Shell Cove is a coastal town in New South Wales, in Shellharbour Council. Point Reserve is part of the surrounding geography.
The suburb is highly walkable compared with similar places, placing it among the highest-ranked coastal towns. Local amenities are a relative strength. Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group, and population growth is an exceptional strength. Trade-offs centre on higher rents and higher crime, with median rents 17% above the peer median.
Overall, Shell Cove suits people prioritising walkability and local amenities over lower rents.
Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.
Strengths and weaknesses
Coastal town · compared with coastal towns in New South Wales (162)
Strengths
The suburb is highly walkable compared with similar places
Local amenities are a relative strength
Socio-economic advantage is among the highest in the peer group
Population growth is a relative strength
Weaknesses
Rents run above those in comparable places
Reported crime in the wider postcode 2529 is elevated relative to comparable places
What stands out
Shell Cove Beach
Gadhu Beach
Point Reserve
Who it suits
Stars are audience-fit ratings derived from Suburb.Guide data, not demographic counts or user reviews.
Families★★★☆☆
Professionals★★☆☆☆
Retirees★★☆☆☆
Students★☆☆☆☆
Budget buyers★★☆☆☆
Housing, growth and risk
How Shell Cove compares
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median house price
$1.17M
+7.1% change
Median rent
$760/wk
Houses $800 · Units $650
Population (ERP)
8,037
+2.2% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
5.2%
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
#21
among Coastal & beach · Established
Crime rate
55th
percentile in state (higher = more crime)
Pop. growth
90th
percentile in NSW
Rented dwellings
20%
2021 Census tenure
Advantage (IRSAD)
10/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
76th
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
55.4/100 — Good
State standing
Top 18% of New South Wales' suburbs
National rank
1061st in Australia
State rank
375th in NSW
Peer rank
#21 among Coastal & beach · Established suburbs
Cohort rank
#58 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data confidence
99%
Data sources & freshness
Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
Flats / units (January to March 2026)
$650
Houses (January to March 2026)
$800
All types (January to March 2026)
$760
Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
190
Median house price (October to December 2025)
$1,173,000
Median price change
+7.1%
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
+2.2% annual · +9.7% over 5 years · 90th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+2.2%
5-year growth
+9.7%
Change in 1 year
+176
Change in 5 years
+711
Growth rank in NSW
90th 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 (~9,250), extrapolated at +2.9% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
Population
7,591
Median age
40
Median household income / week
$2,452
Dwelling vacancy
5.2%
Unoccupied private dwellings
133 of 2,582
Median monthly mortgage
$2,386
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$600
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
36.6% / 43.4% / 20%
Employment rate
62.7%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
28.5% / 0.3% / 53.6%
Walked or cycled to work
1.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
2,140 / 201 / 102
Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)
Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
22.6% of adults have a university degree, compared with 27.8% across New South Wales. 20.9% have a trade or vocational qualification.
University qualified22.6% · 27.8% NSW
Diploma qualified12% · 9.3% NSW
Trade / vocational20.9% · 15% NSW
Year 12 or below44.6% · 47.9% NSW
Highest qualification field
Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).
Management and commerce24.3%
Engineering and related technologies20.6%
Society and culture12.4%
Health12.1%
Education10%
Architecture and building6.8%
How these groups are defined
Measure
Definition
University qualified
Bachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualified
Advanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocational
Certificate III + IV
Year 12
Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12
Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below
People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)
University qualifications from the 2021 Census
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Tax & income
Median taxable income (2023–24)
$60,419
65th percentile in NSW · +3% vs Australia
Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$66,366
63rd percentile in NSW · +2% vs Australia
Residents with rental investments
15.0%
60th percentile in NSW · +9% vs Australia
Median super balance (2023–24)
$93,794
78th percentile in NSW · +48% vs Australia
Residents with business income
8.0%
16th percentile in NSW · -23% vs Australia
Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 2529 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.
Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
18,181
Taxpayers reporting net rent
2,761
Median net rent
-$864
Taxpayers reporting business income
1,436
Taxable income vs state median
+8%
Salary / wages vs state median
+6%
Rental investment vs state median
+7%
Super vs state median
+33%
Business income vs state median
-20%
Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in NSW, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.
Data sources & freshness
Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary
Community & culture
12.3% speak a language other than English at home; 17.8% born overseas
Language at home
6,373 English only · 891 other
Non-English at home
12.3%
Born overseas
1,320 (17.8%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
194 (2.6%)
Australian citizens
7,077
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
25
Top languages other than English
Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).
Macedonian118 · 31.1%
Arabic36 · 9.5%
Spanish26 · 6.9%
Serbian25 · 6.6%
Greek19 · 5%
Italian18 · 4.7%
Turkish17 · 4.5%
Mandarin12 · 3.2%
Religion
58%Most common religion · Christianity
Christianity is the most common response at 58%, while 32.5% reported no religion.
Measure
Suburb
State
No religion
32.5%
32.8%
Christianity
58%
47.6%
Islam
2%
4.3%
Other / not stated
7.6%
15.3%
Christian denominations
Denomination
Suburb
State
Catholic
27.6%
22.4%
Anglican
14.7%
11.9%
Eastern Orthodox
5.2%
2.5%
Christian (not further defined)
3.5%
2.4%
Uniting Church
2%
2.1%
2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.
Data sources & freshness
2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Offence counts are estimated for this suburb from postcode 2529, which is shared with other suburbs.
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
594
Against the person
103
Against property
222
Rate per 1,000 residents
73.9
Person-crime prevalence
About 1 in 74 residents
State crime-rate percentile
55.1th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+0.6%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
29
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
3.61
Most common offence types
Breach Bail Conditions167
Fraud34
Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment40
Steal From Motor Vehicle32
Steal From Retail Store53
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates
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
3
Median school ICSEA (2 schools)
1,074
Median ICSEA percentile
76th
Primary catchments overlapping suburb
4
Secondary catchments overlapping suburb
2
School list
Illawarra Environmental Education CentreCombined · Government · 0.6 km awayView on My School →
Shell Cove Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1049 · 68th percentile · LBOTE 20% · 463 students · Top SEA quarter 25% · 0.9 km awayView on My School →
Shellharbour Anglican CollegeCombined · Independent · ICSEA 1099 · 84th percentile · LBOTE 13% · 981 students · Top SEA quarter 42% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
School catchments
Flinders PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Kiama HSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
Minnamurra PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Shell Cove PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Shellharbour PSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundaryprimary_catchment
Warilla HSGovernment school catchment overlapping this suburb boundarysecondary_catchment
Government school intake zones that overlap this suburb boundary. Living in a catchment does not guarantee enrolment; check the education authority.
Contributes to desirability score · Education (14%)
Median school ICSEA first, then school and catchment counts
Data sources & freshness
NSW government school intake zones — NSW Department of Education · current · Updated · Open catchment polygons where published
Great for outdoor family life — 21 parks mapped in suburb, 6 playgrounds nearby
Well connected by public transport — 56 public transport stops
Walkability proxy
84/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0.26
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0.92
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.77
Food & drink(7)
BreadrocksBakery
Leaf Cafe & Co Shell CoveCafe
Naturally TastyCafe
Georgia RoseRestaurant
The Salty SquidRestaurant
Waterfront TavernRestaurant
9 Marina Drive, Shell Cove
Waterview Japanese RestaurantRestaurant
Shopping(4)
BWSBottle shop
The Source Bulk FoodsSupermarket
WoolworthsSupermarket
Everyday services(1)
ChargefoxEV charging
Community(3)
Early Learning on BribieKindergarten
Illawarra Environmental Education CentreSchool
Shell Cove Public SchoolSchool
Shell Cove
Health & services(3)
Shell Cove Family HealthClinic
Choice PharmacyPharmacy
101 Cove Boulevard
Shell Cove Vet ClinicVeterinary
Sport & outdoors(32)
Beach (3)
Gadhu BeachBeach
Killalea BeachBeach
MaloneysBeach
MysticsBeach
Shellharbour South BeachBeach
The JettyBeach
Boat ramp
Drinking water
Bushrangers Bay Aquatic ReserveNature reserve
Killalea Regional ParkNature reserve
Anchorage ParkPark
Brindabella WetlandsPark
Condons ParkPark
Harbour View ParkPark
Hartog ParkPark
James Cook ParkPark
McKinnery ParkPark
Park
Seafarers ReservePark
Seascape ParkPark
Torres ParkPark
Playground (6)
Public toilets
Sports field
Camping & holiday parks(1)
Killalea State Park Camping AreaCampground
Entertainment(2)
Viewpoint (2)
Transport(13)
13 bus stops
Other(20)
Bench (26)
Bicycle Parking (2)
Fish Cleaning
Garden (16)
Shell Cove Community GardenGarden
Mancave BarbershopHairdresser
Unit 6 100 Cove Boulevard, Shell Cove
Bliss Ice Cream & GelatoIce Cream
Kiosk
Amazon Hub LockerParcel Locker
Australia Post Parcel LockerParcel Locker
Early Learning on BribieParking
Parking (26)
Shell Cove Family HealthParking
Parking Entrance (2)
Parking Space (6)
Picnic Table
South Coast City ChurchPlace of worship
Shelter (15)
Trolley Bay (4)
Waste Basket (5)
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)
Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000
Data sources & freshness
OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries
Places of worship
1 places of worship within ~1.5 km
South Coast City Church
From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.
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.
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
25° / 17°
Rainfall
321 mm · ~40 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
Usual max / min
22° / 14°
Rainfall
359 mm · ~45 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Usual max / min
17° / 8°
Rainfall
263 mm · ~33 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
Usual max / min
21° / 12°
Rainfall
242 mm · ~30 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)
Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)
56 ARCHERFIELD DRIVE SHELL COVE 2529Additional Information Requested
August 2026
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
33 PITT AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
32 RAGAMUFFIN CIRCUIT SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure
6 SIMMONS AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Under Assessment
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
23 NAUTICA CRESCENT SHELL COVE 2529Additional Information Requested
Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
31 NAUTICA CRESCENT SHELL COVE 2529Determined
July 2026
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
31 NAUTICA CRESCENT SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
35 PITT AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
27 PITT AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation/Tourist Premise
1 GOLF DRIVE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
60 SEAFARING WAY SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Swimming pool
10 TROON AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
June 2026
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
7 SEASIDE AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
33 NAUTICA CRESCENT SHELL COVE 2529Determined
May 2026
Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external); Swimming pool
4 APOLLO DRIVE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Erection of a new structure; Carport
4 GALLEON AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Subdivision; Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure
76 THE PROMONTORY DRIVE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
24 SEABOARD WAY SHELL COVE 2529Determined
April 2026
Medium Density Housing; Erection of a new structure
90 BRIGANTINE DRIVE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
21 WHIMBREL TERRACE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool
19 THURSDAY AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
23 OCEANFRONT DRIVE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
1 LORD HOWE AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure
Lot 7114, 47 Seafaring Way SHELL COVE NSW 2529Determined
March 2026
Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool
60 SEAFARING WAY SHELL COVE 2529Determined
Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation
50 PITT AVENUE SHELL COVE 2529Under Assessment
Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport; Minor building alterations (external)
Check signage. Follow directions on site. Reduce your speed. Construction of Road crossings & Shared pathCove Boulevard18 Jun 2026 – 23 Oct 2026
Data sources & freshness
Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · current · Updated
Heritage
1 heritage place
Bass Point ReserveBoollwarroo Parade, Shell CoveSHR
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)
Heritage listings as established streetscape
Data sources & freshness
State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated
Hazards
Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
No mapped inundation on suburb boundary
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping. Flood cover uses NSW flood planning polygons against the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)
Bushfire and flood hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
Federal electorate
Whitlam
Member of Parliament
Carol BERRY (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
130,093
Turnout (2025)
93.2%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-2.1 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 43.8%Labor 56.3%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 5.8 km away).
Coalition 44.3%Labor 55.7%
0.6 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -1.1 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
Shell CoveLabor 53.5% · Coalition 46.5% TPP (2025)1.1 km away
Flinders CentralLabor 60.4% · Coalition 39.6% TPP (2025)2.6 km away
ShellharbourLabor 54.9% · Coalition 45.1% TPP (2025)3.0 km away
BlackbuttLabor 62.2% · Coalition 37.8% TPP (2025)4.4 km away
Warilla SouthLabor 58.8% · Coalition 41.2% TPP (2025)4.5 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.
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 (12%)