Coffs Harbour - North

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

Coffs Harbour - North's population is around 18,966 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 867 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,099 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,845 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 279 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 738 persons per square kilometer. Coffs Harbour - North's growth rate of 4.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.2%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 58.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Considering projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to increase by 1,907 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 9.4% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Coffs Harbour - North recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Coffs Harbour - North has seen approximately 67 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 335 homes. As of FY26, 38 approvals have been recorded. Each dwelling built on average attracts 2 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $331,000.

This financial year has seen $9.2 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the rest of NSW, Coffs Harbour - North has 13.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 25th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. New development consists of 33.0% standalone homes and 67.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 66.0% houses. This trend may indicate diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The area has an estimated 616 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment.

By 2041, Coffs Harbour - North is expected to grow by 1,786 residents, with present construction rates appearing balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Coffs Harbour - North has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 11 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones are The Shoreline Luxury Retirement Living, Coffs Harbour Bypass, Ocean Parade Apartments, and Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore Precinct Revitalisation. Below is a list of 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Coffs Harbour - North faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Coffs Harbour - North has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 5.9% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.9% over the past year.

There are 7,921 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% above Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 53.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. The area has a particularly notable concentration in health care & social assistance, with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average.

Manufacturing employs just 3.0% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.8%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 1.9% while labour force increased by 3.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Coffs Harbour - North. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Coffs Harbour - North's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not taking into account localised population projections.

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

The Coffs Harbour - North SA2's median income among taxpayers was $45,839 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $58,360 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Rest of NSW, which were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022 suggest the median income would be approximately $51,619 and the average income around $65,719. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Coffs Harbour - North fall between the 17th and 20th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 28.4% of the community (5,386 individuals), which is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 14th percentile nationally.

Coffs Harbour - North displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Coffs Harbour - North, as per the latest Census evaluation, 65.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 34.1% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coffs Harbour - North stood at 35.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.4% and rented ones at 37.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average, while the median weekly rent was $355 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Coffs Harbour - North had lower mortgage repayments of $1,733 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $355 compared to the national figure of $375.

Coffs Harbour - North features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.0% of all households, including 21.9% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 14.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.0%, with lone person households at 31.9% and group households making up 4.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Coffs Harbour - North fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15 and above, with 40.2% holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 28.9%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.1% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Coffs Harbour - North has 149 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of buses operating along 87 individual routes. Together, these routes facilitate 1,791 weekly passenger trips.

The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 166 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 255 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Coffs Harbour - North, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 49% (~9,274 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.6%) and mental health issues (10.0%). Around 62.4% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.9% in Rest of NSW. The area has 21.7% (4,109 people) aged 65 and over, lower than the 23.9% in Rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes align with general population's health profile.

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

Coffs Harbour - North's cultural diversity is roughly in line with the wider region, with 86.4% of its population being citizens, 82.6% born in Australia, and 88.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Coffs Harbour - North, comprising 51.5% of people. The most notable overrepresentation is in Other religions, which comprises 3.1% compared to 3.3% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (30.3%), Australian (27.7%), and Irish (8.6%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal people are overrepresented at 5.2%, New Zealanders at 0.6%, and Welsh people at 0.5%.

Coffs Harbour - North's median age exceeds the national pattern

Coffs Harbour - North's median age is 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but exceeds the national average of 38. The 15-24 age group comprises 12.6% of its population, higher than the Rest of NSW figure, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 10.7%, lower than Rest of NSW. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.6% to 12.6%, and the 65-74 cohort has decreased from 12.3% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Coffs Harbour - North's age profile. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 97%, adding 559 residents to reach 1,138. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.