Sawtell - Boambee

Sawtell - Boambee is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Sawtell - Boambee's population is around 20,487 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 421 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,066 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,394 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 132 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 173 persons per square kilometer. Sawtell - Boambee's 2.1% growth since census positions it within 2.1 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.2%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 71.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to contract by 875 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to grow by 401 people.

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

Sawtell-Boambee recorded around 47 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25235 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved in FY26 so far. On average, 1.2 new residents arrived per new home each year during these five years, indicating a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions.

The average construction cost value of new homes was $376,000. In FY26, $8.7 million in commercial development approvals were recorded, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the rest of NSW, Sawtell-Boambee had approximately half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranked at the 36th percentile nationally, implying somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This level is below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations.

New building activity comprised 91% detached houses and 9% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 462 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Sawtell-Boambee may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Sawtell - Boambee has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones are Boambee East Residential Subdivision, Toormina Oval Upgrade, 95 on First Townhouses (Sea Esta), and Wonga Park Sawtell Playground Renewal. 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.

The labour market in Sawtell - Boambee demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Sawtell-Boambee has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.6%, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.8%.

Over the past year, ending September 2025, employment grew by an estimated 2.4%. There are 9,010 residents employed, with a workforce participation rate matching Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Health care & social assistance has a particularly high share of employment at 1.3 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 2.6% compared to the regional 5.3%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12 months ending September 2025, employment increased by 2.4%, labour force by 3.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.8 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.5% and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Statewide, as of 25-November-25, NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sawtell-Boambee's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The Sawtell-Boambee SA2 has a lower income level than average nationally, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022. The median income among taxpayers in this region is $45,902, with an average income of $55,224. In comparison, the Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $51,690 (median) and $62,188 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Sawtell-Boambee fall between the 24th and 25th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 30.6% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, reflecting a pattern seen in metropolitan regions where 29.9% occupy this income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile nationally.

Sawtell - Boambee is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Sawtell - Boambee, as per the latest Census, consisted of 77.4% houses and 22.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Sawtell - Boambee was 38.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.0% and rented ones at 28.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $370, the same as Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Sawtell - Boambee's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,700 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were also lower at $370 compared to the national figure of $375.

Sawtell - Boambee has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 69.6% of all households, consisting of 26.1% couples with children, 28.9% couples without children, and 13.6% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.4%, with lone person households at 27.4% and group households comprising 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Sawtell - Boambee fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 21.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas comprise 10.9% and certificates 29.7%. Educational participation is high, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.4% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education.

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

Sawtell-Boambee has 180 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 89 individual routes, facilitating 1,397 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 190 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 199 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly 7 weekly trips per stop.

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

Health data for Sawtell - Boambee shows significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at 48% (~9,751 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (9.6%). A total of 61.2% claim no medical ailments, compared to 63.9% in Rest of NSW. The area has 24.6% residents aged 65 and over (5,043 people). Health outcomes among seniors present challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Sawtell-Boambee had a cultural diversity below average, with 87.9% of its population born in Australia, 91.0% being citizens, and 95.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 51.9% of people in Sawtell-Boambee. The category 'Other' was overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to 3.3% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.1%), Australian (29.9%), and Irish (9.3%). Some ethnic groups showed notable divergences: Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 4.4% (vs regional 4.0%), Scottish at 8.6% (vs 8.3%), and Maltese at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

Sawtell - Boambee hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Sawtell-Boambee has a median age of 45 years, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 43 years, and considerably older than Australia's national norm of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW average, the cohort aged 75-84 is notably over-represented at 8.8% locally, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 10.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 7.7% to 8.8% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 13.6% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Sawtell-Boambee's age profile will evolve significantly. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 406 people (62%) from 653 to 1,060. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 87% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 0-4 cohorts.