Woy Woy
At 48, Woy Woy's median resident is 8.0 years above the national benchmark, shaping a quieter Central Coast profile with more older singles, couples and long-held homes. The suburb has 11,072 residents, 35.4% owned outright homes and a household income position at only the 21.9 percentile, so affordability pressure is felt even below Sydney pricing. Compared with Umina Beach and Ettalong Beach, Woy Woy reads more station-and-inlet than beach-front, which helps explain the 9.3% public transport share despite 80.0% driving.
Population
11,072
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,151/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
90
Median House
$875K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers face a median house price of $875,000, with the recent price series rising from $850,000 in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025. That is manageable compared with many Sydney markets, but local household income is only at the 21.9 percentile and mortgage costs absorb 38.1% of income, so borrowing capacity matters. The stock suits downsizers and smaller families because 62.1% are separate houses, 29.1% are semi-detached and 46.3% of homes have 3 bedrooms, while apartments remain low at 7.4%.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a median house price of $875,000, with the recent price series rising from $850,000 in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025. That is manageable compared with many Sydney markets, but local household income is only at the 21.9 percentile and mortgage costs absorb 38.1% of income, so borrowing capacity matters. The stock suits downsizers and smaller families because 62.1% are separate houses, 29.1% are semi-detached and 46.3% of homes have 3 bedrooms, while apartments remain low at 7.4%.
For Investors
Investor demand is helped by a large tenant pool, with 39.9% of households renting and median rent at $380 per week. The caution is vacancy: 7.3% is above the level investors usually prefer, so yield reliability depends on property quality and location. There is also supply activity, with 86 development applications in 12 months. Average migration is supportive, led by 93 net overseas migrants a year compared with 12 net internal migrants, while rent growth of 52.0% signals pressure on renters.
Development Activity
Total DAs
488
Last 12 Months
90
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+38.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Woy Woy iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Woy Woy South Public School
K-6 · 648 students
Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy Campus
10-12 · 644 students
Woy Woy Public School
P-6 · 365 students
Demographics
Woy Woy is older and less tertiary-qualified than the national profile: the median age is 48, which is 8.0 years above national, while 24.5% hold a university qualification, 5.6 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents make up 20.2%, 1.4 points below national, so ancestry skews Anglo, led by English at 4,608, Irish at 1,360 and Scottish at 1,124. Household size is 2.2, below national by 0.3, partly because 30.3% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
62.1%
Houses
29.1%
Townhouse
7.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is mixed but still house-led, with 62.1% separate houses, 29.1% semi-detached dwellings and only 7.4% apartments. The median house price is $875,000, while the short price history shows a trough of $850,000 in 2024 and a peak of $900,000 in 2025, with 5.9% growth over 1 year and 0.0% below peak. Tenure is balanced but stretched: 35.4% own outright, 24.7% have a mortgage and 39.9% rent. Stress is evident because rent takes 33.0% of income and mortgages take 38.1%.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,900
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$605
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
372
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.0% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
38.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples, no children
7,901
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans heavily toward care and service roles, with Healthcare the largest industry at 22.4% or 587 workers, well above Construction at 9.4% and Education at 8.4%. Public Admin and Professional/Tech each sit at 8.3%, while occupations are led by 782 Professionals, 566 Clerical/Admin workers and 545 Community/Personal workers. The unemployment rate is 7.3% and participation is 41.3%, reflecting the older age base. SEIFA is consistently below average: IEO decile 4, IER decile 2, IRSD decile 3 and IRSAD decile 3.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
6,748
Unemployed
342
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.5%
Part-time
32.2%
Participation
41.3%
Employed
3,598
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.5%
Postgraduate
6.3%
Born Overseas
20.2%
Dwellings
4,740
Transport to Work
Daily life is practical and car-oriented, with 80.0% driving to work, 9.3% using public transport and 5.2% walking or cycling. The school base is local rather than broad, with 3 schools and an ICSEA range of 970 to 996; Woy Woy South Public School leads at 996 with 648 students, while Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy Campus provides government secondary access at 974 and 644 students. Livability is tempered by IRSAD decile 3 and 10.6% needing assistance, so services matter more than lifestyle branding.
Drive
80.0%
Public Transport
9.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.42%/yr
(+61 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow rather than speculative. The trend forecast adds 0.42% a year, or 61 people annually, taking the medium population path from 14,701 in 2026 to 15,007 in 2031. Migration is the main support, with overseas migration averaging 93 people a year compared with 12 internal migrants. The shift signals are mixed: rents have risen 52.0%, affordability worsened from 55.7 to 59.2, seniors rose 1.2 points and young residents fell 0.4 points. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so renewal looks gradual.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+93
Net Internal / yr
+12
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Woy Woy compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Woy Woy a good suburb to live in?
Woy Woy can suit buyers wanting a practical Central Coast base with older demographics, smaller households and local schools. The median age is 48, public transport use is 9.3% and 80.0% drive, so it works best for residents comfortable with car-based routines.
What is the median house price in Woy Woy?
The median house price in Woy Woy is $875,000 for the 2024-2025 price quarter. The short price series moved from $850,000 in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025, a 5.9% rise, with the latest result 0.0% below the recorded peak.
What schools are in Woy Woy?
Woy Woy has 3 local schools. Woy Woy South Public School has ICSEA 996 and 648 students, Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy Campus has ICSEA 974 and 644 students, and Woy Woy Public School has ICSEA 970 and 365 students.
Is Woy Woy safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so recent street-level checks are important. Broader social indicators show IRSAD decile 3 and 10.6% of residents needing assistance, which points to some local vulnerability rather than a simple safety ranking.
Is Woy Woy good for property investment?
Woy Woy has investment appeal through its 39.9% renter share, $380 weekly median rent and 86 development applications in 12 months. The key caution is vacancy at 7.3%, which is higher than tight-market settings and makes property selection important.
How is Woy Woy's population changing?
Woy Woy is forecast to grow slowly, adding 0.42% or about 61 people a year. The medium path rises from 14,701 in 2026 to 15,007 in 2031, with overseas migration averaging 93 people a year compared with 12 internal migrants.
What development is happening in Woy Woy?
Development activity is noticeable, with 86 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include dwelling houses, secondary dwellings and new structures, so change is more about incremental infill than a large single redevelopment wave.
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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