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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Ballina Surrounds's population is around 19,547 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,220 people (6.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,327 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,074 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 478 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 48 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Ballina Surrounds's 6.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.1%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 48.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including overseas migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 4,940 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 22.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Ballina Surrounds has experienced around 121 dwellings receiving development approval per year, totalling 609 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 58 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions, while new dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $368,000. There have also been $12.1 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating 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 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values. New development consists of 65.0% standalone homes and 35.0% medium and high-density housing, showing an expanding range of medium-density options creating a mix of opportunities across price brackets, from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 86.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. At around 193 people per approval, Ballina Surrounds reflects a low density area.

Future projections show Ballina Surrounds adding 4,467 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as the population increases.

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

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 47 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Alstonville Cultural Centre Upgrade, Alstonville Medical Centre - 12 Commercial Road, Alstonville Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrade, and 104 Main Street Mixed-Use Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most 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 labour market in Ballina Surrounds shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Ballina Surrounds features a skilled workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of just 2.5%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 9,487 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.5% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is on par with Regional NSW's 61.3%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 21.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented, with only 5.3% of Ballina Surrounds's workforce compared to 7.5% in Regional NSW. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months 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 an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Ballina Surrounds. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Ballina Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Ballina Surrounds SA2's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Ballina Surrounds SA2's median income among taxpayers is $48,226 and the average income stands at $62,611, which compares to figures for Regional NSW's of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $52,499 (median) and $68,158 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Ballina Surrounds, between the 38th and 39th percentiles. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 32.2% of the community (6,294 individuals), reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 41st percentile and 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 within Ballina Surrounds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.5% houses and 13.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Ballina Surrounds was well beyond that of Regional NSW, at 44.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (32.9%) or rented (22.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Regional NSW average at $1,900, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $410, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Ballina Surrounds's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 73.9% of all households, comprising 29.7% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.1%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people 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

Educational qualifications in Ballina Surrounds trail regional benchmarks, with 26.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 32.2% in NSW. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 18.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (27.5%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. 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

Public transport analysis reveals 658 active transport stops operating within Ballina Surrounds, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 69 individual routes, collectively providing 947 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 142 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 21.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 135 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location 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 Surrounds demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show a low prevalence of common health conditions, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~9,851 people). The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 8.9% and 8.8% of residents, respectively, while 66.1% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 23.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,665 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with 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 was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 87.3% of its population born in Australia, 91.9% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Ballina Surrounds is Christianity, which makes up 52.0% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.2% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Ballina Surrounds are English, comprising 32.3% of the population, Australian, comprising 29.3% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.7% of the population (vs 0.5% regionally), Scottish at 8.8% (vs 8.0%) and Australian Aboriginal at 2.7% (vs 4.6%).

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

Ballina Surrounds's median age of 45 years modestly exceeds Regional NSW's 43 and is considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Regional NSW average, the 55 - 64 cohort is notably over-represented (13.3% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (10.1%). In the period since 2021, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 11.1% to 12.2% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.5% to 12.1% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 14.5% to 13.3%. Demographic modeling suggests Ballina Surrounds's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, growing by 726 people (37%) from 1,982 to 2,709. In contrast, the 15 to 24 cohort shows minimal growth of just 5% (102 people).