Sussex Inlet
Age is the defining feature of Sussex Inlet: the median age is 61, or 21 years above the national figure, while 58.2% of homes are owned outright. The 3,888 residents occupy 36.96 sq km at a density of 105.2 people per sq km, and 31.5% of dwellings are vacant, a high share consistent with holiday homes or intermittent occupancy. Household income sits at the 7.2nd percentile nationally, so the suburb is below typical income levels. Compared with nearby Sanctuary Point, Sussex Inlet suits buyers prioritising detached housing and quieter routines over a larger employment base.
Population
3,888
Median Age
61.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$887/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
76
Detached housing dominates at 89.9%, with 41.8% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 29.0% having 4 or more, so the stock suits downsizers and buyers wanting conventional houses rather than apartment living. The main constraint is affordability pressure: mortgage repayments are $1,511 per month and mortgage costs equal 39.3% of household income, a flagged stress level. Outright ownership is 58.2%, higher than the 19.5% still paying a mortgage, reflecting the suburb's older resident base. Compared with Sanctuary Point, check insurance, flood exposure and exact sale evidence before treating lower-density housing as value.
For Buyers
Detached housing dominates at 89.9%, with 41.8% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 29.0% having 4 or more, so the stock suits downsizers and buyers wanting conventional houses rather than apartment living. The main constraint is affordability pressure: mortgage repayments are $1,511 per month and mortgage costs equal 39.3% of household income, a flagged stress level. Outright ownership is 58.2%, higher than the 19.5% still paying a mortgage, reflecting the suburb's older resident base. Compared with Sanctuary Point, check insurance, flood exposure and exact sale evidence before treating lower-density housing as value.
For Investors
Investor demand has two opposing signals. Weekly rent is $310 and 19.1% of dwellings are rented, below the 58.2% owned outright share, while the 31.5% vacancy rate is high and can reduce reliable occupancy. Rent growth of 55.0% supports an improving income story, but high vacancy means gross yield alone may overstate performance. Seventy-one development applications in 12 months, including 2-dwelling dual occupancies, indicate ongoing project activity; assess whether new supply competes for tenants. Internal migration is the primary driver, which may support demand, but Sussex Inlet remains more income-sensitive than higher-income regional markets because household income ranks at the 7.2nd percentile nationally.
Development Activity
Total DAs
547
Last 12 Months
76
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-2.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Sussex Inlet
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Sussex Inlet has an older and less university-qualified profile than Australia overall: the median age is 61, 21 years above the national figure, while 13.5% hold a university qualification, 16.6 percentage points below the national comparison. This age structure helps explain why couples without children account for 61.0% of households, compared with 23.9% couples with children, and why average household size is 2.0, below the national comparison by 0.5 people. English ancestry is the largest reported background at 1,749 people, followed by Irish 433 and Scottish 415. Only 14.1% were born overseas, below the national level by 7.5 percentage points, making Sussex Inlet more Anglo-leaning than nearby St Georges Basin.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.9%
Houses
7.9%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Sussex Inlet's housing is overwhelmingly separate-house stock: 89.9% are separate houses, compared with just 1.0% apartments and 7.9% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 41.8%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 29.0%, so buyers have more family-house choice than compact-apartment choice. Tenure is mature, with 58.2% owned outright, 19.5% mortgaged and 19.1% rented. That pattern reflects the 61 median age and helps explain the low average household size of 2.0. Housing costs still require care: rent is $310 weekly and equals 34.9% of renter income, flagged as rent stress, while mortgage costs reach 39.3%, higher than the rent burden.
Mortgage / mo
$1,511
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $310.
$600
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $610 · units $470
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$494
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
31.5%
Unoccupied
801
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.9% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
39.3% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.9%
Couples with children
61.0%
Couples, no children
13.7%
Single parent
1,084
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest local industry at 21.5%, or 158 workers, followed by construction at 17.3% and 127 workers. Public administration contributes 9.7%, education 9.1% and hospitality 8.7%, giving Sussex Inlet a service-heavy base. Trades lead occupations at 220 people, ahead of community and personal service at 180, with clerical and administration at 149. The 6.1% unemployment rate and 35.0% participation rate sit alongside 1,963 people outside the labour force, a pattern consistent with a median age of 61. SEIFA reinforces the gap: IEO is decile 1, IER 3, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 2, placing economic advantage below stronger deciles. Household income ranks at the 7.2nd percentile nationally, below broader averages.
Unemployment
6.1%
Labour Force
1,221
Unemployed
75
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.1%
Part-time
40.8%
Participation
35.0%
Employed
1,146
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.5%
Postgraduate
2.2%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
1,674
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 78.1% drive, only 3.7% walk or cycle, and 12.6% work from home, so access to services depends more on a private vehicle than active travel. Sussex Inlet has 1 local government primary school, Sussex Inlet Public School; families should check enrolment zones and secondary-school travel against the exact address. The 3,888-person population and density of 105.2 people per sq km support a quieter, low-density setting than larger regional centres. Social connection is a potential strength because 16.4% volunteer, but 13.3% need assistance, or 478 people, is higher than the 3.7% who walk or cycle. SEIFA is low, with IRSAD decile 2 and IRSD decile 3, both below stronger socioeconomic deciles, so service access and affordability deserve attention.
Drive
78.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
12.6%
Population Forecast
+0.83%/yr
(+41 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than rapid, with an annual trend of 0.83% and population change across the wider area of 13.7% over 10 years. Internal migration is the primary driver, which fits an established suburb attracting older households rather than relying on a large young workforce. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 4.6 percentage points, while the working share fell 1.8 points and the young share fell 2.0 points. Gentrification is scored at 34 and sits at the Early signs stage, despite an Active shift score of 54, so change is present but not yet dominant. Rent growth of 55.0% and 71 development applications point to pressure above the long-established pattern, but the 31.5% vacancy rate may moderate outcomes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+8
Net Internal / yr
+109
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal migration +109/yr, Accelerating: 3% → 13%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Sussex Inlet compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sussex Inlet a good suburb to live in?
Sussex Inlet suits people seeking detached housing and quieter routines, with a median age of 61 and 89.9% separate houses. Car dependence is high at 78.1%, and IRSAD is decile 2, below stronger socioeconomic deciles. Compare transport, services and household costs with nearby Sanctuary Point before choosing.
What is the median house price in Sussex Inlet?
Check the latest settled-sales series for the current median house price rather than infer it from rent. Sussex Inlet has a weekly rent of $310, with 89.9% separate houses and 58.2% owned outright, so compare detached-house sales with nearby suburbs before setting a budget.
What schools are in Sussex Inlet?
Sussex Inlet has 1 local government primary school, Sussex Inlet Public School. Check the enrolment zone and secondary-school options for the exact address, because a single primary campus does not describe the full travel pattern. The suburb has 3,888 residents and 12.6% work from home, but compare school access with your daily commute.
Is Sussex Inlet safe?
Safety decisions should use current NSW Police incident data for the exact street rather than rely on suburb demographics. Sussex Inlet has a median age of 61 and 79.2% of residents stayed at the same address, while 78.1% drive, but these figures do not measure crime. Compare recent incidents with lighting, traffic and evening access before signing a lease or contract.
Is Sussex Inlet good for property investment?
Property investment is selective. Weekly rent is $310 and rent growth is 55.0%, but vacancy is a high 31.5%, which can weaken occupancy and cash-flow reliability. Development activity reached 71 applications in 12 months, and internal migration is the primary growth driver. Compare settled yields, insurance and vacancy by dwelling type because 89.9% separate houses means detached stock dominates.
How is Sussex Inlet's population changing?
Sussex Inlet is ageing while still attracting residents from elsewhere. The wider-area trend is 0.83% annual growth, with internal migration the primary driver, and population change reaches 13.7% over 10 years. The senior share rose 4.6 percentage points while the young share fell 2.0 points, so demand is likely to be shaped more by older households. This is an Aging trajectory, above a flat-growth profile.
What development is happening in Sussex Inlet?
Development activity reached 71 applications over 12 months, including attached dual occupancies with 2 dwellings in recent examples. That pipeline is above a negligible level, but applications do not guarantee completion. Buyers and investors should check approvals, flood constraints, servicing and the effect of new supply on the 31.5% vacancy rate before relying on a project timetable.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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