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Central Coast vs Northern Beaches
Council (LGA) comparison ≈ 44 km apart · Central Coast profile · Northern Beaches profile
Central Coast Northern Beaches
Central Coast (NSW) and Northern Beaches are both large areas of New South Wales, but they differ sharply in wealth and education. Northern Beaches has a much higher share of adults with a bachelor degree or higher (37.7% compared to 17.9% in Central Coast (NSW)) and a higher typical weekly household income of $2,592, while Central Coast (NSW) is $1,507. Northern Beaches is also more diverse, with 30.2% of people born overseas compared to 16.1% in Central Coast (NSW). In contrast, Central Coast (NSW) has more separate houses (78.4% versus 57.3%) and a higher rate of long-term health conditions (33.9% versus 23.8%).
The gap in weekly household income has widened since 2016, as has the difference in how many people work from home. Despite this, the two areas share several traits, such as similar proportions of children under 15 and nearly identical rates of home ownership and renting. They also have the same average annual rainfall and very similar school sizes.
Where they differ most
Demographics & Identity
- First area, 2016: 327,736
- First area, 2021: 346,596
- Second area, 2016: 252,878
- Second area, 2021: 263,554
- First area, 2016: 42 yrs
- First area, 2021: 43 yrs
- Second area, 2016: 40 yrs
- Second area, 2021: 41 yrs
Age structure
Marital status
Age & sex structure
Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.
- 85+ in Central Coast: 1.1% males, 1.9% females; 85+ in Northern Beaches: 1.0% males, 1.7% females
- 80–84 in Central Coast: 1.4% males, 1.6% females; 80–84 in Northern Beaches: 1.2% males, 1.4% females
- 75–79 in Central Coast: 2.0% males, 2.3% females; 75–79 in Northern Beaches: 1.7% males, 2.0% females
- 70–74 in Central Coast: 2.7% males, 3.1% females; 70–74 in Northern Beaches: 2.1% males, 2.3% females
- 65–69 in Central Coast: 2.8% males, 3.2% females; 65–69 in Northern Beaches: 2.3% males, 2.5% females
- 60–64 in Central Coast: 3.0% males, 3.4% females; 60–64 in Northern Beaches: 2.8% males, 2.9% females
- 55–59 in Central Coast: 3.1% males, 3.4% females; 55–59 in Northern Beaches: 3.3% males, 3.4% females
- 50–54 in Central Coast: 3.1% males, 3.3% females; 50–54 in Northern Beaches: 3.6% males, 3.8% females
- 45–49 in Central Coast: 3.1% males, 3.3% females; 45–49 in Northern Beaches: 3.8% males, 4.0% females
- 40–44 in Central Coast: 2.9% males, 3.1% females; 40–44 in Northern Beaches: 3.4% males, 3.6% females
- 35–39 in Central Coast: 2.9% males, 3.1% females; 35–39 in Northern Beaches: 3.0% males, 3.4% females
- 30–34 in Central Coast: 2.7% males, 2.9% females; 30–34 in Northern Beaches: 2.8% males, 3.1% females
- 25–29 in Central Coast: 2.7% males, 2.7% females; 25–29 in Northern Beaches: 2.5% males, 2.6% females
- 20–24 in Central Coast: 2.7% males, 2.6% females; 20–24 in Northern Beaches: 2.7% males, 2.5% females
- 15–19 in Central Coast: 3.0% males, 2.8% females; 15–19 in Northern Beaches: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 10–14 in Central Coast: 3.2% males, 3.1% females; 10–14 in Northern Beaches: 3.6% males, 3.4% females
- 5–9 in Central Coast: 3.2% males, 2.9% females; 5–9 in Northern Beaches: 3.2% males, 3.0% females
- 0–4 in Central Coast: 2.9% males, 2.7% females; 0–4 in Northern Beaches: 2.7% males, 2.6% females
Ancestry & Birthplace
Country of birth
Ancestry
Language
Language used at home
Religion
Religious affiliation
Education & Qualifications
Highest year of school
Highest qualification level
Field of qualification
Income
- First area, 2016: $600
- First area, 2021: $727
- Second area, 2016: $916
- Second area, 2021: $1,109
- First area, 2016: $1,258
- First area, 2021: $1,507
- Second area, 2016: $2,178
- Second area, 2021: $2,592
- First area, 2016: $1,560
- First area, 2021: $1,954
- Second area, 2016: $2,528
- Second area, 2021: $3,131
Household income distribution
Personal income distribution
Health & Disability
Long-term health conditions reported
Number of long-term health conditions
Community Participation
First Nations
Family & Households
- First area, 2016: 2.5
- First area, 2021: 2.5
- Second area, 2016: 2.7
- Second area, 2021: 2.7
Family composition
Household size
Housing & Dwellings
- First area, 2016: $350
- First area, 2021: $400
- Second area, 2016: $565
- Second area, 2021: $625
- First area, 2016: $1,750
- First area, 2021: $2,000
- Second area, 2016: $2,800
- Second area, 2021: $3,124
- First area, 2016: 0.80
- First area, 2021: 0.80
- Second area, 2016: 0.90
- Second area, 2021: 0.90
How homes are owned or rented
Types of homes
Bedrooms per home
Weekly rent distribution
Monthly mortgage distribution
Transport & Vehicles
How people get to work
Motor vehicles per home
Migration & Movement
Jobs & Industry
Industries people work in
Occupations people work in
Economy & Advantage
Environment & Climate
Crime & Safety
Walkability
Compare Central Coast with nearby areas
Compare Northern Beaches with nearby areas
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Central Coast vs Northern Beaches [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/lga/LGA11650/central-coast/vs/LGA15990/northern-beaches