Chart Color Schemes
This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
Sales Activity
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
Population
Korora - Emerald Beach lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends
Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Korora - Emerald Beach's population is around 11,326 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,064 people (10.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,262 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,833 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 298 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 196 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Korora - Emerald Beach's 10.4% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (5.5%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 41.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 4,369 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 34.2% in total over the 17 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Korora - Emerald Beach among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide
Korora - Emerald Beach has experienced around 65 dwellings receiving development approval each year, with 329 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 46 so far in FY-26. At an average of 2.8 new residents per year for each dwelling over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $399,000—slightly above the regional average—suggesting a focus on quality developments. There have also been $1.7 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.
Compared to the Rest of NSW, Korora - Emerald Beach records 52.0% more development activity (per person), creating greater choice for buyers. Recent construction comprises 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 185 people per dwelling approval, Korora - Emerald Beach shows characteristics of a growth area.
Population forecasts indicate Korora - Emerald Beach will gain 3,876 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Infrastructure
Korora - Emerald Beach has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally
Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 6 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include 15-17 Pine Crescent & Ti-Tree Road Residential Subdivision, PP-2023-1583 - Sandy Beach Community Hub Re-zoning, Seacrest Estate, and the Sandy Beach Reserve Community Hub and Active Youth Space Project, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy
State-wide NSW planning reforms to enable diverse low and mid-rise housing, including dual occupancies, terraces, townhouses, and apartment buildings up to 6 storeys. The policy applies to residential zones within 800m of 171 nominated transport hubs and town centres. Stage 1 (dual occupancies) commenced 1 July 2024, and Stage 2 (mid-rise apartments and terraces) commenced 28 February 2025. In June 2025, further amendments adjusted aircraft noise thresholds and clarified storey definitions to expand the policy's reach. The initiative is expected to facilitate approximately 112,000 additional homes by 2030.
NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program
NSW is delivering five Renewable Energy Zones (Central-West Orana, New England, South West, Hunter-Central Coast, and Illawarra) to coordinate wind and solar generation, storage, and high-voltage transmission. Led by EnergyCo NSW under the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, the program targets at least 12 GW of new renewable generation and 2 GW of long-duration storage by 2030. Major construction of the first REZ (Central-West Orana) transmission project began in June 2025, involving 90km of 500kV and 150km of 330kV lines. As of February 2026, the project reached a milestone with the Australian Energy Regulator's final decision on network revenue determinations, and significant progress has been made on temporary worker accommodation and road upgrades between the Port of Newcastle and the Central-West Orana region.
Coffs Harbour Bypass
A $2.2 billion, 14-kilometre four-lane bypass of Coffs Harbour, jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments. Includes three tunnels (Roberts Hill, Gatelys Road, and Shephards Lane), approximately 12 km of new highway and 2 km of upgraded highway. Will remove around 12,000 vehicles per day from the Coffs Harbour CBD, improve road safety, boost freight efficiency, and save motorists approximately 12 minutes in travel time.
15-17 Pine Crescent & Ti-Tree Road Residential Subdivision
Development application to subdivide land to create 113 low-density residential lots, 1 biodiversity stewardship lot and associated roads, bulk earthworks and services. The Northern Regional Planning Panel refused the DA (0220/25DA; Panel Ref PPSNTH-367) on 29 April 2025 citing flood and stormwater risks, impacts on coastal wetlands/Hearnes Lake and unresolved design and servicing issues.
North Sapphire Beach
North Sapphire Beach is a beachfront masterplanned residential community north of Coffs Harbour, developed by Walker Corporation. The 71 hectare estate preserves over half its area as parks, wetlands and coastal bushland, with around 10 km of boardwalks and cycleways connecting homes to Sapphire Beach and nearby forest. The community includes an onsite park and cafe precinct and is now fully sold out, with approximately 230 generous home sites created for family oriented coastal living.
Queensland New South Wales Interconnector
The proposed Queensland New South Wales Interconnector (QNI Connect) aims to link New England's power to Queensland over approx. 600km, enhancing network capacity by up to 1,700 MW, with anticipated completion by FY2030-31.
NSW Heavy Vehicle Rest Stops Program (TfNSW)
Statewide Transport for NSW program to increase and upgrade heavy vehicle rest stopping across NSW. Works include minor upgrades under the $11.9m Heavy Vehicle Rest Stop Minor Works Program (e.g. new green reflector sites and amenity/signage improvements), early works on new and upgraded formal rest areas in regional NSW, and planning and site confirmation for a major new dedicated rest area in Western Sydney. The program aims to reduce fatigue, improve safety and productivity on key freight routes, and respond to industry feedback collected since 2022.
PP-2023-1583 - Sandy Beach Community Hub Re-zoning
A planning proposal to rezone the site from R2 Low Density Residential to E1 Local Centre and amend the minimum lot size, formalising a current development operating under existing use rights.
Employment
AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Korora - Emerald Beach performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia
Korora - Emerald Beach has a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of just 1.8%, and 3.0% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 5,316 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.1% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Regional NSW's 61.3%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.4% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.
Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.2 times the regional level. Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 2.9% versus the regional average of 5.8%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the the count of Census working population vs resident population.
Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 3.0% while labour force increased by 2.9%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. By comparison, Regional NSW recorded employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Korora - Emerald Beach. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Korora - Emerald Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis
According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Korora - Emerald Beach SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $48,211 with the average level standing at $60,389. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $52,482 (median) and $65,739 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Korora - Emerald Beach cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. Looking at income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.0% of the community (3,737 individuals), reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. After housing, 85.8% of income remains for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Korora - Emerald Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Dwelling structure within Korora - Emerald Beach, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.6% houses and 13.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Korora - Emerald Beach was higher than that of Regional NSW, at 42.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (38.0%) or rented (20.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional NSW average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $458, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Korora - Emerald Beach's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Korora - Emerald Beach features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size
Family households dominate at 80.1% of all households, comprising 32.5% couples with children, 36.5% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 19.9%, with lone person households at 17.6% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
The educational profile of Korora - Emerald Beach exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics
The area's educational profile stands out regionally, with university qualification rates (29.7% of residents aged 15+) exceeding the SA4 region average of 19.8% and that of Rest of NSW (21.3%), reflecting the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees lead at 20.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.7%) and certificates (27.0%).
Educational participation is notably high, with 28.5% of residents aged 15+ currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Public transport analysis reveals 127 active transport stops operating within Korora - Emerald Beach, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 43 individual routes, collectively providing 367 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 193 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 16.4% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).
Service frequency averages 52 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Korora - Emerald Beach's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups
Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Korora - Emerald Beach, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~5,572 people). This compares to 51.9% across Regional NSW, while the national average is 55.7%.
The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.0% and 7.9% of residents, respectively, while 69.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 21.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,454 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
Korora - Emerald Beach ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics
Korora - Emerald Beach was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 83.4% of its population born in Australia, 91.5% being citizens, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Korora - Emerald Beach is Christianity, which makes up 47.7% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 1.1% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Regional NSW.
In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Korora - Emerald Beach are English, comprising 32.4% of the population, Australian, comprising 26.5% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is notably overrepresented at 8.9% of Korora - Emerald Beach (vs 8.0% regionally), South Australian at 0.6% (vs 0.2%) and French at 0.6% (vs 0.4%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
Korora - Emerald Beach's median age exceeds the national pattern
With a median age of 43, Korora - Emerald Beach is equal to the Regional NSW figure of 43 and well above the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 5 - 14 year-olds are particularly prominent (14.5%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (9.2%) than in Regional NSW. Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.4% to 6.7% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 14.2% to 12.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Korora - Emerald Beach's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 35 to 44 group will grow by 41% (646 people), reaching 2,208 from 1,561.