Ocean Shores
An $1,080,000 median house price sits alongside a household income in just the 45.5th percentile nationally, and that gap is the defining tension here. Detached houses make up 83.8% of dwellings across a low-density 449.6 residents per square kilometre, so this is a spread-out, family-oriented market rather than an apartment one. The population reads 5,777 with a median age of 43, three years above the national figure, and the senior share has climbed 3.7 points over the decade. Rents have surged 50.9% while incomes grew 24.8%, pushing rent-to-income to 34.5% and tenants into stress despite the area sitting only in decile 6 on IRSAD.
Population
5,777
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,471/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
70
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,080,000 median follows a 15.0% one-year rise from $1,000,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025, a steep move for a market where household income is only in the 45.5th percentile. Buyers are paying for space and detached living: 83.8% of dwellings are separate houses, three-bedroom homes account for 52.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes a further 29.7%, while apartments are just 6.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,893, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.7%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold and explains why owners with mortgages can still hold on. Outright owners at 38.1% outnumber mortgage holders at 34.8%, a sign that much of the stock is held by established, debt-free households rather than recent entrants stretching to buy.
For Buyers
The $1,080,000 median follows a 15.0% one-year rise from $1,000,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025, a steep move for a market where household income is only in the 45.5th percentile. Buyers are paying for space and detached living: 83.8% of dwellings are separate houses, three-bedroom homes account for 52.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes a further 29.7%, while apartments are just 6.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,893, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.7%, which sits below the 30% stress threshold and explains why owners with mortgages can still hold on. Outright owners at 38.1% outnumber mortgage holders at 34.8%, a sign that much of the stock is held by established, debt-free households rather than recent entrants stretching to buy.
For Investors
A 27.1% renter share and weekly rent of $508 give landlords a modest tenant pool, and the rent trend is the standout: rents rose 50.9% over the period, far outpacing the 24.8% real income growth. Against the $1,080,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 2.4%, low but better than premium Sydney markets. The 7.3% vacancy rate is elevated, suggesting supply is not tight despite the rent pressure. Demand support is balanced, with net overseas migration adding 76 residents a year and internal migration a further 37, and development activity is steady at 65 applications in 12 months, including new dwellings and secondary dwellings. With annual population growth at 1.13%, the case rests on rent escalation and gradual capital growth more than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
374
Last 12 Months
70
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+40.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ocean Shores iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ocean Shores Public School
K-6 · 294 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 3.7 points while the young share fell 3.3 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents sit at 21.1%, which is 0.5 points below national, so this is a predominantly Australian-born population. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,349), Irish (904) and Scottish (694), and the largest non-English languages are German (42) and Italian (22), both small. University qualifications reach 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above national. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, consistent with the family profile where couples with children (1,553) outnumber couples without children (1,175 or 28.9%).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.8%
Houses
9.5%
Townhouse
6.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits across thirds: 38.1% own outright, 34.8% carry a mortgage and 27.1% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 83.8% separate houses with apartments at only 6.8% and semi-detached at 9.5%, so detached living dominates. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 52.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes 29.7%, while two-bedroom dwellings are 12.3%. The median house price rose from $1,000,000 to $1,150,000 across 2024-2025, a 15.0% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 29.7% stays below the stress threshold, yet rent-to-income at 34.5% sits well above it, a divergence that shows renters bear far more cost pressure than owners in this market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,893
Rent / wk
$508
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$711
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
174
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.5% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.9%
Couples, no children
4,066
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is concentrated in care and trades rather than corporate sectors: Healthcare leads at 22.3% (411 workers), Education follows at 13.6% (251) and Construction at 10.1% (186), with Professional/Tech at 9.5% and Retail at 7.1%. By occupation, Professionals (672) and Community/Personal workers (356) dominate, which aligns with the decile 7 IEO score for education and occupation, the suburb's strongest SEIFA reading. Unemployment is elevated at 6.3% and the participation rate is only 53.6%, because the aging profile leaves 1,647 residents not in the labour force. The full-time employment rate is 45.3%, below what a metro market would show. The IRSD score sits at decile 5 and IER at decile 5, both lower than IEO, because moderate incomes pull the resources measures down despite the educated workforce.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
4,944
Unemployed
196
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
45.3%
Part-time
48.4%
Participation
53.6%
Employed
2,413
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.0%
Postgraduate
7.5%
Born Overseas
21.1%
Dwellings
2,199
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 90.6% drive to work, only 0.3% use public transport and 3.5% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars and consistent with the low density of 449.6 residents per square kilometre. The suburb scores decile 6 on IRSAD and decile 5 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, both middling tiers nationally, so it is neither affluent nor deprived. Volunteering runs at 19.7% and 5.0% of residents (263 people) need daily assistance, a touch high given the older median age of 43. No schools are recorded inside the 12.85 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the spread-out, detached-house setting.
Drive
90.6%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.13%/yr
(+110 people/yr)
EstablishedOcean Shores is growing steadily: annual population growth registers 1.13%, about 110 people a year, and the 10-year change reached 18.6%, well above the flat profile of established inner suburbs. Medium forecasts lift the population from 9,765 in 2025 toward 10,335 by 2031, a continuation of recent gains. Migration is balanced, with net overseas inflow of 76 a year and net internal inflow of 37, so both channels add residents. The gentrification stage reads early signs, with population up 21% since 2011 and accelerating, while the broader shift score of 58 flags active change. Real incomes grew 24.8% over the decade and affordability held stable, easing from 70.1% in 2011 to 68.9% in 2021, though it remains high.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+76
Net Internal / yr
+37
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Accelerating: 6% → 14%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ocean Shores compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ocean Shores a good suburb to live in?
Ocean Shores scores decile 6 on IRSAD and decile 7 on IEO, both around or above the national midpoint, with university qualifications at 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above national. It suits families, since 83.8% of dwellings are separate houses, though rent-to-income at 34.5% signals cost pressure for tenants.
What is the median house price in Ocean Shores?
The median house price is $1,080,000, after a 15.0% rise from $1,000,000 in 2024 to $1,150,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $508 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,893, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.7%, just below the stress threshold.
What schools are in Ocean Shores?
No schools are recorded inside the 12.85 square kilometre Ocean Shores boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 34.0%, which is 3.9 points above the national figure.
Is Ocean Shores safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Ocean Shores in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 5 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and decile 6 on IRSAD, both near the national midpoint, and only 5.0% of its 5,777 residents need daily assistance.
Is Ocean Shores good for property investment?
Rent of $508 a week against a $1,080,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, and rents jumped 50.9% over the period, faster than incomes. The 7.3% vacancy rate is elevated, but balanced migration adding 113 residents a year supports demand and gradual capital growth.
How is Ocean Shores's population changing?
Population grows about 1.13% annually, or 110 people a year, with a 18.6% rise over 10 years. Forecasts lift it from 9,765 in 2025 toward 10,335 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.7 points and the young share down 3.3 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Ocean Shores?
There were 65 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling houses and secondary dwellings. This is steady activity for a low-density suburb growing at 1.13% a year, and it reflects gradual infill rather than large-scale new supply.
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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