Avoca Beach vs Picketts Valley

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Picketts Valley: a median of $3.1 million, against $1.72 million in Avoca Beach, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Avoca Beach tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Picketts Valley suits families with children and couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Picketts Valley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 47/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (88% vs 75%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 87%)
  • But Avoca Beach has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Avoca Beach has cheaper houses ($1,715,000 vs $3,100,000)
  • Picketts Valley leaves households under less mortgage stress (19% vs 24%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Avoca Beach

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($530/wk vs $1,025/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 34%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Avoca Beach is more walkable (55/100 vs 8/100)
  • Picketts Valley sits closer to the CBD (89.5 km vs 92.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Avoca Beach is more walkable (55/100 vs 8/100)
  • Picketts Valley carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 47/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Avoca Beach and Picketts Valley drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Walkability 55 / 8
Avoca Beach — Walkability: 55/100 Picketts Valley — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 53 / 84
Avoca Beach — Safety: 53/100 Picketts Valley — Safety: 84/100
Low fire risk 80 / 100
Avoca Beach — Low fire risk: 80/100 Picketts Valley — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Avoca Beach has more residents (4,708 vs 221); Picketts Valley rents higher ($1,025/wk vs $530/wk).

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Population 4,708
+95% vs other
 221
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.7% +1.4%
Median age 43 42
Median household income $122,616/yr $154,492/yr
+26% vs other
Median weekly rent $530/wk $1,025/wk
+93% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
0-4 5.4% / 8.1%
Avoca Beach — 0-4: 5.4% Picketts Valley — 0-4: 8.1%
5-14 15.3% / 17.2%
Avoca Beach — 5-14: 15.3% Picketts Valley — 5-14: 17.2%
15-19 7.5% / 6.3%
Avoca Beach — 15-19: 7.5% Picketts Valley — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 5.0% / 3.6%
Avoca Beach — 20-24: 5.0% Picketts Valley — 20-24: 3.6%
25-34 6.7% / 7.2%
Avoca Beach — 25-34: 6.7% Picketts Valley — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 12.2% / 10.9%
Avoca Beach — 35-44: 12.2% Picketts Valley — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 15.8% / 14.9%
Avoca Beach — 45-54: 15.8% Picketts Valley — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 14.0% / 14.0%
Avoca Beach — 55-64: 14.0% Picketts Valley — 55-64: 14.0%
65-74 11.5% / 10.0%
Avoca Beach — 65-74: 11.5% Picketts Valley — 65-74: 10.0%
75-84 5.5% / 5.0%
Avoca Beach — 75-84: 5.5% Picketts Valley — 75-84: 5.0%
85+ 1.1% / —
Avoca Beach — 85+: 1.1% Picketts Valley — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Avoca Beach 57.9% couple families
Avoca Beach — Couple Families: 57.9% Avoca Beach — Lone Person: 23.1% Avoca Beach — One Parent Families: 16.8% Avoca Beach — Group Household: 1.6% Avoca Beach — Other Families: 0.7%
Picketts Valley 80.8% couple families
Picketts Valley — Couple Families: 80.8% Picketts Valley — Lone Person: 11.5% Picketts Valley — One Parent Families: 7.7% Picketts Valley — Group Household: 0.0% Picketts Valley — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Avoca Beach 17.1% renting
Avoca Beach — Owned Outright: 38.9% Avoca Beach — Mortgage: 44.0% Avoca Beach — Renting: 17.1%
Picketts Valley 7.5% renting
Picketts Valley — Owned Outright: 41.5% Picketts Valley — Mortgage: 50.9% Picketts Valley — Renting: 7.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Bachelor Degree 17.6% / 15.8%
Avoca Beach — Bachelor Degree: 17.6% Picketts Valley — Bachelor Degree: 15.8%
Certificate III & IV 13.4% / 13.6%
Avoca Beach — Certificate III & IV: 13.4% Picketts Valley — Certificate III & IV: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.3% / 7.7%
Avoca Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3% Picketts Valley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.9% / 4.1%
Avoca Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 4.9% Picketts Valley — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 3.2%
Avoca Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Picketts Valley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
England 8.2% / 6.8%
Avoca Beach — England: 8.2% Picketts Valley — England: 6.8%
Germany 0.4% / 1.4%
Avoca Beach — Germany: 0.4% Picketts Valley — Germany: 1.4%
New Zealand 1.6% / —
Avoca Beach — New Zealand: 1.6% Picketts Valley — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 1.3% / —
Avoca Beach — South Africa: 1.3% Picketts Valley — South Africa: not among its largest
Ireland 0.9% / —
Avoca Beach — Ireland: 0.9% Picketts Valley — Ireland: not among its largest
Canada 0.7% / —
Avoca Beach — Canada: 0.7% Picketts Valley — Canada: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Avoca Beach 86.7% houses
Avoca Beach — Houses: 86.7% Avoca Beach — Flats / Apartments: 7.5% Avoca Beach — Townhouses: 5.7%
Picketts Valley 100.0% houses
Picketts Valley — Houses: 100.0% Picketts Valley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Picketts Valley — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Median house price $1,715,000 $3,100,000
Median unit price $1,590,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 49 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Picketts Valley has more land zoned for conservation (94% vs 39%).

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Environmental 39% 94%
Residential 47% 0%
Parks and recreation 11% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
Other and special use 1% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Houses 3.1%
$898/wk on $1.53M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
House price Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Income Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 84% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 24% of NSW —

Liveability

Avoca Beach is more walkable (55 vs 8).

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Grade B —
Score 66/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Avoca Beach carries more bushfire risk (20 vs 0); Avoca Beach carries more crime risk (47 vs 16).

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Bushfire Low
20/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
47/100
 Low
16/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
30/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Avoca Beach

  • Avoca Beach Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Picketts Valley

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Cafes & restaurants 9 0
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 2 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Avoca Beach sits further from the CBD (92.1 km vs 89.5 km).

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Walkability score 55/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 92.1 km
+3% vs other
 89.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 88 min 86 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 98.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 29 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.2%
postcode 2251
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 38
postcode 2251
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Car (driver) 50.4% / 54.5%
Avoca Beach — Car (driver): 50.4% Picketts Valley — Car (driver): 54.5%
Worked from Home 42.4% / 37.5%
Avoca Beach — Worked from Home: 42.4% Picketts Valley — Worked from Home: 37.5%
Car (passenger) 3.6% / 8.0%
Avoca Beach — Car (passenger): 3.6% Picketts Valley — Car (passenger): 8.0%
Walked Only 1.8% / —
Avoca Beach — Walked Only: 1.8% Picketts Valley — Walked Only: not among its largest
Train 1.3% / —
Avoca Beach — Train: 1.3% Picketts Valley — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (54.5%).

Setting

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Elevation 1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 36 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 821 m
912 m to a named beach
 2.7 km
2.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Connectivity score 50/100 45/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 8%
2,529 premises
 0%
80 premises

Climate

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Division Robertson
same for both
Member Gordon Reid
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Avoca Beach Picketts Valley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Avoca Beach

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Outer Parks Professionals

Picketts Valley

Coastal Family Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Avoca Beach

Avoca Beach vs Terrigal Avoca Beach vs Kincumber Avoca Beach vs Copacabana Avoca Beach vs North Avoca

Other comparisons with Picketts Valley

Picketts Valley vs Terrigal Picketts Valley vs Kincumber Picketts Valley vs Green Point
Full data on Avoca Beach Full data on Picketts Valley
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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