Living in Central Coast

Central Coast is a city in Australia. In August 2021, Central Coast had a population of 18,484. The city covered 566.4 km² in 2016. Population density was 600.9 people per km² in 2021. In August 2021, median household income was A$1,089 per week.

Which Australia-wide rules apply when you move to Central Coast?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in AustraliaNational rates and thresholds that apply in Central Coast.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Median rent was A$354 per week, and median monthly mortgage repayment was A$1,733 in August 2021.

City-level rent is published below; no city-level cost-of-living basket is published for Central Coast yet.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Dwellings	8,677 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
G05 Main Residential Dwellings	7,808 dwellings	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median Weekly Rent Aud	354 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Work and income

Median personal income was A$573 per week in August 2021.

What is the unemployment rate in Central Coast?

The unemployment rate is 5 % (August 2021). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics¹

Unemployment across cities in AustraliaUnemployment in Central Coast is 5.0%. Of 100 cities with data, 29 have unemployment of 4 to under 5%.

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Employment Full Time Count	3,387 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Employment rate	40.5 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median Household Income Aud Week	1,089 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median Personal Income Aud Week	573 AUD/week	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median gross salary (regional)	1,300 EUR/month	31 Dec 2021	www.abs.gov.au⁶Official
Unemployment rate	5 %country median 4.4%	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics¹Official

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Central Coast. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Workforce Australia — Public employment service

Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations

Job Search

Open official service

Open the Australia service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Central Coast. Sources checked through 11 Aug 2026.

Family and education

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Language Other Than English At Home Share Percent	2.2 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Language courses and integration

No exact city-level course record is currently published for Central Coast. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.

Country-level information

Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) — State Language Course

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

For eligible migrants, humanitarian entrants.

EnglishIn Person, Online, Hybridfree

Open official information

Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP) — Newcomer Adaptation

Australian Government Department of Home Affairs

For humanitarian entrants.

In Person, Hybridfree

Open official information

Open the full Australia section

National programme information is not treated as proof of a course location in Central Coast.

Climate and air quality

Is the air quality good in Central Coast?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 4.9 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline.

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

PM2.5 — annual mean: 4.91 µg/m³ · data.airquality.nsw.gov.au²

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in AustraliaAnnual PM2.5 in Central Coast is 4.9 µg/m³. Of 25 cities with data, 7 have annual PM2.5 of 5 to under 6 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
PM2.5 — annual mean	4.91 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	data.airquality.nsw.gov.au²Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context

Cities of a similar size in Australia

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Australia cities

Rockhampton18,317 residents Murray Bridge18,243 residents Griffith19,255 residents Broken Hill17,588 residents Batemans Bay17,524 residents Wangaratta19,882 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Central Coast?

The published population was 18,484 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³

Metric	Value	Period	Source
City area	566.4 km²	1 Jul 2016	Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA.⁴Official
Foreign-resident share	15.5 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics¹Official
Foreign residents	55,297 people	10 Aug 2021	Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.³Official
Population density	600.9 people/km²	30 Jun 2021	Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation.⁵Official
Population Female	9,512 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Population Male	8,977 people	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Population	18,484 people	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Population over time25 published observations, 2001–2025

Population rose 45.1% between 2001 and 2025, from 13,784 to 19,995.

International community in Central Coast

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	18,484	100.0%
Australia	15,613	84.5%
Elsewhere (excludes country of birth not stated)	1,996	10.8%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Country of birth

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G09 PERSONS total across age groups and sex · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total	18,484	100.0%
Australia	15,613	84.5%
Country of birth not stated	875	4.7%
England	822	4.4%
New Zealand	200	1.1%
Born elsewhere(d)	150	0.8%
Scotland	112	0.6%
Germany	90	0.5%
Netherlands	82	0.4%
United States of America	71	0.4%
South Africa	48	0.3%

Show 31 more groups

Published group	People	Share
Philippines	43	0.2%
Canada	35	0.2%
India	33	0.2%
Ireland	33	0.2%
China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)(c)	24	0.1%
Thailand	24	0.1%
Malta	23	0.1%
Italy	22	0.1%
Wales	19	0.1%
Papua New Guinea	18	0.1%
Poland	18	0.1%
Malaysia	16	0.1%
Indonesia	12	0.1%
Zimbabwe	12	0.1%
Brazil	10	0.1%
Sri Lanka	10	0.1%
Fiji	9	0.0%
Iran	9	0.0%
France	8	0.0%
Greece	8	0.0%
Japan	8	0.0%
Mauritius	8	0.0%
Vietnam	8	0.0%
Korea, Republic of (South)	6	0.0%
Singapore	6	0.0%
Egypt	5	0.0%
Turkey	4	0.0%
Cambodia	3	0.0%
Chile	3	0.0%
Croatia	3	0.0%
Hong Kong (SAR of China)(c)	3	0.0%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Citizenship

Persons usually resident in the ABS Significant Urban Area; 2021 Census G01 total persons denominator · 2021 Census

Published group	People	Share
Total persons	18,484	100.0%
Australian citizen	17,241	93.3%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source³

Is Central Coast a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker36%strong on work, weak on safety · range 26–46%

Skilled employee43%strong on legal route, weak on safety · range 35–51%

Student29%strong on cost, weak on safety · range 21–37%

Family37%strong on family, weak on safety · range 28–46%

Retirement48%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 35–61%

Foreign residents55,297 people10 Aug 2021Official source · Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality.

Population18,484 people10 Aug 2021Official source · 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia

Dwellings8,677 dwellings31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics

Employment rate40.5 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics

Median gross salary (regional)1,300 EUR/month31 Dec 2021Official source · www.abs.gov.au

Unemployment rate5 %31 Dec 2021Official source · Australian Bureau of Statistics

Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Residents born abroad	10.8 %	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Households	7,808 households	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Labour force participation rate	42.6 %	31 Dec 2021	Australian Bureau of Statistics³Official
Median age	58 years	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official
Median Monthly Mortgage Repayment Aud	1,733 AUD/month	10 Aug 2021	2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia³Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Central Coast when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Central Coast?

The published population was 18,484 people in August 2021. Source: 2021 Census General Community Profile — Significant Urban Areas, Australia.

Is the air quality good in Central Coast?

The annual PM2.5 mean is about 4.9 µg/m³ (2024) — within the WHO 2021 guideline. Source: data.airquality.nsw.gov.au.

What is the unemployment rate in Central Coast?

The unemployment rate is 5 % (August 2021). Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics.

What is the typical salary around Central Coast?

The median gross salary is 1,300 EUR/month. Source: www.abs.gov.au.

How many foreign residents live in Central Coast?

55,297 people residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality..

Is Central Coast a good place to live?

Central Coast may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

How many people born in Australia live in Central Coast?

The official country of birth distribution records 15,613 people (84.5%) in the source-defined population for 2021 Census. This is a country of birth measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Central Coast, Australia: rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/central-coast/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_central-coast-australia-rent-salary-jobs_5aa9d83bc78f,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Central Coast, Australia: rent, salary, jobs},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/central-coast/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Central Coast, Australia: rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/au/central-coast/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

Australian Bureau of Statistics abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-03
data.airquality.nsw.gov.au data.airquality.nsw.gov.au · checked 2026-08-26
Official 2021 Census GCP G01 Birthplace_Elsewhere_P: persons born outside Australia, at exact associated 2021 SUA grain. This is foreign-born, not foreign nationality. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-08-10
Official ASGS2016 SUA area from ABS ArcGIS attributes, area_albers_sqkm. Exact queue geography; not GCCSA or LGA. geo.abs.gov.au · checked 2016-07-01
Reproducible exact-ASGS2016-SUA density: ABS ERP at 30 June 2021 divided by ABS ASGS2016 SUA area. Existing local population baseline is only a recovered cross-check; no GCCSA/LGA observation. abs.gov.au · checked 2021-06-30
www.abs.gov.au abs.gov.au · checked 2026-08-27

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.