Median house price
$1.38M
+8.0% change
NSW · Central Coast Council
Macmasters Beach, 2251
Est. population · Jun 2025
1,461
Growth (1 yr)
+0.6%
Growth (5 yr)
+1.9%
Median age
49
Median income
$2,190/wk
Employment rate
56.4%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$1,380,000
Languages at home
4.5%non-English
Most common: French, Mandarin
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Life in Macmasters Beach revolves around the coast, with the feel of a smaller community that never strays far from the water. The wider metro area and neighbouring suburbs stay within easy reach when you want a change of scene. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life.
There is enough green space nearby for walks, picnics and after-school play. Buses make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs.
Light infill development is updating a few streets while the wider area stays largely unchanged.
Desirability lands below average here: softer local dining and lifestyle amenities weighing on the result versus similar coastal suburbs, even with community and employment, plus growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Macmasters Beach snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$778/wk
Houses $850 · Units $550
Population (ERP)
1,461
+0.6% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
35.6%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#67
among Coastal & beach · Mature
Safety
8th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
53rd
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
72nd
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 37.0/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4294th in Australia
- State rank
- 1352nd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #67 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #135 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $850
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $778
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 142
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $1,380,000
- Median price change
- +8%
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
1,461(June 2025)
+0.6% annual · +1.9% over 5 years · 53th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.6%
- 5-year growth
- +1.9%
- Change in 1 year
- +9
- Change in 5 years
- +27
- Growth rank in NSW
- 53th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,500), extrapolated at +0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 1,399
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $2,190
- Dwelling vacancy
- 35.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 280 of 786
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,468
- Employment rate
- 56.4%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 498 / 0 / 15
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 41
- Against the person
- 13
- Against property
- 18
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 28.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 108 residents
- State safety percentile
- 7.8th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -2.1%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order76
- Domestic Violence Related Assault79
- Fraud74
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment114
- Malicious Damage To Property110
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,061
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 72th
School list
- Coast Christian SchoolPrimary · Independent · ICSEA 1061 · 72th percentile · LBOTE 11% · 234 students · Top SEA quarter 18% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
28 public transport stops in this suburb
- Lakeside Dr After Three Points Av
- The Scenic Rd Opp 737
- The Scenic Rd Opp Bounty Hill Rd
- Tudibaring Pde Opp Three Points Av
- Warri Cres At The Scenic Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
24 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 playgrounds
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Decent local green space — 2 parks in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
- Well connected by public transport — 28 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 30/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 1.43
Community(1)
- MacMasters Beach Progress HallCommunity centre
Sport & outdoors(3)
- Banavie ReservePark
- Corribeg ReservePark
- Playground
Transport(6)
6 bus stops
Other(8)
- Bench (4)
- MacMasters Beach Rural Fire BrigadeFire station
463 The Scenic Road
- Information (2)
- Parking
- Picnic Table (2)
- Public Toilet MacMasters BeachPublic toilets
- Shower
- Waste Basket (2)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Banavie ReservePark
- Corribeg ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 4
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Central Coast Day Hospital (6.6 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 34
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 23.3
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 26° / 18°
- Rainfall
- 386 mm · ~48 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 22° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 394 mm · ~49 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 17° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 266 mm · ~33 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 22° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 253 mm · ~32 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 13 proposals
August 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Residential Accommodation45 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Carport24 GRAHAME DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Additional Information Requested
July 2026
- Subdivision36 WARRI CRESCENT MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
- Demolition; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (detached)5 MACMASTER PARADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah8 1 WARRI CRESCENT MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure797 THE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
May 2026
- Subdivision9 MACMASTER PARADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure57 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)707A THE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool498 THE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Additional Information Requested
February 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah12 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure12 SOUTH PACIFIC DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure32 OCEAN DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Subdivision14 MACMASTER PARADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support568 THE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
November 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport43 MACMASTER PARADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
October 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 STONE PLACE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation47 LAKESIDE DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure6 NEWELL ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure66 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Stairway7 STONE PLACE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space; Swimming pool704 The Scenic Road Macmasters Beach 2251Determined
- Subdivision20 LAKESIDE DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 BOMBI ROAD SOUTH MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure16 BOMBI ROAD SOUTH MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Additional Information Requested
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)17 OCEAN DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)2A SOUTH PACIFIC DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure19 WARRI CRESCENT MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
July 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation20 LAKESIDE DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Landscaping structures6 GRAHAME DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Advertising and signage; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation29 MacMaster Parade, MacMasters BeachDetermined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation14 STONE PLACE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
May 2025
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming poolTHE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure434 THE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
February 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure39 MACMASTER PARADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space14 OCEAN DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
2024· 8 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 WYVERN CRESCENT MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure101 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Carport; Swimming pool; Supporting Development179 DAJANI DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation87 BEACHVIEW ESPLANADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Withdrawn
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport53 TUDIBARING PARADE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
October 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool413-429 THE SCENIC ROAD MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 LAKESIDE DRIVE MACMASTERS BEACH 2251Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Robertson
- Member of Parliament
- Gordon REID (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 114,922
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +7.1 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 40.6%Labor 59.4%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 6.1 km away).
Coalition 36.1%Labor 63.9%
4.5 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +9.8 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- CopacabanaLabor 66.9% · Coalition 33.1% TPP (2025)2.4 km away
- Avoca BeachLabor 68.0% · Coalition 32.0% TPP (2025)3.3 km away
- KincumberLabor 62.1% · Coalition 37.9% TPP (2025)3.8 km away
- Kincumber CentralLabor 62.8% · Coalition 37.2% TPP (2025)4.8 km away
- Empire BayLabor 60.8% · Coalition 39.2% TPP (2025)5.0 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Central Coast Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.