NSW · Central Coast (NSW) Council
Tacoma, 2259
Current weather
16.2°CClear sky
56% humidity · 12.3 km/h wind · 21.9° / 13.2° today · 4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Central Coast (NSW), Tacoma is a settled smaller community with a familiar suburban feel and good links to the wider city. Still within reach of the city while offering more breathing room, it suits those who want balance over bustle. Working households and growing families are the backbone of local life, with family life visible on every street.
Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
Infill and new builds are slowly updating the area without overwhelming its existing character.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar metro suburbs, even with housing affordability holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 615
- Median age
- 40
- Median household income / week
- $1,679
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 10 of 216
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,733
- Employment rate
- 56.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 14 / 0 / 5
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $500
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $700
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $680
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 472
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 68
- Against the person
- 17
- Against property
- 22
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 110.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 36 residents
- State safety percentile
- 78.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +6.5%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions789
- Domestic Violence Related Assault437
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment636
- Malicious Damage To Property530
- Transport Regulatory Offences1055
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 938
- Tacoma Public SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
22 public transport stops in this suburb
- Wolseley Av At Colblack Cl
- Wolseley Av Before St Leonards St
- Wolseley Av Opp 12
- Wolseley Av Opp 30
- Wolseley Av Opp Braithwaite Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
24 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
February 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool13 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
2025· 2 proposals
October 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool55 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure8 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
2024· 8 proposals
December 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool55 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
November 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling; Co-living; Residential Accommodation35 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
July 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure45 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Semi-detached dwelling; Co-living; Residential Accommodation35 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
April 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure69 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
March 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space69 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Withdrawn
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
2023· 5 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure60 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Telecommunications facility1W WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Withdrawn
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure35 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
July 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development24 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
February 2023
- Secondary dwelling2 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
2022· 6 proposals
August 2022
- Shed19-21 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development16 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development64A WOLSELEY AVENUE TACOMA 2259Determined
July 2022
- Secondary dwelling50 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing50 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
January 2022
- Dual occupancy28 HILLCREST AVENUE TACOMA 2259Withdrawn
2021· 1 proposal
February 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development64A Wolseley Avenue, Tacoma 2259Determined
2020· 1 proposal
November 2020
- Shed23 BRAITHWAITE ROAD TACOMA 2259Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
17 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- 13 Wolseley AvBus stop
- 175 Pollock AvBus stop
- 30 Wolseley AvBus stop
- Tacoma Public School, Hillcrest AveBus stop
- Wolseley Av after Braithwaite RdBus stop
- Wolseley Av at Colblack ClBus stop
- Wolseley Av before St Leonards StBus stop
- Wolseley Av opp 12Bus stop
- Wolseley Av opp 30Bus stop
- Wolseley Av opp Hastings StBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Hillcrest Avenue ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 23.3/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6246th in Australia
- State rank
- 1946th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #405 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #845 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 13 Wolseley Avamenitiesbus_stop
- 175 Pollock Avamenitiesbus_stop
- 30 Wolseley Avamenitiesbus_stop
- Drinking wateramenitiesdrinking_water
- Slipwayamenitiesslipway
- Sports fieldamenitiespitch
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Tacoma Public School, Hillcrest Aveamenitiesbus_stop
- Wolseley Av after Braithwaite Rdamenitiesbus_stop
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Central Coast (NSW) Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.