# Blue Bay

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: New South Wales › Greater Sydney › Central Coast › 2261, NSW

Area: 0 km²

A quiet, older community marks the character of Blue Bay, where the typical resident is 52. The area is much older than most, with nearly 29% of people aged 65 and over. This older demographic helps explain the high rate of people living alone and the fact that children under 15 are well below the national figure. While the neighborhood is mostly Australian-born, it is a place where many residents live independently in their own homes.

## Demographics & Identity

The area is far older than the national average, with a typical age of 52 and a high proportion of seniors. Children under 15 make up only 11.8%, which is well below the New South Wales figure of 18.2%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 1,060 | +3.4% since 2011 |
| Median age | 52 yrs | +20.9% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 3.2% | +37.0% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 28.9% | +37.0% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 11.8% | -24.0% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 10.4% | +24.1% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Older adults (45–64) 31.1%, Seniors (65+) 28.9%, Young adults (25–44) 20.0%, Children (0–14) 11.8%, Youth (15–24) 9.4%

**Marital status** — Married 41.1%, Never married 32.4%, Divorced 13.4%, Widowed 6.7%, Separated 6.3%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Most residents were born in Australia, and those with English or Australian ancestry make up the vast majority. Only 12.4% of the population was born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 12.4% | +15.2% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 81.0%, England 2.9%, New Zealand 0.9%, Italy 0.7%, South Africa 0.5%, India 0.3%, Philippines 0.3%

**Ancestry** — English 43.2%, Australian 42.4%, Irish 12.0%, Scottish 11.7%, Italian 2.8%, German 2.8%, Indian 1.2%, Dutch 1.1%, Chinese 0.5%, Filipino 0.5%, Greek 0.3%

## Language

English is the primary language for 90.8% of the community. This is consistent with the low percentage of people using another language at home, which at 3.8% is far below the New South Wales average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 3.8% | -5.8% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.8% | +9.0% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 90.8%, Italian 0.5%, Mandarin 0.3%

## Religion

About 58.8% of residents identify as Christian. Those with no religion make up 32.0% of the population, which is well below the national figure of 38.9%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 32.0% | +130.4% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — Christianity 58.8%, No religion 32.0%, Not stated 7.1%, Buddhism 1.4%, Hinduism 0.7%, Judaism 0.7%, Other religions 0.3%

## Education & Qualifications

About 20.0% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is higher than in most similar areas. However, the 46.0% who completed Year 12 is far below the state average of 58.9%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 46.0% | +31.9% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 20.0% | +72.8% since 2011 |
| Schools within 3 km | 3 | — |
| Average school size | 595 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 996 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 46.0%, Year 10 30.4%, Year 9 or below 11.6%, Year 11 5.9%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 29.9%, Bachelor degree 19.0%, Advanced diploma / diploma 15.7%, Postgraduate degree 7.8%, Graduate diploma / certificate 4.5%, Certificate I / II 2.8%

**Field of qualification** — Management & commerce 21.4%, Society & culture 12.7%, Education 11.0%, Health 9.2%, Engineering & related 9.0%, Architecture & building 8.5%, Food, hospitality & personal services 6.7%, Creative arts 4.2%, Agriculture & environment 2.2%, Natural & physical sciences 1.7%, Information technology 0.7%

## Income

Typical household incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual weekly amount being $1,323. Those earning $2,000 or more a week make up 10.4% of the population.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $731 | +42.8% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,323 | +58.1% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,865 | +88.6% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 10.4% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 17.2% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 31.9%, $1,500–$2,999 25.6%, Under $650 19.7%, $4,000 or more 10.7%, $3,000–$3,999 6.5%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 41.9%, $650–$1,499 31.8%, $1,500–$2,999 14.9%, $3,000 or more 4.8%

## Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 34.0% of residents. Mental health conditions are also a little above the national average at 10.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 34.0% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 10.7% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 4.7% | +3.0% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 12.9%, Mental health 10.7%, Other condition 8.8%, Asthma 8.2%, Diabetes 6.0%, Heart disease 4.6%, Cancer 4.3%, Lung condition 2.6%, Stroke 1.1%, Dementia 1.0%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 57.8%, One condition 22.1%, Two conditions 7.5%, Three or more 4.9%

## Community Participation

Unpaid care for children is much lower than in most areas, but 13.9% of people provide other types of unpaid care. This is a little above the national figure of 11.9%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 12.4% | +3.5% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 13.9% | +14.5% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 16.7% | -29.6% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 2.1% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 21.7% | +0.9% since 2011 |

## First Nations

First Nations people in this area are noticeably older than the national average, with a typical age of 28. Their typical personal income of $900 is far above the national figure of $540.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 34 | — |
| First Nations median age | 28 yrs | — |
| First Nations Year 12 completion | 18.2% | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $900 | — |
| First Nations household income | $1,625 | — |
| Speaks a First Nations language | 0.0% | — |

## Family & Households

Living alone is very common, with 36.5% of people in this situation, far above the national figure. One-parent families are also well above the state average at 19.8%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.1 | -4.5% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 19.8% | -25.6% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 36.5% | +17.3% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples without children 39.5%, Couples with children 39.4%, One-parent families 19.8%, Other families 2.1%

**Household size** — 2 people 37.7%, 1 person 36.5%, 3 people 12.2%, 4 people 8.8%, 5 people 2.3%, 6 or more 2.1%

## Housing & Dwellings

Rental properties are well above the national average at 36.9%, while 40.3% of homes are owned outright. Separate houses are far less common here than across Australia.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $380 | +40.7% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $2,167 | +47.1% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -36.4% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 36.9% | -20.1% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 40.3% | +17.4% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 50.5% | +2.5% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 65.8% | +13.8% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 40.3%, Rented 36.9%, Owned with a mortgage 20.1%, Other tenure 1.7%, Not stated 0.8%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 50.5%, Townhouse / semi-detached 34.0%, Flat or apartment 14.9%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 44.0%, 2 bedrooms 27.9%, 4 bedrooms 16.8%, 5 or more 5.0%, 1 bedroom 3.6%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $350–$549 52.8%, $200–$349 33.5%, $550–$749 9.1%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,800–$2,999 31.3%, $3,000 or more 28.1%, $1,000–$1,799 27.1%, Under $1,000 14.6%

## Transport & Vehicles

The area is well served by buses, with a very short walk to the nearest stop. However, 11.0% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 11.0% | -3.0% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 26.0% | +515.3% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 0.6% | -35.2% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 7 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 6.60 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 1,800.9 | — |
| Public transport routes | 4 | — |
| Walk to nearest stop (min) | 2 | — |
| Drive time to the city (min) | 73 | — |
| People reachable in 30 min by transit | 0 | — |
| People reachable in 45 min by transit | 22,825 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 47.5%, Worked at home 26.0%, Car (passenger) 2.6%, Walked 1.7%, Bicycle 1.1%, Bus 0.6%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 40.3%, 2 vehicles 34.1%, No vehicle 11.0%, 3 vehicles 9.1%, 4 or more 6.4%

## Migration & Movement

The population is quite mobile, with 43.2% of people moving in the last five years. This is well above the national average of 40.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 43.2% | -3.1% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 3.8% | -53.4% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to the national average, at 52.4%. The unemployment rate of 6.5% is a little above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | -33.3% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 52.4% | -0.8% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 49.5% | -15.0% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 21.7%, Construction 13.5%, Education & training 9.7%, Retail trade 9.0%, Accommodation & food 7.7%, Professional & technical 6.7%, Public administration & safety 6.0%, Manufacturing 4.5%, Rental & real estate 3.7%, Administrative & support 3.2%, Transport & warehousing 2.8%, Wholesale trade 2.4%, Finance & insurance 1.9%, Other services 1.5%, Arts & recreation 0.9%, Electricity, gas & water 0.6%

**Occupations people work in** — Professionals 22.8%, Community & personal service 15.7%, Managers 14.4%, Clerical & administrative 12.0%, Sales workers 11.8%, Technicians & trades 10.8%, Labourers 6.5%, Machinery operators & drivers 3.0%

## Walkability

Almost every home is within a short walk of public transport and a park. However, access to groceries and health services on foot is far below the New South Wales average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 5.9 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 6.2 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 82.4% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 56.0% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 99.8% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 48.1% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 100.0% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 38.8% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 91 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 4.7% | — |

## Schools serving Blue Bay

3 schools, 1,784 students, average ICSEA 996.

By sector: Government 2, Catholic 1

By type: Primary 2, Secondary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The Entrance Public School | Government | Primary | 1.1 km | 422 |
| Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School | Catholic | Primary | 2.8 km | 606 |
| Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College The Entrance Campus | Government | Secondary | 2.9 km | 756 |

## Nearby areas

[The Entrance](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13834/the-entrance) · [Toowoon Bay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13934/toowoon-bay) · [Long Jetty](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL12387/long-jetty) · [Shelly Beach](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13550/shelly-beach) · [The Entrance North](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL13835/the-entrance-north) · [Killarney Vale](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL12139/killarney-vale) · [Bateau Bay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL10227/bateau-bay) · [Forresters Beach](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL11552/forresters-beach)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL10413/blue-bay