Anna Bay

Anna Bay lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Anna Bay's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 6,817 people. This figure represents an increase of 368 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,449. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 6,791 in June 2024 and the addition of 138 validated new addresses post-Census date. This results in a population density ratio of around 100 persons per square kilometer, offering significant space per person and potential for further development. Anna Bay's growth rate of 5.7% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the non-metro area (5.1%) and its SA3 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 using a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Anna Bay is forecasted to experience significant population growth, with an expected increase of 2,346 persons by 2041. This reflects a total increase of 34.0% over the 17-year period, using the latest annual ERP population numbers.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Anna Bay when compared nationally

Anna Bay averaged approximately 25 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 126 homes. As of FY-26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, each home built between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodated around 5 new residents per year, indicating a significant gap between demand and supply that typically influences prices upwards and intensifies competition among buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $572,000, which is somewhat higher than regional norms, reflecting quality-focused development.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $14.3 million, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Anna Bay has roughly two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 51st percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas for new dwellings. The current building activity comprises 59.0% detached dwellings and 41.0% attached dwellings, demonstrating an expanding range of medium-density options that cater to various price brackets from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. This shift marks a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (87.0%).

Anna Bay's population density, with around 335 people per dwelling approval, indicates a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Anna Bay's population is forecasted to grow by 2,320 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially exacerbating buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Anna Bay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects likely impacting this region. Notable ones are Birubi Point Aboriginal Place Tourism Transport Interchange, The Bay Resort, 36 Port Stephens Drive Residential Development, and Anna Bay Strategy and Town Plan. Relevant details follow.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The employment landscape in Anna Bay presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 2.8%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Anna Bay's workforce is skilled with notable representation in the construction sector. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 was 2.8%.

There were 2,823 residents employed at this time, which was 0.9% below Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Anna Bay lagged significantly behind Rest of NSW, at 49.4% compared to 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area has a particular employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence, with only 1.3% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.1%, and employment declined by 4.2%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a corresponding rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3% during this period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Anna Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Anna Bay SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $43,274 and an average of $57,641. This is lower than the national average. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $48,731 (median) and $64,910 (average). Census data indicates Anna Bay's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 15th and 19th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 26.7% of residents (1,820 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999, similar to regional levels where 29.9% occupy this range. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remains, ranking at the 20th percentile nationally. Anna Bay's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Anna Bay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Anna Bay's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.9% houses and 13.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 81.1% houses and 18.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Anna Bay stood at 53.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 16.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,842, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Anna Bay was $400, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $360. Nationally, Anna Bay's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Anna Bay has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households make up 72.1% of all households, consisting of 25.0% couples with children, 36.8% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 25.4% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Anna Bay fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives in the region. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 11.9% of residents holding one, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 3.2% and graduate diplomas at 1.7%. Vocational credentials are prominent among residents aged 15+, with 47.0% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (34.7%).

A substantial portion of the population is actively engaged in formal education, with 24.8% pursuing it. This includes 8.8% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Anna Bay has 99 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 48 different routes that together facilitate 460 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 182 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 65 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately four weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Anna Bay is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Anna Bay faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49%, covering around 3,333 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (13.2%) and mental health concerns (8.5%), with 60.4% reporting no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 59.3%. Anna Bay has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 34.6%, totaling around 2,362 people, compared to Rest of NSW's 28.1%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in related metrics.

Anna Bay is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Anna Bay, surveyed in June 2016, had a population with 84.9% born in Australia, 90.7% being citizens, and 97.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 55.5%, compared to 57.4% regionally. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.0%), Australian (28.3%), and Scottish (9.8%).

Notably, Welsh (0.7%) and Maltese (0.6%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. Maori ethnicity also had a higher representation at 0.6% versus the region's 0.3%.

Anna Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Anna Bay is 52 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and well above the national norm of 38 years. The 65-74 age group is notably over-represented in Anna Bay at 18.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 6.6%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 10.9% to 13.0%, while the 85+ cohort has increased from 1.9% to 3.1%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has declined from 12.7% to 10.9%, and the 55-64 age group has dropped from 16.2% to 15.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Anna Bay, with the 75-84 age cohort projected to grow by 66%, adding 581 residents to reach 1,466. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 56% of population growth, underscoring trends towards an aging demographic. Meanwhile, the 55-64 age group is projected to grow by a modest 2%, with an increase of 18 people.