Tweed Heads
Statistical Area - sa2

Tweed Heads has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Tweed Heads' population is 21,595 as of November 2025. This shows an increase of 1,032 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 20,563. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 21,283 in June 2024 and additional validated addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 215 persons per square kilometer. Tweed Heads' 5.0% population growth since the 2021 Census exceeds its SA4 region (3.3%) and SA3 area, indicating it is a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.2% of recent population gains.

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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations apply to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on current demographic trends, Tweed Heads is expected to increase by approximately 8.0% by 2041, adding around 2,041 persons to its population.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Tweed Heads when compared nationally

Tweed Heads granted approval for approximately 54 residential properties annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25, a total of 270 homes were approved, with an additional 102 approved so far in FY26. Over these five financial years, an average of 3.9 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed.

The supply of new dwellings has been lagging behind demand, leading to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $225,000, which is below regional levels, offering more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY26, $28.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of NSW, Tweed Heads has 15.0% less new development per person and ranks at the 24th percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer options but strong demand for established dwellings. Recent construction comprises 42.0% detached dwellings and 58.0% attached dwellings, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers seeking affordable entry pathways into the market.

As of now, there are an estimated 672 people in the area per dwelling approval, reflecting a quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Tweed Heads will gain approximately 1,729 residents by 2041. Building activity is currently in line with population growth projections, though buyers may face increased competition as the population continues to grow.

Tweed Heads has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 85 potential impact projects. Key ones include Sceniq Bilambil Heights, Edify Australia Build-To-Rent Development, Enid Street Residential Towers, and Tweed Heads Social Housing Development. The following list details those likely to be 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.

The employment landscape in Tweed Heads presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.2%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Tweed Heads has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%.

As of June 2025, 9151 residents are employed and the unemployment rate is 0.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Tweed Heads lags at 49.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction stands out with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.1% of Tweed Heads's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as seen in Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.8%, with employment down 4.1%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tweed Heads's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.8%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's financial year 2022 data shows Tweed Heads' median assessed income was $44,521 and average income was $57,740. This is below the national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average) for Rest of NSW. Based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $50,135 (median) and $65,021 (average) in Tweed Heads. Census 2021 data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Tweed Heads fall between the 12th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 28.2% of locals (6,089 people) earn between $800 and $1,499 annually, differing from broader areas where the predominant income bracket is $1,500 to $2,999 at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Tweed Heads, with only 80.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 11th percentile nationally.

Tweed Heads displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Tweed Heads' dwelling structure at the latest Census showed 48.9% houses and 51.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Non-Metro NSW had 66.3% houses and 33.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tweed Heads was 41.8%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings were 28.4% and rented ones 29.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,872. Median weekly rent in Tweed Heads was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Tweed Heads' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $390 against the national figure of $375.

Tweed Heads features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 61.0% of all households, including 19.3% couples with children, 29.3% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.0%, with lone person households at 34.3% and group households comprising 4.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Tweed Heads aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area has lower university qualification rates at 20.7%, compared to the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.6% and certificates at 29.6%. Educational participation is high, with 25.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.2% in primary, 6.5% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education. Tweed Heads has 4 schools with a combined enrollment of 993 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1017). These schools focus on primary education only, with secondary options available nearby. School capacity is limited locally at 4.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.3, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note that 'n/a' in school enrolments refers to parent campus data.

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

The analysis of public transport in Tweed Heads shows that there are currently 152 operational transport stops. These stops offer a variety of bus services, with a total of 65 different routes operating weekly. The combined passenger trips across these routes amount to 2,351 each week.

The accessibility of transport is considered excellent, with residents on average being located just 184 metres from the nearest stop. On average, there are 335 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Tweed Heads is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Tweed Heads faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Approximately 49% (~10,559 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (11.0%) and mental health problems (8.4%), with 62.7% claiming to be free from ailments, compared to 64.2% in Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 29.0% (6,256 people), compared to the Rest of NSW's 26.1%.

Tweed Heads ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Tweed Heads had a lower level of cultural diversity, with 84.5% being Australian citizens, 79.9% born in Australia, and 92.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 52.5% of Tweed Heads' population compared to 51.3% in the rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.1%), Australian (25.7%), and Irish (10.3%).

Notably, Maori representation was higher at 0.7% compared to 0.5% regionally, Scottish was slightly lower at 8.5% vs 8.7%, and New Zealand representation was also slightly higher at 0.8% vs 0.7%.

Tweed Heads hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Tweed Heads' median age is 48 years, which is older than Rest of NSW's 43 years and significantly higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent at 14.7%, while the 5-14 age group is smaller at 8.9% compared to Rest of NSW. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35-44 age group has grown from 11.1% to 12.6%, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 12.3%. Demographic modeling suggests Tweed Heads' age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the 85+ age group projected to expand considerably by 483 people (55%), from 872 to 1,356. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.