Long Beach vs Surfside

Surfside is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 51 in Long Beach. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Long Beach: a median of $925,000, against $740,000 in Surfside, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Surfside tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Long Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 47/100)

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

First-home buyers

Surfside

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($549,000 vs $740,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($740,000 vs $925,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Surfside

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (27% vs 16%)
  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $410/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Surfside

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (46/100 vs 19/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Long Beach carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 47/100)
  • Surfside is more walkable (46/100 vs 19/100)

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

Investors

Long Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (22.4% vs 6.2%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Long Beach Surfside
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.

Long Beach Surfside
Walkability 19 / 46
Long Beach — Walkability: 19/100 Surfside — Walkability: 46/100
Safety 74 / 53
Long Beach — Safety: 74/100 Surfside — Safety: 53/100
Low fire risk 35 / 100
Long Beach — Low fire risk: 35/100 Surfside — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Long Beach has higher household incomes ($72,228 vs $60,736); Long Beach rents higher ($410/wk vs $350/wk).

Long Beach Surfside
Population 1,758
+17% vs other
 1,456
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +22.4% +6.2%
Median age 51 47
Median household income $72,228/yr
+16% vs other
 $60,736/yr
Median weekly rent $410/wk
+15% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Long Beach Surfside
0-4 4.7% / 4.8%
Long Beach — 0-4: 4.7% Surfside — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 12.0% / 13.9%
Long Beach — 5-14: 12.0% Surfside — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 5.1% / 6.1%
Long Beach — 15-19: 5.1% Surfside — 15-19: 6.1%
20-24 4.1% / 3.4%
Long Beach — 20-24: 4.1% Surfside — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 6.9% / 10.3%
Long Beach — 25-34: 6.9% Surfside — 25-34: 10.3%
35-44 9.7% / 9.3%
Long Beach — 35-44: 9.7% Surfside — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 11.0% / 12.4%
Long Beach — 45-54: 11.0% Surfside — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 17.3% / 14.6%
Long Beach — 55-64: 17.3% Surfside — 55-64: 14.6%
65-74 19.9% / 16.6%
Long Beach — 65-74: 19.9% Surfside — 65-74: 16.6%
75-84 7.2% / 7.6%
Long Beach — 75-84: 7.2% Surfside — 75-84: 7.6%
85+ 1.8% / 1.2%
Long Beach — 85+: 1.8% Surfside — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Long Beach 42.8% couple families
Long Beach — Couple Families: 42.8% Long Beach — Lone Person: 34.0% Long Beach — One Parent Families: 15.7% Long Beach — Group Household: 5.9% Long Beach — Other Families: 1.5%
Surfside 30.2% couple families
Surfside — Couple Families: 30.2% Surfside — Lone Person: 38.5% Surfside — One Parent Families: 25.3% Surfside — Group Household: 4.1% Surfside — Other Families: 1.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Long Beach 16.2% renting
Long Beach — Owned Outright: 48.9% Long Beach — Mortgage: 34.8% Long Beach — Renting: 16.2%
Surfside 27.2% renting
Surfside — Owned Outright: 43.1% Surfside — Mortgage: 29.8% Surfside — Renting: 27.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Long Beach Surfside
Certificate III & IV 19.4% / 20.0%
Long Beach — Certificate III & IV: 19.4% Surfside — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 7.1%
Long Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Surfside — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1%
Bachelor Degree 9.3% / 5.8%
Long Beach — Bachelor Degree: 9.3% Surfside — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.6% / 1.0%
Long Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6% Surfside — Postgraduate Degree: 1.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.2%
Long Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Surfside — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Long Beach Surfside
England 5.9% / 2.8%
Long Beach — England: 5.9% Surfside — England: 2.8%
New Zealand 0.8% / 1.1%
Long Beach — New Zealand: 0.8% Surfside — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany 0.5% / 1.0%
Long Beach — Germany: 0.5% Surfside — Germany: 1.0%
Ireland 0.4% / 0.6%
Long Beach — Ireland: 0.4% Surfside — Ireland: 0.6%
India 0.6% / —
Long Beach — India: 0.6% Surfside — India: not among its largest
South Africa 0.5% / —
Long Beach — South Africa: 0.5% Surfside — South Africa: not among its largest
Italy — / 0.5%
Long Beach — Italy: not among its largest Surfside — Italy: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Long Beach 91.9% houses
Long Beach — Houses: 91.9% Long Beach — Townhouses: 8.4% Long Beach — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Surfside 89.0% houses
Surfside — Houses: 89.0% Surfside — Townhouses: 3.8% Surfside — Flats / Apartments: 7.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Long Beach Surfside
Median house price $925,000 $740,000
Median unit price $740,000 $549,000
Median land price $350,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 50 days
from 32 sales
 65 days
from 15 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.

Long Beach Surfside
3 bed $845K / $740K
Long Beach — 3 bed: $845K (28 sales) Surfside — 3 bed: $740K (26 sales)

28 vs 26 sales

4 bed $998K / $850K
Long Beach — 4 bed: $998K (44 sales) Surfside — 4 bed: $850K (8 sales)

44 vs 8 sales

Zoning mix

Long Beach has more land zoned for conservation (82% vs 62%).

Long Beach Surfside
Environmental 82% 62%
Residential 16% 35%
Parks and recreation 1%
same for both
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
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

Long Beach Surfside
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.

Long Beach Surfside
Houses 3.9%
$750/wk on $1M
 4.0%
$630/wk on $811K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Long Beach Surfside
House price Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Income —
same for both
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 62% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW

Liveability

Surfside is more walkable (46 vs 19); Surfside scores higher overall (45 vs 38).

Long Beach Surfside
Grade C
same for both
Score 38/100 45/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Long Beach carries more bushfire risk (65 vs 0); Surfside carries more crime risk (47 vs 26).

Long Beach Surfside
Bushfire Moderate
65/100
 None
0/100
Crime Low
26/100
 Moderate
47/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
50/100
 High
78/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Long Beach Surfside
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

Long Beach Surfside
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Childcare 0 2
Beaches 1
same for both
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Long Beach Surfside
Walkability score 19/100 46/100
Distance to Sydney 275.7 km 276.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 225 min 228 min
Public transport score 53/100
Bus
 38/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 22.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 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.

Long Beach Surfside
Car (driver) 79.2% / 80.3%
Long Beach — Car (driver): 79.2% Surfside — Car (driver): 80.3%
Worked from Home 14.1% / 9.1%
Long Beach — Worked from Home: 14.1% Surfside — Worked from Home: 9.1%
Car (passenger) 4.1% / 6.8%
Long Beach — Car (passenger): 4.1% Surfside — Car (passenger): 6.8%
Walked Only 1.4% / 2.5%
Long Beach — Walked Only: 1.4% Surfside — Walked Only: 2.5%
Bus 1.2% / 1.3%
Long Beach — Bus: 1.2% Surfside — Bus: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.3%).

Setting

Long Beach Surfside
Elevation 43 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.1 km
1.3 km to a named beach
 597 m
880 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Long Beach Surfside
Connectivity score 68/100 76/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
1,097 premises
 58%
815 premises

Climate

Long Beach Surfside
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

Long Beach Surfside
Average residential rate $1,246/yr
same for both
Council Eurobodalla
same for both

Federal electorate

Long Beach Surfside
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Long Beach Surfside
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Long Beach

Acreage Beach Coastal Retirees

Surfside

Beach Coastal Large Blocks Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Long Beach

Long Beach vs Batemans Bay Long Beach vs North Batemans Bay Long Beach vs Maloneys Beach Long Beach vs Benandarah

Other comparisons with Surfside

Surfside vs Batemans Bay Surfside vs North Batemans Bay
Full data on Long Beach Full data on Surfside
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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