Safety Beach
With a median age of 46 and 51.3% of homes owned outright, Safety Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast reads as a settled, low-turnover community where long-term ownership is the norm rather than the exception. The suburb sits at household income in the 66.5th percentile nationally, above the median despite its small population of 1,103 across just 1.36 km2. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses at 99.2%, and 62.3% have four or more bedrooms, pointing to generous family-scale homes rather than investor-grade units. Development activity recorded 17 applications in the past 12 months, including new dwellings and subdivisions, suggesting measured but steady build activity.
Population
1,103
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,837/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
17
Median House
$860K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price stands at $860,000, with price history showing a move from $895,000 in 2024 to $845,000 in 2025, a 5.6% decline from peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers here carry less financial strain than in many comparable NSW coastal suburbs. Separate houses dominate at 99.2% of stock, and 62.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, giving buyers a predominantly spacious, land-rich selection. Only 35.5% of residents carry a mortgage, compared with a national average where mortgage holders are far more common, because 51.3% already own outright, a sign that the resident base skews toward established, debt-free households.
For Buyers
The median house price stands at $860,000, with price history showing a move from $895,000 in 2024 to $845,000 in 2025, a 5.6% decline from peak. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.9%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which means buyers here carry less financial strain than in many comparable NSW coastal suburbs. Separate houses dominate at 99.2% of stock, and 62.3% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, giving buyers a predominantly spacious, land-rich selection. Only 35.5% of residents carry a mortgage, compared with a national average where mortgage holders are far more common, because 51.3% already own outright, a sign that the resident base skews toward established, debt-free households.
For Investors
The rental market in Safety Beach is thin, with just 13.3% of residents renting, well below the national average, and a vacancy rate of 6.9% that signals softness in rental demand. Weekly rent of $500 against an $860,000 median implies a gross yield in the low 3% range, modest for a regional NSW location. Development applications reached 17 in the past 12 months including new dwelling construction and subdivision activity, indicating some new supply entering the market. The 77.5% of residents who stayed in the same address over the reference period reflects a stable, low-churn community rather than one driven by rental mobility, so investor prospects depend more on capital growth over time than on rental income strength.
Development Activity
Total DAs
101
Last 12 Months
17
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+13.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 46 sits 6 years above the national figure, placing Safety Beach firmly among Australia's older coastal communities. Overseas-born residents account for 14.7% of the population, which is 6.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile where English (495), Scottish (168) and Irish (162) heritage dominate. University qualifications reach 35.6% of residents, 5.5 percentage points above the national figure, a notable level for a small coastal suburb of just over 1,100 people. The average household size of 2.7 is marginally above the national figure, and 33.6% of families are couples without children, reflecting the older age profile where children have typically left home.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.2%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Safety Beach is almost entirely detached housing at 99.2%, with apartments accounting for just 0.8% of stock, a profile that is highly unusual even among regional coastal areas. Four-bedroom-plus dwellings make up 62.3% of all homes, and three-bedroom dwellings a further 34.1%, meaning the suburb is essentially without smaller dwelling types. Tenure is skewed toward ownership: 51.3% own outright, 35.5% carry a mortgage and only 13.3% rent, compared to national renter shares typically above 30%. The median house price of $860,000 represents a 5.6% decline from the 2024 peak of $895,000, while the rent-to-income ratio of 27.2% sits below the 30% stress marker, keeping housing costs manageable relative to local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,058
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$787
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.6%
Couples, no children
969
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (21.9%) and Healthcare (21.0%) together account for more than 43% of local employment, a pattern typical of coastal semi-retirement communities where public-sector services dominate. Construction follows at 12.7% and Public Administration at 12.7%, with Professional and Technical services at 7.6%. By occupation, Professionals (117) and Managers (72) are the top two categories, consistent with the above-national university qualification rate of 35.6%. The unemployment rate of 4.6% is modest and the participation rate of 57.6% is lower than the national norm, partly because 332 residents are not in the labour force, reflecting the older median age of 46. Full-time employment accounts for 55.0% of employed residents.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.0%
Part-time
40.4%
Participation
57.6%
Employed
480
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.6%
Postgraduate
6.0%
Born Overseas
14.7%
Dwellings
394
Transport to Work
Transport in Safety Beach is almost entirely car-dependent: 89.5% of residents drive to work, while 2.2% walk or cycle and public transport data is not available at this scale. Volunteering is notably high at 20.3%, above typical suburban averages, which reflects the community cohesion associated with stable, long-established coastal areas. Only 4.5% of residents (48 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 46, a relatively low rate. Housing stress indicators are mild: rent-to-income at 27.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning residents face less financial pressure on housing costs than in many NSW coastal markets. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in nearby centres.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Safety Beach compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Safety Beach a good suburb to live in?
Safety Beach suits buyers seeking a quiet, well-established coastal community with low housing stress. Mortgage-to-income sits at 25.9% and rent-to-income at 27.2%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb has a median age of 46 and a 77.5% residential stability rate, indicating a settled, long-term community rather than a high-turnover area.
What is the median house price in Safety Beach?
The median house price is $860,000 as of 2025, down 5.6% from the 2024 peak of $895,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,058. Weekly rent is $500, and the rent-to-income ratio is 27.2%, below the 30% stress level.
What schools are in Safety Beach?
No schools are recorded within the Safety Beach suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby centres. Despite the absence of local schools, 35.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 5.5 percentage points above the national average.
Is Safety Beach safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Safety Beach at this dataset scale. As an indirect signal, the suburb has a median household income in the 66.5th percentile nationally, a 77.5% residential stability rate and a low 4.5% rate of residents needing daily assistance, all consistent with a low-disadvantage coastal community.
Is Safety Beach good for property investment?
The investment case is modest. Only 13.3% of residents rent, well below national norms, and the vacancy rate is 6.9%, indicating soft rental demand. Weekly rent of $500 against an $860,000 median implies a gross yield around 3%. Prices fell 5.6% from the 2024 peak, so near-term capital growth is uncertain.
How is Safety Beach's population changing?
Safety Beach has a population of 1,103 with a turnover rate of just 22.5%, meaning 77.5% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period. Development applications totalled 17 in 12 months including new dwellings and subdivisions, suggesting slow but incremental growth rather than rapid expansion.
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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