Blue Bay vs Toowoon Bay

Blue Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 58 in Toowoon Bay. In both, most households own their home. In Blue Bay, about half of households are people living alone. In Toowoon Bay, most households are people living alone.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 6 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Toowoon Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($860,000 vs $1,075,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Blue Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (54/100 vs 41/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Blue Bay is more walkable (54/100 vs 41/100)
  • Toowoon Bay has more residents already 65 and over (36% vs 29%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, 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

Blue Bay and Toowoon Bay drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
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.

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Walkability 54 / 41
Blue Bay — Walkability: 54/100 Toowoon Bay — Walkability: 41/100
Safety 41 / 35
Blue Bay — Safety: 41/100 Toowoon Bay — Safety: 35/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Blue Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Toowoon Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Blue Bay has more residents (1,060 vs 543); Blue Bay has higher household incomes ($68,796 vs $60,736).

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Population 1,060
+49% vs other
 543
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.2% +2.5%
Median age 52 58
Median household income $68,796/yr
+12% vs other
 $60,736/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
0-4 3.5% / 2.6%
Blue Bay — 0-4: 3.5% Toowoon Bay — 0-4: 2.6%
5-14 8.0% / 7.9%
Blue Bay — 5-14: 8.0% Toowoon Bay — 5-14: 7.9%
15-19 4.2% / 4.4%
Blue Bay — 15-19: 4.2% Toowoon Bay — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 5.2% / 3.9%
Blue Bay — 20-24: 5.2% Toowoon Bay — 20-24: 3.9%
25-34 11.1% / 6.4%
Blue Bay — 25-34: 11.1% Toowoon Bay — 25-34: 6.4%
35-44 9.4% / 8.1%
Blue Bay — 35-44: 9.4% Toowoon Bay — 35-44: 8.1%
45-54 12.9% / 13.8%
Blue Bay — 45-54: 12.9% Toowoon Bay — 45-54: 13.8%
55-64 17.5% / 16.8%
Blue Bay — 55-64: 17.5% Toowoon Bay — 55-64: 16.8%
65-74 17.4% / 19.2%
Blue Bay — 65-74: 17.4% Toowoon Bay — 65-74: 19.2%
75-84 7.6% / 13.6%
Blue Bay — 75-84: 7.6% Toowoon Bay — 75-84: 13.6%
85+ 3.9% / 3.7%
Blue Bay — 85+: 3.9% Toowoon Bay — 85+: 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Blue Bay 51.9% lone person
Blue Bay — Lone Person: 51.9% Blue Bay — Couple Families: 22.4% Blue Bay — One Parent Families: 19.1% Blue Bay — Group Household: 3.9% Blue Bay — Other Families: 2.7%
Toowoon Bay 57.6% lone person
Toowoon Bay — Lone Person: 57.6% Toowoon Bay — Couple Families: 21.2% Toowoon Bay — One Parent Families: 17.0% Toowoon Bay — Group Household: 4.2% Toowoon Bay — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Blue Bay 37.9% renting
Blue Bay — Owned Outright: 41.4% Blue Bay — Mortgage: 20.7% Blue Bay — Renting: 37.9%
Toowoon Bay 33.7% renting
Toowoon Bay — Owned Outright: 45.9% Toowoon Bay — Mortgage: 20.3% Toowoon Bay — Renting: 33.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Certificate III & IV 16.9% / 17.9%
Blue Bay — Certificate III & IV: 16.9% Toowoon Bay — Certificate III & IV: 17.9%
Bachelor Degree 10.8% / 10.5%
Blue Bay — Bachelor Degree: 10.8% Toowoon Bay — Bachelor Degree: 10.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.9% / 10.3%
Blue Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9% Toowoon Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 2.0%
Blue Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% Toowoon Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 1.7%
Blue Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Toowoon Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.9%).

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.

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
England 2.9% / 3.7%
Blue Bay — England: 2.9% Toowoon Bay — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
Blue Bay — New Zealand: 0.9% Toowoon Bay — New Zealand: 1.3%
Greece — / 1.3%
Blue Bay — Greece: not among its largest Toowoon Bay — Greece: 1.3%
Italy 0.7% / 0.6%
Blue Bay — Italy: 0.7% Toowoon Bay — Italy: 0.6%
Scotland 0.9% / —
Blue Bay — Scotland: 0.9% Toowoon Bay — Scotland: not among its largest
Zimbabwe — / 0.9%
Blue Bay — Zimbabwe: not among its largest Toowoon Bay — Zimbabwe: 0.9%
Canada — / 0.7%
Blue Bay — Canada: not among its largest Toowoon Bay — Canada: 0.7%
Germany 0.6% / —
Blue Bay — Germany: 0.6% Toowoon Bay — Germany: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Blue Bay 50.5% houses
Blue Bay — Houses: 50.5% Blue Bay — Townhouses: 34.0% Blue Bay — Flats / Apartments: 15.5%
Toowoon Bay 41.3% houses
Toowoon Bay — Houses: 41.3% Toowoon Bay — Townhouses: 35.3% Toowoon Bay — Flats / Apartments: 23.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Median house price $1,835,000 $1,967,500
Median unit price $1,075,000 $860,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 36 days
from 4 sales

Zoning mix

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Residential 85% 36%
Parks and recreation 15% 58%
Environmental 0% 4%
Planning zones cover 100% of Blue Bay and 98% of Toowoon Bay. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
House price Higher than 84% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Income Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 23% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 64% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW

Liveability

Blue Bay is more walkable (54 vs 41).

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Grade B
same for both
Score 55/100 52/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
59/100
 Moderate
65/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
35/100
 Moderate
55/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1

Mobility

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Walkability score 54/100 41/100
Distance to Sydney 99.1 km
+1% vs other
 98.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 90 min 88 min
Public transport score 74/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 25.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 25.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2261
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 2261
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.

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Car (driver) 59.7% / 57.8%
Blue Bay — Car (driver): 59.7% Toowoon Bay — Car (driver): 57.8%
Worked from Home 32.7% / 37.0%
Blue Bay — Worked from Home: 32.7% Toowoon Bay — Worked from Home: 37.0%
Walked Only 2.2% / 5.2%
Blue Bay — Walked Only: 2.2% Toowoon Bay — Walked Only: 5.2%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / —
Blue Bay — Car (passenger): 3.2% Toowoon Bay — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle 1.4% / —
Blue Bay — Bicycle: 1.4% Toowoon Bay — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (59.7%).

Setting

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Elevation 14 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 134 m
1.9 km to a named beach
 237 m
964 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Connectivity score 99/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 98%
716 premises
 100%
377 premises

Climate

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
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)

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
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

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Division Dobell
same for both
Member Emma Mcbride
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Blue Bay Toowoon Bay
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Blue Bay

Coastal Parks Premium Quiet Retirees Townhouses

Toowoon Bay

Beach Coastal Premium Quiet Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Blue Bay

Blue Bay vs Long Jetty Blue Bay vs The Entrance

Other comparisons with Toowoon Bay

Toowoon Bay vs Long Jetty Toowoon Bay vs Shelly Beach
Full data on Blue Bay Full data on Toowoon Bay
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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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