SuburbCheck

Empire Bay

NSW 2257 · Central Coast

2,522 (2021)2,575 est. (2025) · Stable

Part of the Central Coast local government area (est. 356,114 residents)

48
Overall score

Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.

2,522
Population
$1.19M
Median house (2025)
100
Safety score
51
Transport score

Empire Bay is a stable suburb in Central Coast, NSW 2257, about 44km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.19M is around the same as the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 51/100, and is a short drive from the coast. Empire Bay has an overall score of 48/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 100/100.

43.7 km
To Sydney CBD
2.8 km
To coast
$640/wk
Median rent (house)
4.7 km
To nearest station

Demographics

2,522
Population
42
Median age
2.7
Avg household

Age distribution

Central Coast LGA population (est. 2025)356,114
Median household income (weekly)$1,884
vs NSW median+1.8%
Bachelor degree or higher27.4%
Born in Australia83.0%
Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse821 / 19 / 34

Top countries of birth: England (4.6%), New Zealand (1.31%), South Africa (0.52%), Wales (0.48%), China (0.4%)

Top languages: Tagalog (0.4%), Spanish (0.4%), French (0.36%), German (0.24%), Thai (0.24%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$1.19M
Median house (2025)
$818K
Median unit (2025)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$640 / $550 wk
Rental yield (house)2.8%
Days on market (house)27 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025

Residential Safety

100
Residential

Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.

Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:

1
Break & enter dwelling40/100k
2
Steal from dwelling79/100k
1
Motor vehicle theft40/100k
1
Domestic assault40/100k
0
Robbery0/100k
2
Non-domestic assault79/100k

Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.

Residential incidents over time

Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.

Area crime context

Total recorded incidents: 39 (all categories, latest year)1,546 per 100,000 residents2-yr5-yr

An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.

Source: BOCSAR · Updated 2025

Schools

70

Strong school options

Well above average — good-quality schools within reach and a healthy range of options to choose from.

42
Within 10km1 in suburb
1
Govt (suburb)
0
Catholic (suburb)
0
Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1038 (above the national average of 1000).

In suburb

  • Empire Bay Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1038

Nearby (within 10km)

  • Coast Christian SchoolPrimary · Independent · 2.3kmICSEA 1090
  • Brisbania Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3kmICSEA 1016
  • Pretty Beach Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3kmICSEA 1104
  • Ettalong Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 3.5kmICSEA 972
  • Woy Woy Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4kmICSEA 974
  • Brisbane Water Secondary College Woy Woy CampusSecondary · Government · 4.4kmICSEA 970
  • Kincumber Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.4kmICSEA 999
  • Woy Woy South Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.4kmICSEA 994
  • Holy Cross Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 4.4kmICSEA 1073
  • Kincumber High SchoolSecondary · Government · 4.5kmICSEA 1030
  • Green Point Christian CollegeCombined · Independent · 4.7kmICSEA 1106
  • Yattalunga Valley Christian SchoolPrimary · Independent · 4.8kmICSEA 1068

Source: ACARA 2023

Transport

51
30Bus
CBD commute (est.)143 min (bus)
Nearest train stationWoy Woy (4.7 km)

Source: TfNSW GTFS

Liveability

27.0°C
Summer max
18.0°C
Winter max
1,300mm
Rainfall/yr
6.8h
Sun/day

Amenities within 2–3km

Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.

11 in suburbSupermarkets
53 in suburbCafes/Rest.
71 in suburbParks
53 in suburbPlaygrounds
2Pools
00 in suburbGyms
0Dog parks
00 in suburbGPs
00 in suburbPharmacies
00 in suburbChildcare
00 in suburbLibraries
244 in suburbSports fields
0Vets
Nearest beachPutty Beach (3.0 km)
Nearest hospitalGosford Hospital (9.7 km)
Nearest vet7.5 km
Nearest airportSydney (52.3 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap

Fitness

44

Decent access

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of fitness facilities, with more variety a short drive away.

0
Gyms
0
Leisure centres
0
Public pools
24
Sports fields

Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Outdoors

56

Some green space

Around the national average — a reasonable amount of parks and outdoor space nearby.

7
Parks
9
Nature reserves
1
Bike paths
0
Hiking trails
0
Dog parks
0
Picnic areas
1
Skate parks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Culture

65

Rich cultural scene

Well above average — a strong mix of cultural venues nearby.

0
Theatres
1
Cinemas
1
Museums
0
Galleries
0
Libraries
0
Arts centres
12
Landmarks

Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.

Source: OpenStreetMap

Entertainment Scene

35

Quiet area

Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.

1
Pubs & Hotels
0
Bars
0
Clubs RSL/Leagues
0
Dining & Licensed
Licensed venues per 1,000 residents0.40

View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →

Source: Liquor & Gaming NSW

Childcare

47

Some choices available

Around the national average — a reasonable mix of childcare options, though popular services may have waiting lists.

1
Long Day Care
1
OSHC
Total services2
Exceeding NQS or above0 of 2 rated
Services per 1,000 residents0.79

View childcare centres on the map →

Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register

Population & Growth

Stable
Annual growth rate0.52%
Projected population 20412,687
Projected households 2041Data not available

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Central Coast

Compare Empire Bay with another suburb

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Empire Bay

Frequently asked questions about Empire Bay

Is Empire Bay safe?

Empire Bay has a residential safety score of 100/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 1,546 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Empire Bay?

In Empire Bay, the median house price is $1.19M and the median unit price is $818K. Median weekly house rent is $640.

How far is Empire Bay from Sydney CBD?

Empire Bay is about 43.7 km from Sydney CBD, an estimated 143 minutes by public transport.

What schools are in Empire Bay?

Empire Bay has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1038 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Empire Bay?

Empire Bay has a transport score of 51/100 and 30 bus stops.

Data sources: ABS Census 2021 & ERP, NSW Valuer General, BOCSAR, TfNSW, ACARA, Bureau of Meteorology, OpenStreetMap, NSW DPHI. Data refreshed quarterly.

Data shown is from public sources and may not reflect current conditions. How we calculate scores.