Sawtell - Boambee
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of Aug 2025, Sawtell - Boambee's population is around 20,453. This reflects an increase of 387 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 20,066. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 20,389 as of June 2024 and an additional 120 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 173 persons per square kilometer. Sawtell - Boambee's growth rate of 1.9% since the census is within 1.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth (3.8%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 71.1% 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, 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. Projections indicate an overall population decline over this period, with Sawtell - Boambee's population expected to contract by 875 persons by 2041. However, growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, led by the 85 and over age group, 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 has granted around 70 residential property approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides data on a financial year basis: 353 homes approved between Financial Year 2020 and Financial Year 2025, with 3 approvals recorded so far in Financial Year 2026. On average, 1.2 new residents per year have arrived for each new home over the past five financial years. This balance suggests stable market conditions.

New properties' construction costs average $505,000. Commercial development approvals totalled $8.7 million in Financial Year 2026, indicating a primarily residential area. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Sawtell-Boambee shows roughly half the construction activity per person, placing it around the 36th percentile nationally. This suggests limited buyer options but strengthens demand for established homes.

New development consists of 91.0% detached dwellings and 9.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining low-density housing. The area has an estimated 462 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Stable or declining population forecasts may alleviate housing pressure, favouring buyers.

Sawtell - Boambee has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly impact performance. AreaSearch identified 11 projects likely affecting the area. Key projects include Toormina Oval Upgrade, Boambee East Residential Subdivision, Wonga Park Sawtell Playground Renewal, and Sea Esta's 95 on First Townhouses. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The employment landscape in Sawtell - Boambee shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Sawtell-Boambee has a skilled workforce with prominent essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.4%.

As of June 2025, 9,015 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.7% compared to Rest of NSW's 3.7%, and workforce participation at 56.4%. Leading industries included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area specializes in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence at 2.6% compared to 5.3% regionally. Employment opportunities locally may be limited based on Census data analysis.

Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.4%, labour force by 3.6%, and unemployment rose by 1.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local growth in Sawtell-Boambee may differ based on industry-specific projections.

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

Sawtell-Boambee's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $45,902, with an average income of $55,224. This is lower than the national figures for Rest of NSW, which were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. As of March 2025, estimates based on a 10.6% increase since financial year 2022 suggest median income would be approximately $50,768 and average income $61,078. According to census data, 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, similar to metropolitan regions where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability is 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

In Sawtell-Boambee, as per the latest Census data, houses accounted for 77.4% of dwellings, with other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings making up 22.7%. This is similar to Non-Metro NSW's breakdown of 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sawtell-Boambee stood at 38.9%, comparable to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.0% and rented ones at 28.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,700, lower than the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Sawtell-Boambee was $370, matching the Non-Metro NSW figure and falling below the national average of $386 for mortgage repayments and $402 for rents.

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

Family households comprise 69.6% of all households, including 26.1% couples with children, 28.9% couples without children, and 13.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for 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, matching the average for 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 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, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (29.7%). Educational participation is high at 27.8%, comprising 10.4% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 2.8% in tertiary education.

There are 11 schools serving 3,382 students, with Sawtell - Boambee having typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 968) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 7 primary, 2 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools.

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

Sawtell-Boambee has 180 operational public transport stops, offering a blend of train and bus services. These stops are served by 89 distinct routes, facilitating 1,397 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents generally situated 190 metres from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency stands at 199 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly 7 weekly trips per individual 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 notable prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% (about 9,735 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (9.6%). A total of 61.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.9% in Rest of NSW. The area has 24.6% residents aged 65 and over (5,035 people), with seniors showing some health challenges but performing 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, as per the census conducted on 9 August 2016, had a below average cultural diversity with 87.9% of its population born in Australia, 91.0% being citizens, and 95.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 51.9% of the population in Sawtell-Boambee. The most significant overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, which constituted 1.2% of the population compared to 3.3% across Rest of NSW.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.1%), Australian (29.9%), and Irish (9.3%). Notable differences included an overrepresentation of Australian Aboriginal at 4.4%, Scottish at 8.6%, and Maltese at 0.4%.

Sawtell - Boambee hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Sawtell-Boambee's median age is 45 years, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 43 years and considerably older than Australia's national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Sawtell-Boambee has a notably higher proportion of people aged 75-84 (8.8% locally), while those aged 25-34 are under-represented (10.1%). Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 7.7% to 8.8% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 13.6% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Sawtell-Boambee's age profile will change significantly. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 407 people (62%), from 652 to 1,060. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 86% of total population growth. In contrast, population declines are projected for those aged 45-54 and 0-4 years.