Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest
Statistical Area - sa2

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest's population was 5,804 as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, it is around 5,844, an increase of 40 people (0.7%) since the 2021 Census. This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 5,808 in June 2024 and 72 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density as of Aug 2025 is 28 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade ending Aug 2021, Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest had a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, surpassing its SA3 area's growth. Interstate migration contributed approximately 78.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for national non-metropolitan areas, with Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest expected to increase by 985 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, recording a gain of 16.2% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest when compared nationally

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest averaged approximately 31 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 159 homes were approved, with an additional 7 approved so far in FY-26. Each dwelling has attracted an average of 2.1 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

The average construction value of these dwellings is $589,000, which is moderately above regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. This year alone, there have been $2.0 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest shows 12.0% lower construction activity per person but ranks among the 61st percentile nationally when considering areas assessed.

The new development consists predominantly of standalone homes, with 81.0% of approvals for this type, and 19.0% for medium to high-density housing. This maintains the area's low density nature and attracts space-seeking buyers. With approximately 247 people per dwelling approval, Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain 947 residents by 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 35thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Tea Gardens Library Upgrade & Extension, The Belvedere, Kurrara Hill, and Fingal Bay Link Road. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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

While Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.8%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 3.8% as of June 2025. There are 1,689 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.2% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest lags significantly at 31.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food services. Conversely, education & training shows lower representation at 5.8% versus the regional average of 9.6%.

The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.3%, while employment declined by 3.9%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. This compares to Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. To provide broader context, state-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest had a median income among taxpayers of $45,394 and an average level of $55,209. This is lower than the national average, which was $49,459 and $62,998 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest would be approximately $50,206 (median) and $61,061 (average) as of March 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest all fall between the 5th and 7th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 32.2% of the population (1,881 individuals) fall within the $800 - $1,499 income range, differing from the broader area where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. Housing costs are modest with 86.8% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 8th percentile nationally.

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.8% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 11.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's dwelling composition of 81.1% houses and 18.9% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest was 62.1%, higher than Non-Metro NSW's rate. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 19.9%, while rented dwellings comprised 18.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733 and Australia's national average of $1,863. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest was $350, which is less than both Non-Metro NSW's $360 and Australia's national average of $375.

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.1% of all households, including 11.2% couples with children, 50.9% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.9%, with lone person households at 28.7% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest 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 of 18.8%, 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 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (31.2%).

School and university attendance encompasses 17.1% of the community, including 5.8% in primary education, 5.4% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education. Tea Gardens Public School serves local educational needs within Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest, with an enrollment of 145 students as of the latest available data. The area has varied educational conditions across Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest, with 1 school focusing exclusively on primary education and secondary options available in surrounding areas. Limited local school capacity (2.5 places per 100 residents vs 11.8 regionally) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest shows that there are currently 54 active transport stops serving the area. These stops offer a variety of bus routes, with a total of 27 individual routes operating weekly. Together, these routes facilitate approximately 220 passenger trips each week.

The report indicates good accessibility to public transport for residents, with an average distance of 257 meters from their homes to the nearest stop. On average, there are about 31 trips per day across all routes, which translates to roughly four weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest 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 Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest, with a range of health conditions impacting both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 48% (~2,781 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis (affecting 17.2%) and heart disease (8%). Half of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 59.3% across Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 52.7% (3,080 people), compared to the Rest of NSW's 28.1%.

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest, surveyed in 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 82.6% of residents born in Australia, 89.1% being citizens, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 66.6%, compared to 57.4% regionally. The top three ancestry groups were English (35.6%), Australian (27.2%), and Irish (10.2%).

Notable differences included Scottish representation at 9.6% versus 8.3% regionally, Welsh at 0.8% versus 0.7%, and French at 0.6% versus 0.4%.

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest's median age is 65 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and the Australian median of 38. The 75-84 age group makes up 21.4% of the population, compared to 6.0% nationally and 16.9% in the Rest of NSW. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 4.1%. In the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 18.7% to 21.4%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 5.1% to 6.2%. The 65-74 cohort declined from 27.0% to 24.7%. By 2041, Tea Gardens - Hawks Nest's 85+ age cohort is projected to increase by 436 people (113%), from 386 to 823. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 67% of population growth. Meanwhile, the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to decrease in population.