Fern Bay NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Fern Bay, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Fern Bay NSW is 4,046 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Fern Bay is $735 per week ($38,220 per year). Median rent in Fern Bay is $510 per week ($2,210 per month). Fern Bay has a median age of 43 years, older than the national median of 38. Fern Bay has a population density of 487.8 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Fern Bay is England. The most common religion is No Religion (40% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Other. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fern Bay is $2,299.

There were 22 recorded offences in Fern Bay in 2025-26, a rate of 5 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (6 offences).

Fern Bay Map

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Fern Bay Population

0
residents (Census 2021)

Fern Bay Median Income & Rent

💰
Median Income
$735/wk
$38,220 per year
#4828 of 14,663
🏠
Median Rent
$510/wk
$2,210 per month
#547 of 14,663
👤
Median Age
43years
5 years older than national median
🏡
Mortgage
$2,299/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.7 per bedroom

Fern Bay Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.0% (1,939) Female 52.0% (2,103)

Population Density

487.8
people per km²
4,046 people · 8.3 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,104
Family income/wk

Fern Bay 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 & Locality (SAL)

Fern Bay Housing Tenure

🏠
Owned outright
64.1% 761 dwellings
🏦
Owned with mortgage
35.9% 426 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Fern Bay Country of Birth

Australia
94.1%
England
4.0%
Germany
0.6%
Bangladesh
0.3%
China
0.3%
Indonesia
0.3%
Croatia
0.2%
Fiji
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Fern Bay Religion

No Religion
40.4%
Catholic
21.5%
Anglican
19.7%
Not stated
6.6%
Uniting Church
4.4%
Christian (other)
3.1%
Christinty Prsbytrin Refrmd
2.7%
Baptist
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Fern Bay Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
49.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
32.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
10.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Fern Bay Languages Spoken at Home

Other
28.3%
Cantonese
13.3%
SAL Tot
11.7%
Italian
10.0%
Afrikaans
10.0%
German
10.0%
SAL Indon
8.3%
Bengali
8.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Fern Bay Employment

💼
Employed full-time
32.4% 949 people
Employed part-time
17.1% 500 people
🔍
Unemployed
2.2% 65 people
🏠
Not in labour force
48.3% 1,412 people

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

Fern Bay Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
41.3%
Bachelor Degree
25.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.1%
Postgraduate Degree
8.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.0%
Certificate I/II
1.6%

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

Fern Bay Occupation

Professionals
31.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.8%
Managers
14.3%
Community & Personal Service
13.2%
Clerical & Administrative
12.1%
Labourers
4.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.5%
Sales Workers
3.0%

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

Fern Bay Field of Study

Management & Commerce
23.3%
Engineering
21.0%
Health
13.3%
Society & Culture
12.1%
Education
11.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.9%
Architecture & Building
4.2%
Creative Arts
3.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.4%
Information Technology
2.2%
Agriculture & Environment
2.0%

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

Fern Bay Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Fern Bay Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
0.6%
$300-$399/wk
2.8%
$400-$499/wk
5.8%
$500-$649/wk
9.5%
$650-$799/wk
9.3%
$800-$999/wk
7.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
6.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
9.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Fern Bay Marital Status

💍
Married
52.3% 1,697
↔️
Separated
3.4% 110
📋
Divorced
12.0% 388
🕊️
Widowed
7.4% 239
👤
Never married
24.9% 808

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Fern Bay Ancestry

English
33.5%
Australian
31.5%
Irish
9.4%
Scottish
8.4%
Other
4.4%
Aboriginal Australianralian
3.9%
German
3.2%
Italian
1.5%
Welsh
1.4%
Dutch
1.1%
Chinese
0.8%
Filipino
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Fern Bay School & University Attendance

Primary — Government
28.0%
Secondary — Government
14.9%
Pre-school
13.4%
Primary — Catholic
12.6%
Vocational Education
10.7%
Primary — Other Non-Govt
8.4%
Secondary — Catholic
6.3%
Secondary — Other Non-Govt
5.7%

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

Fern Bay Need for Assistance

Needs assistance
7.7% 590
No need for assistance
92.3% 7,109

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

Fern Bay Volunteering

🤝
Volunteer
15.0% 458
Not a volunteer
85.0% 2,598

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Fern Bay Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
1.0%
$300-$449/mo
2.9%
$450-$599/mo
1.0%
$600-$799/mo
7.9%
$800-$999/mo
3.7%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
5.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
9.9%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
28.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
25.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
13.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Fern Bay How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
71.5%
Did not go to work
23.6%
Car (passenger)
2.9%
Walked only
0.8%
Truck
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%
Ferry
0.3%

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

Fern Bay Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.4%
1 vehicle
42.5%
2 vehicles
38.6%
3 vehicles
9.7%
4+ vehicles
4.8%

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

Fern Bay Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.6%
2 bedrooms
29.8%
3 bedrooms
21.2%
4 bedrooms
41.1%
5 bedrooms
4.4%

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

Fern Bay Population Mobility

20.9%
moved in the last year
56.1%
moved in the last 5 years
4.0%
unemployment rate (Census)
50.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Fern Bay Indigenous Population

5.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander
432
Indigenous residents
7,321
Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Fern Bay Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
430
Arthritis
214
Asthma
150
Heart disease
148
Diabetes
145
Lung condition
143
Cancer
85
Kidney disease
65
Stroke
50
Dementia
28

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

Fern Bay Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.6%
$1-$149/wk
3.7%
$150-$299/wk
4.9%
$300-$399/wk
6.3%
$400-$499/wk
4.5%
$500-$649/wk
5.0%
$650-$799/wk
8.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
12.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.7%
$3,500+/wk
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Fern Bay Family Structure

Couple — children under 15
45.6%
Couple — no children
34.2%
Couple — no children under 15
10.1%
One parent — children under 15
6.8%
One parent — no children under 15
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Fern Bay Military Service

🎖️
Current ADF — Regular
4.1% 125
🛡️
Current ADF — Reserves
0.5% 14
🏅
Previously served
5.1% 157
👤
Never served
90.4% 2,778

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Fern Bay Unpaid Carers

🤲
Provided unpaid assistance
14.1% 431
Did not provide
85.9% 2,617

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Fern Bay Children Ever Born

No children
24.2%
1 child
11.8%
2 children
36.4%
3 children
18.9%
4 children
7.3%
5+ children
1.4%

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

Fern Bay When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
13
1951–1960
47
1961–1970
58
1971–1980
48
1981–1990
55
1991–2000
39
2001–2010
79
2011–2015
62
2016
14
2017
11
2018
19
2019
14
2020
7
2021
3

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

Fern Bay Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
18.3%
5–14 hours
30.4%
15–29 hours
15.5%
30+ hours
9.9%
Did not do domestic work
25.9%

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

Fern Bay Household Size

1 person
29.9%
2 persons
36.2%
3 persons
12.4%
4 persons
14.0%
5 persons
5.3%
6+ persons
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Fern Bay Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,997
Moved from NSW
451
Moved — same area (SA2)
188
Moved from VIC
39
Moved from QLD
35
Moved from overseas
31
Moved from WA
13
Moved from TAS
9
Moved from NT
9
Moved from ACT
9
Moved from SA
7

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

Fern Bay Family Blending

Intact family — no other children
78.8%
Step family — no other children
13.0%
Blended family — no other children
5.8%
Intact family — other children present
1.7%
Step family — other children present
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Fern Bay Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 22 total

Theft
6
Assault
5
Property Damage
3
Other Against Property
3
Sexual Offences
2
Other Against Person
2
Domestic Violence
1

Offence trend by year:

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Fern Bay Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
1002
avg ICSEA score
182
total students
Fern Bay Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 182 students
1002
ICSEA

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

View all schools in Fern Bay with map →

Fern Bay Rent Prices & Affordability

36%
of income
Stressed
Household Income $1,435/wk
Median Rent $510/wk
Rent-to-Income 35.5%

Rent exceeds 35% of household income — this area may be under housing stress.

If you earn X in Fern Bay

≈ $6,218/month
Median rent $510/wk
Left after rent $925/wk
Rent share 35.5%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Fern Bay vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

Frequently Asked Questions About Fern Bay

What is the population of Fern Bay NSW?

The population of Fern Bay NSW is 4,046 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 487.8 people per km².Fern Bay is ranked #1,901 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Fern Bay?

The median personal income in Fern Bay NSW is $735 per week, or $38,220 per year.The median household income is $1,435 per week.Family income is $2,104 per week.Fern Bay is ranked #4,828 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Fern Bay?

Median rent in Fern Bay NSW is $510 per week ($2,210 per month).Rent represents 35.5% of household income, which is considered stressed.Fern Bay ranks #547 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Fern Bay?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Fern Bay NSW is $2,299. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Fern Bay?

The median age in Fern Bay NSW is 43 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Fern Bay a good suburb to live in?

Fern Bay is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,046.The median income is $735/wk, which is below the NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as stressed (35.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11504. All dollar figures in AUD.