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

Manly sits on Sydney’s Northern Beaches around a beach precinct and ferry wharf where ocean surf meets a calm harbour. The Corso links the wharf to a compact village of cafes, restaurants and boutique shops, while nearby Shelly Beach and North Head provide sheltered snorkelling, surf breaks and scenic walking tracks. Housing is a mix of beachfront apartments, weatherboard and federation cottages on tree-lined streets and contemporary infill, and regular ferry services and buses make commuting straightforward. Outdoor recreation shapes everyday life here.

About 16,296 people live in Manly, with a median age of 38 and a typical household income of $3,164 a week. Families dominate the profile, with couple families without children at 54.1% and couple families with children at 35.9%, and dwellings are more often rented than owned at 52.7% rented. A state-led redevelopment of the former Manly Hospital into a health and wellbeing precinct is planned, and there are wharf upgrades, boating infrastructure works and library refurbishments under way. Whether Manly suits you will come down to how much you value beach access, outdoor recreation and strong ferry links, alongside a community weighted towards families and professionals.

Buying in Manly sits well above what local households earned at the last Census. With a median house price of $4,480,000, a house works out to about 27.2 times a typical local annual household income at the last Census (median weekly household income $3,164, which is $164,528 a year). The median unit price of $2,185,000 is about 13.3 times a typical local annual household income, so both purchase routes are well above local incomes at the last Census.

Renting is less stretched than buying but still takes a large share of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census. House rent of $2,000 a week is about 63.2% of the median weekly household income, a large share, while unit rent of $1,050 a week is about 33.2%, roughly a third and a sizeable share. If you are renting rather than buying, those rent shares are the figures that matter.

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 Manly climbed 14.7% over the past 12 months, a strong rise, while house values rose 10.1% over the same period. On the rental side, house rents increased 11.1% and unit rents rose 7.1%.

For someone weighing Manly as an investment, those movements separate capital growth from rental income: units have been the stronger performer for capital growth this year, while houses have shown the stronger rent growth. Whether that balance fits your goals depends on whether you prioritise rental income or price appreciation and on your own 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.