Bega - Tathra
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bega - Tathra's population is around 9,161 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 289 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,872 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,017 in June 2024 and an additional 207 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 49 persons per square kilometer. Bega - Tathra's growth rate of 3.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.3%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving population growth for the area.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of national regional areas is expected. By 2041, the area's population is expected to increase by 747 persons based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 6.5% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Bega - Tathra when compared nationally

Bega-Tathra has seen approximately 49 dwellings receive development approval annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces this data on a financial year basis, with 246 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25. In FY26, 13 dwellings have been recorded so far. On average, 0.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY20 and FY25, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice, and allowing for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of new homes was $496,000. This financial year has also seen $32.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity levels. Comparatively, Bega-Tathra maintains similar construction rates per person to the rest of NSW, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. Recent construction comprises 49.0% detached houses and 51.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 88.0% houses. This change reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and evolving lifestyles demanding more diverse, affordable housing options.

Bega-Tathra has a low density population, with around 197 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate that Bega-Tathra will gain approximately 595 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current projections.

Bega - Tathra has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that could impact this region: Bega Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, South Bega Urban Land Release Planning Proposal, Barrack Street Bega Redevelopment Project, and Wolumla Structure Plan. These projects are detailed below for their relevance.

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

AreaSearch assessment indicates Bega - Tathra faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Bega-Tathra has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors and an unemployment rate of 4.6% as of June 2025. It has 4,080 residents in work while its unemployment rate is 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is lower at 54.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area specializes in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Mining is under-represented at 0.2% compared to Rest of NSW's 2.5%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.6, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 3.6%, while employment declined by 4.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 1 percentage point, contrasting with Rest of NSW's 0.1% employment contraction, 0.3% labour force growth, and 0.4% unemployment increase. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bega-Tathra's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 30, 2022, Bega - Tathra had a median income among taxpayers of $43,114 with the average level standing at $52,812. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $49,459 and $62,998 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year ended June 30, 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $47,684 (median) and $58,410 (average). According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Bega - Tathra all fall between the 18th and 29th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 29.0% of the community earns within the $1,500 - $2,999 range (2,656 individuals), reflecting patterns seen in the region where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains, which ranks at the 21st percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Bega - Tathra, as evaluated at the Census 2016, comprised 87.8% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bega - Tathra was 43.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.0% and rented ones at 27.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent figure was $320, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Bega - Tathra's median monthly mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Bega - Tathra were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bega - Tathra features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.9 percent of all households, including 22.7 percent couples with children, 30.5 percent couples without children, and 12.0 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.1 percent, with lone person households at 31.3 percent and group households comprising 2.9 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.2.

Educational attainment in Bega - Tathra aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Bega - Tathra show that 23.7% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees, compared to 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 38.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 9.4% and certificates for 28.9%. Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.2% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education. There are 8 schools operating within Bega - Tathra, educating approximately 2,024 students. The area functions as an education hub with 22.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.7.

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

Transport analysis shows 210 active stops operating in Bega-Tathra area, all being bus services. These stops are served by 43 different routes that together offer 665 weekly passenger trips. Residents' access to transport is rated good, with an average distance of 203 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 95 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about three weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bega - Tathra is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant challenges for Bega - Tathra, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is notably low at approximately 47%, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and mental health issues (10.0%). However, 61.3% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW figure at 59.6%. The area has a lower proportion of residents aged 65 and over (25.8%, or 2,360 people) compared to the Rest of NSW (31.7%).

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

Bega-Tathra, surveyed in 2016, had a predominantly homogeneous population: 90.3% were citizens, 89.6% born in Australia, and 95.8% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 46.7%. While Judaism's representation was similar to the regional average (0.1%), other religions had varying degrees of overrepresentation: Greek Orthodox (0.3%, vs 0.2%), Buddhist (0.4%, vs 0.3%), Hindu (0.2%, vs 0.1%).

Ancestry-wise, Australian (32.7%) and English (31.2%) were the most common, followed by Irish (10.0%). Notably, German ancestry was slightly overrepresented at 4.1% compared to the regional average of 3.6%.

Bega - Tathra hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bega - Tathra has a median age of 46, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and significantly higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The 65-74 age group constitutes 14.0%, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 9.6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 0-4 age group has increased from 4.9% to 5.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 15.9% to 13.9%. By 2041, Bega - Tathra is projected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 75-84 group is expected to grow by 39%, reaching 1,110 people from 797. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 52% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 15-24 cohorts.