NSW · Central Coast (NSW) Council
Canton Beach, NSW, 2263
Desirability index
#444 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Canton Beach is a small locality in the Central Coast (NSW) area, home to around 1,202 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 2,717 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with falling year-on-year trends (-6%), roughly 2260.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $570 (flats $450, houses $600), 10 public transport stops within the suburb, a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 1,202
- Median age
- 61
- Median household income / week
- $710
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 61 of 688
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,781
- Employment rate
- 30.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 70 / 95 / 44
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $450
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $600
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $570
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 230
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 2,717
- Against the person
- 859
- Against property
- 848
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 2,260.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 47.1th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -6.4%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order193
- Breach Bail Conditions442
- Domestic Violence Related Assault201
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment344
- Malicious Damage To Property238
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
10 public transport stops in this suburb
- 38 Evans Rd
- Evans Rd Opp Ocean Pde
- Evans Rd Opp Oleander St
- Evans Rd Opp Vietnam Veterans Keith Payne VC Hostel
- Long Khanh Lakefront Village, Evans Rd
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
36 planning-related records
2026· 2 proposals
May 2026
- Subdivision46-52 EVANS ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Under Assessment
March 2026
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation22 BELBOWRIE STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Under Assessment
2025· 4 proposals
November 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure14 WALLIS AVENUE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
June 2025
- Hotel or motel accommodation; Erection of a new structure1 OLEANDER STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Garage, carport or carparking space2 COCHRANE AVENUE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
February 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 READ STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
2024· 7 proposals
November 2024
- Residential flat building; Office Premise; Erection of a new structure11 BEACH PARADE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
August 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure9 WALLIS AVENUE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)4 BANKSIA STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
July 2024
- Subdivision32 BELBOWRIE STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Recreation/Tourist Premise; Recreation facility (outdoor)1 OLEANDER STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
April 2024
- Temporary building, structure or use; Shade structures of canvas, fabric, mesh or the like1 Oleander Street Canton Beach Lot 497 DP/SP755266Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 READ STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
2023· 5 proposals
October 2023
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure; Recreation facility (indoor); Retail Premise1 CROSSINGHAM STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
May 2023
- Shop top housing; Mixed use development5-7 BEACH PARADE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land24 CROSSINGHAM STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Demolition1 CROSSINGHAM STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Withdrawn
February 2023
- Residential flat building12 BEACH PARADE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
2022· 9 proposals
December 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development2 COCHRANE AVENUE CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
November 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces5 BELBOWRIE STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Secondary dwelling19 CROSSINGHAM STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
July 2022
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision of land4 BANKSIA STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing25 BANKSIA STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
June 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs66 EVANS ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
May 2022
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land1 READ STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
January 2022
- Subdivision of land10 BELBOWRIE STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing18 OLEANDER STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
2021· 7 proposals
November 2021
- Residential flat building8 KANTARA ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
July 2021
- Secondary dwelling25 KANTARA ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision of land20 CROSSINGHAM STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
May 2021
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision of land1 READ STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Withdrawn
February 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing4 WATTLE STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
- Stormwater management systems34 EVANS ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
January 2021
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Subdivision of land20 CROSSINGHAM STREET CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
2020· 2 proposals
December 2020
- Other12 BEACH PARADE CANTON BEACH 2263Withdrawn
November 2020
- Alterations and additions to residential development34 EVANS ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
8 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- 38 Evans RdBus stop
- Evans Rd opp Ocean PdeBus stop
- Evans Rd opp Oleander StBus stop
- Evans Rd opp Vietnam Veterans Keith Payne VC HostelBus stop
- Long Khanh Lakefront Village, Evans RdBus stop
- Public toilets
- Slipway
- Toukley Sailing ClubSports centre
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Montgomery Avenue ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Childcare
1 childcare service from OpenStreetMap
- Toukley Preschool KindergartenEvans Roadkindergarten
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 4.2/100
- Cohort rank
- #444 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 38 Evans Rdtransport
- Evans Rd Opp Ocean Pdetransport
- Evans Rd Opp Oleander Sttransport
- Evans Rd Opp Vietnam Veterans Keith Payne VC Hosteltransport
- Long Khanh Lakefront Village, Evans Rdtransport
- Toukley Preschool KindergartenchildcareEvans Roadkindergarten
- Montgomery Avenue Reservegovernmentpark
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning2 COCHRANE AVENUE CANTON BEACH 2263Lodged 08 Dec 2022 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning34 EVANS ROAD CANTON BEACH 2263Lodged 09 Nov 2020 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Garage, carport or carparking spaceplanning2 COCHRANE AVENUE CANTON BEACH 2263Lodged 05 Jun 2025 · Determined
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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