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 was approximately 6,817 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 368 people, a rise of 5.7% from the 2021 Census count of 6,449 individuals. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,791 in June 2024 and an additional 138 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 100 persons per square kilometer, suggesting ample space per person and potential for further development. Anna Bay's growth rate exceeded that of both non-metro areas (5.1%) and its SA3 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.3% to the 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 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, marking a total rise of 34.0% over the 17-year period.

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

Anna Bay averaged approximately 25 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 126 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 8 approvals have been recorded. Each home built between FY-21 and FY-25 has resulted in an average of 5 new residents. This demand significantly outpaces supply, putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers.

The average construction value for new properties is $390,000. In FY-26, there have been $14.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Anna Bay records about 62% of building activity per person and ranks among the 52nd percentile nationally. New building activity comprises 59.0% detached dwellings and 41.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options.

This marks a significant change from the current housing mix of 87.0% houses, reflecting reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands. Anna Bay has approximately 335 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. By 2041, Anna Bay is projected to grow by 2,320 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Anna Bay has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects that may impact the region. Key initiatives include Birubi Point Aboriginal Place Tourism Transport Interchange, The Bay Resort, 36 Port Stephens Drive Residential Development, and Anna Bay Strategy and Town Plan. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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 has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being particularly prominent. As of June 2025, 2,823 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.8%.

This is 0.9% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Anna Bay stands at 49.4%, compared to the regional average of 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Notably, employment in construction is at 1.6 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence with only 1.3% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and May 2025, labour force decreased by 4.1% while employment decreased by 4.2%, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 2.8%. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a rise in unemployment to 4.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Anna Bay's employment could grow by approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Anna Bay had a median income among taxpayers of $43,274 and an average income of $57,641. Both figures were below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. With a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $48,731 (median) and $64,910 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Anna Bay fell between the 15th and 19th percentiles nationally. Income distribution showed that 26.7% of locals (1,820 people) earned between $1,500 - 2,999, similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% occupied this range. After housing costs, 85.0% of income remained, ranking at the 21st percentile nationally. Anna Bay's SEIFA income ranking placed 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. The median weekly rent figure 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 exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 72.1% of all households, including 25.0% couples with children, 36.8% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 25.4% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with 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 has a university qualification rate of 16.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 47.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (12.3%) and certificates (34.7%). A total of 24.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education.

This includes 8.8% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 2.9% in tertiary education. The area has two public schools - Anna Bay Public School and Bobs Farm Public School, serving a total of 352 students. These schools provide balanced educational opportunities, typical for Australian schools (ICSEA: 985). Both schools focus on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. The local school capacity is limited at 5.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.8, resulting in many families traveling for schooling.

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, equating to 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 stands at approximately 49% (around 3,333 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (13.2%) and mental health problems (8.5%). About 60.4% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 59.3%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 34.6% (around 2,362 people), exceeding the Rest of NSW's 28.1%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging, though they perform better than the general population in health 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 has a cultural diversity below average, with 84.9% of its population born in Australia, 90.7% being citizens, and 97.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Anna Bay, comprising 55.5% of people, compared to 57.4% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (34.0%), Australian (28.3%), and Scottish (9.8%).

Notably, Welsh (0.7%) is overrepresented in Anna Bay compared to the regional average (0.7%), as are Maltese (0.6% vs 0.5%) and Maori (0.6% vs 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 Rest of NSW's average of 43 and well above the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group is notably over-represented at 18.5% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 6.6%. This concentration of the 65-74 cohort 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 increased from 1.9% to 3.1%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 12.7% to 10.9%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 16.2% to 15.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Anna Bay, with the 75 to 84 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 demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 55 to 64 cohort grows by a modest 2%, with an increase of 18 people.