Murwillumbah Surrounds

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

Murwillumbah Surrounds' population was 10,845 as of May 2026. This figure reflects an increase of 493 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,352. The change is inferred from ABS estimates of 10,835 in June 2025 and 59 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 11.9 persons per square kilometer. Murwillumbah Surrounds' growth rate of 4.8% exceeded both the SA4 region's 3.7% and the SA3 area, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 44.1% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, or NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Murwillumbah Surrounds is projected to expand by 1,930 persons, reflecting a gain of 17.7% in total over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Murwillumbah Surrounds according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Murwillumbah Surrounds has seen approximately 13 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 67 homes. As of FY26, 22 approvals have been recorded. On average, 8.6 new residents per year have arrived for each dwelling constructed between FY21 and FY25. This has led to a significant outpacing of supply by demand, which typically exerts upward pressure on prices and intensifies competition among buyers.

New properties are being constructed at an average value of $390,000. In terms of commercial development, $19.9 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating balanced activity. However, compared to the rest of NSW, Murwillumbah Surrounds has significantly less development activity, with 58.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes tends to strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Recent construction comprises 90.0% detached houses and 10.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population count per dwelling approval is 1545 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Murwillumbah Surrounds is forecasted to gain 1920 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Murwillumbah Surrounds has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 24 projects likely impacting the area. Major projects include Murwillumbah Depot, Quarry Business Park, Animal Pound and Rehoming Centre, and Hundred Hills Estate. The following details projects likely 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 analysis reveals Murwillumbah Surrounds recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Murwillumbah Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 4.4% as of December 2025. There are 5,091 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 0.5% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is broadly similar to Regional NSW's 60.5%.

According to Census responses, 21.0% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. The area has a notably high concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Public administration & safety employs just 4.6% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 7.5%.

There appears to be limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force decreased by 0.2% while employment declined by 0.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Murwillumbah Surrounds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The median income among taxpayers in Murwillumbah Surrounds SA2 was $43,617 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $53,977 during the same period. For Regional NSW, these figures were $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. By March 2026, estimated median and average incomes for Murwillumbah Surrounds SA2 would be approximately $48,118 and $59,547 based on a 10.32% growth in wages since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Murwillumbah Surrounds all fell between the 16th and 27th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captured 30.6% of the community (3,318 individuals), consistent with surrounding trends where 29.9% fell into the same category. After housing expenses, 85.7% of income remained, ranking at the 30th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

Murwillumbah Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Murwillumbah Surrounds' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 98.5% houses and 1.5% other types. This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murwillumbah Surrounds was 48.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.6% and rented at 15.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,745, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Murwillumbah Surrounds was $350, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were less at $375.

Murwillumbah Surrounds features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 74.4% of all households, consisting of 28.1% couples with children, 34.0% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 25.6%, with lone person households at 21.5% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Murwillumbah Surrounds' residents aged 15+ have 24.2% with university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common (16.8%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are held by 42.1%, including advanced diplomas (12.1%) and certificates (30.0%). Current educational participation is high at 30.9%, with 11.2% in primary, 9.6% in secondary, and 3.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.2% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 3.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Murwillumbah Surrounds has 612 active public transport stops, serving a mix of bus routes. These are serviced by 59 individual routes, providing 707 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically located 150 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters travel outward due to the area's residential nature. Cars dominate at 93%, with 4% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 21% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 101 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

The level of general health in Murwillumbah Surrounds is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Murwillumbah Surrounds shows better-than-average health outcomes, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is quite low at around 47% (~5,053 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9%.

Nationally, it's 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (9.4%) and mental health issues (7.9%). About 68.3% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Regional NSW's 63.3%. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. Around 23.9% (~2,595 people) are aged 65 and over. Seniors' health outcomes rank particularly high nationally.

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

Murwillumbah Surrounds had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 85.5% of its population being citizens, 85.7% born in Australia, and 95.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 42.2% of people in Murwillumbah Surrounds. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% across Regional NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (28.9%), and Irish (10.5%). Notably, Scottish (8.7%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 8.0%. French (0.6%) and Welsh (0.6%) also showed higher representation than their respective regional averages of 0.4% and 0.5%.

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

Murwillumbah Surrounds' median age is 48 years, which is older than Regional NSW's median age of 43 and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38. The age profile indicates that the 55-64 year-old group is particularly prominent at 16.9%, while the 25-34 year-old group is smaller at 7.8% compared to Regional NSW. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.2% to 7.2%, and the 15 to 24 age cohort has increased from 10.1% to 11.2%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has declined from 18.9% to 16.9%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 14.0% to 12.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that Murwillumbah Surrounds' age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 371 people (48%) from 780 to 1,152. In contrast, the 65 to 74 age cohort shows minimal growth of just 3% (47 people).