Oyster Cove vs Salt Ash

Salt Ash is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 56 in Oyster Cove. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Salt Ash, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Salt Ash: a median of $1.09 million, against $340,000 in Oyster Cove, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Oyster Cove tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and 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

Salt Ash

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 56%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 81%)
  • But Oyster Cove carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 80/100)

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

First-home buyers

Oyster Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($340,000 vs $1,089,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Oyster Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($228/wk vs $310/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Salt Ash

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (18/100 vs 6/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (138 min vs 146 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (183.1 km vs 190.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Oyster Cove

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (19% vs 2%)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 80/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 21%)
  • But Salt Ash is more walkable (18/100 vs 6/100)

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

Investors

Oyster Cove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.3% vs -2.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Oyster Cove and Salt Ash drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
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.

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Walkability 6 / 18
Oyster Cove — Walkability: 6/100 Salt Ash — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 74 / 20
Oyster Cove — Safety: 74/100 Salt Ash — Safety: 20/100
Low fire risk 19 / 32
Oyster Cove — Low fire risk: 19/100 Salt Ash — Low fire risk: 32/100

Demographics

Salt Ash has more residents (1,103 vs 91); Salt Ash rents higher ($310/wk vs $228/wk).

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Population 91 1,103
+1112% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.3% -2.2%
Median age 56 46
Median household income $61,724/yr $75,972/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $228/wk $310/wk
+36% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
0-4 6.6% / 4.3%
Oyster Cove — 0-4: 6.6% Salt Ash — 0-4: 4.3%
5-14 6.6% / 13.4%
Oyster Cove — 5-14: 6.6% Salt Ash — 5-14: 13.4%
15-19 3.3% / 6.7%
Oyster Cove — 15-19: 3.3% Salt Ash — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 11.0% / 5.6%
Oyster Cove — 20-24: 11.0% Salt Ash — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 3.3% / 7.6%
Oyster Cove — 25-34: 3.3% Salt Ash — 25-34: 7.6%
35-44 7.7% / 11.2%
Oyster Cove — 35-44: 7.7% Salt Ash — 35-44: 11.2%
45-54 12.1% / 14.5%
Oyster Cove — 45-54: 12.1% Salt Ash — 45-54: 14.5%
55-64 22.0% / 16.2%
Oyster Cove — 55-64: 22.0% Salt Ash — 55-64: 16.2%
65-74 22.0% / 12.4%
Oyster Cove — 65-74: 22.0% Salt Ash — 65-74: 12.4%
75-84 8.8% / 7.0%
Oyster Cove — 75-84: 8.8% Salt Ash — 75-84: 7.0%
85+ — / 1.5%
Oyster Cove — 85+: not among its largest Salt Ash — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Oyster Cove 38.9% couple families
Oyster Cove — Couple Families: 38.9% Oyster Cove — Lone Person: 44.4% Oyster Cove — One Parent Families: 16.7% Oyster Cove — Group Household: 0.0% Oyster Cove — Other Families: 0.0%
Salt Ash 47.9% couple families
Salt Ash — Couple Families: 47.9% Salt Ash — Lone Person: 27.4% Salt Ash — One Parent Families: 20.2% Salt Ash — Group Household: 3.4% Salt Ash — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Oyster Cove 15.2% renting
Oyster Cove — Owned Outright: 57.6% Oyster Cove — Mortgage: 27.3% Oyster Cove — Renting: 15.2%
Salt Ash 12.5% renting
Salt Ash — Owned Outright: 42.4% Salt Ash — Mortgage: 45.2% Salt Ash — Renting: 12.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
New Zealand 5.5% / 0.5%
Oyster Cove — New Zealand: 5.5% Salt Ash — New Zealand: 0.5%
England — / 3.4%
Oyster Cove — England: not among its largest Salt Ash — England: 3.4%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Oyster Cove — Philippines: not among its largest Salt Ash — Philippines: 0.7%
Germany — / 0.5%
Oyster Cove — Germany: not among its largest Salt Ash — Germany: 0.5%
Thailand — / 0.5%
Oyster Cove — Thailand: not among its largest Salt Ash — Thailand: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

Qualifications

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

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Certificate III & IV 15.4% / 24.5%
Oyster Cove — Certificate III & IV: 15.4% Salt Ash — Certificate III & IV: 24.5%
Bachelor Degree 16.5% / 5.8%
Oyster Cove — Bachelor Degree: 16.5% Salt Ash — Bachelor Degree: 5.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 6.3%
Oyster Cove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Salt Ash — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.7%
Oyster Cove — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Salt Ash — Postgraduate Degree: 0.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.6%
Oyster Cove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Salt Ash — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Oyster Cove 81.1% houses
Oyster Cove — Houses: 81.1% Oyster Cove — Flats / Apartments: 18.9% Oyster Cove — Townhouses: 0.0%
Salt Ash 97.6% houses
Salt Ash — Houses: 97.6% Salt Ash — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Salt Ash — Townhouses: 2.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Median house price $340,000 $1,089,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,035,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 42 days
from 11 sales

Zoning mix

Oyster Cove has more land zoned for conservation (74% vs 61%).

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Environmental 74% 61%
Rural and farming 24% 30%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 8%
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

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
House price Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW

Liveability

Salt Ash is more walkable (18 vs 6).

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Grade — D
Score — 19/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Salt Ash carries more crime risk (80 vs 26); Oyster Cove carries more bushfire risk (81 vs 68).

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Bushfire High
81/100
 Moderate
68/100
Crime Low
26/100
 High
80/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
17/100
 Moderate
60/100
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
 High
100/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Oyster Cove

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

Schools in Salt Ash

  • Salt Ash Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1 2
Childcare 0 2
Fuel stations 0 6
Waterways 0 6

Mobility

Oyster Cove sits further from the CBD (190.6 km vs 183.1 km).

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Walkability score 6/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 190.6 km
+4% vs other
 183.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 146 min 138 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2318
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2318
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.

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Car (driver) 54.8% / 71.7%
Oyster Cove — Car (driver): 54.8% Salt Ash — Car (driver): 71.7%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 20.9%
Oyster Cove — Worked from Home: 16.1% Salt Ash — Worked from Home: 20.9%
Car (passenger) 16.1% / 3.0%
Oyster Cove — Car (passenger): 16.1% Salt Ash — Car (passenger): 3.0%
Walked Only 12.9% / 3.0%
Oyster Cove — Walked Only: 12.9% Salt Ash — Walked Only: 3.0%
Bus — / 1.4%
Oyster Cove — Bus: not among its largest Salt Ash — Bus: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.7%).

Setting

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 845 m 3.0 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Connectivity score 30/100 40/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
41 premises
 6%
468 premises

Climate

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Annual rainfall 1,181 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
PM2.5 7.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 30.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.73 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Average residential rate $1,359/yr
same for both
Council Port Stephens
same for both

Federal electorate

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Oyster Cove Salt Ash
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Oyster Cove

Affordable Coastal Retirees Rural

Salt Ash

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Oyster Cove

Oyster Cove vs Medowie Oyster Cove vs Tanilba Bay

Other comparisons with Salt Ash

Salt Ash vs Medowie Salt Ash vs Tanilba Bay Salt Ash vs Williamtown Salt Ash vs Fullerton Cove Salt Ash vs Bobs Farm
Full data on Oyster Cove Full data on Salt Ash
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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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