Chain Valley Bay, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Chain Valley Bay NSW is 2,773 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Chain Valley Bay is $530 per week ($27,560 per year). Median rent in Chain Valley Bay is $370 per week ($1,603 per month). Chain Valley Bay has a median age of 63 years, older than the national median of 38. Chain Valley Bay has a population density of 495 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Chain Valley Bay is England. The most common religion is No religion (29.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Filipino. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Chain Valley Bay is $1,647.

There were 7 recorded offences in Chain Valley Bay in 2025-26, a rate of 3 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (3 offences).

Population
2,773
Census 2021
Median income
$530/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$370/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
63years
Census 2021

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

Chain Valley Bay vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Chain Valley Bay is $530 a week, 31% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,965th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $370 a week, $15 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 42.7% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 63, 20 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.
MeasureChain Valley BayTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$530/wk$765/wk −31%$766/wk
Household income$866/wk$1,704/wk −49%$1,637/wk
Rent$370/wk$385/wk −4%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,647/mo$1,965/mo −16%$1,733/mo
Median age6343 +20 yrs42
Rent share of household income42.7%22.6% +20.1 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 Chain Valley Bay, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Chain Valley Bay Population

2,773 residents at the 2021 Census.

Chain Valley Bay Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$530/wk
$27,560 per year
Ranked 7,927 of 14,663
Median Rent
$370/wk
$1,603 per month
Ranked 2,711 of 14,663
Median Age
63years
25 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,647/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Chain Valley Bay Rent Prices & Affordability

43% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $866/wk
Median rent $370/wk
Rent to income 42.7%

Rent is more than 35% of household income, a level often described as housing stress.

Median rent in Chain Valley Bay against your income

About $3,753 a month
Median rent $370/wk
Left after rent $496/wk
Rent share 42.7%

Chain Valley Bay Schools

6
schools nearby
3
government
968
avg ICSEA score
2,427
total students
St Brigid's Catholic College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 651 students
1006
ICSEA
St Brendan's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 431 students
1005
ICSEA
Gwandalan Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 351 students
953
ICSEA
Lake Munmorah Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 384 students
950
ICSEA
Lake Munmorah High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 610 students
925
ICSEA
EOC Broken Bay - Lake Munmorah Catholic
Primary

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

All schools near Chain Valley Bay, with a map

Chain Valley Bay Map

Chain Valley Bay, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Chain Valley Bay, New South Wales: 33.1638°S, 151.5730°E

Chain Valley Bay Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (6)

People in Chain Valley Bay

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.5% (1,291) Female 53.5% (1,484)

Population Density

495
people per km²
2,773 people · 5.6 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,192
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
5.8%
New Zealand
1.7%
Scotland
1.2%
Netherlands
0.9%
Germany
0.5%
Ireland
0.4%
United States of America
0.4%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Filipino
0.5%
Spanish
0.2%
Italian
0.1%
Persian (excluding Dari)
0.1%
Arabic
0.1%
Afrikaans
0.0%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.0%

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

Ancestry

English
45.6%
Australian
38.2%
Irish
12.7%
Scottish
11.5%
Australian Aboriginal
5.2%
German
3.6%
Italian
2.3%
Dutch
1.8%
Maltese
1.5%
New Zealander
0.9%
Welsh
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
29.0%
Anglican
25.9%
Catholic
23.0%
Not stated
8.0%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.3%
Uniting Church
2.6%
Baptist
2.1%
Christian (other)
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

5.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
52.4% 1,300
Separated
4.7% 116
Divorced
13.4% 332
Widowed
10.2% 254
Never married
19.3% 479

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
47.7%
Couple: children under 15
25.7%
Couple: no children under 15
13.0%
One parent: children under 15
7.4%
One parent: no children under 15
6.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
35.4%
2 persons
42.8%
3 persons
9.0%
4 persons
8.4%
5 persons
2.4%
6+ persons
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Chain Valley Bay

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,239 occupied private dwellings in Chain Valley Bay at the 2021 Census, 9.4% were rented, 64.4% owned outright and 22.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.2% 27 dwellings
Owned outright
64.4% 798 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.8% 282 dwellings
Rented
9.4% 117 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.2% 15 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
91.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
9.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
1.6%
2 bedrooms
31.5%
3 bedrooms
47.6%
4 bedrooms
15.1%
5 bedrooms
4.0%
6+ bedrooms
0.2%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.2%
$300-$449/mo
1.5%
$450-$599/mo
4.2%
$600-$799/mo
6.4%
$800-$999/mo
6.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
12.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
24.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
9.1%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
5.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.0%
1 vehicle
55.8%
2 vehicles
27.4%
3 vehicles
7.7%
4+ vehicles
5.2%

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

Work, income and education in Chain Valley Bay

Employment

Employed full-time
19.8% 427 people
Employed part-time
12.4% 267 people
Unemployed
2.1% 45 people
Not in labour force
65.7% 1,416 people

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

Occupation

Technicians & Trade Workers
23.1%
Community & Personal Service
17.5%
Professionals
15.5%
Managers
11.7%
Clerical & Administrative
9.7%
Sales Workers
8.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
8.2%
Labourers
6.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.9%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
2.0%
$400-$499/wk
9.3%
$500-$649/wk
13.9%
$650-$799/wk
15.8%
$800-$999/wk
10.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
7.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
3.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.6%
$4,000+/wk
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
12.0%
$1-$149/wk
3.8%
$150-$299/wk
5.8%
$300-$399/wk
11.6%
$400-$499/wk
7.4%
$500-$649/wk
6.7%
$650-$799/wk
12.3%
$800-$999/wk
10.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.6%
$3,500+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
69.4%
Did not go to work
23.2%
Car (passenger)
3.0%
Other
1.2%
Truck
1.1%
Walked only
0.9%
Train
0.8%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.5%

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

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
47.3%
Year 12 or equivalent
31.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
13.9%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.5%

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
61.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.4%
Bachelor Degree
11.1%
Certificate I/II
3.3%
Postgraduate Degree
2.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.2%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
20.7%
Management & Commerce
19.6%
Society & Culture
15.9%
Architecture & Building
11.7%
Health
10.4%
Education
9.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.0%
Creative Arts
2.9%
Agriculture & Environment
2.3%
Information Technology
1.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
0.6%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.6%
Secondary: Government
27.0%
Vocational Education
13.2%
Pre-school
12.5%
Primary: Catholic
10.6%
Secondary: Catholic
7.1%

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
82.5%
Has need for assistance
9.7%
Need for assistance not stated
7.9%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
301
Arthritis
238
Diabetes
164
Heart disease
146
Lung condition
143
Asthma
116
Cancer
95
Kidney disease
89
Stroke
62
Dementia
13

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.0% 292
Did not provide
87.0% 1,960

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
9.5% 212
Not a volunteer
90.5% 2,030

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
5.3% 120
Never served
94.7% 2,145

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
18.7%
1 child
11.1%
2 children
35.8%
3 children
23.0%
4 children
10.5%
5+ children
1.0%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
17
1951: 1960
66
1961: 1970
126
1971: 1980
77
1981: 1990
35
1991: 2000
22
2001: 2010
28
2011: 2015
8
2019
3

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

Population Mobility

12.5%
moved in the last year
36.8%
moved in the last 5 years
5.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
34.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,191
Moved from NSW
233
Moved: same area (SA2)
57
Moved from overseas
5
Moved from SA
4
Moved from QLD
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
16.7%
5: 14 hours
26.0%
15: 29 hours
14.1%
30+ hours
10.7%
Did not do domestic work
32.5%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
74.9%
Step family: no other children
13.3%
Blended family: no other children
7.9%
Other couple: children only
2.5%
Step family: other children present
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Chain Valley Bay Crime Statistics

7 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
3
Other Against Person
2
Theft
1
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Chinderah
Income: $521/wk Rent: $245/wk $125/wk less rent
Iluka (NSW)
Income: $487/wk Rent: $300/wk $70/wk less rent
Tuross Head
Income: $586/wk Rent: $330/wk $40/wk less rent
Harrington
Income: $480/wk Rent: $340/wk $30/wk less rent
Bingara
Income: $479/wk Rent: $200/wk $170/wk less rent
Canton Beach
Income: $526/wk Rent: $300/wk $70/wk less rent
North Haven (NSW)
Income: $519/wk Rent: $310/wk $60/wk less rent
Sussex Inlet
Income: $494/wk Rent: $310/wk $60/wk less rent

Suburbs near Chain Valley Bay

The closest suburb to Chain Valley Bay is Summerland Point, 2.6 km away.

Summerland Point
2.6 km away · income $646/wk · rent $400/wk
Gwandalan
2.8 km away · income $687/wk · rent $385/wk
Mannering Park
3.0 km away · income $653/wk · rent $378/wk
Lake Munmorah
3.3 km away · income $625/wk · rent $380/wk
Catherine Hill Bay
5.2 km away · income $1,082/wk · rent $420/wk
Morisset Park
6.0 km away · income $794/wk · rent $480/wk

Compare Chain Valley Bay

Frequently Asked Questions About Chain Valley Bay

What is the population of Chain Valley Bay NSW?

The population of Chain Valley Bay NSW is 2,773 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 495 people per km². Chain Valley Bay is ranked #2,548 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Chain Valley Bay?

The median personal income in Chain Valley Bay NSW is $530 per week, or $27,560 per year. The median household income is $866 per week. Family income is $1,192 per week. Chain Valley Bay is ranked #7,927 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Chain Valley Bay?

Median rent in Chain Valley Bay NSW is $370 per week ($1,603 per month). Rent represents 42.7% of household income, which is considered stressed. Chain Valley Bay ranks #2,711 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Chain Valley Bay?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Chain Valley Bay NSW is $1,647. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Chain Valley Bay?

The median age in Chain Valley Bay NSW is 63 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Chain Valley Bay a good suburb to live in?

Chain Valley Bay is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 2,773. The median income is $530/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as stressed (42.7% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10879. All dollar figures in AUD.