Emerald Beach, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Emerald Beach NSW is 2,677 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Emerald Beach is $811 per week ($42,172 per year). Median rent in Emerald Beach is $463 per week ($2,006 per month). Emerald Beach has a median age of 41 years, older than the national median of 38. Emerald Beach has a population density of 178 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Emerald Beach is England. The most common religion is No religion (52.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is German. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Emerald Beach is $1,950.

There were 19 recorded offences in Emerald Beach in 2025-26, a rate of 7 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (6 offences).

Population
2,677
Census 2021
Median income
$811/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$463/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
41years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Emerald Beach vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Emerald Beach is $811 a week, 6% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 899th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $463 a week, $78 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 25.5% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 41, 2 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureEmerald BeachTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$811/wk$765/wk +6%$766/wk
Household income$1,813/wk$1,704/wk +6%$1,637/wk
Rent$463/wk$385/wk +20%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,950/mo$1,965/mo −1%$1,733/mo
Median age4143 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.5%22.6% +2.9 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Emerald Beach, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Emerald Beach Population

2,677 residents at the 2021 Census.

Emerald Beach Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$811/wk
$42,172 per year
Ranked 3,416 of 14,663
Median Rent
$463/wk
$2,006 per month
Ranked 916 of 14,663
Median Age
41years
3 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,950/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Emerald Beach Rent Prices & Affordability

26% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,813/wk
Median rent $463/wk
Rent to income 25.5%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Emerald Beach against your income

About $7,856 a month
Median rent $463/wk
Left after rent $1,350/wk
Rent share 25.5%

Emerald Beach Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
973
avg ICSEA score
336
total students
Sandy Beach Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 336 students
973
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Emerald Beach, with a map

Emerald Beach Map

Emerald Beach, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Emerald Beach, New South Wales: 30.1758°S, 153.1963°E

Emerald Beach Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (1)

People in Emerald Beach

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.9% (1,284) Female 52.1% (1,397)

Population Density

178
people per km²
2,677 people · 15.0 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,911
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
3.2%
New Zealand
2.4%
United States of America
1.1%
Scotland
0.7%
South Africa
0.7%
Germany
0.6%
Philippines
0.5%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

German
0.6%
Punjabi
0.6%
Spanish
0.6%
Mandarin
0.4%
French
0.3%
Italian
0.3%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
45.8%
Australian
38.3%
Scottish
13.6%
Irish
13.2%
German
5.2%
Australian Aboriginal
5.0%
Italian
1.9%
Dutch
1.8%
Chinese
1.5%
French
1.2%
New Zealander
1.1%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
52.3%
Catholic
15.8%
Anglican
12.3%
Not stated
5.9%
Christian (other)
2.7%
Uniting Church
2.0%
Pentecostal
1.9%
Baptist
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

5.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
49.9% 1,046
Separated
3.3% 70
Divorced
10.3% 215
Widowed
3.9% 82
Never married
32.6% 682

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
44.4%
Couple: no children
29.5%
Couple: no children under 15
10.9%
One parent: children under 15
8.7%
One parent: no children under 15
6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
16.1%
2 persons
38.4%
3 persons
16.2%
4 persons
18.1%
5 persons
8.7%
6+ persons
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Emerald Beach

Housing Tenure

Of the 934 occupied private dwellings in Emerald Beach at the 2021 Census, 21.2% were rented, 36.8% owned outright and 40.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.5% 5 dwellings
Owned outright
36.8% 344 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
40.1% 375 dwellings
Rented
21.2% 198 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 9 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
95.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
2.8%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.0%
2 bedrooms
8.8%
3 bedrooms
37.7%
4 bedrooms
40.9%
5 bedrooms
8.3%
6+ bedrooms
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
2.7%
$300-$449/mo
1.5%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
4.4%
$800-$999/mo
3.8%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
13.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
19.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
31.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
13.6%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
8.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
1.7%
1 vehicle
26.0%
2 vehicles
46.5%
3 vehicles
16.4%
4+ vehicles
9.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Emerald Beach

Employment

Employed full-time
36.0% 685 people
Employed part-time
26.9% 511 people
Unemployed
2.9% 56 people
Not in labour force
34.2% 651 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
34.0%
Community & Personal Service
14.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.1%
Managers
13.4%
Clerical & Administrative
12.2%
Sales Workers
5.3%
Labourers
3.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.2%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
0.3%
$300-$399/wk
2.4%
$400-$499/wk
4.6%
$500-$649/wk
3.5%
$650-$799/wk
5.9%
$800-$999/wk
5.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
8.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.5%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
9.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.4%
$4,000+/wk
10.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.7%
$1-$149/wk
4.3%
$150-$299/wk
6.1%
$300-$399/wk
4.1%
$400-$499/wk
3.4%
$500-$649/wk
3.9%
$650-$799/wk
10.3%
$800-$999/wk
11.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.6%
$3,500+/wk
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
76.0%
Did not go to work
15.3%
Car (passenger)
3.9%
Walked only
2.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Bicycle
0.6%
Truck
0.5%
Bus
0.4%
Other
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
59.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
27.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.1%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
36.8%
Bachelor Degree
31.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.0%
Postgraduate Degree
7.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.7%
Certificate I/II
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
17.1%
Health
15.8%
Engineering
14.4%
Society & Culture
13.1%
Education
11.9%
Architecture & Building
8.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.9%
Creative Arts
4.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.8%
Agriculture & Environment
3.2%
Information Technology
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
26.2%
Secondary: Government
19.3%
Pre-school
14.7%
Vocational Education
10.2%
Primary: Catholic
9.3%
Secondary: Catholic
7.0%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
6.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
91.5%
Has need for assistance
4.3%
Need for assistance not stated
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
241
Arthritis
99
Asthma
87
Heart disease
62
Lung condition
55
Diabetes
49
Cancer
35
Kidney disease
26
Stroke
19
Dementia
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.4% 285
Did not provide
85.6% 1,692

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.7% 331
Not a volunteer
83.3% 1,652

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.0% 60
Never served
97.0% 1,942

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
26.4%
1 child
13.0%
2 children
34.4%
3 children
19.7%
4 children
5.6%
5+ children
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
3
1951: 1960
20
1961: 1970
45
1971: 1980
49
1981: 1990
48
1991: 2000
35
2001: 2010
95
2011: 2015
25
2016
5
2017
3
2018
6
2019
4
2020
9
2021
8

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

17.4%
moved in the last year
44.4%
moved in the last 5 years
4.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
64.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,104
Moved from NSW
200
Moved: same area (SA2)
138
Moved from QLD
32
Moved from VIC
26
Moved from overseas
26
Moved from TAS
5
Moved from NT
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.8%
5: 14 hours
34.2%
15: 29 hours
15.5%
30+ hours
10.5%
Did not do domestic work
19.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
80.5%
Step family: no other children
14.5%
Blended family: no other children
2.5%
Intact family: other children present
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Emerald Beach Crime Statistics

19 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
6
Other Against Property
4
Sexual Offences
3
Other Against Person
3
Assault
2
Drug Offences
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Nyngan
Income: $770/wk Rent: $200/wk $263/wk less rent
Aberdeen (NSW)
Income: $716/wk Rent: $280/wk $183/wk less rent
Yoogali
Income: $871/wk Rent: $300/wk $163/wk less rent
Gulgong
Income: $650/wk Rent: $300/wk $163/wk less rent
Waratah (NSW)
Income: $785/wk Rent: $350/wk $113/wk less rent
Windsor (NSW)
Income: $756/wk Rent: $360/wk $103/wk less rent
Seaham
Income: $839/wk Rent: $360/wk $103/wk less rent
East Hills
Income: $789/wk Rent: $375/wk $88/wk less rent

Suburbs near Emerald Beach

The closest suburb to Emerald Beach is Sandy Beach, 3.4 km away.

Sandy Beach
3.4 km away · income $763/wk · rent $420/wk
Moonee Beach
5.0 km away · income $801/wk · rent $450/wk
Sapphire Beach
7.7 km away · income $955/wk · rent $475/wk
Safety Beach (NSW)
9.2 km away · income $787/wk · rent $500/wk
Woolgoolga
9.6 km away · income $636/wk · rent $360/wk
Korora
11.4 km away · income $834/wk · rent $450/wk

Compare Emerald Beach

Frequently Asked Questions About Emerald Beach

What is the population of Emerald Beach NSW?

The population of Emerald Beach NSW is 2,677 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 178 people per km². Emerald Beach is ranked #2,610 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Emerald Beach?

The median personal income in Emerald Beach NSW is $811 per week, or $42,172 per year. The median household income is $1,813 per week. Family income is $1,911 per week. Emerald Beach is ranked #3,416 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Emerald Beach?

Median rent in Emerald Beach NSW is $463 per week ($2,006 per month). Rent represents 25.5% of household income, which is considered moderate. Emerald Beach ranks #916 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Emerald Beach?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Emerald Beach NSW is $1,950. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Emerald Beach?

The median age in Emerald Beach NSW is 41 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Emerald Beach a good suburb to live in?

Emerald Beach is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 2,677. The median income is $811/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (25.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11414. All dollar figures in AUD.