Murwillumbah

Population growth drivers in Murwillumbah are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Murwillumbah's population was around 9,501 people as of Nov 2021. It increased to approximately 9,554 by Nov 2025, reflecting a growth of 53 people (0.6%) since the 2021 Census. This change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 9,528 in June 2024 and an additional 78 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was around 393 persons per square kilometer as of Nov 2025. Murwillumbah's growth rate of 0.6% since the census is within 2.7 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.3%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 83.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 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. By 2041, the population is expected to increase by approximately 928 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of around 8.7% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Murwillumbah is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Murwillumbah has seen approximately 16 new homes approved annually over recent years. From FY21 to FY25, around 81 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY26. The population has declined recently, suggesting that the new housing supply may be keeping pace with demand, offering good choice for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $322,000. In terms of commercial development, $12.1 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating moderate levels of activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Murwillumbah shows roughly half the construction activity per person. Nationally, it ranks among the 14th percentile of areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings.

This is below average nationally, possibly due to planning constraints or the area's maturity. New development in Murwillumbah consists mainly of detached dwellings (92.0%) with a smaller proportion of attached dwellings (8.0%), maintaining its traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1150, reflecting its quiet and low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, Murwillumbah is projected to grow by 834 residents by 2041, according to 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 in the future.

Murwillumbah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects likely to impact this area. Notable ones are Murwillumbah Depot, Industry Central Land Swap, Quarry Business Park, and Hundred Hills Estate. The following details these projects in order of 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 reveals Murwillumbah recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Murwillumbah has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate in the town is 4.2%.

As of September 2025, there are 4,045 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.4% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation lags behind Rest of NSW at 51.3%, compared to their 56.4%. The leading employment industries among Murwillumbah residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.9% of local workers, lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.7%, employment declined by 1.8%, resulting in a decrease of 0.8 percentage points in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-2025 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimate a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Murwillumbah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

The Murwillumbah SA2's median income among taxpayers was $40,717 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $51,177 during the same period. These figures are lower than those for Rest of NSW, which were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income is approximately $45,851 as of September 2025, with average income estimated at $57,630 during the same period. Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Murwillumbah fall between the 10th and 11th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 28.0% of locals (2,675 people) have incomes in the $400 - 799 category, unlike surrounding regions where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 79.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 8th percentile nationally.

Murwillumbah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Murwillumbah's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 78.9% houses and 21.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 66.3% houses and 33.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murwillumbah stood at 36.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.6% and rented ones at 30.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,872. Weekly rent in Murwillumbah was $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Murwillumbah's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less at $350 compared to the national figure of $375.

Murwillumbah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 65.9% of all households, including 24.1% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.1%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Educational attainment in Murwillumbah aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 19.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (30.5%). Educational participation is high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 11.3% in primary, 9.1% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Murwillumbah has 218 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 67 different routes that together facilitate 949 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 120 metres from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 135 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately four weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Murwillumbah faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering around 4,433 people, compared to 49.3% in the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 10.5% and 10.0% of residents respectively.

About 62.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.2% in the rest of NSW. Around 24.7% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,357 people), lower than the 26.1% in the rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Murwillumbah was found to have a cultural diversity below average, with 89.6% of its population being citizens, 86.5% born in Australia, and 94.8% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Murwillumbah is Christianity, comprising 48.4% of the population. However, the most significant overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, which constituted 1.6% of the population compared to 0.8% across Rest of NSW.

Regarding ancestry, the top three represented groups were English at 32.0%, Australian at 28.3%, and Irish at 11.1%. Notably, Scottish was overrepresented at 9.0% (vs regional 8.7%), French at 0.7% (vs regional 0.5%), and Australian Aboriginal at 2.6% (vs regional 3.0%).

Murwillumbah hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Murwillumbah's median age is 46, which is slightly higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and significantly greater than Australia's national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group constitutes a strong 12.8% of Murwillumbah's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 10.0%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25 to 34 age group grew from 8.6% to 10.0%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.1% to 11.4%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 14.1% to 12.8%. By 2041, Murwillumbah's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 25 to 34 group will grow by 27%, reaching 1,207 people from the current 951. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 55-64 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.