Ballina
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Ballina are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Ballina's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 18,853 people. This figure represents an increase of 224 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 18,629. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: Ballina had an estimated resident population of 18,816 in June 2024 and gained 149 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 521 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Ballina has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outperforming its SA4 region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 56.8% 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 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Ballina is expected to experience above median population growth. By 2041, the area's population is projected to increase by 3,337 persons, marking a total increase of 17.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Ballina when compared nationally

Ballina has recorded approximately 35 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 177 homes. As of FY26, 5 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.3 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating demand significantly outpaces supply. New homes are constructed at an average value of $437,000, slightly above the regional average.

This financial year, $35.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Ballina records notably lower building activity, 68.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings, which is also below national average, suggesting possible planning constraints. New building activity consists of 54.0% standalone homes and 46.0% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 467 people, reflecting Ballina's quiet development environment.

Population forecasts predict an increase of 3,294 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Ballina 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 31 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include New Ballina SES Headquarters, Total Tools Ballina, Ballina District Hospital Redevelopment, and Solhaven. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Ballina presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.5%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Ballina has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 3.5% as of June 2025. There are 7,618 residents employed, which is 0.1% below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Ballina is 47.0%, lower than the regional average of 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Health care & social assistance has notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 2.1% versus the regional average of 5.3%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the year to June 2025, Ballina's labour force decreased by 4.8%, with employment declining by 4.3%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.4 percentage points. Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May 2025, project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, applying these projections to Ballina's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Ballina had a median taxpayer income of $45,709 and an average income of $61,422. These figures are below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $51,473 (median) and $69,167 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Ballina fall between the 10th and 22nd percentiles nationally. Income distribution data shows 27.4% of Ballina's population earns between $400 - 799, differing from regional levels where earnings predominantly range from $1,500 - 2,999 at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Ballina, with only 80.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

Ballina displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ballina's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 57.7% houses and 42.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 75.1% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ballina was 43.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.6% and rented ones at 35.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Ballina was $1,733, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,980. The median weekly rent figure for Ballina was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $450. Nationally, Ballina's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Ballina features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.0% of all households, including 17.1% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.0%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

Ballina faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 21.9%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (27.1%).

A substantial 24.0% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.0% in primary, 6.6% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education. Ballina operates a robust network of 8 schools educating approximately 3,283 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 985) indicating balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 1 secondary, and 4 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 17.4 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.2, suggesting Ballina serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Ballina has 352 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 66 individual routes, providing a total of 1,350 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located within 100 meters of the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 192 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 3 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Ballina is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Ballina faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents.

Approximately 51% (~9,539 people) have private health cover, which is relatively low compared to other areas. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.4% of residents) and mental health issues (impacting 9.7%). Notably, 58.6% of Ballina residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 68.0% in the rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 33.3% (6,281 people), compared to 23.6% in the rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are generally positive, performing well against general population metrics.

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

Ballina's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.5% of its population being citizens, 86.7% born in Australia, and 94.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Ballina, making up 54.5%, compared to 42.2% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Ballina are English (32.4%), Australian (28.6%), and Irish (10.2%).

Notably, Scottish representation is higher than the regional average at 8.9%, while Australian Aboriginal is at 3.4%. French representation is lower at 0.5% compared to the region's 0.9%.

Ballina ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Ballina is 52 years, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and well above the national norm of 38. The 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented in Ballina at 12.1%, compared to Rest of NSW's average, while those aged 5-14 are under-represented at 8.9%. This concentration of the 75-84 cohort is well above the national average of 6.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 10.1% to 11.1% of Ballina's population. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 17.0% to 15.5%, and the 55-64 group has dropped from 13.5% to 12.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Ballina, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 73%, adding 786 residents to reach 1,857. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts.