Merimbula - Tura Beach

Population growth drivers in Merimbula - Tura Beach are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Merimbula-Tura Beach's population is 11,635 as of November 2025. This shows an increase of 122 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,513. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 11,617 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since then. The population density is 119 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Merimbula-Tura Beach has had a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outpacing its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 62.6% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, it utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 15.1% based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 1,781 persons.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Merimbula - Tura Beach when compared nationally

Merimbula-Tura Beach has seen approximately 50 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 253 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 8 approvals recorded. On average, 1.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions, with new dwellings averaging $526,000 in construction cost value.

In FY-26, there have been $12.6 million in commercial approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development compared to the rest of NSW. Merimbula-Tura Beach shows around 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 71st percentile nationally, with recent intensification in construction activity. New building activity comprises 49.0% detached dwellings and 51.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a shift from existing housing patterns which are currently 75.0% houses. This suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The area has approximately 206 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Merimbula-Tura Beach is expected to grow by 1,762 residents through to 2041. Development appears to be keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers may arise as the population expands.

Merimbula - Tura Beach has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects that may impact this region. Notable ones include Templo Merimbula, Club Sapphire Hotel and Conference Centre, Lakewood Lifestyle Village, and Supercheap Auto and BCF Merimbula. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 2.9%, Merimbula - Tura Beach has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Merimbula - Tura Beach has an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of June 2025. There are 5,141 residents employed, which is 0.7% below the Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Merimbula - Tura Beach is at 49.5%, compared to 56.4% in the Rest of NSW. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area has a particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, mining shows lower representation at 0.2% versus the regional average of 2.5%.

Over the 12 months prior to June 2025, labour force decreased by 3.6%, and employment declined by 4.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. At the state level, as of Nov-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. 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. Applying these projections to Merimbula - Tura Beach's employment mix suggests 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.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The Merimbula - Tura Beach SA2 had a lower than average national income level according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers was $44,236 and the average income stood at $57,377. This compares to figures for Rest of NSW's of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $49,814 (median) and $64,612 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Merimbula - Tura Beach all fall between the 15th and 24th percentiles nationally. Distribution data reveals that 28.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, consistent with surrounding regional trends at 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remains, ranking at the 18th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Merimbula - Tura Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Merimbula-Tura Beach, as per the latest Census data, 74.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 25.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Non-Metro NSW's figures of 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merimbula-Tura Beach stood at 51.3%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged properties at 26.3% and rented ones at 22.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. Weekly rent median was $340, slightly above Non-Metro NSW's figure of $320. Nationally, Merimbula-Tura Beach's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,600 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were also lower at $340 versus the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 64.9% of all households, including 19.4% couples with children, 37.3% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.1%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.2.

Merimbula - Tura Beach shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Merimbula's residents aged 15+ have a university degree attainment rate of 23.2%, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (15.6%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 40.3% of residents, with advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 29.0%. Currently, 22.1% of the population is engaged in formal education, including 8.2% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

A substantial 22.1% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.2% in primary education, 6.9% 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

Merimbula - Tura Beach has 202 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 43 different routes that together offer 542 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 164 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 77 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 2 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Merimbula - Tura Beach is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Merimbula - Tura Beach faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 48% (~5,619 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 12.6%) and mental health problems (8.4%). About 59.9% report no medical ailments, similar to Rest of NSW's 59.6%. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 34.0% (3,959 people), compared to 31.7% in Rest of NSW.

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

Merimbula-Tura Beach, as per the census data on cultural diversity, had a majority of its population born in Australia at 84.5%, with 91.1% being citizens and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 48.0% of the population. While Judaism represented 0.1% of Merimbula-Tura Beach's population, it was not significantly different from the regional average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.5%), Australian (29.0%), and Irish (9.4%). Notably, Dutch ancestry was slightly overrepresented at 1.6% compared to the regional average of 1.4%, Scottish ancestry was similarly represented at 8.7% versus 8.6%, and Welsh ancestry was also slightly higher at 0.6% compared to the regional average of 0.5%.

Merimbula - Tura Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Merimbula-Tura Beach's median age is 53, significantly higher than NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's norm of 38. Compared to NSW, Merimbula-Tura Beach has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (17.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.0%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is notably higher than the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 has increased from 10.9% to 12.2%, while those aged 35 to 44 have risen from 8.7% to 9.9%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55 to 64 has decreased from 16.3% to 14.3%, and those aged 65 to 74 have dropped from 18.7% to 17.6%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Merimbula-Tura Beach's age structure. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 101%, reaching 973 people from the current 484. Meanwhile, the 15-24 age cohort is projected to decline by 26 people.