Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores

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

Brunswick Heads-Ocean Shores' population is 9,792 as of Nov 2025. This reflects a growth from the 2021 Census figure of 9,170 people, an increase of 622 (6.8%). The change was inferred from ABS's Jun 2024 ERP of 9,596 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 179 persons per square kilometer. Brunswick Heads-Ocean Shores' growth exceeded SA4 region (3.9%) and Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 58.2% to population gains recently.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for national non-metropolitan areas, expecting the area to increase by 1,628 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 14.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores has averaged approximately 38 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25194 homes were approved, with a further 21 approved in FY26 as of now. This translates to an average of 3.7 new residents per year for every home built during these years.

The demand significantly outpaces supply, which typically influences prices upwards and intensifies competition among buyers. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $362,000. In FY26, $5.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 58th percentile nationally. The new development consists of 72.0% standalone homes and 28.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With approximately 254 people per dwelling approval, Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores indicates a developing market. Population forecasts suggest that Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores will gain around 1,432 residents by 2041 (based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified six infrastructure projects that could impact a specific area's performance. These include Bayside Brunswick Heads (Wallum), Marshalls Creek Boardwalk, Place Plan for New Brighton, South Golden Beach and Ocean Shores, Mullumbimby Road Upgrade, with the following list highlighting those most relevant.

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.

While Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.8%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.8% as of September 2025. During this period, 4,684 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate and workforce participation similar to the Rest of NSW at 3.8% and 61.5%, respectively.

Census responses indicated that 26.5% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area shows strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level, but lower representation in public administration & safety at 3.5% compared to the regional average of 7.5%. Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the Census working population count versus resident population.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.3%, employment declined by 1.8%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. 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, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, the Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores SA2's median income among taxpayers is $44,245. The average income was $61,741 during this period. This is below the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215 for the same financial year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $48,165 (median) and $67,211 (average) as of September 2025. From the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data collected in August 2021, household incomes rank modestly in Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores, between the 32nd and 33rd percentiles. Family incomes also fall within this range. Personal incomes rank similarly, placing the area at the 32nd percentile. The earnings profile shows that 34.4% of locals (3,368 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category. This pattern is also seen in metropolitan regions where 29.9% of residents occupy this income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores, with only 80.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 28th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores, as per the latest Census, 79.5% of dwellings were houses while 20.5% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores stood at 38.6%, similar to Non-Metro NSW. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 30.7%, with rented properties also making up 30.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent was recorded at $498, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores had higher mortgage repayments ($1,950 vs. $1,863) and rents ($498 vs. $375).

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 63.6% of all households, including 23.3% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.4%, with lone person households at 28.1% and group households making up 8.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores is notable with 32.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 24.3% in SA4 region as of the latest data point. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 22.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 37.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 13.8% and certificates for 23.8%. Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.6% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education as per the latest available figures.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores has 59 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 41 different routes that together facilitate 380 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents on average located 262 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 93% of residents. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant 26.5% of residents work from home, which may be partly attributed to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 54 trips per day, equating to roughly 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was found to be relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~4,876 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis (8.0%) and mental health issues (8.0%). 71.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Under-65 population demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area has 19.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,906 people), lower than the 23.0% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, ranking higher nationally than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Brunswick Heads-Ocean Shores had a cultural diversity roughly matching the wider region's average, with 85.6% of its population being citizens, 79.5% born in Australia, and 91.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 27.9% of people in Brunswick Heads-Ocean Shores. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.8%), Australian (23.1%), and Irish (11.6%). There were notable divergences in representation for French (1.2% vs regional 0.4%), Russian (0.5% vs 0.2%), and German (4.5% vs 3.1%) groups.

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores has a median age of 43, which is equal to the Rest of NSW figure and higher than the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 35-44 are particularly prominent, making up 16.3% of the population, while those aged 15-24 constitute a smaller proportion at 8.6%. Since the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group has increased from 14.1% to 16.3%, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 14.8% to 12.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Brunswick Heads - Ocean Shores's age structure. The 35-44 group is expected to grow by 26%, reaching 2,018 people from the current 1,597. Conversely, the number of people aged 55-64 is projected to fall by 31%.