Batemans Bay - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Batemans Bay - South has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Batemans Bay - South's population was around 9,107 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 169 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,938 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,070 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 274 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 297 persons per square kilometer. Batemans Bay - South's growth rate of 1.9% since the census positions it close to the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.3%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 67.9% 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, it utilises 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. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median of national non-metropolitan areas, with an expected increase of 929 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, translating to a total increase of 9.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Batemans Bay - South among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Batemans Bay - South has seen approximately 93 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 465 approvals across the past five financial years from FY21 to FY25, with 8 recorded so far in FY26. On average, only 0.8 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand and providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth beyond projections. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $604,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments.

This financial year has seen $6.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating limited commercial development focus compared to residential activity. Relative to the Rest of NSW, Batemans Bay - South shows 81% higher building activity per person, creating greater choice for buyers despite a recent slowdown in overall building activity. Recent construction comprises 89% detached dwellings and 11% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 125 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

Future projections show Batemans Bay - South adding 891 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely affecting the region: Lot 5 Bunderra Circuit Residential Subdivision, Future Rosedale, The Sebel Hotel, and Greater Batemans Bay Structure Plan.

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

Employment drivers in Batemans Bay - South are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Batemans Bay - South has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.6%.

As of June 2025, 3,575 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is 1.0% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 44.5%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade shows notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.1% of Batemans Bay - South's workforce compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW. Labour force levels decreased by 3.6% over the 12 months to June 2025, while employment declined by 4.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though these projections are based on simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localised population projections.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Batemans Bay - South's median income among taxpayers is $43,502. The average income is $54,017. Both figures are below the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Batemans Bay - South would be approximately $48,113 (median) and $59,743 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Batemans Bay - South rank between the 14th and 17th percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. In terms of income distribution, 30.2% of individuals in Batemans Bay - South earn between $800 and $1,499, unlike surrounding regions where more people fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 range. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remains, which ranks at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Batemans Bay - South, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.4% houses and 19.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Batemans Bay - South was at 49.5%, with the rest being mortgaged (24.0%) or rented (26.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $320. Nationally, Batemans Bay - South's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 67.5% of all households, including 17.7% couples with children, 38.2% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households making up 30.4% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size stands at 2.2 people, aligning with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Batemans Bay - South fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates of 21.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 13.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.9%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 11.9% and certificates at 29.5%.

A substantial 23.6% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 2.3% in tertiary education. Batemans Bay - South's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,218 students. Batemans Bay - South has varied educational conditions, with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Batemans Bay - South has 201 active public transport stops operating. These are served by a mix of buses along 36 individual routes. The total weekly passenger trips provided is 388.

Residents' accessibility to transport is rated excellent, with an average distance of 171 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 55 trips per day, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Batemans Bay - South faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% (~4,280 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.1%) and mental health issues (9.3%). While 56.9% report no medical ailments, this is lower than the Rest of NSW's 59.6%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 34.0% (~3,093 people), compared to the Rest of NSW's 31.7%. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Batemans Bay-South showed lower cultural diversity, with 82.5% of its population born in Australia, 89.2% being citizens, and 94.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 55.3%, compared to 49.0% regionally. The top three ancestral groups were English (32.2%), Australian (27.4%), and Irish (9.4%).

Notably, Croatian representation was higher at 0.9% versus 0.3% regionally, Scottish at 9.0% versus 8.6%, and Australian Aboriginal at 4.0% versus 3.6%.

Batemans Bay - South ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Batemans Bay - South is 54 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and also considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 18.0% locally, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.2%. This concentration in the 65-74 cohort is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 8.1% to 9.6% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 10.9% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 16.0% to 14.6%. By the year 2041, Batemans Bay - South is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand considerably, increasing by 292 people (an 84% rise) from 347 to 640. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 cohorts.