Shoal Bay (NSW)
NSWShoal Bay (NSW) is a stable suburb in NSW with 1,815 residents.
- SAL code
- 13554
- SA2
- 106031121
- Population
- 1,815
- LGA
- Port Stephens
Shoal Bay (NSW), NSW had 1,815 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 1.0% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 65-74 years, and the median age sits at 59. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,700 a month. Around 62.7% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 44.0%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 52.9% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 7 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?1,815
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+1.0%
3yr: +0.7% · 10yr: +3.9%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,007/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
59
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?5/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?3.8%
SA4 · Q4 2025
Schools
1
1 primary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?1
1 OSHC
Parks & green space
?7
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?42
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?28
Port Stephens · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Population over time — Nelson Bay Peninsula (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Shoal Bay (NSW) suburb alone is ~1,815 (Census 2021).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 17,533 to 22,156 over 24 years, averaging 1.0% per year.
Schools
1 in suburbGovernment school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Shoal Bay PS
Secondary
Tomaree HS
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Predominantly detached houses (52.9%), mixed tenure (63% own or mortgage).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Hazard data is not yet available for NSW.
Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
8 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 68.5% | 2.75 km² |
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 14.7% | 0.59 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 6.1% | 0.25 km² |
| R3 | ZoneResidential | 5.6% | 0.23 km² |
| C2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 2.2% | 0.09 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 1.3% | 0.05 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.9% | 0.04 km² |
| W2 | ZoneWaterway | 0.7% | 0.03 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.