Merimbula - Tura Beach
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Merimbula-Tura Beach's population is approximately 11,632 as of August 2025. Between the 2021 Census and June 2024, it increased by about 119 people (1%), from 11,513 to an estimated 11,618. This growth is attributed to around 78 new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at approximately 119 persons per square kilometer. Over a decade, Merimbula-Tura Beach maintained a steady growth rate of 1% annually, surpassing its SA3 area's pace. Interstate migration drove much of this growth, contributing roughly 62.6% of overall gains.

AreaSearch bases projections on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year for covered areas and NSW State Government SA2 level projections for uncovered ones, with both sets extending to 2041. Non-metropolitan areas nationally are projected to grow above median levels by 2041, with Merimbula-Tura Beach expected to gain around 1,781 persons by then, marking a total increase of approximately 15.2%.

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

Merimbula - Tura Beach has received around 50 dwelling development approvals per year. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 253 approvals from FY-21 to FY-25, with 4 recorded so far in FY-26. On average, 1.4 new residents have arrived per new home over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), indicating a balanced supply and demand fostering stable market dynamics. The average construction value of new dwellings is $526,000.

This year, $12.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the rest of NSW, Merimbula - Tura Beach has approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 71st percentile nationally, with an increasing trend recently. New building activity consists of 49.0% detached dwellings and 51.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a shift from the current 75.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to changing lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The area has approximately 206 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. By 2041, Merimbula - Tura Beach is projected to grow by 1,765 residents, with development keeping pace with projected growth, although increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population expands.

Looking ahead, Merimbula - Tura Beach is expected to grow by 1,765 residents through to 2041. Development is keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Merimbula - Tura Beach has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Templo Merimbula, Club Sapphire Hotel and Conference Centre, Lakewood Lifestyle Village, and Supercheap Auto and BCF Merimbula. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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 had an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of June 2025. It has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented.

There were 5,141 residents in work at this time, and the unemployment rate was 0.7% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. However, workforce participation lagged significantly behind Rest of NSW, at 49.5% compared to its 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents were health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area showed strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, mining had lower representation at 0.2% compared to the regional average of 2.5%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12-month period prior to June 2025, labour force decreased by 3.6% alongside a 4.6% employment decline in Merimbula - Tura Beach, causing unemployment rate to rise by 1 percentage point. This contrasted with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. For broader context, state-level data from Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagged behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 offered insights into potential future demand within Merimbula - Tura Beach. National employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Merimbula - Tura Beach's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

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

Merimbula-Tura Beach had lower income levels than average nationally according to AreaSearch data from the ATO for FY2022. Its median income among taxpayers was $44,236 and average income stood at $57,377, compared to Rest of NSW's figures of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $48,925 (median) and $63,459 (average), accounting for a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since FY2022. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Merimbula-Tura Beach fall between the 16th and 24th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 28.7% of individuals (3,338) earn between $1,500 - $2,999, aligning with broader trends across the surrounding region at 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remains, ranking at the 19th percentile nationally, and 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 evaluation, 74.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 25.4% consisting of semi-detached units, apartments, and other dwelling types. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merimbula - Tura Beach stood at 51.3%, with mortgaged properties at 26.3% and rented dwellings at 22.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,600, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. Weekly rent in Merimbula - Tura Beach was recorded at $340, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $320. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863, while rents were higher at $375.

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

Family households account for 64.9% of all households, including 19.4% with couples and children, 37.3% with couples but no children, and 7.8% headed by single parents. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.1%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households making up 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

In Merimbula-Tura Beach, 23.2% of residents aged 15+ have university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 29.0%. Currently, 22.1% of the population is engaged in formal education: 8.2% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

The region's four schools have a combined enrollment of 1,419 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 992) with balanced educational opportunities. These include two primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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. These are served by buses along 43 different routes, offering a total of 542 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 164 meters.

On average, there are 77 trips per day across all routes, which equals approximately two trips per week per individual 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

Health data shows significant challenges for Merimbula - Tura Beach, with high prevalence of common health conditions across younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 48% (~5,618 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Arthritis and mental health issues are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 12.6 and 8.4% respectively, while 59.9% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 59.6%. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 34.0% (3,958 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 31.7%.

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 conducted on 29 August 2016, exhibited a low level of cultural diversity with 84.5% of its residents born in Australia. This was accompanied by a high percentage of citizens at 91.1%, and a majority speaking English only at home at 96.0%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 48.0% of the population.

While Judaism was minimally represented, it showed an overrepresentation compared to the rest of New South Wales, with 0.1% of the population identifying as Jewish. The top three ancestry groups were English at 34.5%, Australian at 29.0%, and Irish at 9.4%. Notable divergences included Dutch, which was slightly overrepresented at 1.6%, Scottish at 8.7%, and Welsh at 0.6%.

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

Merimbula - Tura Beach has a median age of 53, which is higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Merimbula - Tura Beach has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (17.6%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.0%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 10.9% to 12.2%, while the 35 to 44 age group increased from 8.7% to 9.9%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has declined from 16.3% to 14.3%, and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 18.7% to 17.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Merimbula - Tura Beach's age structure. The population aged 85+ is projected to grow by 101%, reaching 973 people from the current figure of 483. Meanwhile, the population aged 15-24 is projected to decline by 26 people.