Ballina

Population growth drivers in Ballina are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Ballina's population was around 18,925 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 296 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,629. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,810 in June 2024 and an additional 149 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 523 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Ballina has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.9%, outperforming its SA4 region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 56.8% of overall population gains recently.

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 utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, Ballina is expected to increase by 3,337 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 17.0% 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, 14 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.3 people have moved to the area per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating demand significantly outpaces supply. This typically puts upward pressure on prices and increases competition among buyers.

New homes are being constructed at an average value of $437,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. In FY26, $35.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Ballina records markedly lower building activity, 68.0% below the regional average per person, which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity shows 54.0% standalone homes and 46.0% townhouses or apartments, providing options across different price points.

The estimated count of 467 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Ballina will gain 3,222 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 31 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include New Ballina SES Headquarters, Total Tools Ballina, Ballina District Hospital Redevelopment, and Solhaven. The following details projects expected to have the greatest relevance:.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment landscape in Ballina presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 4.0%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Ballina has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 4.0%. As of September 2025, 7,707 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.1% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Ballina lags at 49.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 14.6% of residents work from home. Key industries of employment are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Health care & social assistance shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 2.1%, compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Ballina's labour force decreased by 2.6% alongside a 2.2% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Ballina's employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Ballina's employment mix.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Ballina SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $49,374 with an average level of $64,544. This was below the national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 for Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $53,749 and average income would be around $70,263 by the latter date. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family, and personal incomes in Ballina were between the 10th and 21st percentiles nationally. Income distribution data showed that 27.4% of the population (5,185 individuals) fell within the $400 - $799 income range, differing from regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 category was predominant at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Ballina, with only 80.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Ballina, as evaluated at the latest Census held in 2016, comprised 57.7% houses and 42.3% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Ballina was higher than that of Non-Metro NSW, at 43.3%. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (21.6%) or rented (35.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as recorded in June 2021, was $1,733, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Ballina was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Ballina's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, as of June 2021. Conversely, rents in Ballina exceeded the national figure of $375 during the same period.

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

Family households comprise 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 constitute 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, 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

The area's university qualification rate is 21.9%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 27.1%. A total of 24.0% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 8.0% in primary, 6.6% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education.

A substantial 24.0% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ballina has 401 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 76 routes, providing 1,412 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 100 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, primarily using cars (90%). Walking (5%) and cycling (3%) make up the rest. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.1, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 201 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately three weekly trips per stop. The map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centerpoint.

Health performance in Ballina is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Ballina faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population, which is around 9,689 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 11.4 and 9.7% of residents respectively. Conversely, 58.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 33.3% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 6,305 people, which is higher than the 23.0% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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. The dominant religion in Ballina is Christianity, comprising 54.5% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (32.4%), Australian (28.6%), and Irish (10.2%).

Notably, Scottish representation is higher in Ballina at 8.9%, compared to 8.0% regionally. Additionally, Australian Aboriginal representation is lower at 3.4%, versus 4.6% regionally, and French representation is slightly higher at 0.5%.

Ballina ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Ballina is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and also notably above the national norm of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Ballina has an over-representation of the 75-84 cohort at 12.1% locally, while the 5-14 year-olds 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 to 44 age group has increased from 10.1% to 11.1% of Ballina's population. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 17.0% to 15.5%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 13.5% to 12.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Ballina, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 73%, adding 782 residents to reach a total of 1,857. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts.