Franchise opportunities in Shellharbour - Oak Flats, NSW
Geography: this report covers the Shellharbour - Oak Flats area (ABS SA2). Demographics from the ABS Census 2021.
How this opportunity score works
The score is a weighted 0–100 research signal, not a site-selection decision. It combines, per category:
- Demand (category fit for the population) — 30%
- Competition gap (trade-area model, more room scores higher) — 25%
- Demographic fit (income vs the category) — 20%
- 5-year population growth (percentile) — 15%
- Franchise availability (systems recruiting here) — 10%
Inputs: ABS Census 2021 (population, income, growth) and a trade-area competition model using OpenStreetMap / ABS business data where available. It doesn’t model rent, site specifics or local trading conditions, treat it as a starting point for research, then confirm on the ground and with the franchisor. See our methodology.
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For sale & open territories in Shellharbour - Oak Flats
263 franchise systems are recruiting new territories that cover Shellharbour - Oak Flats:
Bucking Bull
Burger Urge
Advanced Hair Studio
Barber Industries
Acai Brothers
Boost Juice
Shellharbour - Oak Flats on the map
Where Shellharbour - Oak Flats sits and the real local businesses around its centre, the operators a new franchise would compete with. Tap a pin for the business name and type.
Loading nearby operators in Shellharbour - Oak Flats…
Top 3 recommended franchise categories
1. Quick-Service Food
542. Hair & Barber
473. Food & Beverage
42What it costs to start in Shellharbour - Oak Flats
Franchise fees don’t change by suburb, but the categories that fit Shellharbour - Oak Flats best sit in these all-in investment ranges (Q2 2026 Fee Index, national medians).
| Category | Total investment | Initial fee | Royalty | Shellharbour - Oak Flats fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Food | $350K–$900K | $50,000 | 7.0% | 54 |
| Hair & Barber | $140K–$380K | $40,000 | 6.5% | 47 |
| Food & Beverage | $250K–$750K | $50,000 | 7.0% | 42 |
| Bakery & Dessert | $200K–$550K | $45,000 | 6.5% | 39 |
| Retail | $180K–$600K | $45,000 | 5.5% | 36 |
| Beauty & Health | $150K–$480K | $42,000 | 6.0% | 34 |
Fees: Q2 2026 Fee Index. The fit score blendsShellharbour - Oak Flats’s demand, competition, demographics and growth, see methodology.
Shellharbour - Oak Flats snapshot
| Metric | Shellharbour - Oak Flats | State avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,570 | 20,009 | -47% |
| Median household income | $76,900 | $100,267 | -23% |
| 5-year population growth | 3.5% | 13.0% | -9.5 pts |
Community & demographics
Who lives in Shellharbour - Oak Flats, and what it means for a franchise. Every figure below is a real ABS Census 2021 median for this area, not an estimate.
| Measure | Shellharbour - Oak Flats | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43 years | Broad working-age and family customer base |
| Average household size | 2.5 people | Smaller households, favours convenience and single-serve formats |
| Median household income | $1,478/wk | Overall spending power of the local market |
| Median family income | $1,846/wk | Discretionary spend of family households |
| Median personal income | $692/wk | Individual earnings, a labour-cost and spend signal |
| Median rent | $425/wk | Cost of living and a proxy for commercial rents |
| Median mortgage | $1,950/mo | Homeowner cost base in the area |
| People per bedroom | 0.8 | More space per resident, established housing |
Source: ABS Census 2021 (G02/G35/G36/G37/G46) + ERP 2016→2021 · SA2 Shellharbour - Oak Flats (107031142). Incomes are median weekly (household income is also shown annualised in the headline stats).
Housing, tenure & households
How Shellharbour - Oak Flats lives, works and is housed, and what each signal means for siting a franchise here. All figures are real ABS Census 2021 counts for this area.
| Measure | Shellharbour - Oak Flats | What it signals for franchising |
|---|---|---|
| Renting | 26.3% | Owner-heavy, settled households with steadier local spend |
| Owned with a mortgage | 30.1% | Working homeowners, family services and home categories |
| Owned outright | 40.1% | Older, established, lower-debt households |
| Separate houses | 75.5% | Suburban, car-based, drive-to trade area |
| Flats & apartments | 4.2% | Low density, destination retail and services |
| Family households | 73.3% | Family-led demand, education, food and household services |
| Lone-person households | 24.1% | Fewer single-person homes |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | Around the national average |
Source: ABS Census 2021, Shellharbour - Oak Flats, tenure (G37), dwelling structure (G36), household composition (G35) and labour force (G46).
Survival & viability analysis
Quick-Service Food viability: High
The quick-service food opportunity in Shellharbour - Oak Flats scores 54 out of 100. With a population of 10,570, the catchment is smaller, so demand may support only one well-sited quick-service food outlet. At about 1 existing quick-service food operator, competition sits below typical metro density, an opening for a well-run entrant. Median household income ($76,900) sits below the state average ($100,267), which can favour value-led formats.
Nearby competition by category
| Category | Est. operators | Competition | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Food | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Hair & Barber | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Food & Beverage | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Bakery & Dessert | 1 | Low | Gap |
| Retail | 1 | High | Saturated |
| Beauty & Health | 1 | High | Saturated |
Operator counts are a trade-area model derived from ABS population, not a live business census. Richer POI data (OpenStreetMap / Google Places) is ingested per methodology.
How Shellharbour - Oak Flats compares to nearby areas
| Location | Population | Median income | 5-yr growth | Top category | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shellharbour - Oak Flats | 10,570 | $76,900 | 3.5% | Quick-Service Food | 54 |
| Illawong - Alfords Point | 10,571 | $147,200 | -2.7% | Quick-Service Food | 62 |
| Glenfield | 10,596 | $107,600 | 6.6% | Quick-Service Food | 65 |
| Moss Vale - Berrima | 10,609 | $80,700 | 6.0% | Quick-Service Food | 57 |
| Albury - North | 10,529 | $69,200 | 5.2% | Quick-Service Food | 53 |
| Albury - South | 10,493 | $74,800 | -1.8% | Quick-Service Food | 48 |
| Hornsby - West | 10,654 | $113,400 | -3.8% | Quick-Service Food | 58 |
Keep exploring Shellharbour - Oak Flats & New South Wales
By category in Shellharbour - Oak Flats
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Frequently asked questions
What franchise is best for Shellharbour - Oak Flats?
Based on population, income, growth and competition data, Quick-Service Food scores highest for Shellharbour - Oak Flats at 54/100, competition sits below typical metro density. The next best are Hair & Barber and Food & Beverage.
How much does a franchise cost in Shellharbour - Oak Flats?
Fees don't vary by suburb, Quick-Service Food franchises run $350,000–$900,000 all-in nationally (Q2 2026 Fee Index, n=96). See the Fee Index for the full breakdown.
Is Shellharbour - Oak Flats good for a coffee franchise?
It's a tighter market: a coffee & café franchise scores 34/100 in Shellharbour - Oak Flats, with about 2 existing operators in the trade area (Saturated suitability).
Demographics: ABS Census 2021 & Regional Population. Category scores combine ABS demographics with a trade-area competition model and live franchise availability, see methodology. Fees: Q2 2026 Fee Index.
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