Old Erowal Bay
Low turnover sits alongside a surprisingly high 19.5% rental vacancy rate in Old Erowal Bay, where 1,080 residents occupy a compact 0.79 sq km footprint. The suburb is overwhelmingly detached, with 99.3% of dwellings separate houses, and its 40-year median age is close to the national figure. Compared with Vincentia and Huskisson, it reads as a compact, settled residential pocket rather than a larger coastal service centre. A 27.6th-percentile household income helps explain why affordability and rental liquidity deserve close attention.
Local council: Shoalhaven
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
14
Buyers should start with the housing form: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, while 56.0% have 3 bedrooms and 27.3% have 4 or more. That makes the suburb more suitable for detached-home buyers than for people seeking apartment choice, with a small 0.7% apartment share. The listed mortgage payment is $1,300 a month, equal to 24.1% of household income, while household income sits at the 27.6th percentile, below the national midpoint. A $350 weekly rent provides a useful holding-cost comparison, but buyers should test insurance, maintenance and resale depth because the market is small.
For Buyers
Buyers should start with the housing form: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, while 56.0% have 3 bedrooms and 27.3% have 4 or more. That makes the suburb more suitable for detached-home buyers than for people seeking apartment choice, with a small 0.7% apartment share. The listed mortgage payment is $1,300 a month, equal to 24.1% of household income, while household income sits at the 27.6th percentile, below the national midpoint. A $350 weekly rent provides a useful holding-cost comparison, but buyers should test insurance, maintenance and resale depth because the market is small.
For Investors
Rental analysis needs caution. The $350 weekly rent is paired with a 19.5% vacancy rate, well above the level associated with a tightly supplied market, so advertised yield can be offset by longer letting periods. Renters account for 25.7% of households, a meaningful tenant base, while 34.6% own outright and 38.9% carry a mortgage. Fifteen development applications in the latest 12-month window indicate ongoing small-scale activity, including dwelling work, additions and carports, rather than a clearly established pipeline of large projects. Compared with a low-vacancy suburb, cash-flow assumptions here should use conservative downtime and maintenance allowances.
Development Activity
Total DAs
72
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+133.3%
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 and an average household size of 2.4, both close to national patterns, but educational attainment is lower: 17.0% have university qualifications, 13.1 percentage points below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents make up 14.1%, 7.5 points below the national figure, reinforcing an Anglo-leaning profile. English ancestry is reported by 451 people, followed by Irish at 150 and Scottish at 109. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 501, ahead of Christianity at 456. Compared with more migrant-concentrated coastal centres, the suburb is more locally settled, consistent with an 80.2% stay rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Almost every home is a separate house, at 99.3%, while apartments account for only 0.7%. The stock is concentrated in 3-bedroom dwellings at 56.0%, with 4 or more bedrooms making up 27.3% and 2-bedroom homes 14.0%. Tenure is split between 34.6% outright ownership, 38.9% mortgages and 25.7% renting, so the suburb has a substantial established-owner base as well as leveraged households. Compared with apartment-heavy markets, this mix favours detached living and car access but can limit entry-level choice. The $350 weekly rent and $1,300 monthly mortgage figure should be weighed against household income of $1,246 a week, especially because income ranks at the 27.6th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $350.
$600
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $610 · units $470
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
31.2%
Couples with children
43.1%
Couples, no children
23.7%
Single parent
295
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in practical and public-serving industries. Healthcare accounts for 22.4% of local industry employment, higher than Construction at 19.7%, followed by Public Administration at 12.2%, Education at 9.8% and Retail at 6.3%. The occupation mix supports that pattern: Trades number 88, Community and Personal Service 73, Professionals 67, Labourers 62 and Clerical and Administrative workers 46. Unemployment is 6.6% and participation is 52.2%, with 222 employed full-time and 173 part-time. Compared with a professional-heavy labour market, the suburb has a broader trades and service base, which may make local demand more sensitive to construction, care and government work.
Unemployment
6.6%
Labour Force
452
Unemployed
30
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.6%
Part-time
41.0%
Participation
52.2%
Employed
422
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.0%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
410
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 82.4% drive, only 0.8% walk or cycle, and 10.3% work from home. In a compact 0.79 sq km suburb with density of 1,361.4 people per sq km, short internal distances do not necessarily translate into low car dependence, because jobs, shopping and services are likely to be accessed across the wider area. Compared with a transit-led neighbourhood, buyers should budget for vehicle ownership and check peak travel times. Families should confirm school enrolment zones and nearby primary and secondary options for the exact address. The 19.5% vacancy rate may improve rental choice, but current local amenity and incident information should still be checked before signing a lease or buying.
Drive
82.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
10.3%
Growth Outlook
Growth is likely to be incremental rather than driven by a large release of new housing. Fifteen development applications were recorded across the latest 12-month period, while 99.3% of dwellings are already separate houses, leaving limited scope for apartment-led intensification. The suburb has 1,080 residents across 0.79 sq km, and 80.2% of residents stayed at the same address compared with 19.8% turnover, indicating a relatively stable base. A 19.5% vacancy rate may absorb some additional demand before strong construction pressure emerges. Compared with a greenfield growth corridor, Old Erowal Bay appears more dependent on renovations, individual new homes and broader regional demand.
Population trend: Shoalhaven council area
Old Erowal Bay sits in the Shoalhaven council area. These are the council area's residents, not Old Erowal Bay's.
Residents 2025
111,755
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
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?
That depends on priorities. It suits buyers wanting detached housing, with 99.3% of dwellings separate houses, but daily travel is more car-based than in a transit-led suburb because 82.4% drive. Compare commute and service access before deciding.
What is the median house price in Old Erowal Bay?
Check the latest settled sales for the current median, because the local market is compact at 0.79 sq km. The $350 weekly rent and 99.3% separate-house share provide useful context, but they are not a substitute for a purchase median. Compare several settled sales rather than one advertised price.
What schools are in Old Erowal Bay?
Confirm the exact school catchment before buying or renting. In a 0.79 sq km suburb, enrolment boundaries can be more important than suburb labels, and families should compare nearby primary and secondary options, transport times and out-of-area rules.
Is Old Erowal Bay safe?
Use current NSW Police incident information and inspect the street at different times before deciding. Old Erowal Bay has 1,080 residents and an 82.4% car-driver share, so compare the exact street, lighting, traffic and access rather than relying on a suburb-wide impression.
Is Old Erowal Bay good for property investment?
It can suit a cautious investor, but the $350 weekly rent sits beside a 19.5% vacancy rate, which is high compared with a tight rental market. Test longer vacancy periods, maintenance and insurance, and note 15 development applications in the latest 12 months.
How is Old Erowal Bay's population changing?
The latest profile records 1,080 residents, with 80.2% staying at the same address and 19.8% turnover. That indicates a relatively stable base; compare the next population release with the wider Shoalhaven area to see whether change is faster or slower.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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