Sandy Beach, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Sandy Beach NSW is 2,913 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Sandy Beach is $763 per week ($39,676 per year). Median rent in Sandy Beach is $420 per week ($1,820 per month). Sandy Beach has a median age of 35 years, younger than the national median of 38. Sandy Beach has a population density of 216 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Sandy Beach is India. The most common religion is No religion (49.4% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Punjabi. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sandy Beach is $1,810.

There were 32 recorded offences in Sandy Beach in 2025-26, a rate of 11 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (9 offences).

Population
2,913
Census 2021
Median income
$763/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$420/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
35years
Census 2021

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

Sandy Beach vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Sandy Beach is $763 a week, in line with the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,083rd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $420 a week, $35 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 26.8% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 35, 8 years younger 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.
MeasureSandy BeachTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$763/wk$765/wk −0%$766/wk
Household income$1,567/wk$1,704/wk −8%$1,637/wk
Rent$420/wk$385/wk +9%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,810/mo$1,965/mo −8%$1,733/mo
Median age3543 −8 yrs42
Rent share of household income26.8%22.6% +4.2 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 Sandy Beach, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Sandy Beach Population

2,913 residents at the 2021 Census.

Sandy Beach Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$763/wk
$39,676 per year
Ranked 4,258 of 14,663
Median Rent
$420/wk
$1,820 per month
Ranked 1,513 of 14,663
Median Age
35years
3 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,810/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Sandy Beach Rent Prices & Affordability

27% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,567/wk
Median rent $420/wk
Rent to income 26.8%

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

Median rent in Sandy Beach against your income

About $6,790 a month
Median rent $420/wk
Left after rent $1,147/wk
Rent share 26.8%

Sandy Beach Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
973
avg ICSEA score
336
total students
Sandy Beach Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 336 students
973
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 Sandy Beach, with a map

Sandy Beach Map

Sandy Beach, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Sandy Beach, New South Wales: 30.1452°S, 153.1920°E

Sandy Beach Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (1)

People in Sandy Beach

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.8% (1,422) Female 51.2% (1,489)

Population Density

216
people per km²
2,913 people · 13.5 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,716
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

India
3.2%
England
2.8%
New Zealand
1.3%
South Africa
0.7%
Scotland
0.5%
Germany
0.5%
Taiwan
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

Punjabi
5.1%
Tagalog
0.3%
Spanish
0.3%
Mandarin
0.3%
Southeast Asian Austronesian languages: Other
0.3%
Turkish
0.2%
German
0.2%

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

Ancestry

Australian
41.1%
English
40.3%
Irish
11.4%
Scottish
11.1%
Australian Aboriginal
6.3%
German
4.6%
Indian
2.7%
Italian
1.8%
Dutch
1.4%
Polish
0.9%
Chinese
0.8%

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
49.4%
Catholic
12.9%
Anglican
12.3%
Not stated
8.0%
Other religions
6.0%
Sikhism
5.4%
Christian (other)
2.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

6.7%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
44.2% 998
Separated
4.6% 103
Divorced
11.6% 262
Widowed
3.4% 77
Never married
36.3% 819

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
43.9%
Couple: no children
28.5%
One parent: children under 15
12.4%
Couple: no children under 15
9.7%
One parent: no children under 15
5.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
19.3%
2 persons
36.8%
3 persons
16.3%
4 persons
16.7%
5 persons
7.4%
6+ persons
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Sandy Beach

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,030 occupied private dwellings in Sandy Beach at the 2021 Census, 25.8% were rented, 28.7% owned outright and 42.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.0% 10 dwellings
Owned outright
28.7% 296 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
42.8% 441 dwellings
Rented
25.8% 266 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.9% 20 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
0.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.1%
2 bedrooms
12.0%
3 bedrooms
43.9%
4 bedrooms
35.1%
5 bedrooms
6.0%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.4%
$300-$449/mo
2.9%
$450-$599/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
4.1%
$800-$999/mo
4.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
12.7%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
20.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
33.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
11.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
1.6%
1 vehicle
32.7%
2 vehicles
45.2%
3 vehicles
14.2%
4+ vehicles
6.4%

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

Work, income and education in Sandy Beach

Employment

Employed full-time
36.1% 735 people
Employed part-time
24.3% 494 people
Unemployed
4.5% 91 people
Not in labour force
35.2% 716 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
24.6%
Community & Personal Service
18.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
17.7%
Clerical & Administrative
13.0%
Managers
10.9%
Labourers
8.6%
Sales Workers
4.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.6%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.6%
$1-$149/wk
0.3%
$150-$299/wk
1.4%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
4.6%
$500-$649/wk
3.6%
$650-$799/wk
6.9%
$800-$999/wk
8.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
10.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
8.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
16.0%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.3%
$4,000+/wk
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.2%
$1-$149/wk
4.6%
$150-$299/wk
5.9%
$300-$399/wk
5.3%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
4.1%
$650-$799/wk
11.5%
$800-$999/wk
14.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
14.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.4%
$3,500+/wk
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
80.2%
Did not go to work
12.9%
Car (passenger)
3.8%
Walked only
1.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Truck
0.4%
Other
0.3%
Bus
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
55.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
30.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
9.5%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.3%

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
44.7%
Bachelor Degree
25.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.2%
Postgraduate Degree
5.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.0%
Certificate I/II
2.8%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
18.5%
Society & Culture
17.2%
Engineering
12.8%
Health
12.3%
Education
10.6%
Architecture & Building
7.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.9%
Agriculture & Environment
6.4%
Creative Arts
2.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.7%
Information Technology
2.4%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
38.0%
Secondary: Government
22.9%
Pre-school
12.6%
Vocational Education
9.5%
Primary: Catholic
7.8%
Secondary: Catholic
4.2%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.2%

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
88.6%
Has need for assistance
5.1%
Need for assistance not stated
6.6%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
307
Asthma
112
Arthritis
104
Lung condition
74
Heart disease
73
Diabetes
56
Cancer
51
Stroke
26
Kidney disease
23
Dementia
4

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.2% 278
Did not provide
86.8% 1,827

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
12.6% 267
Not a volunteer
87.4% 1,851

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.5% 73
Never served
96.5% 2,040

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
29.5%
1 child
13.8%
2 children
31.2%
3 children
17.9%
4 children
7.2%
5+ children
0.4%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
4
1951: 1960
17
1961: 1970
43
1971: 1980
30
1981: 1990
30
1991: 2000
33
2001: 2010
89
2011: 2015
60
2016
7
2017
13
2018
19
2019
25
2020
7

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

Population Mobility

18.4%
moved in the last year
51.2%
moved in the last 5 years
6.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
62.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,221
Moved from NSW
303
Moved: same area (SA2)
120
Moved from QLD
26
Moved from VIC
19
Moved from TAS
4
Moved from NT
4
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
32.7%
15: 29 hours
15.2%
30+ hours
9.4%
Did not do domestic work
24.3%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
84.0%
Step family: no other children
9.6%
Blended family: no other children
3.5%
Intact family: other children present
1.9%
Other couple: children only
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Sandy Beach Crime Statistics

32 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
9
Assault
7
Other Against Property
7
Sexual Offences
4
Property Damage
2
Drug Offences
2
Other Against Person
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Walgett
Income: $823/wk Rent: $175/wk $245/wk less rent
Bourke
Income: $860/wk Rent: $180/wk $240/wk less rent
Gateshead
Income: $611/wk Rent: $300/wk $120/wk less rent
Glenfield Park
Income: $808/wk Rent: $330/wk $90/wk less rent
Turvey Park
Income: $912/wk Rent: $338/wk $82/wk less rent
Metford
Income: $731/wk Rent: $350/wk $70/wk less rent
West Wollongong
Income: $759/wk Rent: $370/wk $50/wk less rent
Watanobbi
Income: $639/wk Rent: $380/wk $40/wk less rent

Suburbs near Sandy Beach

The closest suburb to Sandy Beach is Emerald Beach, 3.4 km away.

Emerald Beach
3.4 km away · income $811/wk · rent $463/wk
Safety Beach (NSW)
5.9 km away · income $787/wk · rent $500/wk
Woolgoolga
6.2 km away · income $636/wk · rent $360/wk
Moonee Beach
6.9 km away · income $801/wk · rent $450/wk
Sapphire Beach
10.4 km away · income $955/wk · rent $475/wk
Korora
13.8 km away · income $834/wk · rent $450/wk

Compare Sandy Beach

Frequently Asked Questions About Sandy Beach

What is the population of Sandy Beach NSW?

The population of Sandy Beach NSW is 2,913 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 216 people per km². Sandy Beach is ranked #2,460 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Sandy Beach?

The median personal income in Sandy Beach NSW is $763 per week, or $39,676 per year. The median household income is $1,567 per week. Family income is $1,716 per week. Sandy Beach is ranked #4,258 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Sandy Beach?

Median rent in Sandy Beach NSW is $420 per week ($1,820 per month). Rent represents 26.8% of household income, which is considered moderate. Sandy Beach ranks #1,513 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Sandy Beach?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sandy Beach NSW is $1,810. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Sandy Beach?

The median age in Sandy Beach NSW is 35 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Sandy Beach a good suburb to live in?

Sandy Beach is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 2,913. The median income is $763/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.8% 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: 13494. All dollar figures in AUD.