Nambucca Heads
Statistical Area - sa2

Nambucca Heads has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Nambucca Heads' population is approximately 7,319 as of August 2025. This figure shows an increase of 208 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 7,111. The change is estimated based on ABS data from June 2024 showing an EPP of 7,213 and validated new addresses totalling 204 since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 235 persons per square kilometer. Nambucca Heads' growth rate of 2.9% since the census is within 1.4 percentage points of its SA3 area's growth rate of 4.3%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 79.8% 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 are used, 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. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median for locations outside capital cities, with Nambucca Heads expected to gain 952 persons by 2041, representing an 11.5% total increase over 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Nambucca Heads recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Nambucca Heads has recorded approximately 37 residential property approvals annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 186 homes approved over the past five years from FY2021 to FY2025, and 9 approvals so far in FY2026. On average, about 1 person has moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY2021 and FY2025, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics. The average expected construction cost of new homes over this period is $453,000.

In terms of commercial development, $11.6 million in approvals have been registered in the current financial year, suggesting steady commercial growth. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Nambucca Heads has similar levels of development per capita, supporting market stability aligned with regional trends. Recent construction comprises 84.0% standalone homes and 16.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes.

With approximately 260 people per approval, Nambucca Heads reflects a low-density area. Looking ahead, projections indicate an increase of 844 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply is expected to meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Nambucca Heads has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Valla Urban Growth Area (VUGA), Vista Apartments, Nambucca Heads Lifestyle Estate, and the conversion of 14-22 Boundary Street Macksville into serviced apartments/tourism accommodation. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment indicates Nambucca Heads faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Nambucca Heads has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 7.7%, showing an increase from the previous year's rate of 6.8%.

Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 0.9%. There are 2,489 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 4.1% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation lags significantly at 37.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade.

The area has a notably high concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 2.0% of Nambucca Heads's workforce compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.9%, while the labour force also grew by 0.9%. Unemployment remained essentially unchanged during this period. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw a contraction in employment by 0.1% over the same period, with the labour force growing by 0.3% and unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Providing broader context, state-level data to Sep-25 shows that NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs. The state's unemployment rate was at 4.3%, which compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%. However, NSW lagged behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Nambucca Heads's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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 that income in Nambucca Heads is below the national average. The median income is $39,093, while the average income stands at $53,671. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where the median income is $49,459 and the average income is $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $43,237 (median) and $59,360 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Nambucca Heads all fall between the 1st and 4th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 37.5% of the population (2,744 individuals) fall within the $400 - 799 income range, unlike regional trends where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. With 47.7% earning under $800 per week, Nambucca Heads faces considerable income constraints affecting local spending patterns. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

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

In Nambucca Heads, according to the latest Census evaluation, 74.7% of dwellings were houses while 25.3% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Non-Metro NSW's composition of 88.8% houses and 11.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nambucca Heads stood at 48.0%, with mortgaged properties making up 17.8% and rented dwellings accounting for 34.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,330. The median weekly rent figure in Nambucca Heads was $285, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Nambucca Heads's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 than the Australian average of $1,863. Similarly, rents in Nambucca Heads were substantially below the national figure of $375 at $285.

Nambucca Heads features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 55.3 percent of all households, including 14.0 percent that are couples with children, 27.8 percent that are couples without children, and 12.2 percent that consist of single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 44.7 percent, with lone person households comprising 41.6 percent and group households making up 3.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Nambucca Heads faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 13.9%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (31.7%).

A substantial 24.2% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.8% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 1.7% in tertiary education. Nambucca Heads has 4 schools with a combined enrollment of 1,229 students as of the latest data (20XX). The educational mix includes 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 16.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.1, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Nambucca Heads has 36 operational public transport stops, offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are served by 30 unique routes, facilitating a total of 370 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 308 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 52 daily trips across all routes, translating to about 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Nambucca Heads is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Critical health challenges are evident across Nambucca Heads. A range of health conditions impact both younger and older age cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 47%, covering around 3,439 people. Nationally, this averages at 55.3%. Locally, arthritis and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions, affecting 14.3% and 10.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 51.8% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Rest of NSW's 58.0%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 36.0%, with around 2,632 people falling into this category compared to Rest of NSW's 28.1%. Health outcomes among seniors broadly align with the general population's health profile.

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

Nambucca Heads had lower cultural diversity compared to the average, with 88.7% of its residents being Australian citizens and 87.3% born in Australia. English was spoken exclusively at home by 96.4% of the population. Christianity dominated religious beliefs in Nambucca Heads, practiced by 53.3% of people.

Judaism, while a small percentage overall, was slightly overrepresented compared to other areas, with 0.2% of the population identifying as Jewish. The top three ancestry groups were English at 32.0%, Australian at 29.9%, and Irish at 8.9%. Notably, Australian Aboriginal (6.9%), Scottish (8.4%), and French (0.5%) ethnicities had higher representation in Nambucca Heads compared to regional averages.

Nambucca Heads ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Nambucca Heads 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 percentage of people aged 65-74 in Nambucca Heads is 18.0%, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure and well above the national average of 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the percentage of people aged 35-44 has grown from 8.2% to 9.2%, while the percentage of those aged 55-64 has declined from 15.8% to 14.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Nambucca Heads' age structure. The 35-44 cohort is projected to grow by 30%, adding 203 residents to reach a total of 881. However, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 15-24 cohorts.