fringe geography of an 18.22 square kilometre suburb with 119 residents per square kilometre. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas within the Coffs Harbour catchment. Crime data is not available at the suburb level. Housing stress indicators are reassuring: rent-to-income is 24.0% and mortgage-to-income is 24.2%, both below the 30% threshold. The 16.7% volunteering rate is above national norms, and only 5.2% of residents need daily assistance.
Drive
92.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Moonee Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moonee Beach a good suburb to live in?
Moonee Beach offers low housing stress, with mortgage-to-income at 24.2% and rent-to-income at 24.0%, both below the 30% stress threshold. Household income ranks in the 68th percentile nationally. The trade-offs are high car dependence at 92.3% and a 7.0% vacancy rate, which indicates some rental oversupply in the area.
What is the median house price in Moonee Beach?
The median house price is $560,000, with prices rising 9.5% from $552,500 in 2024 to $605,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,965, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.2%, well below the 30% stress benchmark.
What schools are in Moonee Beach?
No schools are recorded inside the Moonee Beach boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the wider Coffs Harbour area. The suburb has a 27.6% university qualification rate among residents, which is 2.5 percentage points below the national average.
Is Moonee Beach safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Moonee Beach in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 5.2% of residents (109 people) need daily assistance, housing stress ratios are below the 30% threshold, and the 16.7% volunteering rate is above the national average, all consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community.
Is Moonee Beach good for property investment?
At a $560,000 median and $450 weekly rent, the gross yield is near 4.2%, reasonable for a coastal-fringe suburb. However, the 7.0% vacancy rate is elevated and 104 development applications in 12 months signal ongoing supply. The renter share of 19.2% is thin, so rental demand is not deep.
How is Moonee Beach's population changing?
The current population is 2,176 across 18.22 square kilometres. Residential stability is high, with 74.5% of residents remaining in place over the reference period and a turnover rate of just 25.5%. House prices rose 9.5% in one year, suggesting growing demand rather than population stagnation.
How much development is happening in Moonee Beach?
There were 104 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including CDC-approved new dwelling houses and modification applications. This level of activity is notable for a suburb of only 2,176 residents and indicates sustained construction interest relative to the existing housing 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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