Swansea - Caves Beach

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

Swansea - Caves Beach's population was around 13,161 as of Nov 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 602 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,559. The increase is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 12,984 in June 2024 and an additional 219 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 406 persons per square kilometer. Swansea - Caves Beach's growth rate of 4.8% since 2021 exceeded the SA3 area's 2.9%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 64.3% to population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected in Australia's regional areas. The area is projected to expand by 2,622 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 18.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Swansea - Caves Beach among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Swansea - Caves Beach has recorded approximately 97 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 487 homes. As of FY26, 27 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents arrive per year for each new home approved between FY21 and FY25, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $480,000, suggesting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $8.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting limited commercial development activity compared to residential. Relative to the Rest of NSW, Swansea - Caves Beach shows 86.0% higher building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, construction activity has recently eased. The recent construction comprises 90.0% detached houses and 10.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes.

The location has approximately 180 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, Swansea - Caves Beach is forecasted to gain 2,445 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Swansea - Caves Beach has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified twelve projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include Caves Beach Ambulance Station, Swansea Channel Permanent Dredging Solution, 42-44 Lake Road Residential Development, and South East Growth Area Plan, with the following list providing more details on 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.

Employment performance in Swansea - Caves Beach has been broadly consistent with national averages

Swansea - Caves Beach has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.1% as of September 2025, which is 0.7% below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 3.0% over the past year. As of September 2025, 6,064 residents were in work while workforce participation was at 52.0%, somewhat below the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area has a particular specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.4% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.0%, but labour force increased by 3.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Swansea - Caves Beach's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The median taxpayer income in Swansea - Caves Beach SA2 is $49,401 and the average is $67,231 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. These figures are slightly above national averages of $49,459 median income and $62,998 average income in Rest of NSW. By September 2025, considering a Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,630 median and $75,709 average. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Swansea - Caves Beach rank modestly between the 25th and 30th percentiles. The largest income segment comprises 27.3% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with a total of 3,592 residents falling into this range. This pattern is similar to surrounding regions where 29.9% occupy the same income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 29th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Swansea - Caves Beach is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Swansea - Caves Beach, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.9% houses and 20.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Swansea - Caves Beach was 45.5%, with the remainder being mortgaged (32.5%) or rented (22.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,080, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,000 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was $360, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $370 and the national figure of $375.

Swansea - Caves Beach has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 72.0% of all households, including 26.6% couples with children, 32.2% couples without children, and 12.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.0%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households comprising 1.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Swansea - Caves Beach shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 19.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 31.0%. Educational participation is high, with 25.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.4% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Swansea's public transport analysis shows 144 active stops operating in Caves Beach area, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 25 unique routes that together facilitate 698 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically residing 190 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 99 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly four weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Swansea - Caves Beach faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data.

Both younger and older age groups have a notable prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 53% (~7,027 people) of the total population has private health cover, which is fairly high. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (12.2%) and mental health issues (8.6%). However, 60.7% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 62.6% across Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.7% (3,649 people), compared to the 21.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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

Swansea-Caves Beach, surveyed in 2016, had a below-average cultural diversity with 88.5% of its population born in Australia, 93.4% being citizens, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 55.1%. This compares to 52.5% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (33.1%), Australian (29.9%), and Irish (8.8%). Notably, Welsh (1.0%) and Scottish (8.6%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.8% and 8.8%, respectively. Maltese, at 0.6%, was also higher than the regional average of 0.3%.

Swansea - Caves Beach hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Swansea - Caves Beach has a median age of 49, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Swansea - Caves Beach at 14.8%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 7.1%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 9.6% to 11.1% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.1% to 12.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Swansea - Caves Beach's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to experience strong growth, expanding by 434 people (36%) from 1,220 to 1,655. In contrast, numbers in the 15 to 24 age range are expected to fall by 1.