Emerald Beach

Emerald Beach lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, Emerald Beach's population is estimated at approximately 2,744 people. This figure represents an increase of 67 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,677. The change can be inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,644, based on their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with three validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 182 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space for further development. Over the past decade, Emerald Beach has exhibited resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 2.3%, outperforming its SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 41.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

However, all factors including natural growth and interstate migration were positive contributors. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, significant population increases are forecasted in the top quartile of regional areas across the nation. By 2041, Emerald Beach is expected to grow by 1,096 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 42.3% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Emerald Beach recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Emerald Beach averaged approximately 7 new dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY21 and FY25, around 38 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved in FY26 to date.

This results in roughly 5.9 people moving to the area per year for each dwelling built over these five financial years. Consequently, demand significantly outstrips new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $482,000. Comparatively, Emerald Beach has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person relative to Rest of NSW.

Nationally, it ranks in the 45th percentile of areas assessed, indicating relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. This activity is also below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development in Emerald Beach consists predominantly of standalone homes (89.0%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remainder (11.0%). This maintains the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 372 people, reflecting its quiet and low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, Emerald Beach is projected to grow by 1,161 residents by 2041 according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Emerald Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects expected to influence the area: 15-17 Pine Crescent & Ti-Tree Road Residential Subdivision, Seacrest Estate, PP-2023-1583 - Sandy Beach Community Hub Rezoning, and Sandy Beach Reserve Community Hub and Active Youth Space Project. The following details those most relevant.

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Emerald Beach ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Emerald Beach had an unemployment rate of 2.4% as of June 2025, with estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year. The area's workforce participation rate was 64.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%.

Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade, with a particular specialization in health care & social assistance at 1.3 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 2.6% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force grew by 3.7%, raising the unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with Emerald Beach's local employment mix suggesting potential increases of 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data for the wider area, aggregated from wider, statistical area data, over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force increased by 3.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.3 percentage points. This compares to Rest of NSW, where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Emerald Beach. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Emerald Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Emerald Beach's median income among taxpayers is $43,518. The average income in the area was $54,956 during this period. This places Emerald Beach below national averages. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 for the same financial year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $49,006 (median) and $61,886 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that Emerald Beach's incomes cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally. The distribution shows that 35.4% of individuals in Emerald Beach earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, which is similar to metropolitan regions where 29.9% fall within this range. Housing costs consume 15.7% of income in the area. Despite this, disposable income ranks at the 55th percentile nationally. Emerald Beach's SEIFA income ranking places it in the sixth decile.

Emerald Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Emerald Beach dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.9% houses and 6.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Emerald Beach was at 37.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.9% and rented ones at 21.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,950, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Emerald Beach was recorded as $463, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Emerald Beach's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Emerald Beach features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 81.8% of all households, including 34.0% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 14.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 18.2%, with lone person households at 16.0% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Emerald Beach demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate of 29.3% exceeds both the SA4 region average of 19.8% and the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 21.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are held by 40.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 28.3%.

Current educational participation is high, with 30.9% enrolled in formal education: 11.6% in primary, 8.9% in secondary, and 3.2% in tertiary education. Educational facilities may be located outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Emerald Beach has 32 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 19 different routes that collectively offer 151 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Emerald Beach is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 171 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 21 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Emerald Beach's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows Emerald Beach residents have relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level. Approximately 49% (~1,336 people) of residents have private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (8.8%) and mental health issues (8.5%). About 69.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.9% in Rest of NSW. There are 18.5% (507 people) of residents aged 65 and over, lower than the 23.9% in Rest of NSW. Seniors' health outcomes are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Emerald Beach is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Emerald Beach, surveyed in 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 85.3% of residents born in Australia and 90.6% being citizens. English was spoken at home by 95.8%. Christianity dominated religiously, at 42.2%, while Judaism was slightly overrepresented at 0.1% compared to the Rest of NSW's 0.1%.

Ancestrally, English (32.0%), Australian (26.7%) and Scottish (9.5%) were most prevalent. French (0.9%) and Hungarian (0.3%) were notably overrepresented while New Zealanders (0.8%) were slightly more common than regionally (0.5%).

Emerald Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Emerald Beach has a median age of 41, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but higher than the national average of 38. The 5-14 age group comprises 16.2% of Emerald Beach's population, compared to the Rest of NSW figure. Meanwhile, the 75-84 cohort makes up 5.5%, which is lower than the Rest of NSW percentage. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.5% to 5.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.6% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Emerald Beach's age profile, with the strongest growth projected for the 35-44 cohort at 54%, adding 214 residents to reach a total of 615.