Get a property report and suburb profile for any property in Cronulla

Cronulla sits on the peninsula between Bate Bay and Port Hacking and is centred on a long patrolled surf beach, a lively esplanade and a pedestrianised mall of cafés, restaurants and shops. It suits people drawn to an ocean lifestyle, with surf lifesaving clubs, rock pools, coastal walks and a ferry link to Bundeena for easy outdoor recreation. Housing ranges from weatherboard and fibro cottages to renovated beach houses and low-rise apartments, with most retail and dining activity concentrated around the foreshore and Cronulla train station.

About 17,899 people live in Cronulla, the median age is 43 and the median household income is $2,058 a week. The community is weighted towards couple families, and homes are mostly owner-occupied (58.1%) while 41.9% are rented. A multi-stage town-centre renewal is under way, with plaza and town square upgrades, a planned entertainment precinct trial and other foreshore and park works. Whether Cronulla feels like a nice place to live will come down to how much you want beachside amenities and that established, coastal setting.

Buying in Cronulla sits well above local incomes as recorded at the most recent Census. A median house price of $2,790,000 is about 26.1 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census, and the median unit price of $1,160,000 is about 10.8 times that annual income, both figures well above what local households earned at the last Census, with houses particularly high.

Renting also takes a large share of income on these numbers. A house rent of $1,400 a week would be about 68.0% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census, a large share, while a unit rent of $700 a week would be about 34.0%, a sizeable share. Which of these matters most depends on whether you plan to rent or buy and on your own circumstances.

Everyone's financial situation is different, so it's important to consider your own circumstances when deciding which suburb is right for you.

Unit values in Cronulla climbed a strong 15.8% over the past year, noticeably outpacing house values, which rose a solid 5.9%. On the rental side, house rents increased 7.7% while unit rents rose a more modest 2.9% over the same period.

For someone weighing Cronulla up as an investment, the value figures point to capital growth on the units side this year, while the rent figures show houses delivered the stronger rental-income movement. Whether that balance suits you depends on your own goals and circumstances.

This information has been prepared without taking your objectives, needs and overall financial situation into account. It is not meant to be a substitute for professional financial advice. For this reason, you should consider the appropriateness of the information and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.