Terrigal - North Avoca

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Terrigal - North Avoca's population is around 15,528 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 679 people (4.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,849 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,437 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 48 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,481 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Terrigal - North Avoca's 4.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (3.2%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 76.9% 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. Regarding demographic trends, an above-median population growth of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is projected, with the area expected to increase by 3,432 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 21.5% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Terrigal - North Avoca when compared nationally

Terrigal - North Avoca has seen around 46 new homes approved each year, totalling 231 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 21 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 3.9 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition, leading to pricing pressures, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $477,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $3.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, suggesting the area's residential character.

Relative to Greater Sydney, Terrigal - North Avoca records 18.0% less building activity (per person) while it places among the 47th percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This level is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. New building activity shows 42.0% detached dwellings and 58.0% medium and high-density housing. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 74.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 555 people per dwelling approval, Terrigal - North Avoca reflects a highly mature market.

Looking ahead, Terrigal - North Avoca is expected to grow by 3,341 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Terrigal - North Avoca has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 28 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works and 310 Terrigal Drive Residential Development, with the below list detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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 conditions in Terrigal - North Avoca rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Terrigal - North Avoca possesses a well-educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 1.3%, and 3.5% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 8,430 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.9% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (67.0% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 40.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area has particular employment specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. On the other hand, professional & technical is under-represented, with only 8.3% of Terrigal - North Avoca's workforce compared to 11.5% in Greater Sydney. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 3.5% while labour force increased by 3.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Terrigal - North Avoca. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Terrigal - North Avoca's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The Terrigal - North Avoca SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $58,288 and an average of $86,969 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is extremely high nationally, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $63,452 (median) and $94,674 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Terrigal - North Avoca cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows the largest segment comprises 28.5% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (4,425 residents), aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Terrigal - North Avoca demonstrates considerable affluence with 34.7% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 74th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Terrigal - North Avoca is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Terrigal - North Avoca, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 73.8% houses and 26.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Terrigal - North Avoca was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 40.0%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (37.0%) or rented (23.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was above the Sydney metro average at $2,500, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $520, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, Terrigal - North Avoca's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Terrigal - North Avoca has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 75.1% of all households, comprising 33.6% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.9%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households comprising 3.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Terrigal - North Avoca shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Terrigal - North Avoca significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 33.8% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 20.8% in the SA4 region and 25.7% in the SA3 area. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 23.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 35.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (13.7%) and certificates (21.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 113 active transport stops operating within Terrigal - North Avoca, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 45 individual routes, collectively providing 652 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 176 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 40.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 93 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Terrigal - North Avoca's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Terrigal - North Avoca, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 63% of the total population (9,829 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.8% and 6.8% of residents, respectively, while 71.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 23.4% of residents aged 65 and over (3,636 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Terrigal - North Avoca ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Terrigal - North Avoca was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 78.6% of its population born in Australia, 89.2% being citizens, and 92.5% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Terrigal - North Avoca is Christianity, which makes up 53.9% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Judaism, which comprises 0.2% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Terrigal - North Avoca are English, comprising 31.9% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 19.0%, Australian, comprising 25.9% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 17.8%, and Irish, comprising 9.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.8% of Terrigal - North Avoca (vs 0.4% regionally), South Australian at 0.8% (vs 0.5%) and New Zealand at 0.9% (vs 0.5%).

Terrigal - North Avoca's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 43-year median age in Terrigal - North Avoca is considerably higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 as well as substantially exceeding the 38-year national average. The age profile shows 65 - 74 year-olds are particularly prominent (12.4%), while the 25 - 34 group is comparatively smaller (8.0%) than in Greater Sydney. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.5% to 8.4% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.6% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 9.8% to 8.0% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 13.3% to 12.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Terrigal - North Avoca's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow exceptionally, expanding by 751 people (181%) from 414 to 1,166. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 51% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. On the other hand, the 0 to 4 cohort is projected to decline by 14 people.