Oyster Cove vs Tanilba Bay

Tanilba Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 48 against 56 in Oyster Cove. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Tanilba Bay: a median of $772,000, against $340,000 in Oyster Cove, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Oyster Cove 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

Tanilba Bay

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (11 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 0)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (93% vs 81%)
  • But Oyster Cove carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 77/100)

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 $772,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Oyster Cove

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 34%)
  • has cheaper rent ($228/wk vs $380/wk)
  • But Tanilba Bay has a bigger rental market to choose from (27% vs 15%)

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

Oyster Cove

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 77/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (19% vs 7%)
  • But Tanilba Bay has more GPs (2 vs 0)

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 2.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Oyster Cove and Tanilba 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.

Oyster Cove Tanilba 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.

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Walkability 6 / 11
Oyster Cove — Walkability: 6/100 Tanilba Bay — Walkability: 11/100
Safety 74 / 23
Oyster Cove — Safety: 74/100 Tanilba Bay — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 19 / 26
Oyster Cove — Low fire risk: 19/100 Tanilba Bay — Low fire risk: 26/100

Demographics

Tanilba Bay has more residents (3,237 vs 91); Tanilba Bay rents higher ($380/wk vs $228/wk).

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Population 91 3,237
+3457% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +12.3% +2.6%
Median age 56 48
Median household income $61,724/yr
+5% vs other
 $58,812/yr
Median weekly rent $228/wk $380/wk
+67% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
0-4 6.6% / 5.3%
Oyster Cove — 0-4: 6.6% Tanilba Bay — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 6.6% / 11.2%
Oyster Cove — 5-14: 6.6% Tanilba Bay — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 3.3% / 5.6%
Oyster Cove — 15-19: 3.3% Tanilba Bay — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 11.0% / 4.4%
Oyster Cove — 20-24: 11.0% Tanilba Bay — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 3.3% / 9.9%
Oyster Cove — 25-34: 3.3% Tanilba Bay — 25-34: 9.9%
35-44 7.7% / 9.6%
Oyster Cove — 35-44: 7.7% Tanilba Bay — 35-44: 9.6%
45-54 12.1% / 11.5%
Oyster Cove — 45-54: 12.1% Tanilba Bay — 45-54: 11.5%
55-64 22.0% / 13.9%
Oyster Cove — 55-64: 22.0% Tanilba Bay — 55-64: 13.9%
65-74 22.0% / 15.4%
Oyster Cove — 65-74: 22.0% Tanilba Bay — 65-74: 15.4%
75-84 8.8% / 9.7%
Oyster Cove — 75-84: 8.8% Tanilba Bay — 75-84: 9.7%
85+ — / 3.0%
Oyster Cove — 85+: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — 85+: 3.0%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Oyster Cove 44.4% lone person
Oyster Cove — Lone Person: 44.4% Oyster Cove — Couple Families: 38.9% Oyster Cove — One Parent Families: 16.7% Oyster Cove — Group Household: 0.0% Oyster Cove — Other Families: 0.0%
Tanilba Bay 39.4% lone person
Tanilba Bay — Lone Person: 39.4% Tanilba Bay — Couple Families: 34.9% Tanilba Bay — One Parent Families: 19.5% Tanilba Bay — Group Household: 5.2% Tanilba Bay — Other Families: 1.1%
Lone Person Couple Families 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%
Tanilba Bay 27.2% renting
Tanilba Bay — Owned Outright: 43.5% Tanilba Bay — Mortgage: 29.3% Tanilba Bay — Renting: 27.2%
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 Tanilba Bay
New Zealand 5.5% / 1.3%
Oyster Cove — New Zealand: 5.5% Tanilba Bay — New Zealand: 1.3%
England — / 3.7%
Oyster Cove — England: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — England: 3.7%
South Africa — / 0.7%
Oyster Cove — South Africa: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — South Africa: 0.7%
Germany — / 0.6%
Oyster Cove — Germany: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — Germany: 0.6%
Scotland — / 0.4%
Oyster Cove — Scotland: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — Scotland: 0.4%

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

Qualifications

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

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Certificate III & IV 15.4% / 20.5%
Oyster Cove — Certificate III & IV: 15.4% Tanilba Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.5%
Bachelor Degree 16.5% / 5.4%
Oyster Cove — Bachelor Degree: 16.5% Tanilba Bay — Bachelor Degree: 5.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 6.7%
Oyster Cove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Tanilba Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.6%
Oyster Cove — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.0%
Oyster Cove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

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%
Tanilba Bay 92.6% houses
Tanilba Bay — Houses: 92.6% Tanilba Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Tanilba Bay — Townhouses: 6.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Median house price $340,000 $772,500
Median unit price — $1,375,000
Median land price — $979,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 36 days
from 20 sales

Zoning mix

Oyster Cove has more rural and farming land (24% vs 11%).

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Environmental 74% 71%
Rural and farming 24% 11%
Residential 0% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 3%
Parks and recreation 1%
same for both
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 Tanilba Bay
New dwellings approved 495
across Port Stephens
same for both
Approvals change year on year -72%
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.

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Houses — 4.3%
$650/wk on $795K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
House price Higher than 9% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 59% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 60% of NSW Higher than 79% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 84% of NSW

Liveability

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Grade — D
Score — 14/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Tanilba Bay carries more crime risk (77 vs 26).

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Bushfire High
81/100
 High
74/100
Crime Low
26/100
 High
77/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
17/100
 Moderate
47/100
Aircraft noise Moderate
50/100
 None
0/100
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Oyster Cove Tanilba 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 Oyster Cove

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

Schools in Tanilba Bay

  • Tanilba Bay Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 11
Childcare 0 5
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Walkability score 6/100 11/100
Distance to Sydney 190.6 km 191.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 146 min 145 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2318
 0.5%
postcode 2319
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 79
postcode 2318
 49
postcode 2319

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 Tanilba Bay
Car (driver) 54.8% / 73.7%
Oyster Cove — Car (driver): 54.8% Tanilba Bay — Car (driver): 73.7%
Worked from Home 16.1% / 17.5%
Oyster Cove — Worked from Home: 16.1% Tanilba Bay — Worked from Home: 17.5%
Car (passenger) 16.1% / 5.4%
Oyster Cove — Car (passenger): 16.1% Tanilba Bay — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 12.9% / 2.7%
Oyster Cove — Walked Only: 12.9% Tanilba Bay — Walked Only: 2.7%
Bus — / 0.8%
Oyster Cove — Bus: not among its largest Tanilba Bay — Bus: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.7%).

Setting

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 845 m 1.6 km

NBN connectivity

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Connectivity score 30/100 72/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
41 premises
 42%
1,611 premises

Climate

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

Federal electorate

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Oyster Cove Tanilba Bay
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

Tanilba Bay

Acreage Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Tanilba Bay

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Full data on Oyster Cove Full data on Tanilba Bay
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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