Moruya - Tuross Head

Moruya - Tuross Head has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Moruya-Tuross Head's population is around 8,774 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 174 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,600 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,684 in June 2024 and an additional 59 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 53 persons per square kilometer. Moruya-Tuross Head's growth rate of 2.0% since census positions it within 0.6 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.6%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 55.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. Examining future population trends, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected. The area is expected to expand by 691 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 6.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Moruya - Tuross Head recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Moruya - Tuross Head has granted approval for approximately 39 residential properties each year over the past five financial years, totalling 196 homes. As of FY26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY21 and FY25. The average construction value for new properties is $368,000.

This financial year has seen $4.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Moruya - Tuross Head records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 51st percentile nationally. New building activity comprises 80% detached dwellings and 20% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low-density character.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 357 people. Future projections suggest Moruya - Tuross Head will add 601 residents by 2041. Current development rates indicate new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Moruya - Tuross Head has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure can significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may impact the area. Key projects are South Moruya Roundabout, IRT Moruya Community-Integrated Seniors Housing, New Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, and Moruya Bypass. The following list details those most relevant.

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 assessment indicates Moruya - Tuross Head faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Moruya - Tuross Head has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 4.2%.

As of September 2025, there are 3,553 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.3% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation lags at 45.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction has a significant presence with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 2.6% compared to the regional figure of 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the year to September 2025, the labour force decreased by 5.4% alongside a 5.5% employment decline, leaving unemployment broadly flat. Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Moruya - Tuross Head's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Moruya - Tuross Head SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $40,674 and an average of $52,166. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median of $49,459 and average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $45,803 (median) and $58,744 (average). Census data indicates household, family and personal incomes in Moruya - Tuross Head fall between the 10th and 13th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 27.9% of the population (2,447 individuals) earn within the $400 - 799 range, differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.6% of income remains, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally.

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

Moruya-Tuross Head's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 91.5% houses and 8.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moruya-Tuross Head was 53.8%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings constituted 26.7%, while rented dwellings accounted for 19.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average. The median weekly rent was $310, compared to Non-Metro NSW's figures of $1,517 and $320 respectively. Nationally, Moruya-Tuross Head's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in the area were substantially below the national figure of $375 at $310.

Moruya - Tuross Head features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 67.0% of all households, including 18.1% couples with children, 39.1% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.0%, with lone person households at 30.5% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Moruya - Tuross Head fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 21.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 43.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (31.3%).

A substantial 24.2% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.0% in primary, 7.2% in secondary, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

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

Moruya-Tuross Head has 268 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 32 different routes that together facilitate 335 weekly passenger trips. The region's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located just 178 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, services run 47 times daily across all routes, translating to roughly one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Moruya - Tuross Head is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Moruya - Tuross Head faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 46% (~4,053 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 (8.7%). Meanwhile, 58.1% report no medical ailments, compared to 59.6% in Rest of NSW. As of 2021, 34.3% (~3,006 people) are aged 65 and over, higher than the 31.7% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors exceed average levels, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Moruya - Tuross Head is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Moruya-Tuross Head had a cultural diversity index below average, with 89.2% of its population being Australian citizens, 86.8% born in Australia, and 97.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 51.4% of people, compared to 49.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.4%), Australian (30.0%), and Irish (10.1%).

Notably, Hungarian ethnicity was overrepresented at 0.4%, Welsh at 0.7%, and Scottish at 8.5%.

Moruya - Tuross Head ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Moruya - Tuross Head is 56 years, notably exceeding Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group shows strong representation at 20.2%, compared to the Rest of NSW figure, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 8.4%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has grown from 9.6% to 10.8% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 19.3% to 16.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Moruya - Tuross Head's age structure. The 75-84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 23%, adding 218 residents to reach 1,162. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 51% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 5-14 cohorts.