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

Terrigal - North Avoca's population was around 15,522 as of November 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 673 people from the 2021 Census total of 14,849, reflecting a growth rate of 4.5%. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,437 in June 2024 and an additional 46 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,481 persons per square kilometer, higher than average national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Terrigal - North Avoca's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.1%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.9% 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, an above median growth is projected for the area, with an expected increase of 3,432 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 21.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Terrigal - North Avoca has seen approximately 46 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 231 homes. As of FY-26, 22 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.9 new residents per year have accompanied each home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a significant gap between supply and demand. This has resulted in heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, with new homes being constructed at an average value of $477,000, targeting the premium segment.

In FY-26, $3.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. Comparatively, Terrigal - North Avoca shows 18.0% lower construction activity per person than Greater Sydney and ranks at the 47th percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer options while demand for established properties strengthens. This activity is also below the national average, indicating an established market with potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 42.0% standalone homes and 58.0% townhouses or apartments, a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 74.0% houses. This change reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and evolving lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has an established market with approximately 555 people per dwelling approval.

By 2041, Terrigal - North Avoca is projected to gain 3,347 residents. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Local infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works, 310 Terrigal Drive Residential Development, and others listed subsequently as they are likely most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Terrigal - North Avoca performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Terrigal - North Avoca has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.4% in September 2025, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.1%.

As of September 2025, 8,365 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 66.6%, below Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Notably, 40.1% of residents worked from home according to Census responses. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training, with healthcare showing strong specialization at 1.4 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services had limited presence at 8.3%, compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.1% while labour force grew by 3.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% with a 0.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Terrigal - North Avoca's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Terrigal - North Avoca SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $58,288 and an average level of $86,969. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to levels of $60,817 and $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, 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 that 28.5% of residents (4,423 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, reflecting patterns seen in the metropolitan region where 30.9% similarly occupy this range. A substantial proportion of high earners, at 34.7%, indicates strong economic capacity throughout the suburb. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income, but 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

In Terrigal - North Avoca, as per the latest Census, 73.8% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 26.2% being semi-detached units, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Terrigal - North Avoca stood at 40.0%, with mortgaged properties at 37.0% and rented ones at 23.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in the area was $520, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Terrigal - North Avoca's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents 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 account for 75.1% of all households, including 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 is 2.6 people, which 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 exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 33.8% hold university qualifications compared to 20.8% in the SA4 region and 25.7% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 23.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 35.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas at 13.7% and certificates at 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

Terrigal - North Avoca has 113 active public transport stops. These are serviced by 45 bus routes, providing 652 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 176 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 40.1% of residents work from home, which 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 map accompanying this analysis shows the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Terrigal - North Avoca shows excellent health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence across all age groups. The area has a high rate of private health cover at approximately 63% of its total population of 9,825 people, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (7.8%) and asthma (6.8%), while 71.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney.

Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.6% (3,512 people) than Greater Sydney's 15.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are strong and align with national rankings.

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, as per data from the 2016 Census, showed lower cultural diversity with 78.6% of residents born in Australia, 89.2% being Australian citizens, and 92.5% speaking English at home only. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 53.9%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In ancestry, the top groups were English (31.9%), Australian (25.9%), and Irish (9.8%), all higher than regional averages of 19.0%, 17.8% respectively. Notably, Welsh (0.8%) South African (0.8%) and New Zealand (0.9%) groups were also overrepresented compared to regional figures of 0.4%, 0.5%, and 0.5% respectively.

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

The median age in Terrigal - North Avoca is 43 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 65-74 years make up a substantial portion (12.3%) of the population, while those aged 25-34 years are comparatively smaller at 8.5%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of individuals aged 75-84 has increased from 6.5% to 7.9%, and those aged 15-24 have risen from 11.6% to 12.7%. Conversely, the proportion of individuals aged 25-34 has decreased from 9.8% to 8.5%, and those aged 55-64 have dropped from 13.3% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Terrigal - North Avoca's age structure. The number of individuals aged 85 years and above is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 788 people (209%) from 377 to 1,166. Notably, the combined age groups of 65+ are expected to account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, individuals aged 35-44 and those aged 0-4 years are projected to experience population declines.