Booker Bay, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Booker Bay NSW is 1,442 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Booker Bay is $659 per week ($34,268 per year). Median rent in Booker Bay is $400 per week ($1,733 per month). Booker Bay has a median age of 54 years, older than the national median of 38. Booker Bay has a population density of 2,917 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Booker Bay is England. The most common religion is No religion (37.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Booker Bay is $2,167.

There were 9 recorded offences in Booker Bay in 2025-26, a rate of 6 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was assault (4 offences).

Population
1,442
Census 2021
Median income
$659/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$400/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
54years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Booker Bay vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Booker Bay is $659 a week, 14% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,526th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $400 a week, $15 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 32.8% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 54, 11 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBooker BayTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$659/wk$765/wk −14%$766/wk
Household income$1,218/wk$1,704/wk −29%$1,637/wk
Rent$400/wk$385/wk +4%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,965/mo +10%$1,733/mo
Median age5443 +11 yrs42
Rent share of household income32.8%22.6% +10.3 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Booker Bay, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Booker Bay Population

1,442 residents at the 2021 Census.

Booker Bay Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$659/wk
$34,268 per year
Ranked 6,165 of 14,663
Median Rent
$400/wk
$1,733 per month
Ranked 1,854 of 14,663
Median Age
54years
16 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Booker Bay Rent Prices & Affordability

33% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,218/wk
Median rent $400/wk
Rent to income 32.8%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Booker Bay against your income

About $5,278 a month
Median rent $400/wk
Left after rent $818/wk
Rent share 32.8%

Booker Bay Schools

6
schools nearby
6
government
1009
avg ICSEA score
2,727
total students
Pretty Beach Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 154 students
1102
ICSEA
Empire Bay Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 426 students
1039
ICSEA
Woy Woy South Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 648 students
996
ICSEA
Ettalong Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 490 students
975
ICSEA
Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy Campus Government
Secondary · 10-12 · 644 students
974
ICSEA
Woy Woy Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 365 students
970
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Booker Bay, with a map

Booker Bay Map

Booker Bay, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Booker Bay

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.3% (694) Female 51.7% (742)

Population Density

2,917
people per km²
1,442 people · 0.5 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,810
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
5.3%
New Zealand
2.4%
South Africa
0.8%
United States of America
0.8%
Malta
0.6%
Netherlands
0.5%
Scotland
0.5%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
0.7%
Portuguese
0.6%
Mandarin
0.3%
Afrikaans
0.2%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.2%
French
0.2%
Tamil
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
45.5%
Australian
37.2%
Irish
14.3%
Scottish
11.0%
Australian Aboriginal
4.4%
Italian
3.8%
German
2.7%
New Zealander
2.1%
Dutch
1.6%
Spanish
1.0%
Croatian
0.9%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
37.3%
Catholic
22.9%
Anglican
18.6%
Not stated
7.8%
Uniting Church
3.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.8%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Christinty Jehvahs Witnses
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

4.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
49.1% 602
Separated
4.6% 56
Divorced
14.0% 172
Widowed
6.2% 76
Never married
26.2% 321

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
43.9%
Couple: children under 15
32.7%
Couple: no children under 15
8.5%
One parent: children under 15
8.2%
One parent: no children under 15
6.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
33.0%
2 persons
42.6%
3 persons
11.3%
4 persons
8.2%
5 persons
2.9%
6+ persons
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Booker Bay

Housing Tenure

Of the 650 occupied private dwellings in Booker Bay at the 2021 Census, 32.2% were rented, 43.7% owned outright and 20.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 8 dwellings
Owned outright
43.7% 284 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
20.3% 132 dwellings
Rented
32.2% 209 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.2% 14 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
56.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
23.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
20.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.7%
2 bedrooms
27.0%
3 bedrooms
49.8%
4 bedrooms
13.7%
5 bedrooms
3.5%
6+ bedrooms
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.2%
$800-$999/mo
7.1%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
10.6%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
27.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
16.8%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
16.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.2%
1 vehicle
50.4%
2 vehicles
30.7%
3 vehicles
8.9%
4+ vehicles
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Booker Bay

Employment

Employed full-time
23.9% 261 people
Employed part-time
15.0% 164 people
Unemployed
2.2% 24 people
Not in labour force
58.9% 644 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
28.3%
Managers
19.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.0%
Clerical & Administrative
14.9%
Community & Personal Service
8.7%
Sales Workers
6.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.2%
Labourers
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.6%
$1-$149/wk
2.0%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
1.8%
$400-$499/wk
9.3%
$500-$649/wk
6.7%
$650-$799/wk
9.7%
$800-$999/wk
8.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
7.2%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.1%
$4,000+/wk
9.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.1%
$1-$149/wk
4.6%
$150-$299/wk
5.6%
$300-$399/wk
6.0%
$400-$499/wk
5.3%
$500-$649/wk
5.9%
$650-$799/wk
8.8%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.9%
$3,500+/wk
5.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
65.0%
Did not go to work
26.5%
Car (passenger)
2.3%
Train
1.9%
Walked only
1.6%
Truck
1.3%
Other
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
50.5%
Year 10 or equivalent
34.2%
Year 9 or equivalent
10.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.2%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
36.6%
Bachelor Degree
25.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
23.6%
Postgraduate Degree
6.2%
Certificate I/II
4.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
28.1%
Engineering
11.6%
Society & Culture
11.3%
Health
11.3%
Architecture & Building
8.7%
Education
7.8%
Creative Arts
6.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.4%
Agriculture & Environment
3.3%
Natural & Physical Sciences
3.3%
Information Technology
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
26.7%
Secondary: Government
18.3%
Pre-school
17.2%
Primary: Catholic
15.0%
Vocational Education
12.2%
Secondary: Catholic
5.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
86.4%
Has need for assistance
7.6%
Need for assistance not stated
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
150
Arthritis
83
Diabetes
64
Heart disease
63
Asthma
47
Lung condition
46
Stroke
30
Cancer
29
Kidney disease
19
Dementia
12

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.3% 141
Did not provide
87.7% 1,001

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.3% 165
Not a volunteer
85.7% 992

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.3% 3
Previously served
4.1% 48
Never served
95.6% 1,109

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
30.2%
1 child
12.3%
2 children
30.0%
3 children
19.8%
4 children
6.0%
5+ children
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
6
1951: 1960
19
1961: 1970
36
1971: 1980
42
1981: 1990
25
1991: 2000
25
2001: 2010
31
2011: 2015
21
2018
6
2019
7

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

14.0%
moved in the last year
43.7%
moved in the last 5 years
5.4%
unemployment rate (Census)
42.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,139
Moved from NSW
132
Moved: same area (SA2)
41
Moved from QLD
8
Moved from overseas
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
18.5%
5: 14 hours
30.1%
15: 29 hours
13.3%
30+ hours
11.6%
Did not do domestic work
26.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
78.2%
Step family: no other children
12.7%
Blended family: no other children
9.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Booker Bay Crime Statistics

9 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Assault
4
Theft
2
Domestic Violence
1
Property Damage
1
Other Against Property
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Booker Bay

The closest suburb to Booker Bay is Ettalong Beach, 1.2 km away.

Ettalong Beach
1.2 km away · income $636/wk · rent $390/wk
Blackwall (NSW)
1.3 km away · income $732/wk · rent $390/wk
St Huberts Island
1.9 km away · income $753/wk · rent $560/wk
Empire Bay
2.3 km away · income $755/wk · rent $410/wk
Umina Beach
3.2 km away · income $688/wk · rent $400/wk
Davistown
3.4 km away · income $699/wk · rent $420/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Booker Bay

What is the population of Booker Bay NSW?

The population of Booker Bay NSW is 1,442 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2,917 people per km². Booker Bay is ranked #3,458 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Booker Bay?

The median personal income in Booker Bay NSW is $659 per week, or $34,268 per year. The median household income is $1,218 per week. Family income is $1,810 per week. Booker Bay is ranked #6,165 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Booker Bay?

Median rent in Booker Bay NSW is $400 per week ($1,733 per month). Rent represents 32.8% of household income, which is considered moderate. Booker Bay ranks #1,854 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Booker Bay?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Booker Bay NSW is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Booker Bay?

The median age in Booker Bay NSW is 54 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Booker Bay a good suburb to live in?

Booker Bay is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,442. The median income is $659/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (32.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10475. All dollar figures in AUD.