Ballina Surrounds

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

Ballina Surrounds' population, as of May 2026, is approximately 19,587. This figure represents an increase of 1,260 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 18,327. The estimated resident population in June 2025 was 19,370, with an additional 559 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this growth. This results in a population density of 48 persons per square kilometer. Ballina Surrounds' population grew by 6.9% between the 2021 Census and May 2026, exceeding the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.7%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 52.7% to this overall population increase.

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. These projections forecast significant population growth in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Ballina Surrounds expected to grow by 4,470 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 21.7% over the 16-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Ballina Surrounds among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Ballina Surrounds has received approximately 121 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 609 homes. As of FY-26, 83 dwellings have been approved. On average, 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were recorded between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $368,000.

This financial year has seen $12.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Ballina Surrounds shows moderately higher development activity, 11.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. New developments consist of 65.0% standalone homes and 35.0% medium and high-density housing, offering a mix of opportunities across price brackets. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 86.0% houses.

Ballina Surrounds reflects a developing area with around 193 people per approval. Future projections estimate an addition of 4,253 residents by 2041. Construction pace is maintaining reasonable growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population grows.

Ballina Surrounds has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 47 projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include the Alstonville Cultural Centre Upgrade, Alstonville Medical Centre at 12 Commercial Road, Alstonville Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, and the 104 Main Street Mixed-Use Development. The following list details those 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 labour market in Ballina Surrounds shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Ballina Surrounds has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.5%, lower than Regional NSW's 3.9%. Employment stability has been maintained over the past year.

As of December 2025, 9,487 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below Regional NSW's rate and workforce participation at 60.5%. According to Census responses, 21.1% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The area shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Public administration & safety is under-represented, at 5.3% compared to Regional NSW's 7.5%. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data comparison of working population vs resident population. Over December 2024 to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.2%, alongside a 0.3% employment decline, causing unemployment to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced a 1.2% employment decline and a 0.8% labour force decline, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. 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 Ballina Surrounds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Ballina Surrounds SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $48,226 and an average income of $62,611 in financial year 2023, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are below Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215 respectively. By March 2026, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $53,203 and an average income of $69,072 based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023. Census 2021 data shows Ballina Surrounds' incomes rank modestly, with household, family, and personal incomes between the 38th and 39th percentiles. The earnings profile reveals that 32.2% of individuals in this area earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to regional levels at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 41st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Ballina Surrounds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.5% houses and 13.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ballina Surrounds was 44.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.9% and rented dwellings at 22.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,900, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Ballina Surrounds was $410, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Ballina Surrounds' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Ballina Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.9% of all households, including 29.7% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.1%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Ballina Surrounds aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Ballina Shire's educational qualifications trail regional averages as of 2016 data. 26.1% of residents aged 15+ hold university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common (18.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 39.3% of residents holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (27.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.1% of residents enrolled in formal education as of 2016 data. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Ballina Surrounds has 658 active public transport stops, consisting of both train and bus services. These stops are served by 69 individual routes, offering a total of 947 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 142 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. Most commuting in this primarily residential area is outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode of transport at 94%. On average, there are 1.7 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 21.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 135 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. A map accompanies this information, displaying the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

The level of general health in Ballina Surrounds is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Ballina Shire Council reports better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups show low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% (about 9,871 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.9%) and arthritis (8.8%). About 66.1% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Regional NSW's 63.3%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are typical. There are 24.1% seniors aged 65 and over (around 4,712 people). Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Ballina Surrounds had a cultural diversity score below average, with 87.3% of its population born in Australia, 91.9% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 52.0% of Ballina Surrounds' population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented compared to Regional NSW, with 0.2% of Ballina Surrounds' population identifying as such.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.3%), Australian (29.3%), and Irish (9.9%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences in representation: Welsh was overrepresented at 0.7%, Scottish at 8.8%, and Australian Aboriginal at 2.7%.

Ballina Surrounds hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Ballina Surrounds has a median age of 46, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and significantly above the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group constitutes 13.4%, compared to Regional NSW, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 9.9%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 10.3% to 11.4%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 13.5% to 12.3%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 14.5% to 13.4%. By 2041, Ballina Surrounds is projected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 36%, adding 692 people and reaching a total of 2,641 from the current 1,948. The 15-24 cohort is projected to grow by a modest 4%, an increase of 87 people.