Booker Bay vs Pretty Beach

Booker Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 54 against 57 in Pretty Beach. In both, most households own their home. In Booker Bay, about half of households are people living alone. In Pretty Beach, the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Pretty Beach: a median of $1.75 million, against $1.61 million in Booker Bay, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Booker Bay tends to suit 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

Pretty Beach

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 52%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (52% vs 43%)

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

First-home buyers

Pretty Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 41%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Booker Bay has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 13%)
  • Pretty Beach leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 33%)

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

Commuting to the city

Booker Bay

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (65/100 vs 53/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (80 min vs 94 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (86.1 km vs 95.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Booker Bay

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (48% vs 3%)
  • is more walkable (65/100 vs 53/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Booker Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (8.7% vs -10.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
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.

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Walkability 65 / 53
Booker Bay — Walkability: 65/100 Pretty Beach — Walkability: 53/100
Low fire risk 100 / 18
Booker Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100 Pretty Beach — Low fire risk: 18/100

Demographics

Booker Bay has more residents (1,442 vs 314); Pretty Beach has higher household incomes ($94,536 vs $63,336).

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Population 1,442
+78% vs other
 314
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +8.7% -10.8%
Median age 54 57
Median household income $63,336/yr $94,536/yr
+49% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $428/wk
+7% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
0-4 5.5% / 1.3%
Booker Bay — 0-4: 5.5% Pretty Beach — 0-4: 1.3%
5-14 8.6% / 8.9%
Booker Bay — 5-14: 8.6% Pretty Beach — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 3.2% / 4.1%
Booker Bay — 15-19: 3.2% Pretty Beach — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 2.5% / 2.2%
Booker Bay — 20-24: 2.5% Pretty Beach — 20-24: 2.2%
25-34 7.4% / 6.7%
Booker Bay — 25-34: 7.4% Pretty Beach — 25-34: 6.7%
35-44 13.5% / 6.1%
Booker Bay — 35-44: 13.5% Pretty Beach — 35-44: 6.1%
45-54 9.8% / 11.8%
Booker Bay — 45-54: 9.8% Pretty Beach — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 13.6% / 18.2%
Booker Bay — 55-64: 13.6% Pretty Beach — 55-64: 18.2%
65-74 18.4% / 22.6%
Booker Bay — 65-74: 18.4% Pretty Beach — 65-74: 22.6%
75-84 15.0% / 11.5%
Booker Bay — 75-84: 15.0% Pretty Beach — 75-84: 11.5%
85+ 3.1% / 2.9%
Booker Bay — 85+: 3.1% Pretty Beach — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Booker Bay 51.2% lone person
Booker Bay — Lone Person: 51.2% Booker Bay — Couple Families: 26.8% Booker Bay — One Parent Families: 15.8% Booker Bay — Group Household: 4.5% Booker Bay — Other Families: 1.7%
Pretty Beach 39.7% lone person
Pretty Beach — Lone Person: 39.7% Pretty Beach — Couple Families: 39.7% Pretty Beach — One Parent Families: 12.3% Pretty Beach — Group Household: 8.2% Pretty Beach — 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.

Booker Bay 33.4% renting
Booker Bay — Owned Outright: 45.4% Booker Bay — Mortgage: 21.1% Booker Bay — Renting: 33.4%
Pretty Beach 12.7% renting
Pretty Beach — Owned Outright: 52.4% Pretty Beach — Mortgage: 34.9% Pretty Beach — Renting: 12.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Bachelor Degree 10.8% / 20.1%
Booker Bay — Bachelor Degree: 10.8% Pretty Beach — Bachelor Degree: 20.1%
Certificate III & IV 15.3% / 13.4%
Booker Bay — Certificate III & IV: 15.3% Pretty Beach — Certificate III & IV: 13.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 9.2%
Booker Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Pretty Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.2%
Postgraduate Degree 3.1% / 10.8%
Booker Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.1% Pretty Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 10.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 4.1%
Booker Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Pretty Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

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.

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
England 5.3% / 6.4%
Booker Bay — England: 5.3% Pretty Beach — England: 6.4%
New Zealand 2.4% / 1.9%
Booker Bay — New Zealand: 2.4% Pretty Beach — New Zealand: 1.9%
South Africa 0.8% / 2.5%
Booker Bay — South Africa: 0.8% Pretty Beach — South Africa: 2.5%
Germany 0.3% / 1.3%
Booker Bay — Germany: 0.3% Pretty Beach — Germany: 1.3%
Netherlands 0.5% / 1.0%
Booker Bay — Netherlands: 0.5% Pretty Beach — Netherlands: 1.0%
Japan — / 1.0%
Booker Bay — Japan: not among its largest Pretty Beach — Japan: 1.0%
Scotland 0.5% / —
Booker Bay — Scotland: 0.5% Pretty Beach — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Booker Bay 51.5% houses
Booker Bay — Houses: 51.5% Booker Bay — Townhouses: 40.2% Booker Bay — Flats / Apartments: 8.3%
Pretty Beach 100.0% houses
Pretty Beach — Houses: 100.0% Pretty Beach — Townhouses: 3.2% Pretty Beach — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Median house price $1,610,000 $1,755,000
Median unit price $1,195,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 118 days
from 10 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Pretty Beach has more land zoned for conservation (34% vs 9%).

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Residential 89% 51%
Environmental 9% 34%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 9%
Parks and recreation 0% 5%
Planning zones cover 99% of Booker Bay and 99% of Pretty Beach. 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

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
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.

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Houses 4.3%
$850/wk on $1.02M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
House price Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 11% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 77% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 87% of NSW —

Liveability

Booker Bay is more walkable (65 vs 53).

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Grade B —
Score 62/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Pretty Beach carries more bushfire risk (82 vs 0).

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
82/100
Crime Moderate
46/100
 —
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
61/100
 Low
29/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
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

Schools in Booker Bay

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

Schools in Pretty Beach

  • Pretty Beach Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Parks & reserves 0 2
Childcare 2 1

Mobility

Pretty Beach sits further from the CBD (95.7 km vs 86.1 km).

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Walkability score 65/100 53/100
Distance to Sydney 86.1 km 95.7 km
+11% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 80 min 94 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 25/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 42.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2257
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 2257
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.

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Worked from Home 40.7% / 53.5%
Booker Bay — Worked from Home: 40.7% Pretty Beach — Worked from Home: 53.5%
Car (driver) 52.5% / 38.6%
Booker Bay — Car (driver): 52.5% Pretty Beach — Car (driver): 38.6%
Train 2.9% / 4.0%
Booker Bay — Train: 2.9% Pretty Beach — Train: 4.0%
Walked Only 1.3% / 4.0%
Booker Bay — Walked Only: 1.3% Pretty Beach — Walked Only: 4.0%
Car (passenger) 1.8% / —
Booker Bay — Car (passenger): 1.8% Pretty Beach — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.5%).

Setting

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 274 m
1.9 km to a named beach
 38 m
785 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Connectivity score 63/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 33%
828 premises
 32%
251 premises

Climate

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
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)

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
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

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Division Robertson
same for both
Member Gordon Reid
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Booker Bay Pretty Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Booker Bay

Coastal Outer Retirees Townhouses

Pretty Beach

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Outer Parks Professionals Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Booker Bay

Booker Bay vs Ettalong Beach Booker Bay vs Blackwall Booker Bay vs Daleys Point Booker Bay vs Killcare Booker Bay vs Wagstaffe

Other comparisons with Pretty Beach

Pretty Beach vs Killcare Pretty Beach vs Wagstaffe Pretty Beach vs Hardys Bay
Full data on Booker Bay Full data on Pretty Beach
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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