Tweed Heads South
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Tweed Heads South reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Tweed Heads South's population was 8,423 as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, the population is around 8,584, an increase of 161 people (1.9%). This growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 8,588 in June 2024 and 143 validated new addresses since Aug 2021. The population density is 1,014 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Tweed Heads South's growth rate of 1.9% since the census is within 1.3 percentage points of its SA4 region (3.2%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch projects future population trends using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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 population numbers, Tweed Heads South is expected to increase by 562 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 6.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Tweed Heads South, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Tweed Heads South has granted approximately 33 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 165 homes were approved, with a further 6 granted so far in FY26. On average, about 1.2 new residents arrived per newly built home each year during these five years. Recently, this rate has increased to 13.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating growing demand and tightening supply.

The average value of new homes being constructed is around $735,000, suggesting developers are focusing on the premium market. This financial year alone, $50.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of NSW, Tweed Heads South has seen slightly more development activity, with 27.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

The majority of recent construction comprises detached dwellings at 81.0%, maintaining the area's suburban identity and appealing to buyers seeking space for families. Notably, developers are constructing a higher proportion of detached housing than the existing pattern implies (51.0% at Census), indicating persistent strong demand for family homes. The location has approximately 1564 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established market. Future projections estimate Tweed Heads South will add around 552 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Tweed Heads South has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 18 projects likely to impact the area, with significant changes possible due to local infrastructure developments. Key projects include Enid Street Residential Towers (13-19 Enid Street), Tweed Heads South Supported Accommodation, Terranora Creek Foreshore Rehabilitation, and Rivendell Drive Warehouse and Light Industry Development. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The labour market performance in Tweed Heads South lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Tweed Heads South has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the area, with an unemployment rate of 4.5% as of June 2025.

There are 3,067 residents employed, which is 0.8% above the Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%. The workforce participation rate in Tweed Heads South is significantly lower at 42.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, accommodation & food services, and retail trade. Accommodation & food services is particularly prominent, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 0.9% of Tweed Heads South's workforce compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW. The ratio of workers to residents at the Census indicates a higher than average level of local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 4.8% and employment decreased by 4.1%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. Meanwhile, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. 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%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years for Tweed Heads South, based on industry-specific projections applied to its employment mix.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Tweed Heads South had a median taxpayer income of $40,932 and an average income of $50,906 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below the national average for that year, with Rest of NSW reporting a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. By March 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Tweed Heads South would be approximately $45,271 and $56,302 respectively, based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. As of the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Tweed Heads South all fell between the 2nd and 7th percentiles nationally. Income analysis showed that the $400-$799 bracket dominated with 33.0% of residents (2,832 people), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500-$2,999 bracket led at 29.9%. The concentration of 42.3% in sub-$800 weekly brackets highlighted economic challenges facing a significant portion of the community. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 78.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile.

Tweed Heads South displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Tweed Heads South's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, had 50.7% houses and 49.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Non-Metro NSW had 66.3% houses and 33.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tweed Heads South was at 47.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.9% and rented ones at 30.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $1,872. Median weekly rent was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Tweed Heads South's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 57.6% of all households, including 15.4% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.4%, with lone person households making up 37.9% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Tweed Heads South faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has educational challenges with university qualification rates at 13.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.3% and graduate diplomas at 1.5%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 10.3% and certificates at 29.2%.

A substantial 23.0% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.7% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 3.0% in tertiary education. Eight schools operate within Tweed Heads South, educating approximately 1,654 students. The area has varied educational conditions with a mix of 3 primary, 3 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs at 19.3 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.3, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: for schools with 'n/a' enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Public transport analysis conducted in Tweed Heads South has identified 62 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 58 individual routes. Collectively, these routes facilitate 1,431 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically situated 186 meters away from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 204 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 23 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Tweed Heads South is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Tweed Heads South faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, or around 3,982 people, compared to 49.3% across the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (13.6%) and mental health issues (9.5%).

However, 54.0% report no medical ailments, lower than the 64.2% in the rest of NSW. Residents aged 65 and over make up 33.5%, or around 2,876 people, higher than the 26.1% in the rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes largely align with the general population's profile.

In terms of cultural diversity, Tweed Heads South records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Tweed Heads South's population was found to be approximately aligned with the broader area's average in terms of cultural diversity, with 87.1% being Australian citizens, 78.9% born in Australia, and 92.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Tweed Heads South, practiced by 57.8% of its population, compared to 51.3% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Tweed Heads South are English (32.4%), Australian (26.6%), and Irish (8.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal people are overrepresented at 4.7%, New Zealanders at 0.9%, and Maori at 0.7% compared to regional averages of 3.0%, 0.7%, and 0.5% respectively.

Tweed Heads South ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Tweed Heads South has a median age of 53, which is considerably higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Tweed Heads South has a higher concentration of residents aged 75-84 (12.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.1%). This 75-84 concentration is well above the national figure of 6.0%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the median age decreased by one year from 54 to 53, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Specifically, the population aged 35-44 grew from 9.2% to 10.9%, while the 0-4 cohort increased from 4.0% to 5.3%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort declined from 15.6% to 14.0%, and the 75-84 group dropped from 14.0% to 12.7%. Demographic modeling suggests that Tweed Heads South's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The population aged 25-34 is projected to grow steadily, increasing by 184 people (21%) from 861 to 1,046. Meanwhile, both the 65-74 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.