Old Erowal Bay
A 19.5% vacancy rate in a suburb of only 1,080 people tells the real story of Old Erowal Bay: this is a holiday and sea-change destination on the NSW South Coast, not a commuter suburb. Detached houses make up 99.3% of the stock, household income sits at the 27.6th percentile nationally, and 34.9% of residents own their home outright. The median age of 40 matches the national average, but the local workforce participation rate of 49.1% is markedly lower than national norms, pointing to a significant retiree and semi-retired population alongside working families.
Population
1,080
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,246/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$700K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $700,000, with price history showing a move from $715,000 in 2024 down to $685,000 in 2025, a 4.2% decline from peak. For buyers using debt, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold compared to many coastal NSW markets. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.3%, with three-bedroom homes dominating at 56.0% and four-plus bedrooms at 27.3%. Average household size of 2.4 is slightly below the national average of 2.5, consistent with empty-nester and couples-only households being common here.
For Buyers
The median house price is $700,000, with price history showing a move from $715,000 in 2024 down to $685,000 in 2025, a 4.2% decline from peak. For buyers using debt, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 24.1%, below the 30% stress threshold compared to many coastal NSW markets. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.3%, with three-bedroom homes dominating at 56.0% and four-plus bedrooms at 27.3%. Average household size of 2.4 is slightly below the national average of 2.5, consistent with empty-nester and couples-only households being common here.
For Investors
A 19.5% vacancy rate signals elevated risk for investors relative to the national average, reflecting the holiday and seasonal demand profile of this South Coast location. Weekly rent of $350 against a $700,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.6%, below typical investment benchmarks. The renting population is only 25.9%, meaning the tenant pool is thin. On the positive side, 14 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings and residential work, showing ongoing owner-occupier reinvestment. Long-term holding may suit investors targeting capital preservation rather than income, but the high vacancy rate warrants careful due diligence compared to lower-vacancy coastal alternatives.
Development Activity
Total DAs
72
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+325.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Old Erowal Bay has a median age of 40, matching the national median, but the workforce participation rate of 49.1% is considerably lower than national levels, reflecting the suburb's retiree and lifestyle-change composition. The overseas-born share is 14.1%, which is 7.5 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (451 residents), Irish (150) and Scottish (109). University qualifications reach 17.0%, which is 13.1 points below the national figure. The couples-with-children share is 33.8% of families, while couples without children make up 29.9%, supporting the picture of an established, family and retiree oriented community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split favours ownership: 34.9% own outright, 39.2% hold a mortgage and 25.9% rent, with outright owners and mortgage holders together accounting for 74.1% of households. This is consistent with a lifestyle-driven suburb rather than a rental market. The stock is almost exclusively detached houses at 99.3%, with apartments at just 0.7%. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 56.0%, and four-plus bedroom homes represent 27.3%, indicating families and those with space needs. The median house price was $715,000 in 2024, pulling back 4.2% to $685,000 in 2025. Rent-to-income at 28.1% sits just below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting renters manage costs but have limited headroom.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$579
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.5%
Unoccupied
98
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.9%
Couples, no children
834
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 22.4% of the local workforce (57 workers), followed closely by Construction at 19.7% (50 workers), Public Administration at 12.2% (31) and Education at 9.8% (25). By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers lead at 73, ahead of Professionals at 67 and Labourers at 62. The unemployment rate is 7.1%, above the national average, and the full-time employment rate of 56.2% is moderate. Household income sits at the 27.6th percentile nationally, well below average, consistent with a mix of retirees on fixed incomes, part-time workers and trades people rather than high-earning knowledge workers. The volunteering rate of 11.7% reflects community engagement despite the lower income base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.2%
Part-time
36.7%
Participation
49.1%
Employed
395
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
410
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high, with 91.8% of residents driving to work, well above the national average, reflecting the coastal village setting with limited public transport. Walking and cycling together account for just 0.9% of commutes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring areas. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The need-for-assistance rate is 7.8% (77 residents), above the national average, consistent with the older age profile and lower income base. Housing stress indicators are manageable: mortgage-to-income at 24.1% and rent-to-income at 28.1% are both below the 30% stress threshold, meaning most residents are not in financial strain relative to their housing costs.
Drive
91.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Old Erowal Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Erowal Bay a good suburb to live in?
Old Erowal Bay suits lifestyle-focused buyers and retirees more than career-driven households. It has a low-density detached housing stock at 99.3% houses, manageable mortgage-to-income of 24.1% and an 80.2% residential retention rate. The main drawbacks are high car dependence at 91.8%, a 7.1% unemployment rate above national average and an income level at the 27.6th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Old Erowal Bay?
The median house price is $700,000 based on available data. Prices were $715,000 in 2024 and eased to $685,000 in 2025, a 4.2% decline. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and weekly rent is $350.
What schools are in Old Erowal Bay?
No schools are recorded within the Old Erowal Bay suburb boundary. The suburb has a population of 1,080 spread over 0.79 square kilometres and families rely on schools in nearby areas. University qualification rates locally are 17.0%, which is 13.1 points below the national figure.
Is Old Erowal Bay safe?
Specific crime data is not available for Old Erowal Bay. As a contextual indicator, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 24.1% and rent-to-income at 28.1%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The need-for-assistance rate of 7.8% (77 residents) is above national norms, reflecting the older demographic profile rather than safety concerns.
Is Old Erowal Bay good for property investment?
The investment outlook is cautious. A 19.5% vacancy rate is well above healthy rental market benchmarks, and weekly rent of $350 against a $700,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.6%, lower than most investor targets. Prices fell 4.2% from 2024 to 2025. The renting population is only 25.9%, limiting the tenant pool compared to higher-rental-demand suburbs.
How is Old Erowal Bay's population changing?
Old Erowal Bay has a small population of 1,080 in a compact 0.79 square kilometre area, giving a density of 1,361 people per square kilometre. The residential retention rate is high at 80.2%, meaning most residents stay long-term. The workforce participation rate of 49.1% is below national levels, pointing toward a stable but aging demographic trend rather than population growth from new working families.
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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