Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Population
An assessment of population growth drivers in Empire Bay reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends
As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Empire Bay is around 2,375, reflecting a decrease of 147 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,522. This estimation by AreaSearch follows examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and address validation since the Census date. The current population density is 635 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 72.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. For projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered SA2 areas and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas.
Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 63 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 2.6% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Empire Bay, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally
Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Empire Bay has experienced around 2 dwellings receiving development approval each year. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 14 homes were approved, with one additional dwelling approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 0.9 new residents arrive per year for every new home constructed over these five financial years.
This indicates that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Empire Bay is $855,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $96,000 worth of commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Sydney, Empire Bay has significantly less development activity, measuring 69.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.
However, development activity has picked up in recent periods. Nationally, this area also reflects below-average development activity, which may be due to its maturity and possible planning constraints. Recent development in Empire Bay has been entirely comprised of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 684 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Empire Bay is expected to grow by 63 residents through to 2041, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Development appears to be keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Empire Bay
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Empire Bay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to impact this region. Key projects include Ettalong Channel Dredging Project, Jabiru at Ettalong Beach, Gosford Private Hospital redevelopment, and Northside Private Hospital. The following details those likely to be most relevant.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone
The Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) is a critical network infrastructure project upgrading approximately 85km of existing 132kV sub-transmission lines between Kurri Kurri and Muswellbrook, and constructing two new substations at Sandy Creek (Muswellbrook) and Antiene (Singleton). The project delivers an additional 1GW of network transfer capacity, enabling connection of approximately 1.8GW of new renewable generation and storage. Ausgrid, as appointed network operator, is responsible for design, financing, construction and operation. The Project Deed with EnergyCo was signed in December 2025 following Australian Energy Regulator determination, and construction officially commenced on 27 February 2026. The REZ is the first in Australia to upgrade existing distribution poles and wires rather than build new transmission infrastructure. It will create 590 jobs during construction and 220 ongoing local positions, with full capacity expected by 2028.
Sydney Metro Program
Australia's largest public transport program, comprising multiple metro lines across Greater Sydney. The M1 City and Southwest line is operating to Sydenham, while the Sydenham to Bankstown conversion is in final testing with weekend closures scheduled from May to July 2026 as the project moves toward trial running and a second-half 2026 opening. Sydney Metro West is a 24 kilometre underground line between Westmead and Hunter Street targeting a 2032 opening, with confirmed stations at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, The Bays, Pyrmont and Hunter Street. Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport is under construction between St Marys, the new Western Sydney International Airport and Bradfield, with the objective of opening when the airport starts passenger services.
Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
Comprehensive NSW state planning reforms designed to increase housing density in well-located areas. The policy mandates mid-rise apartment buildings (3-6 storeys) and low-rise multi-dwelling housing (terraces, townhouses, and dual occupancies) within 800m of 171 high-frequency transport hubs and town centres. As of May 2026, the policy is fully operational following the phased rollout of dual occupancy provisions in July 2024 and mid-rise apartment provisions in early 2025. Recent updates include refined floor space ratios (FSR) and non-refusal standards to streamline local council assessments.
High Speed Rail - Newcastle to Sydney (Line 1)
High Speed Rail Line 1 will connect Newcastle to Sydney on a new dedicated 194km rail line with trains capable of speeds up to 320 km/h on surface sections and 200 km/h in tunnels. Around 115km of the route will run through tunnels. The line will reduce travel time between Newcastle and Sydney to around one hour, with Central Coast trips of about 30 minutes. Six stations are proposed at central Newcastle (Broadmeadow), Lake Macquarie, the Central Coast (Gosford), Sydney Central, Parramatta and Western Sydney International Airport. Following release of the business case in early 2026, the project moved into a two-year Development Phase, with the Australian Government investing a further $230 million for design refinement, environmental and planning approvals, and corridor preservation. The first two major contract packages went to tender in 2026: Area Package 1 (around 35km of twin TBM tunnels, an underground station and associated civil works) and Trains, Systems and Systems Integration (supply of trains, design of all systems, rail depot and operations control centre). The Newcastle to Sydney section is estimated to cost around $61.2 billion by 2039, with a further $32 billion to extend to Western Sydney International Airport by 2042. The project is forecast to support up to 15,000 construction jobs annually at peak and add around $250 billion to the Australian economy over a 50-year appraisal period.
Mariyung Fleet (New Intercity Fleet)
The Mariyung Fleet is a 610-carriage double-deck electric train fleet (D sets) replacing the ageing V-set and Oscar fleets across the NSW intercity network. Delivered by the RailConnect NSW consortium (UGL, Hyundai Rotem, Mitsubishi Electric Australia), the trains feature wider 2x2 seating with arm rests, tray tables and cup holders, charging ports, dedicated luggage, pram and bicycle spaces, accessible toilets, dedicated wheelchair spaces, CCTV, digital information screens and Automatic Selective Door Operation. The fleet operates in 4, 6, 8 or 10-car formations. Passenger services commenced on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line on 3 December 2024, on the Blue Mountains Line on 13 October 2025, and on the South Coast Line on 14 April 2026. The South Coast Line rollout begins with seven 4 and 6-car sets, scaling to 16 trains by 2027 with 8-car sets later in 2026 and 10-car configurations in 2027. The project includes the Kangy Angy Maintenance Facility (operated by UGL on a 15-year contract) and extensive corridor upgrades including platform extensions, signalling modifications, balise installation and overhead wiring works.
Newcastle-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney Rail Line Upgrades
Program of upgrades to existing intercity rail corridors linking Newcastle-Central Coast-Sydney and Wollongong-Sydney to reduce travel times and improve reliability. Current scope includes timetable and service changes under the Rail Service Improvement Program, targeted network upgrades (signalling, power, station works) and the introduction of the Mariyung intercity fleet on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, alongside Federal planning led by the High Speed Rail Authority for a dedicated Sydney-Newcastle high speed corridor.
Ettalong Channel Dredging Project
Maintenance dredging of Ettalong Channel to restore safe navigation in Brisbane Water, including for the Palm Beach to Ettalong & Wagstaffe ferry. The 2025 campaign removed approximately 30,000 cubic metres of sand across multiple locations and regular ferry operations resumed on 14 June 2025.
Newcastle Offshore Wind Project
The Newcastle Offshore Wind project proposes a floating wind farm off Newcastle, NSW, with an expected capacity of up to 10 gigawatts, pending a Scoping Study's results.
Employment
The exceptional employment performance in Empire Bay places it among Australia's strongest labour markets
Empire Bay has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.7% as of December 2025. This rate is lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, which stood at 2.5%.
Workforce participation in Empire Bay was 63.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 33.3% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction is particularly notable with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average.
Professional & technical services have a limited presence with 6.5% employment compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 2.9%, while labour force also increased by 2.9%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Empire Bay. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Empire Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment
AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Empire Bay is above the national average. The median income is $46,714 and the average income is $69,961. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Empire Bay would be approximately $51,535 (median) and $77,181 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 58th percentile ($1,884 weekly), while personal income sits at the 39th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 31.0% of locals (736 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader regional trends showing 30.9% in the same category. High housing costs consume 15.3% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 59th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Empire Bay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Empire Bay's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.3% houses and 6.8% other dwellings. This compares to Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Empire Bay stood at 39.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.0% and rented ones at 18.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,165, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Weekly rent median in Empire Bay was $410, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Empire Bay's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Empire Bay features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size
Family households constitute 78.3% of all households, including 37.4% couples with children, 27.7% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 21.7%, with lone person households at 19.2% and group households making up 1.8% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of Empire Bay exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
The area's university qualification rate was 19.4%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 13.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials were held by 43.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 31.4%. Educational participation was high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.0% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 4.6% in tertiary education.
Educational participation is notably high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 7.1% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Empire Bay has 27 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 23 different routes, offering a total of 452 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average living just 179 meters from their nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 91%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, 33.3% of residents work from home, a figure possibly influenced by COVID-19 conditions.
Across all routes, service frequency averages 64 trips daily, translating to roughly 16 weekly trips per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Empire Bay'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
Empire Bay's health data shows positive outcomes, aligning with national benchmarks for mortality rates and health conditions. Both young and old age groups exhibit standard levels of common health issues.
Private health cover is high at approximately 55% (~1,296 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (9.4%) and asthma (8.7%), while 66.5% report no medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 25.7% (610 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Senior health outcomes are above average, mirroring national rankings for the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Empire Bay is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics
Empire Bay's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.3% being citizens, and 95.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Empire Bay, comprising 53.2% of people, while Judaism is overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (32.1%), English (31.0%), and Scottish (8.6%).
Notably, Welsh (0.9%) and Maltese (0.9%) are overrepresented in Empire Bay compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 1.0%, respectively.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Empire Bay's median age exceeds the national pattern
The median age in Empire Bay is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 10.3% of the population in Empire Bay, compared to Greater Sydney, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 7.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.8% to 10.3%, the 25-34 cohort has decreased from 8.7% to 7.1%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 13.3% to 11.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Empire Bay. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 42%, reaching 347 people from the current 244. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 94% of total population growth, reflecting Empire Bay's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 25-34 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.