Lennox Head - Skennars Head

Lennox Head - Skennars Head lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Lennox Head - Skennars Head's population is around 10,337 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,101 people (11.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,236 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,960 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 428 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 273 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Lennox Head - Skennars Head's 11.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.1%) 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 38.8% 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. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above-median population growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the area expected to increase by 2,414 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 19.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Lennox Head - Skennars Head among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Lennox Head - Skennars Head has recorded around 137 residential properties granted approval annually, with 685 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 32 so far in FY-26. At an average of 1.8 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply and demand appear well-balanced, creating stable market conditions, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $441,000—slightly above the regional average—suggesting a focus on quality developments. Additionally, $4.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, supporting the area's residential character.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Lennox Head - Skennars Head has 150.0% more construction activity (per person), creating greater choice for buyers. This is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest in the area. Recent construction comprises 63.0% detached dwellings and 37.0% townhouses or apartments, showing an expanding range of medium-density options that create a mix of opportunities across price brackets, from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. At around 85 people per approval, Lennox Head - Skennars Head reflects a developing area.

Population forecasts indicate Lennox Head - Skennars Head will gain 2,037 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Lennox Head - Skennars Head has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 24 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include EPIQ Lennox Head Masterplanned Community, Epiq Marketplace Retail Precinct Expansion, Lennox Head Public School Relocation, and Lennox Surf Lodge (52-54 Ballina Street), 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.

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 analysis of employment trends sees Lennox Head - Skennars Head performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Lennox Head - Skennars Head has a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of just 1.2%, and relative employment stability over the past year. As of December 2025, 5,454 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.7% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (67.7% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 23.8% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. The area shows particularly strong specialization in education & training, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. Meanwhile, agriculture, forestry & fishing has a limited presence with 1.4% employment compared to 5.3% regionally. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.1% while employment declined by 0.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This compares to Regional NSW, where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Lennox Head - Skennars Head. 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 Lennox Head - Skennars Head's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the Lennox Head - Skennars Head SA2 is below the national average, with the median assessed at $49,351 while the average income stands at $64,576. This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $53,723 (median) and $70,297 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Lennox Head - Skennars Head cluster around the 68th percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate 33.5% of the population (3,462 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. High housing costs consume 15.2% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 68th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Lennox Head - Skennars Head is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Lennox Head - Skennars Head, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 76.5% houses and 23.4% 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 Lennox Head - Skennars Head was higher than that of Regional NSW, at 42.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (35.5%) or rented (22.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Regional NSW average at $2,200, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $580, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Lennox Head - Skennars Head's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Lennox Head - Skennars Head features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 75.7% of all households, comprising 33.0% couples with children, 31.9% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households comprising 3.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Lennox Head - Skennars Head shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Lennox Head - Skennars Head significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 24.3% in SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 26.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 36.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (13.2%) and certificates (22.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 77 active transport stops operating within Lennox Head - Skennars Head, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 42 individual routes, collectively providing 373 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 217 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. Some 23.8% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Lennox Head - Skennars Head'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 Lennox Head - Skennars Head, 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 51% of the total population (~5,292 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.2 and 6.9% of residents, respectively, while 73.7% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 20.1% of residents aged 65 and over (2,072 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.

Lennox Head - Skennars Head ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Lennox Head - Skennars Head was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 84.5% of its population born in Australia, 89.5% being citizens, and 94.4% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Lennox Head - Skennars Head is Christianity, which makes up 45.2% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.3% of the population, compared to 0.1% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Lennox Head - Skennars Head are English, comprising 31.1% of the population, Australian, comprising 25.9% of the population, and Irish, comprising 11.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is notably overrepresented at 10.0% of Lennox Head - Skennars Head (vs 8.0% regionally), French at 0.8% (vs 0.4%) and Welsh at 0.6% (vs 0.5%).

Lennox Head - Skennars Head's median age exceeds the national pattern

At 42 years, Lennox Head - Skennars Head's median age is similar to the Regional NSW average of 43 while considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows 35 - 44 year-olds are particularly prominent (15.3%), while the 15 - 24 group is comparatively smaller (9.6%) than in Regional NSW. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.9% to 6.3% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 14.2% to 15.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 13.9% to 12.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Lennox Head - Skennars Head. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 27%, adding 385 residents to reach 1,798. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort grows by a modest 4% (41 people).