Murwillumbah
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Murwillumbah's population is 9,568 as of August 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 67 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,501. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,544 in June 2024 and an additional 77 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 393 persons per square kilometer. Murwillumbah's growth rate of 0.7% since the census is within 2.5 percentage points of the SA4 region (3.2%). 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Murwillumbah is expected to increase by 928 persons, reflecting an 8.6% total growth over the 17-year period, which is just below the median of non-metropolitan areas nationally.

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 31 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 158 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25, and an additional two approved in FY26 so far. The population decline in recent years has resulted in adequate development activity relative to demand, creating a balanced housing market with good buyer choice. New homes are being built at an average construction cost of $599,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments.

This financial year, $12.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Murwillumbah has approximately half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 14th percentile nationally, offering limited buyer choices and supporting demand for existing homes. This lower rate reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity comprises 92% detached dwellings and 8% townhouses or apartments, preserving Murwillumbah's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1150 people, indicating a quiet, low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, Murwillumbah is projected to grow by 820 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Murwillumbah has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that may affect this region. Key projects include Murwillumbah Depot, Animal Pound and Rehoming Centre, Industry Central Land Swap, and Quarry Business Park. The following list details those likely to have the most relevance.

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

While Murwillumbah retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.8%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Murwillumbah has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 3.8% as of June 2025. There are 4,028 residents in work, with the unemployment rate at 0.1% above Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is lower at 51.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 2.9% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.8%, while employment declined by 3.7%, causing unemployment to fall by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local industry-specific projections suggest Murwillumbah's employment may grow by approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

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

Murwillumbah's median income among taxpayers was $40,717 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $51,177 during the same period. For comparison, Rest of NSW had median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively in financial year 2022. Based on a 10.6% growth in wages since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes for Murwillumbah as of March 2025 are approximately $45,033 and $56,602 respectively. 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 (2,679 people) earn within the $400 - 799 range, unlike surrounding regions where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Murwillumbah, with only 79.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.

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

Murwillumbah's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 78.9% houses and 21.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 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 $1,872. The median weekly rent figure 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 also 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 account for 65.9% of all households, consisting of 24.1% couples with children, 24.6% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.1%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 3.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for 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 NSW's average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (30.5%).

Educational participation is 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. There are 10 schools operating within Murwillumbah, educating approximately 2,937 students. The area functions as an education hub with 30.8 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 14.3.

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 public transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average living just 120 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, buses run an average of 135 trips per day, which translates 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% (around 4,439 people), compared to 49.3% in the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 10.5% of residents, while arthritis impacts 10.0%.

About 62.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.2% in the rest of NSW. The area has 24.7% (around 2,361 people) aged 65 and over, lower than the 26.1% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average. As of a certain date, 89.6% of its population were citizens, 86.5% were born in Australia, and 94.8% spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 48.4% of Murwillumbah's population.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category was overrepresented in Murwillumbah compared to the rest of NSW, making up 1.6% versus 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.0%), Australian (28.3%), and Irish (11.1%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: French was overrepresented at 0.7%, Scottish at 9.0%, and Australian Aboriginal at 2.6%.

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

Murwillumbah's median age is 46, which is higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and significantly higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group comprises 12.8%, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 10.0%. Post-2021 Census data shows 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%. However, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 14.1% to 12.8%. By 2041, Murwillumbah's age composition is expected to change notably. The 25 to 34 group is projected to grow by 27%, reaching 1,207 from 952, while the 5 to 14 and 55 to 64 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.