Question 1

Is Palm Beach a nice place to live?

Accepted Answer

Palm Beach sits at the tip of the Barrenjoey Peninsula, with surf on one side and the calmer waters of Pittwater on the other. It has a coastal village feel centred on a small strip of cafes, eateries and boutique shops, and weekends bring a steady stream of visitors. Housing ranges from weatherboard cottages and beach shacks to substantial waterfront homes and contemporary architectural builds, often with private moorings. Outdoor life is focused on the sand and surf, the headland walk up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse, boating, fishing and the local surf clubs that shape weekend rhythms.

With 1,652 residents and a median age of 58, Palm Beach is a small, largely owner-occupied community (about four in five homes). Couple households without children make up the largest share of families. The council is updating the Plan of Management for Governor Phillip Park with community engagement and a listed budget allocation of about $2.3 million for park works, the public wharf is included in wider Pittwater wharves planning, and local road safety improvements are being delivered along the Avalon–Palm Beach corridor. Whether that mix suits you depends on what you want from a suburb.

Question 2

Is it expensive to live in Palm Beach?

Accepted Answer

In Palm Beach, rent costs take a large slice of local household income at the last Census for houses but a more moderate share for units. A house rent of $1,850 a week would be about 65.9% of a typical local household's weekly income at the last Census (1,850 / 2,807 ? 0.659). A unit rent of $730 a week would be about 26.0% of that weekly income (730 / 2,807 ? 0.260). For renters, that means units sit noticeably lower against local incomes than houses on these figures; whether that feels expensive depends on your own income and circumstances.

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

Question 3

Is Palm Beach a good place to invest?

Accepted Answer

Over the past 12 months house values in Palm Beach rose 4.0%, a modest increase, while house rents rose 2.8%, a smaller gain. Unit rents fell 7.9%, a solid decline, so the rental side of the unit market moved the opposite way to houses this year.

Put simply, houses showed some capital growth alongside only limited rent gains, while unit rental income declined notably. Which of those outcomes matters to you depends on whether you prioritise capital growth or rental income when assessing Palm Beach as an investment.

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.

	Houses	Units
Median price Past 3 months	N/A	N/A
Change in value Past 12 months	4.0%	N/A
Sold Past 3 months	4	1
Median days on market Past 12 months	112	N/A
Average rent Past 12 months	$1850	$730
Change in rent Past 12 months	2.8%	-7.9%

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