Culburra Beach

An assessment of population growth drivers in Culburra Beach reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Culburra Beach's population is approximately 5,029, reflecting a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 5,105. This decline of 76 people (1.5%) is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 5,016 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 65 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of recent population growth in the area. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth for national non-metropolitan areas, with the area projected to expand by 138 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of approximately 2.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Culburra Beach according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Culburra Beach has averaged approximately 26 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, with a total of 133 homes approved between FY-21 and FY-25. As of FY-26, 17 dwellings have been approved so far. Despite a decrease in population during this period, the new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $454,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers. This year, $16.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Culburra Beach has about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 58th percentile nationally when assessed areas are considered. New building activity consists of approximately 74% detached houses and 26% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes that appeal to those seeking space.

This represents a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which currently consist of 89% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The location has approximately 276 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Culburra Beach is projected to gain 125 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Culburra Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects expected to impact the area. Key projects are West Culburra Development, Culburra Beach Access Stairs - Penguins Head Road, Shoalhaven Heads Master Plan, and another West Culburra Development project. The following list details those most relevant.

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AreaSearch assessment positions Culburra Beach ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Culburra Beach's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate of 2.8% as of September 2025 is below the Rest of NSW's 3.8%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%. There are 2,033 residents employed currently, with a workforce participation rate of 47.1%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food. Construction is particularly specialized in Culburra Beach, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while mining has limited presence at 0.4% compared to the regional 2.5%.

Over the past year, employment increased by 2.5%, labour force by 3.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5%, labour force fall by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4%. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand in Culburra Beach. National employment is projected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Culburra Beach's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The Culburra Beach SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $46,457 and an average income of $58,560 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 in the same period. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $52,315 (median) and $65,944 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Culburra Beach falling between the 13th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that the $800 - $1,499 bracket dominated with 27.1% of residents (1,362 people), unlike the regional pattern where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominated with 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 84.8% of income remaining, ranking at the 14th percentile.

Culburra Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Culburra Beach's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 89.0% houses and 11.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Culburra Beach stood at 50.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.0% and rented ones at 23.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,710, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Culburra Beach was $331, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, Culburra Beach's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Culburra Beach features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.4% of all households, including 19.2% that are couples with children, 35.9% that are couples without children, and 9.4% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.6%, with lone person households at 31.2% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 42.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (32.7%). A substantial 20.5% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.1% in primary education, 5.7% in secondary education, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

A substantial 20.5% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.1% in primary education, 5.7% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Culburra Beach has 107 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together offer 132 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as excellent, with residents on average being located just 154 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 18 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Culburra Beach faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 49% (~2,469 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.8%) and mental health issues (8.8%). Conversely, 58.1% claim to be free from medical ailments, slightly below Rest of NSW's 59.4%. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 35.0% (1,759 people), higher than the 27.8% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are notably better than those of the general population.

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

Culburra Beach's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.8% of its population born in Australia, 93.4% being citizens, and 96.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Culburra Beach, comprising 56.5% of people, compared to 52.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three represented ancestry groups are English (32.7%), Australian (30.6%), and Irish (9.1%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 4.7%, Maltese at 0.8%, and Hungarian at 0.3%.

Culburra Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Culburra Beach is 54 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 18.2% locally, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 7.7%. This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 7.8% to 10.2%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 16.9% to 15.1% and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 11.0% to 9.7%. By 2041, Culburra Beach is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 129 people (21%) from 608 to 738. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 59% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. On the other hand, both the 45 to 54 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.