Denhams Beach vs Sunshine Bay

Sunshine Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 56 against 61 in Denhams Beach. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Sunshine Bay, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Denhams Beach: a median of $895,000, against $800,000 in Sunshine Bay. On these figures, Denhams Beach tends to suit older residents, while Sunshine Bay suits 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

Denhams Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 31/100)

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

First-home buyers

Sunshine Bay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($520,000 vs $898,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($800,000 vs $895,000)
  • But Denhams Beach leaves households under less mortgage stress (27% vs 34%)

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

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Denhams Beach

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 31/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (46% vs 37%)

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

Investors

Sunshine Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.9% vs 0.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Denhams Beach and Sunshine 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.

Denhams Beach Sunshine 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.

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Walkability 52 / 45
Denhams Beach — Walkability: 52/100 Sunshine Bay — Walkability: 45/100
Safety 80 / 69
Denhams Beach — Safety: 80/100 Sunshine Bay — Safety: 69/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Denhams Beach — Low fire risk: 100/100 Sunshine Bay — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Sunshine Bay has more residents (1,439 vs 650); Denhams Beach has higher household incomes ($68,796 vs $59,176).

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Population 650 1,439
+121% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.3% +17.9%
Median age 61 56
Median household income $68,796/yr
+14% vs other
 $59,176/yr
Median weekly rent $385/wk
+4% vs other
 $370/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
0-4 5.4% / 4.2%
Denhams Beach — 0-4: 5.4% Sunshine Bay — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 7.1% / 9.3%
Denhams Beach — 5-14: 7.1% Sunshine Bay — 5-14: 9.3%
15-19 5.4% / 3.7%
Denhams Beach — 15-19: 5.4% Sunshine Bay — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 3.7% / 2.8%
Denhams Beach — 20-24: 3.7% Sunshine Bay — 20-24: 2.8%
25-34 6.9% / 9.3%
Denhams Beach — 25-34: 6.9% Sunshine Bay — 25-34: 9.3%
35-44 6.6% / 7.6%
Denhams Beach — 35-44: 6.6% Sunshine Bay — 35-44: 7.6%
45-54 7.2% / 11.0%
Denhams Beach — 45-54: 7.2% Sunshine Bay — 45-54: 11.0%
55-64 12.8% / 14.9%
Denhams Beach — 55-64: 12.8% Sunshine Bay — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 20.3% / 19.0%
Denhams Beach — 65-74: 20.3% Sunshine Bay — 65-74: 19.0%
75-84 15.1% / 14.7%
Denhams Beach — 75-84: 15.1% Sunshine Bay — 75-84: 14.7%
85+ 10.2% / 3.3%
Denhams Beach — 85+: 10.2% Sunshine Bay — 85+: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Denhams Beach 42.0% lone person
Denhams Beach — Lone Person: 42.0% Denhams Beach — Couple Families: 29.3% Denhams Beach — One Parent Families: 22.0% Denhams Beach — Group Household: 4.7% Denhams Beach — Other Families: 2.0%
Sunshine Bay 52.3% lone person
Sunshine Bay — Lone Person: 52.3% Sunshine Bay — Couple Families: 26.1% Sunshine Bay — One Parent Families: 17.5% Sunshine Bay — Group Household: 2.5% Sunshine Bay — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Denhams Beach 29.6% renting
Denhams Beach — Owned Outright: 52.3% Denhams Beach — Mortgage: 18.1% Denhams Beach — Renting: 29.6%
Sunshine Bay 25.2% renting
Sunshine Bay — Owned Outright: 52.1% Sunshine Bay — Mortgage: 22.7% Sunshine Bay — Renting: 25.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Certificate III & IV 14.6% / 18.8%
Denhams Beach — Certificate III & IV: 14.6% Sunshine Bay — Certificate III & IV: 18.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.5% / 8.4%
Denhams Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.5% Sunshine Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4%
Bachelor Degree 8.2% / 7.6%
Denhams Beach — Bachelor Degree: 8.2% Sunshine Bay — Bachelor Degree: 7.6%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 2.2%
Denhams Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Sunshine Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.9%
Denhams Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Sunshine Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

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.

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
England 5.8% / 5.8%
Denhams Beach — England: 5.8% Sunshine Bay — England: 5.8%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.0%
Denhams Beach — New Zealand: 1.7% Sunshine Bay — New Zealand: 1.0%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.0%
Denhams Beach — Philippines: 0.9% Sunshine Bay — Philippines: 1.0%
South Africa 0.8% / 0.6%
Denhams Beach — South Africa: 0.8% Sunshine Bay — South Africa: 0.6%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.8%
Denhams Beach — Scotland: 0.5% Sunshine Bay — Scotland: 0.8%
Ireland 1.1% / —
Denhams Beach — Ireland: 1.1% Sunshine Bay — Ireland: not among its largest
India — / 1.1%
Denhams Beach — India: not among its largest Sunshine Bay — India: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Denhams Beach 71.6% houses
Denhams Beach — Houses: 71.6% Denhams Beach — Townhouses: 17.3% Denhams Beach — Flats / Apartments: 11.1%
Sunshine Bay 78.9% houses
Sunshine Bay — Houses: 78.9% Sunshine Bay — Townhouses: 13.2% Sunshine Bay — Flats / Apartments: 7.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Median house price $895,000 $800,000
Median unit price $898,000 $520,000
Median land price — $360,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 100 days
from 4 sales
 70 days
from 30 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
3 bed $890K / $670K
Denhams Beach — 3 bed: $890K (13 sales) Sunshine Bay — 3 bed: $670K (26 sales)

13 vs 26 sales

4 bed $905K / $890K
Denhams Beach — 4 bed: $905K (10 sales) Sunshine Bay — 4 bed: $890K (32 sales)

10 vs 32 sales

Zoning mix

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Residential 73% 76%
Environmental 25% 19%
Parks and recreation 0% 3%
Commercial 0% 1%
Planning zones cover 97% of Denhams Beach and 99% of Sunshine 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

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
New dwellings approved 211
across Eurobodalla
same for both
Approvals change year on year -9%
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.

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Houses — 4.0%
$650/wk on $850K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
House price Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 37% of NSW
Income Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 38% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 62% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 72% of NSW

Liveability

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Grade B
same for both
Score 55/100 52/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sunshine Bay carries more crime risk (31 vs 20).

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
20/100
 Low
31/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
26/100
 Low
35/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Denhams Beach

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

Schools in Sunshine Bay

  • Sunshine Bay Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Childcare 1
same for both
Waterways 0 3

Mobility

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Walkability score 52/100 45/100
Distance to Sydney 285.9 km 286.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 239 min 237 min
Public transport score 20/100
Bus
 44/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 2.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 14.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 4 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2536
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2536
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.

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Car (driver) 74.0% / 79.9%
Denhams Beach — Car (driver): 74.0% Sunshine Bay — Car (driver): 79.9%
Worked from Home 11.2% / 9.5%
Denhams Beach — Worked from Home: 11.2% Sunshine Bay — Worked from Home: 9.5%
Car (passenger) 11.2% / 8.6%
Denhams Beach — Car (passenger): 11.2% Sunshine Bay — Car (passenger): 8.6%
Bus 3.6% / 1.1%
Denhams Beach — Bus: 3.6% Sunshine Bay — Bus: 1.1%
Walked Only — / 0.9%
Denhams Beach — Walked Only: not among its largest Sunshine Bay — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.9%).

Setting

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Elevation 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 140 m
241 m to a named beach
 549 m
611 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Connectivity score 68/100 75/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 42%
502 premises
 55%
943 premises

Climate

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Annual rainfall 914 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Average residential rate $1,246/yr
same for both
Council Eurobodalla
same for both

Federal electorate

Denhams Beach Sunshine Bay
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Denhams Beach

Beach Beachfront Coastal Quiet Retirees

Sunshine Bay

Beach Coastal Quiet Retirees River

More comparisons

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Denhams Beach vs Surf Beach

Other comparisons with Sunshine Bay

Sunshine Bay vs Surf Beach Sunshine Bay vs Batehaven
Full data on Denhams Beach Full data on Sunshine 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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