Batemans Bay
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Batemans Bay's population was 8,581 as of Nov 2021. By Nov 2025, it is projected to be around 8,707, reflecting an increase of 126 people (1.5%) since the 2021 Census. This growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 8,670 in June 2024 and an additional 98 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 136 persons per square kilometer as of Nov 2025. Over the past decade (Nov 2015 to Nov 2025), Batemans Bay's compound annual growth rate was 1.0%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 68.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas, 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 years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Batemans Bay's population is projected to increase by 18.4% to around 10,269 persons based on the latest population numbers.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Batemans Bay recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Batemans Bay has received around 44 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 224 homes. As of FY-26, 26 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling were constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. This figure has eased to 0.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. The average construction cost value of new properties is $294,000.

In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $85.2 million. Batemans Bay's building activity is comparable to that of the Rest of NSW. Detached dwellings comprise 70.0% and attached dwellings 30.0% of new developments, maintaining a low-density market with approximately 337 people per dwelling approval.

By 2041, Batemans Bay's population is forecasted to increase by 1,600 residents. Development pace has kept reasonable pace with projected growth, but increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Batemans Bay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure significantly influences local performance. AreaSearch identified eight relevant projects. Notable ones are Batemans Bay Community Health Facility, 24 Beach Road Residential Development, Batemans Bay Dredging, and The Sebel Hotel. Below is a list of the most pertinent projects.

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

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Employment conditions in Batemans Bay face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Batemans Bay has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent tourism and hospitality sectors, and an unemployment rate of 6.9% as of June 2025. There are 3,307 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 3.3% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is lower at 44.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Major employment industries include retail trade, health care & social assistance, and construction. Retail trade is particularly significant, employing 1.5 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.6% of local workers, lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, as indicated by Census data.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.6%, employment fell by 4.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Batemans Bay's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Batemans Bay had a median income among taxpayers of $40,638 and an average level of $50,461 in the financial year 2022. These figures are lower than national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 for Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates project median income to be approximately $45,762 and average income to be around $56,824 as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, household, family, and personal incomes in Batemans Bay all fall between the 8th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 30.1% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (2,620 residents), differing from broader areas where the $1,500 - $2,999 category dominates at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Batemans Bay, with only 83.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 10th percentile nationally.

Batemans Bay is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Batemans Bay's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 75.6% houses and 24.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Batemans Bay was 44.4%, with the rest either mortgaged (24.2%) or rented (31.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,519, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Batemans Bay was $330, slightly above Non-Metro NSW's figure of $320. Nationally, Batemans Bay's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,519 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Batemans Bay features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 64.4% of all households, consisting of 18.0% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.6%, with lone person households at 32.6% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Batemans Bay faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 14.9%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (32.2%).

A substantial 24.7% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.7% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 1.8% in tertiary education. Batemans Bay Public School serves local educational needs within Batemans Bay, with an enrollment of 483 students as of a recent report. The area offers varied educational conditions, with one school focusing exclusively on primary education and secondary options available in surrounding areas. Limited local school capacity (5.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.7) means many families travel outside the area for schooling.

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

Batemans Bay has 169 active public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 41 different routes that together offer 599 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 170 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 85 trips per day across all routes, equating to about three weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Batemans Bay faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering about 4,022 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (9.8%), while 58.1% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 59.6%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 29.7%, or about 2,588 people, which is less than the Rest of NSW's 31.7%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but better than those for the general population in terms of metrics.

Batemans Bay ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Batemans Bay, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity below average with 84.1% of its population born in Australia, 89.7% being citizens, and 94.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 54.7%, compared to 49.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.2%), Australian (28.1%), and Irish (9.2%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 5.9% in Batemans Bay than the regional average of 3.6%. Maltese and Polish populations also had slightly higher representations at 0.5% and 0.7%, respectively, compared to their regional averages of 0.4% and 0.5%.

Batemans Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Batemans Bay's median age is 51 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Batemans Bay at 16.1%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.9%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has grown from 9.2% to 10.3% of the population, while the 65-74 cohort has declined from 17.3% to 16.1%. By 2041, Batemans Bay is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 35-44 group will grow by 31%, reaching 1,174 people from the current 895, while the 15-24 cohort will grow by a modest 2%, adding 16 people.