Oyster Bay
A $1,789,500 median house price sits alongside household incomes in the 97.9th percentile nationally, and the two reinforce each other in Oyster Bay. The suburb scores decile 10 on three of four SEIFA indexes (IRSAD, IRSD and IER) and decile 9 on IEO, placing it firmly in the top advantage tier. Unlike most premium Sydney pockets, the stock stays overwhelmingly detached at 80.3% separate houses, with 58.4% of dwellings carrying four or more bedrooms. University qualifications reach 43.5%, which is 13.4 points above the national figure, while the share born overseas at 17.7% runs 3.9 points below national, an unusually Anglo-leaning mix for the metro area.
Population
5,689
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,137/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Median House
$1.8M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,789,500 median reflects a family-house market rather than an apartment one: 80.3% of dwellings are separate houses and only 2.1% are apartments, so buyers are effectively bidding on land and detached homes. Prices rose 13.3% in a single year, from $1,659,500 in 2024 to $1,880,000 in 2025, a steep move for an established area. The bedroom profile skews large, with 58.4% of homes holding four or more bedrooms and 33.5% holding three, leaving little entry-level stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,190, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 97.9th percentile. Mortgage holders at 50.5% outnumber outright owners at 39.6%, a sign of active buying by established families rather than a fully paid-down, retired base.
For Buyers
The $1,789,500 median reflects a family-house market rather than an apartment one: 80.3% of dwellings are separate houses and only 2.1% are apartments, so buyers are effectively bidding on land and detached homes. Prices rose 13.3% in a single year, from $1,659,500 in 2024 to $1,880,000 in 2025, a steep move for an established area. The bedroom profile skews large, with 58.4% of homes holding four or more bedrooms and 33.5% holding three, leaving little entry-level stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,190, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 97.9th percentile. Mortgage holders at 50.5% outnumber outright owners at 39.6%, a sign of active buying by established families rather than a fully paid-down, retired base.
For Investors
Oyster Bay is a thin rental market by design: just 9.9% of residents rent, far below the levels investors usually target, and the 3.5% vacancy rate confirms tight supply rather than oversupply. Weekly rent of $620 against the $1,789,500 median implies a gross yield near 1.8%, low even by Sydney standards, so the case rests on capital growth more than cashflow. Rent grew 33.3% over the decade, ahead of many markets, and the area is forecast to add about 93 residents a year at 0.41% annual growth. Development is modest at 45 applications in 12 months, mostly pools, alterations and single dwelling rebuilds rather than new supply, which protects existing values. Net overseas migration of 168 a year offsets a net internal outflow of 86, leaving demand stable but not expansionary.
Development Activity
Total DAs
363
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-9.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Oyster Bay iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Oyster Bay Public School
K-6 · 416 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.6 points while the working-age share fell 3.1 points over the decade. Average household size is 3.1, which is 0.6 above national, consistent with a family-dominated profile where couples with children (2,651 families) outnumber couples without (968, or 18.6%). University qualifications at 43.5% run 13.4 points above national, while the overseas-born share of 17.7% is 3.9 points below national, an Anglo-leaning mix led by English (2,336), Irish (820) and Scottish (584) ancestry. The most common non-English languages are Mandarin (39 speakers), Greek (36) and Cantonese (20), small numbers that reflect how settled and locally born the population is, with 87.1% staying put year to year.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.3%
Houses
17.7%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is owner-dominated: 50.5% carry a mortgage, 39.6% own outright and only 9.9% rent, so the area is held by resident families rather than landlords. The stock is 80.3% separate houses and 17.7% semi-detached, with apartments at just 2.1%, which keeps detached supply scarce and prices firm. Bedroom counts run large, with 58.4% of homes at four-plus bedrooms and 33.5% at three. The median house price climbed from $1,659,500 to $1,880,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 13.3% one-year gain. Mortgage-to-income at 23.5% and rent-to-income at 19.8% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress line, a divergence from many Sydney suburbs that reflects how household incomes in the 97.9th percentile absorb prices that would strain median earners.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,190
Rent / wk
$620
HH Size
3.1
Personal Income / wk
$1,096
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.5%
Unoccupied
65
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
18.6%
Couples, no children
5,195
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge and service sectors: Professional/Tech leads at 14.5% (306 workers), Education follows at 13.6% (288), then Construction at 12.4% (263) and Healthcare at 12.4% (262), with Public Admin at 8.3%. By occupation, Professionals (873) and Managers (602) dominate, which aligns with the decile 9 IEO score for education and occupation and the decile 10 IER score for economic resources. Unemployment is low at 3.2% and the full-time rate is 64.8%. Participation reads 60.0%, modest because the aging profile leaves 1,370 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes grew 17.6% over the decade, faster than inflation, reinforcing why this established suburb sustains a median house price near $1.79 million despite slow population change.
Unemployment
2.2%
Labour Force
13,051
Unemployed
283
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.8%
Part-time
32.0%
Participation
60.0%
Employed
2,565
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.5%
Postgraduate
11.7%
Born Overseas
17.7%
Dwellings
1,793
Transport to Work
Car reliance is heavy at 87.9% driving to work, well above national, while public transport at 5.1% and active travel at 1.8% stay low, the practical trade-off for a low-density family suburb at 2,707.6 residents per km2. The area earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD, meaning very few residents face relative disadvantage. Volunteering runs at 16.4% and only 3.3% of residents (184 people) need daily assistance despite the aging profile. Rent-to-income at 19.8% keeps the small tenant pool comfortable. No schools are recorded inside the 2.1 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a common pattern for compact residential pockets.
Drive
87.9%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.41%/yr
(+93 people/yr)
EstablishedOyster Bay is effectively established and slow-moving: annual population growth registers 0.41%, about 93 people a year, and the 10-year change is just 6.9%. Medium forecasts lift the SA2 fragment from roughly 22,824 in 2026 to 23,289 by 2031, a gentle climb rather than expansion. Overseas migration of 168 a year is the only positive driver, offset by a net internal outflow of 86. The gentrification stage reads early signs with a score of 36, modest because the suburb already sits at decile 10 advantage with little room to climb. Affordability improved from 51.0% in 2011 to 47.0% in 2021, though it stays high relative to most markets, and the aging trajectory shows the senior share up 3.6 points against a working-age share down 3.1 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+168
Net Internal / yr
-86
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Oyster Bay compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Oyster Bay a good suburb to live in?
Oyster Bay scores decile 10 on IRSAD, IRSD and IER, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 97.9th percentile. It is a family market with 80.3% separate houses and an average household size of 3.1, which is 0.6 above national. The main trade-off is a high $1,789,500 median house price.
What is the median house price in Oyster Bay?
The median house price is $1,789,500. Prices rose 13.3% from $1,659,500 in 2024 to $1,880,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $620 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,190, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Oyster Bay?
No schools are recorded inside the 2.1 km2 Oyster Bay boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is highly educated, with university qualifications at 43.5%, which is 13.4 points above the national figure.
Is Oyster Bay safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Oyster Bay in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier, and only 3.3% of its residents (184 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Oyster Bay good for property investment?
Rent of $620 a week against a $1,789,500 median gives a gross yield near 1.8%, low for the cost. Only 9.9% of residents rent and the vacancy rate is 3.5%, so it is a thin rental market. With 0.41% annual population growth, returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Oyster Bay's population changing?
Population growth is 0.41% annually, about 93 people a year, with a 6.9% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.6 points and the working-age share down 3.1 points over the decade. Net overseas migration of 168 a year is the main driver.
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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