Malua Bay vs Rosedale

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Rosedale, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Rosedale: a median of $1.15 million, against $930,000 in Malua Bay, though rent is higher in Malua Bay. On these figures, Malua Bay tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Rosedale suits 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

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

Malua Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($930,000 vs $1,150,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Rosedale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 29%)
  • has cheaper rent ($340/wk vs $418/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Malua Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (293.5 km vs 296.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Malua Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.4% vs 1.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Malua Bay Rosedale
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.

Malua Bay Rosedale
Walkability 12 / 10
Malua Bay — Walkability: 12/100 Rosedale — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 58 / 58
Malua Bay — Safety: 58/100 Rosedale — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 17 / 34
Malua Bay — Low fire risk: 17/100 Rosedale — Low fire risk: 34/100

Demographics

Malua Bay has more residents (2,071 vs 225); Malua Bay rents higher ($418/wk vs $340/wk).

Malua Bay Rosedale
Population 2,071
+89% vs other
 225
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.4% +1.8%
Median age 52 53
Median household income $73,996/yr $79,612/yr
+8% vs other
Median weekly rent $418/wk
+19% vs other
 $340/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay Rosedale
0-4 4.7% / —
Malua Bay — 0-4: 4.7% Rosedale — 0-4: not among its largest
5-14 10.9% / 10.2%
Malua Bay — 5-14: 10.9% Rosedale — 5-14: 10.2%
15-19 5.0% / 5.8%
Malua Bay — 15-19: 5.0% Rosedale — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 3.1% / 1.8%
Malua Bay — 20-24: 3.1% Rosedale — 20-24: 1.8%
25-34 7.3% / 7.6%
Malua Bay — 25-34: 7.3% Rosedale — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 9.2% / 5.3%
Malua Bay — 35-44: 9.2% Rosedale — 35-44: 5.3%
45-54 12.9% / 16.4%
Malua Bay — 45-54: 12.9% Rosedale — 45-54: 16.4%
55-64 17.5% / 17.8%
Malua Bay — 55-64: 17.5% Rosedale — 55-64: 17.8%
65-74 18.9% / 17.8%
Malua Bay — 65-74: 18.9% Rosedale — 65-74: 17.8%
75-84 8.5% / 6.7%
Malua Bay — 75-84: 8.5% Rosedale — 75-84: 6.7%
85+ 1.9% / 1.3%
Malua Bay — 85+: 1.9% Rosedale — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay 36.9% couple families
Malua Bay — Couple Families: 36.9% Malua Bay — Lone Person: 40.0% Malua Bay — One Parent Families: 18.2% Malua Bay — Group Household: 4.3% Malua Bay — Other Families: 0.6%
Rosedale 50.0% couple families
Rosedale — Couple Families: 50.0% Rosedale — Lone Person: 39.1% Rosedale — One Parent Families: 10.9% Rosedale — Group Household: 0.0% Rosedale — 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.

Malua Bay 18.4% renting
Malua Bay — Owned Outright: 53.1% Malua Bay — Mortgage: 28.5% Malua Bay — Renting: 18.4%
Rosedale 21.4% renting
Rosedale — Owned Outright: 50.0% Rosedale — Mortgage: 28.6% Rosedale — Renting: 21.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Malua Bay Rosedale
Certificate III & IV 18.2% / 13.8%
Malua Bay — Certificate III & IV: 18.2% Rosedale — Certificate III & IV: 13.8%
Bachelor Degree 11.2% / 14.7%
Malua Bay — Bachelor Degree: 11.2% Rosedale — Bachelor Degree: 14.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.4% / 11.6%
Malua Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4% Rosedale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.6%
Postgraduate Degree 3.4% / 10.7%
Malua Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4% Rosedale — Postgraduate Degree: 10.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.3%
Malua Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Rosedale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

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.

Malua Bay Rosedale
England 4.7% / 2.7%
Malua Bay — England: 4.7% Rosedale — England: 2.7%
New Zealand 1.7% / 3.1%
Malua Bay — New Zealand: 1.7% Rosedale — New Zealand: 3.1%
Germany 0.6% / 1.8%
Malua Bay — Germany: 0.6% Rosedale — Germany: 1.8%
China — / 1.3%
Malua Bay — China: not among its largest Rosedale — China: 1.3%
Scotland 1.0% / —
Malua Bay — Scotland: 1.0% Rosedale — Scotland: not among its largest
South Africa 0.8% / —
Malua Bay — South Africa: 0.8% Rosedale — South Africa: not among its largest
Philippines 0.6% / —
Malua Bay — Philippines: 0.6% Rosedale — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Malua Bay 97.0% houses
Malua Bay — Houses: 97.0% Malua Bay — Townhouses: 1.4% Malua Bay — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Rosedale 97.5% houses
Rosedale — Houses: 97.5% Rosedale — Townhouses: 3.8% Rosedale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Malua Bay Rosedale
Median house price $930,000 $1,150,000
Median unit price $822,500 —
Median land price $417,500 $430,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 48 days
from 48 sales
 66 days
from 15 sales

Zoning mix

Malua Bay has more land zoned for conservation (56% vs 37%).

Malua Bay Rosedale
Environmental 56% 37%
Residential 24% 44%
Rural and farming 19% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 3%
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

Malua Bay Rosedale
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.

Malua Bay Rosedale
Houses 3.2%
$708/wk on $1.15M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Malua Bay Rosedale
House price Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Income Higher than 41% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 56% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 62% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 30% of NSW —

Liveability

Malua Bay Rosedale
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Malua Bay carries more bushfire risk (83 vs 66).

Malua Bay Rosedale
Bushfire High
83/100
 Moderate
66/100
Crime Moderate
42/100
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
23/100
 Low
33/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Malua Bay Rosedale
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

Malua Bay Rosedale
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Beaches 2 0
Waterways 10 8

Mobility

Rosedale sits further from the CBD (296.4 km vs 293.5 km).

Malua Bay Rosedale
Walkability score 12/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 293.5 km 296.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 244 min 247 min
Public transport score 39/100
Bus
 24/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 3.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 4 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.

Malua Bay Rosedale
Car (driver) 77.4% / 72.2%
Malua Bay — Car (driver): 77.4% Rosedale — Car (driver): 72.2%
Worked from Home 14.8% / 24.1%
Malua Bay — Worked from Home: 14.8% Rosedale — Worked from Home: 24.1%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 3.8%
Malua Bay — Car (passenger): 5.3% Rosedale — Car (passenger): 3.8%
Bus 1.4% / —
Malua Bay — Bus: 1.4% Rosedale — Bus: not among its largest
Walked Only 1.0% / —
Malua Bay — Walked Only: 1.0% Rosedale — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.4%).

Setting

Malua Bay Rosedale
Elevation 38 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 27 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km
1.8 km to a named beach
 1.2 km
1.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Malua Bay Rosedale
Connectivity score 78/100 88/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 51%
1,690 premises
 74%
344 premises

Climate

Malua Bay Rosedale
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

Malua Bay Rosedale
Average residential rate $1,246/yr
same for both
Council Eurobodalla
same for both

Federal electorate

Malua Bay Rosedale
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Malua Bay

Acreage Coastal Retirees River

Rosedale

Beach Coastal Retirees River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Malua Bay

Malua Bay vs Surf Beach Malua Bay vs Lilli Pilli Malua Bay vs Mogo Malua Bay vs Woodlands

Other comparisons with Rosedale

Rosedale vs Tomakin Rosedale vs Guerilla Bay Rosedale vs Woodlands
Full data on Malua Bay Full data on Rosedale
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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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