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

As of May 2026, Terrigal - North Avoca's population is approximately 15,646. This figure represents a growth of 797 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,849. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,631 in June 2025 and an additional 49 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,492 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Terrigal - North Avoca's growth rate of 5.4% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.6%) and SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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 demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, an above median population growth is projected for Terrigal - North Avoca, with an expected increase of 3,225 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 20.5% over the 16 years.

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

Terrigal - North Avoca saw approximately 46 new home approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 231 homes. As of FY-26, 25 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.9 new residents were associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates a significant gap between supply and demand, potentially leading to heightened competition among buyers and pricing pressures.

The average construction value of new homes was $477,000, suggesting a focus on premium properties by developers. In this financial year, $3.3 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the residential character of the area. Compared to Greater Sydney, Terrigal - North Avoca has 19.0% lower construction activity per person and ranks at the 47th percentile nationally, indicating limited buyer options but strong demand for established properties. Recent construction comprises 42.0% standalone homes and 58.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 74.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. The location has approximately 555 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market.

Population forecasts estimate Terrigal - North Avoca will gain 3,210 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Terrigal - North Avoca has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 20 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Wamberal Beach Coastal Protection Works, Central Coast Highway Upgrade from Wamberal to Bateau Bay, Central Coast Highway and Tumbi Road Intersection Upgrade, and Wamberal Community Park Upgrade. The following details 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.

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

Terrigal - North Avoca has a well-educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate is 1.3% and there was an estimated employment growth of 3.5% in the past year up to December 2025. As of this date, 8,430 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation is at 66.0%, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 68.8%. According to Census responses, 40.1% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Health care & social assistance has a particularly strong presence with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while professional & technical services have limited representation at 8.3% compared to the regional average of 11.5%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 3.5%, while labour force increased by 3.7%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Terrigal - North Avoca. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, although these are simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows 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 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $64,303 (median) and $95,944 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Terrigal - North Avoca cluster around the 72nd percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 28.5% of residents (4,459 people), 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

The dwelling structure in Terrigal - North Avoca, as per the latest Census, consisted of 73.8% houses and 26.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Terrigal - North Avoca stood at 40.0%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (37.0%) or rented (23.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $520, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Terrigal - North Avoca's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 24.9%, with lone person households at 21.8% and group households making up 3.1%. 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 is higher than broader benchmarks. 33.8% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 20.8% in the SA4 region and 25.7% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are the 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 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 served by 45 bus routes, offering a total of 652 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy 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%. The average vehicle ownership is 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. On average, there are 93 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanies this analysis, displaying 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's health outcomes show exceptional results according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is notably high, at approximately 63% of the total population (9,903 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%. Arthritis and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.8% and 6.8% of residents respectively. A significant 71.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Working-age residents exhibit low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.0% (3,597 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. 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, in its population data from the 2016 Census, showed a cultural diversity below average. It had 78.6% of its residents born in Australia, with 89.2% being Australian citizens and 92.5% speaking English at home exclusively. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 53.9%.

However, Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.2%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.9%), Australian (25.9%), and Irish (9.8%). These figures were substantially higher than the regional averages of 19.0%, 17.8%, and 6.4% respectively. Notably, Welsh (0.8%) was overrepresented compared to the regional average of 0.4%. Similarly, South Australian (0.8%) and New Zealand (0.9%) ancestry were also higher than their respective regional averages of 0.5%.

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

The median age in Terrigal - North Avoca is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 12.3% of the population, while those aged 25-34 comprise only 8.8%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of those aged 75 to 84 has increased from 6.5% to 8.2%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has risen from 11.6% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 13.3% to 12.2%, and the 25 to 34 group has fallen from 9.8% to 8.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate that the 45 to 54 age cohort will increase significantly, with an addition of 715 people (a 32% rise) from 2,210 to 2,926. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 50% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 cohort is projected to decline by 18 people.