Palm Beach NSW 2108

Suburb

Suburb Summary

Palm Beach, NSW 2108, is a prestigious beachfront suburb at Sydney’s northern tip in the Northern Beaches region, governed by Northern Beaches Council. It covers about 2.72 sq km and has 1,593 residents, a median age of 56, and strong English and Australian ancestry. The area is overwhelmingly separate houses, with very limited apartments, and is known for coastal and beachside scenery, 37.68% tree canopy, ferry access and a distinctive prestige holiday culture. Walkability is modest, retail is limited, and public transport to the CBD is relatively long. Household income is generally above average. Major regional shopping is typically accessed via Mona Vale.

PART 1
Geographic Profile

Property Type Mix

The mix of houses and apartments that make up the Palm Beach NSW 2108 property market, and the sale price range each achieved over the past 12 months.

Houses vs Apartments
90.7%
7.2%
2.1%
Houses (90.7%)
Apartments (7.2%)
Townhouses/Villas/Unclassified (2.1%)
House Price Range$552k–$26.3MPast 12 months
Apartment Price Range$1.7M–$1.7MPast 12 months

Major Road Frontage & Noise

How close Palm Beach NSW 2108 properties sit to major roads or rail, and how much traffic noise that brings compared to properties set back from them.

Road & rail proximity
26.2%
16%
57.8%
On a major road (26.2%)
Near a major road
Away from major road or rail
Major Roads in Palm
BARRENJOEY RD26.2% of suburb properties

Public Transport

Train, metro, light rail, ferry and B-Line services accessible from Palm Beach NSW 2108.

Services in Palm Beach NSW 2108
Hawkesbury River

Schools

Primary and secondary school catchments serving Palm Beach NSW 2108, with star ratings and the share of suburb dwellings each catchment covers.

Primary School
Avalon Public School
Good level100% of suburb properties in catchment
Secondary School
Barrenjoey High School
Good level100% of suburb properties in catchment
PART 2
Houses

"Houses" in this report includes detached houses, duplexes, and terraces.

Land Topography

How house lots across Palm Beach NSW 2108 sit relative to street level — topography that affects drainage, flood risk, privacy, and build cost.

High-side vs low-side lots
High-sideFlatLow-side
39.7%
21.8%
38.4%
High-side (1m above)
Flat
Low-side (1m below)

Risks & Overlays

See which key planning overlays and environmental risks affect this suburb before you buy.

Heritage
4.1%
Of houses affected
Bushfire
37.4%
Of houses affected
Flood
18.3%
Of houses affected
High voltage power line
0%
Of houses affected

Train Station Proximity

The share of Palm Beach NSW 2108 houses within easy walking distance (1.2km) of a train station.

Houses within 1.2km of train station0%Of all houses

Median Price Trend - Houses

The 20-year trend in median house sale prices across Palm Beach NSW 2108, tracked separately from apartments.

Palm Beach House Median
$2.5M$5M$7.5M$10M$660k · 1996$720k · 1997$635k · 1998$825k · 1999$1M · 2000$1.1M · 2001$1.3M · 2002$1.4M · 2003$2M · 2004$2.2M · 2005$2.7M · 2006$2.2M · 2007$2.1M · 2008$2.6M · 2009$2.6M · 2010$1.7M · 2011$1.7M · 2012$2.2M · 2013$2.2M · 2014$2.5M · 2015$2.4M · 2016$2.9M · 2017$3.4M · 2018$3.3M · 2019$3.8M · 2020$5.6M · 2021$5.3M · 2022$4.4M · 2023$5.5M · 2024$5.7M · 202519962003201120182026

Land & Property Feature Metrics

Typical land characteristics and common property features across Palm Beach NSW 2108.

Median land value$4MOf houses affected
Median lot frontage17.5mOf houses affected
Median land size797m²Of houses affected
Houses with a pool8.4%Of houses affected

Pocket Price Distribution

How property prices vary across the different pockets of Palm Beach NSW 2108, and how each pocket compares.

Median house priceDerived from sales
House sales28Past 12 months
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PART 3
Apartments

Median Price Trend - Apartments

The 20-year trend in median apartment sale prices across Palm Beach NSW 2108, tracked separately from houses.

Palm Beach Apartment Median
$1.3M$2.5M$3.8M$5M$327k · 1996$613k · 1997$430k · 1998$427k · 2000$443k · 2001$717k · 2003$3.1M · 2006$3.7M · 2007$1.4M · 2011$1.1M · 2012$980k · 2013$1.9M · 2014$1.8M · 2016$950k · 2018$2.4M · 202019962003201120182026

Apartment Projects

Where apartment projects are concentrated across Palm Beach NSW 2108, with project-level sales context.

Apartment sales1Past 12 months

Largest Apartment Projects

The largest apartment projects in Palm Beach NSW 2108, ranked by number of lots.

1
1097 BARRENJOEY RD, PALM BEACH NSW 2108Small-Medium project (20-50 lots)
2
1073 BARRENJOEY RD, PALM BEACH NSW 2108Small project (<20 lots)
3
50 PALM BEACH RD, PALM BEACH NSW 2108Small project (<20 lots)
4
24 OCEAN RD, PALM BEACH NSW 2108Small project (<20 lots)
5
1070 BARRENJOEY RD, PALM BEACH NSW 2108Small project (<20 lots)
PART 4
Community Profile

Top 3 Occupations

The most common occupations among Palm Beach NSW 2108 residents.

Professionals30%
Managers20%
Technicians and Trades Workers10%

Key Demographics & Tenure

Median age, household income, and the renter-versus-owner split that shape the Palm Beach NSW 2108 community.

Median age58Years
Median income$3,327Household / week
Renters vs owner-occupiers
RentersOwner-occupiers
20%
80%
Renters
Owner-occupiers

Household Composition

How households are made up across Palm Beach NSW 2108 — from families with children to couples and single-person homes.

Household type
Married with children42%
Married without children58.2%
Other0.8%

Top 5 Birth Countries

The leading countries of birth among Palm Beach NSW 2108 residents, reflecting the suburb's cultural diversity.

Country of birth
Australia71.6%
England7.2%
New_Zealand2.8%
USA1.8%
China0.9%

Religion

The most common religious affiliations reported by Palm Beach NSW 2108 residents.

Top 3 religious affiliations
Christianity54.2%
No Religion10.7%
Buddhism1.4%

Crime in Palm Beach NSW 2108

How safe is Palm Beach NSW 2108? A local safety rating based on recorded crime rates in the area.

Suburb safety rating
The suburb safety rating is calculated by knest.ai based on crime statistics in NSW by BOCSAR.

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Living in Palm Beach NSW 2108: Suburb Profile & FAQs

Common questions about living in and buying property in Palm Beach NSW 2108 — lifestyle, transport, schools, and the housing market.

Note: Data is sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2021 Census data and knest.ai internal statistical data.

Is Palm Beach NSW 2108 a good suburb for families?

Palm Beach NSW 2108 is a mixed but still solid option for families, especially for buyers prioritising space, safety and a coastal lifestyle over everyday convenience. The suburb’s safety rating is 4 out of 5, which is reassuring for family buyers, and the housing mix is strongly house-led, with 85% separate houses and only 6% apartments, so it suits households wanting more privacy and outdoor space. Children are certainly part of the suburb profile, with around 3.5% aged 0 to 4 and 9% aged 5 to 14, although Palm Beach does not read as a classic high-density family suburb. The average household size of 2.3 and median age of 56 suggest a more mature, established community rather than a heavily kid-focused one. For some families, that means a calmer environment; for others, it may feel less practical for day-to-day schooling and child-focused activity than more centrally connected suburbs.

What is it like to live in Palm Beach NSW 2108?

Living in Palm Beach NSW 2108 feels prestige-led, coastal and relaxed, with a lifestyle built more around scenery and beach access than urban convenience. Palm Beach sits in the Northern Beaches region and its character is best described as a prestige beach and holiday environment, which matches the data well. It has direct beachfront access, strong cultural appeal at 4 out of 5, and a healthy tree canopy of 37.68%, giving the suburb a naturally attractive, outdoors-oriented feel. Safety is also a solid 4 out of 5, which adds to its appeal for owner-occupiers seeking a quieter high-end lifestyle. The trade-off is convenience: walkability is only 2 out of 5 and retail is 3 out of 5, so living in Palm Beach often means planning around the car, local trips and a more spread-out daily routine. Buyers who value beach lifestyle and prestige usually accept that compromise.

Is Palm Beach NSW 2108 well connected for commuting?

Palm Beach NSW 2108 is less convenient for commuting than many Sydney suburbs, although it is not completely cut off. Public transport access is fairly limited in practical terms: there is no train, no metro and no light rail, while bus service is limited rather than extensive. Ferry access does help, and that gives Palm Beach a more distinctive commuting profile than a purely car-dependent suburb, but it is still a long way from the CBD by Sydney standards. The average public transport commute to the CBD is about 120 minutes, while driving averages around 65 minutes. That tells buyers clearly that Palm Beach is better suited to those with flexible work patterns, local lifestyles or a willingness to trade commute efficiency for coastal living. If daily CBD travel is a major priority, Palm Beach may feel demanding, but for buyers who do not need to commute often, the location can still be very rewarding.

Who does Palm Beach NSW 2108 suit best?

Palm Beach NSW 2108 suits affluent owner-occupiers, lifestyle buyers and downsizers best, especially those looking for a premium coastal house market rather than a high-convenience urban setting. The suburb is dominated by separate houses at 85%, with apartments making up only 6%, so it naturally appeals more to buyers seeking standalone homes than compact entry-level options. The resident profile also points to an established, higher-income market: 55.62% of residents are managers and professionals, the top occupations are Professionals at 32.21% and Managers at 23.41%, median weekly family income is $2,517, and the median age is 56. Rental share is relatively modest at about 20.47%, which suggests a more settled owner-occupier feel than a highly transient market. Palm Beach is less suited to buyers wanting easy CBD access, a strong apartment market or a lower-cost family entry point. It tends to work best for people buying into lifestyle first.

What are the pros and cons of living in Palm Beach NSW 2108?

The main trade-off in Palm Beach NSW 2108 is simple: you get a premium beachfront lifestyle, but you give up a fair bit of everyday convenience and commuting ease. On the plus side, Palm Beach offers direct beach access, a strong safety rating of 4 out of 5, cultural appeal at 4 out of 5, and a house-dominant streetscape with 85% separate houses, all of which support a high-quality lifestyle feel. The canopy cover of 37.68% also adds to the suburb’s attractive natural setting. On the other hand, walkability is only 2 out of 5, retail is 3 out of 5, bus access is limited, and there is no train or metro service. Commutes into the CBD are long, especially by public transport. For buyers who want prestige, privacy and beachside living, those drawbacks may be perfectly acceptable. For buyers needing fast transport and daily convenience, they will matter much more.

What are property prices like in Palm Beach NSW 2108?

Property prices in Palm Beach NSW 2108 are firmly premium by Sydney standards, especially for houses. Over the most recent six-month sales history available, Palm Beach recorded 11 house sales with a median house price of $3.3 million and an average price of about $3.81 million. The middle of the market still sits high, with the 25th percentile at $1.9 million and the 75th percentile at $5 million, showing a wide premium range rather than a narrow mainstream market. At the top end, the 90th percentile reached about $6.405 million, with the maximum sale at $8 million. In practical buyer terms, Palm Beach is not a casual entry suburb for detached homes; buyers are usually paying for beachfront lifestyle, prestige and scarcity. The trade-off is obvious: you are buying a special location, but budget pressure is much higher than in more accessible or less iconic coastal suburbs.