The Entrance
At 2,564.5 residents per sq km across just 1.65 sq km, The Entrance is a compact coastal centre shaped by apartments, renters and an older population. Apartments account for 53.0% of dwellings and renting for 58.3%, while the median age of 50 sits 10 years above the national comparison. Household income is at the 11.9th percentile, yet vacancy reaches 37.3%, suggesting a large short-stay or intermittently occupied component alongside permanent homes. The suburb has 4,244 residents and a 23.5% work-from-home share. Compared with nearby Long Jetty or The Entrance North, buyers should test tenure, building quality and seasonal letting exposure rather than assume a uniform coastal market.
Population
4,244
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$971/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
57
For homebuyers, the key trade-off is apartment access versus debt pressure. Apartments represent 53.0% of dwellings, separate houses 26.2%, and two-bedroom homes 57.6%, so the stock suits singles, couples and downsizers more than large families. Personal weekly income is $599, while mortgage repayments are $1,733 a month and mortgage-to-income stress reaches 41.2%, making borrowing capacity worth testing carefully. The 28.7% outright ownership rate points to established owner pockets, while 11.2% mortgage ownership indicates a smaller leveraged buyer base. Compared with a house-focused search around Long Jetty, The Entrance provides more apartment choice but requires closer checks on strata levies, insurance, parking, building condition and coastal exposure.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, the key trade-off is apartment access versus debt pressure. Apartments represent 53.0% of dwellings, separate houses 26.2%, and two-bedroom homes 57.6%, so the stock suits singles, couples and downsizers more than large families. Personal weekly income is $599, while mortgage repayments are $1,733 a month and mortgage-to-income stress reaches 41.2%, making borrowing capacity worth testing carefully. The 28.7% outright ownership rate points to established owner pockets, while 11.2% mortgage ownership indicates a smaller leveraged buyer base. Compared with a house-focused search around Long Jetty, The Entrance provides more apartment choice but requires closer checks on strata levies, insurance, parking, building condition and coastal exposure.
For Investors
Investors get a renter-heavy base: 58.3% of households rent and weekly rent is $360. That demand is offset by a 37.3% vacancy rate, creating more income volatility than a tightly occupied market and making building-level vacancy important to assess. Development activity is also visible, with 59 applications in 12 months and a sample dual-occupancy approval adding 2 dwellings. Rent growth is recorded at 40.4%, but the aging trajectory and median age of 50 point to a tenant mix weighted toward older singles and couples. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which may broaden demand, so compare net yield after strata, insurance, maintenance and vacancy rather than relying on rent alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
238
Last 12 Months
57
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in The Entrance
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
The Entrance has an older, smaller-household profile: median age 50 is 10 years above national, average household size 1.9 is 0.6 below national, and 21.3% hold university qualifications, 8.8 percentage points below national. English ancestry is most common at 1,690 people, followed by Irish at 522 and Scottish at 388. Christianity counts 2,211 people and no religion 1,408. Overseas-born residents make up 20.7%, just 0.9 points below national, while Punjabi, Greek, Mandarin and Italian are recorded for 26, 17, 13 and 13 residents respectively. A 72.9% same-address rate and 27.1% turnover suggest more stability than a highly transient precinct. Compared with nearby Long Jetty, households should still assess each building and street because apartment tenure can produce different age and mobility patterns.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
26.2%
Houses
19.3%
Townhouse
53.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing stock is apartment-led: the 53.0% apartment share is higher than separate houses at 26.2% and semi-detached dwellings at 19.3%. Two-bedroom homes account for 57.6% of stock, followed by three-bedroom homes at 26.8%, while 8.5% have 0 or 1 bedroom and 7.2% have 4 or more. This mix helps explain the density of 2,564.5 residents per sq km and the average household size of 1.9. Renting at 58.3% is substantially higher than outright ownership at 28.7% and mortgage ownership at 11.2%. Vacancy is 37.3%, so compared with detached-dominant suburbs, buyers and landlords should pay closer attention to building quality, strata costs, short-stay exposure and resale depth.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $360.
$650
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $680 · units $525
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$599
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
37.3%
Unoccupied
1,229
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
37.1% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
41.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples with children
46.3%
Couples, no children
27.8%
Single parent
1,060
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local employment base is service-facing, led by healthcare at 24.8% or 225 workers, construction at 10.9% or 99, education at 9.4% or 85, hospitality at 9.1% or 82, and retail at 6.4% or 58. Occupations are spread across community and personal services at 239, labourers at 221, trades at 218, professionals at 210 and managers at 170. Labour-force participation is 43.7%, unemployment is 8.7%, full-time employment is 49.7%, and 1,808 people are not in the labour force, partly consistent with a median age of 50. Weekly household income is $971 at the 11.9th percentile. SEIFA deciles are 4 for education and occupation, 2 for economic resources, 2 for disadvantage and 3 for advantage, indicating weaker resources compared with higher-decile areas.
Unemployment
8.7%
Labour Force
1,632
Unemployed
142
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.7%
Part-time
35.0%
Participation
43.7%
Employed
1,490
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.3%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
20.7%
Dwellings
2,063
Transport to Work
Daily life is compact but car-oriented. Car drivers account for 63.7% of journeys, compared with 4.3% using public transport and 4.8% walking or cycling, while 23.5% work from home. The Entrance Public School is a government primary school in the suburb; families needing broader schooling choices should confirm exact enrolment zones and nearby secondary pathways by address. The IRSAD decile is 3 and the IRSD decile is 2, while 9.3% of residents, or 362 people, need assistance, increasing the value of nearby health and support services. Compared with higher-decile suburbs, service access and building condition may matter more to day-to-day comfort. The 1.65 sq km footprint supports short local trips, but transport options should be checked carefully for households without a car.
Drive
63.7%
Public Transport
4.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
23.5%
Population Forecast
+1.0%/yr
(+164 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth looks measured rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.0%, with overseas migration the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 13.3% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 4.7 percentage points, young share has fallen 3.2 points, and rent growth is 40.4%. Affordability is labelled Stable, moving from 56.4 in 2011 to 55.1 in 2021. Gentrification is labelled Not gentrifying at a score of 4, despite the separate shift indicator showing Early signs at 36. Compared with a fast-expanding growth corridor, this points to gradual demand shaped more by overseas migration and ageing than by rapid household turnover.
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Entrance a good suburb to live in?
The Entrance suits people who value a compact coastal setting, apartment choice and local services, but it is less suited to households seeking large blocks or low-density housing. The suburb has 4,244 residents, 53.0% apartments, 58.3% renters and a median age of 50, which is 10 years above the national comparison. Check vacancy, strata and street conditions.
What is the median house price in The Entrance?
Check current settled sales for a reliable median rather than applying one figure to every property. The Entrance has 53.0% apartments, 26.2% separate houses and 57.6% two-bedroom dwellings, so compare like-for-like sales by dwelling type, building condition, parking and coastal proximity before judging a property's value.
What schools are in The Entrance?
The Entrance Public School is a government primary school in the suburb. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and nearby secondary pathways before signing a contract, particularly because the suburb has 1 local primary school and a compact 1.65 sq km footprint.
Is The Entrance safe?
Safety is best assessed street by street and at different times, using current NSW Police crime mapping and a local inspection. The Entrance has 4,244 residents and a median age of 50, but population and age are not safety measures. Check lighting, building access, parking areas and evening activity before choosing a property.
Is The Entrance good for property investment?
It can suit an investor seeking a renter-heavy market, but risk is not low: 58.3% rent, weekly rent is $360 and vacancy is 37.3%. A total of 59 development applications in 12 months may increase competition for some stock. Compare net yield after strata, insurance, maintenance and vacancy, and assess each building rather than relying on the suburb average.
How is The Entrance's population changing?
Population change is gradual but directional. The annual trend is 1.0%, while the wider area recorded 13.3% growth over 10 years and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 4.7 percentage points and young share down 3.2, so future demand may favour smaller, accessible homes more than family-sized stock.
Is development increasing in The Entrance?
Development activity is active, with 59 applications recorded in the past 12 months. Examples include swimming pools and a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy. Check whether a proposal is complying development, its construction timing and likely effect on parking, privacy and rental competition before buying nearby.
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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