The Entrance North
A 31.6% vacancy rate in a suburb of just 1,619 residents tells the essential story of The Entrance North: this is a coastal enclave shaped by holiday letting and part-time occupancy. The median house price reached $922,500 in 2024, yet household income sits at only the 33.4th percentile nationally, creating a notable affordability gap. The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national average, and the senior share has grown 4.7 points over the decade. Only 12.5% of residents were born overseas, some 9.1 percentage points below the national rate, reinforcing a strongly Anglo-Celtic community identity.
Population
1,619
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,331/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
Median House
$922K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price rose from $875,000 in 2024 to $980,000 in 2025, a 12% one-year gain. Separate houses make up 50.8% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 24.5% and apartments at 20.7%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 37.4%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 25.0%. Monthly repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.6%, above the 30% stress threshold and high relative to incomes at the 33.4th percentile nationally. The 35.1% of outright owners signals a retiree and long-term holder base rather than a market of recent buyers.
For Buyers
The median house price rose from $875,000 in 2024 to $980,000 in 2025, a 12% one-year gain. Separate houses make up 50.8% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 24.5% and apartments at 20.7%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 37.4%, followed by four-plus bedroom at 25.0%. Monthly repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.6%, above the 30% stress threshold and high relative to incomes at the 33.4th percentile nationally. The 35.1% of outright owners signals a retiree and long-term holder base rather than a market of recent buyers.
For Investors
A 40.4% renting rate is above the national average, and weekly rent is $380. However, the 31.6% vacancy rate is the dominant risk, driven by coastal holiday letting. Gross yield at $380 weekly against a $922,500 median implies roughly 2.1%. Rent grew 40.4% over the measurement period, outpacing real income growth of 16.7%. Population in the area grows at 1.0% annually, adding about 164 residents per year, sustained by overseas migration averaging 118 net arrivals while internal migration runs at minus 47. There were 19 development applications in the past 12 months, including secondary dwelling and alteration works.
Development Activity
Total DAs
99
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+29.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, with the senior share rising 4.7 points and the young share falling 3.2 points over the decade. English (635), Irish (197) and Scottish (182) ancestry dominate, reflecting one of the more Anglo-Celtic coastal communities in NSW. Overseas-born residents at 12.5% are 9.1 percentage points below the national rate. University qualifications reach only 20.6%, which is 9.5 points below the national average. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below national, and couples without children account for 34.1% of families, consistent with a retiree-leaning resident profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.8%
Houses
24.5%
Townhouse
20.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits see 35.1% owning outright, 24.4% with a mortgage and 40.4% renting. The high outright ownership rate is typical for established coastal communities with a retiree base. Prices moved from $875,000 in 2024 to $980,000 in 2025, a 12.0% rise, with current prices at their peak. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 37.4%, followed by four-plus at 25.0% and two-bedroom at 26.8%. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.6% is above the stress threshold, a significant stretch for a suburb sitting at the 33.4th income percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$688
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
31.6%
Unoccupied
300
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.6% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.1%
Couples, no children
1,172
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 17.6% (76 workers), followed by Construction at 16.6% (72) and Education at 12.5% (54). Professionals are the largest occupational group at 128, ahead of Clerical and Admin (86). The unemployment rate of 7.8% is elevated above the national norm, and the participation rate of 44.5% is low, with 585 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA deciles show divergence: IEO at decile 4 and IRSAD at decile 3 place education-occupation advantage and overall advantage in the lower third nationally, while IRSD at decile 2 puts the suburb in the bottom 20% for relative disadvantage.
Unemployment
5.6%
Labour Force
7,839
Unemployed
440
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.2%
Part-time
33.0%
Participation
44.5%
Employed
566
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.6%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
12.5%
Dwellings
644
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 90.9% of residents drive to work, compared to 1.3% using public transport, placing the suburb well below state and national averages for transit access. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on facilities in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs. Crime statistics are not available in the current dataset. The IRSAD decile of 3 places overall advantage in the lower third nationally and the IEO decile of 4 reflects below-average education and occupation outcomes. Need-for-assistance affects 6.7% of residents (102 people), above typical rates, consistent with the older median age of 46.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.0%/yr
(+164 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation in the area is projected to grow from 16,336 in 2025 to 17,503 by 2031 at 1.0% per year. Overseas migration averaging 118 net arrivals annually drives growth, offset by net internal outflow of minus 47, meaning the area attracts international residents while losing domestic movers. The 10-year population increase was 13.3%. Affordability has been stable, shifting from 56.4% in 2011 to 55.1% in 2021. The gentrification score of 36 signals early signs of transition, though the dominant demographic shift is aging rather than gentrification, with the senior share up 4.7 points since 2011.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+118
Net Internal / yr
-47
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +13% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How The Entrance North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Entrance North a good suburb to live in?
The Entrance North suits retirees and coastal lifestyle seekers more than commuters or young families. The median age is 46, which is 6 years above the national figure, and 90.9% of residents drive to work due to minimal public transport. The IRSAD decile of 3 places overall advantage in the lower third nationally, and household income sits at the 33.4th percentile.
What is the median house price in The Entrance North?
The median house price is $922,500, rising from $875,000 in 2024 to $980,000 in 2025, a 12.0% increase. Weekly rent averages $380. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 37.6%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in The Entrance North?
No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Central Coast suburbs. The university qualification rate is 20.6%, which is 9.5 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the older and trade-oriented workforce here.
Is The Entrance North safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for The Entrance North in the current dataset. As context, the IRSD decile of 2 places the suburb in the bottom 20% nationally for relative disadvantage, and the unemployment rate of 7.8% is above average, both factors associated with elevated crime rates in comparable coastal suburbs.
Is The Entrance North good for property investment?
The 31.6% vacancy rate is the primary risk, driven by holiday letting. Gross yield at $380 weekly against a $922,500 median is roughly 2.1%, low for the risk profile. Prices rose 12.0% from 2024 to 2025, suggesting capital growth momentum, but investors should account for the high vacancy and low 33.4th-percentile income base.
How is The Entrance North's population changing?
The broader area grew 13.3% over the past decade and is forecast to reach 17,503 by 2031 at 1.0% annually. Overseas migration adds a net 118 residents per year while internal migration runs at minus 47. The suburb's own population of 1,619 is aging, with the senior share up 4.7 points since 2011.
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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