Nelson Bay
A median age of 51, fully 11 years above the national figure, defines almost everything about this Port Stephens town. The aging profile drags the participation rate down to 44.8% and leaves 2,407 residents out of the labour force, which is why household income sits in just the 31.1st percentile nationally despite a $845,000 median house price. The recorded vacancy rate of 37.3% is unusually high and reflects a holiday-home and short-stay market rather than weak demand, since 84.2% of residents drive to work and only 1.2% use public transport in a coastal area without rail. Couples without children make up 41.0% of families, well above the share with kids.
Population
6,141
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,305/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
126
Median House
$845K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $845,000 median house price is moderate by NSW coastal standards, and prices rose 3.6% from $825,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a steady rather than explosive trend. The stock favours buyers wanting space: separate houses are 59.5% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes dominate at 44.0%, with 4-plus bedroom houses another 32.1%, so apartments at 19.4% are the minority. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,842 look manageable, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.6%, above the 30% stress threshold, because local incomes are low at the 31.1st percentile. That gap matters: the affordability pressure here comes from weak earnings rather than high prices, since the median sits well below Sydney levels.
For Buyers
The $845,000 median house price is moderate by NSW coastal standards, and prices rose 3.6% from $825,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025, a steady rather than explosive trend. The stock favours buyers wanting space: separate houses are 59.5% of dwellings and three-bedroom homes dominate at 44.0%, with 4-plus bedroom houses another 32.1%, so apartments at 19.4% are the minority. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,842 look manageable, but the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 32.6%, above the 30% stress threshold, because local incomes are low at the 31.1st percentile. That gap matters: the affordability pressure here comes from weak earnings rather than high prices, since the median sits well below Sydney levels.
For Investors
Renters make up 31.5% of households and weekly rent averages $380, which against the $845,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, modest but stronger than premium Sydney suburbs. The headline 37.3% vacancy rate looks alarming but reflects holiday and second-home stock counted as unoccupied on census night rather than genuine oversupply, a common pattern in coastal tourist towns. Development activity is healthy at 123 applications in 12 months, mostly demolitions and new dwelling structures rather than apartment supply. Rent-to-income runs at 29.1%, just below the stress line, so further rent growth is constrained by the low 31.1st-percentile incomes. The investment case leans on tourism-driven short-stay demand and steady 3.6% annual capital growth more than on yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
603
Last 12 Months
126
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+17.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Nelson Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Michael's Primary School
K-6 · 269 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11.0 years above national, the single most defining trait, and it shapes a workforce where only 44.8% participate and 2,407 people sit outside the labour force. University qualifications reach 25.7%, which is 4.4 points below the national figure, consistent with an older, retirement-oriented population rather than a graduate hub. Ancestry is strongly Anglo, led by English (2,543), Irish (803) and Scottish (729), and just 19.7% were born overseas, 1.9 points below national. The top non-English languages are Nepali (31 speakers), Croatian (20) and Greek (19), a small share. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, fitting the high 41.0% of families that are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
59.5%
Houses
20.9%
Townhouse
19.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward outright ownership: 43.7% own their home with no mortgage, far above the 24.8% still paying one, while 31.5% rent. The high outright share signals an established, often retired ownership base rather than a churn of recent buyers, which aligns with the median age of 51. Detached houses dominate at 59.5% of dwellings, semi-detached 20.9% and apartments 19.4%, and three-bedroom homes lead at 44.0%. The median house price moved from $825,000 to $855,000 across 2024-2025, a 3.6% rise. Mortgage-to-income at 32.6% exceeds the stress threshold while rent-to-income at 29.1% stays just under it, a split that reflects how low the 31.1st-percentile household incomes are relative even to a moderate $845,000 median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,842
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$689
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
37.3%
Unoccupied
1,532
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.6% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.0%
Couples, no children
4,479
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment concentrates in service and care sectors that suit a tourist and retirement town: Healthcare leads at 18.0% (293 workers), Hospitality follows at 10.6% (173) and Education at 10.1% (165), with Construction at 9.6% and Public Admin at 8.9%. By occupation, Professionals (422), Community and Personal Service workers (375) and Managers (337) are the largest groups, the Community share notably higher than typical because of the aged-care and hospitality base. Unemployment sits at 5.8% and the full-time employment rate is 55.5%, below what a younger suburb would show, because the median age of 51 keeps participation at just 44.8%. SEIFA index scores are not available for this suburb, so disadvantage cannot be ranked here.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.5%
Part-time
38.7%
Participation
44.8%
Employed
2,247
Occupations
Top Industries
University
25.7%
Postgraduate
6.0%
Born Overseas
19.7%
Dwellings
2,563
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 84.2% drive to work and only 1.2% take public transport, well below national usage, a function of a coastal location with no rail line. Active travel is modest at 7.9% walking or cycling. The community shows engagement typical of an older base, with volunteering at 17.7% and 6.2% (361 residents) needing daily assistance, the latter elevated by the median age of 51. No schools are recorded inside the 15.66 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off for the low-density, retirement-skewed setting. SEIFA disadvantage deciles are unavailable, but the high 43.7% outright-ownership rate points to settled, secure households.
Drive
84.2%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Nelson Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nelson Bay a good suburb to live in?
Nelson Bay suits retirees and downsizers more than young families: the median age is 51, fully 11 years above national, and 43.7% of residents own outright. Detached houses make up 59.5% of dwellings and the median price is $845,000. The main trade-offs are low local incomes at the 31.1st percentile and heavy car dependence at 84.2%.
What is the median house price in Nelson Bay?
The median house price is $845,000, moderate for coastal NSW. Prices rose 3.6% from $825,000 in 2024 to $855,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,842, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.6%, above the 30% stress threshold because local incomes are low.
What schools are in Nelson Bay?
No schools are recorded inside the 15.66 square kilometre Nelson Bay boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base skews older, with a median age of 51 and just 25.7% holding university qualifications, 4.4 points below the national figure.
Is Nelson Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Nelson Bay in this dataset. As indirect indicators, 43.7% of households own their home outright and only 6.2% of the 6,141 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a settled, low-turnover community where 76.6% of people stayed put over the period.
Is Nelson Bay good for property investment?
Rent of $380 a week against the $845,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%, stronger than premium Sydney suburbs. Renters are 31.5% of households and capital growth runs at 3.6% a year. The reported 37.3% vacancy rate mostly reflects holiday homes counted as unoccupied rather than genuine oversupply.
How is Nelson Bay's population changing?
The population is 6,141 and the profile is aging, with a median age of 51 that is 11 years above national. Participation sits at just 44.8% and 2,407 residents are outside the labour force, pointing to retirement-led growth. Couples without children make up 41.0% of families, above the share with kids.
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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