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 is approximately 8,584 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 161 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,423. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,588 in June 2024 and an additional 143 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,014 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Tweed Heads South's growth rate of 1.9% since the census is within 1.3 percentage points of the SA4 region (3.2%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest population numbers, Tweed Heads South is expected to increase by approximately 562 persons by 2041, recording a total gain of 6.4% over the 17-year period.

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 recorded approximately 31 residential property approvals annually. Development approval data from the ABS covers a financial year basis, showing 158 homes approved over the past five years between FY20 and FY25, with three approvals so far in FY26. On average, about 1.2 new residents have arrived per new home each year over these five years. However, this figure has increased to 13.2 people per dwelling over the last two financial years, suggesting growing demand for housing and tightening supply. The average construction cost value of new homes is $735,000, indicating a focus on premium market developments.

This year alone, there have been $50.4 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Tweed Heads South has demonstrated moderately higher development activity, with 25% above the regional average per person over the past five years. Recent construction comprises 81% detached dwellings and 19% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes.

However, developers are constructing more detached housing than previously indicated by Census data (51%), reflecting strong demand for family homes. The location has approximately 1564 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Population forecasts suggest Tweed Heads South will gain 552 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Enid Street Residential Towers (13-19), 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 diverse workforce with equal representation of white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well-represented, and the unemployment rate is 4.5%.

As of June 2025, 3,067 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is 0.8% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Tweed Heads South is lower at 42.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The key industries employing residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food services, and retail trade. Accommodation & food services particularly dominate with an employment share 1.8 times higher than the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating above-average local employment opportunities. Between Jun-24 and Jun-25, the labour force decreased by 4.8% while employment fell by 4.1%, reducing unemployment by 0.7 percentage points. Meanwhile, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-wide, NSW's employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) by Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, and employment grew by 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia projects national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tweed Heads South's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

Tweed Heads South's median taxpayer income was $40,932, and average income was $50,906 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average of $58,177 (median) and $75,341 (average). As of March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $45,271, and average income would be around $56,302, based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census shows that incomes in Tweed Heads South fall between the 2nd and 7th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Incomes of $400-$799 per week dominate, with 33.0% of residents (2,832 people), unlike regional levels where incomes of $1,500-$2,999 lead at 29.9%. This concentration highlights economic challenges faced by a significant portion of the community. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

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

In Tweed Heads South, as recorded in the latest Census, houses constituted 50.7% of dwellings while other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others made up 49.3%. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had a higher proportion of houses at 66.3%, with other dwellings accounting for 33.8%. Home ownership in Tweed Heads South stood at 47.5%, with mortgaged properties at 21.9% and rented ones at 30.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,872. The median weekly rent in the area was $390, compared to Non-Metro NSW's figure of $400. Nationally, Tweed Heads South's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $390 compared to 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 account for 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 comprise the remaining 42.4%, with lone person households at 37.9% and group households making up 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 faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 13.6%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (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. There are eight schools operating within Tweed Heads South, educating approximately 1,654 students. The educational mix includes three primary, three secondary, and two K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (19.3 places per 100 residents vs 14.3 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Tweed Heads South has 62 active public transport stops, all providing bus services. These stops are served by 58 unique routes, offering a total of 1,431 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 186 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 204 trips per day across all routes, translating to about 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. The private health cover rate is notably low at approximately 46%, covering around 3,982 people, compared to 49.3% across the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. Arthritis and mental health issues are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 13.6 and 9.5% of residents respectively, while 54.0% report having no medical ailments, compared to 64.2% in the rest of NSW.

The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 33.5%, or approximately 2,876 people, compared to 26.1% in the rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes align broadly with those of the general population.

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 had a cultural diversity profile roughly matching the wider region's average. Its population was composed of 87.1% citizens, with 78.9% born in Australia, and 92.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Tweed Heads South, with 57.8%, compared to 51.3% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.4%), Australian (26.6%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 4.7% in Tweed Heads South than the regional average of 3.0%. New Zealanders made up 0.9%, slightly more than the region's 0.7%, with Maori representation also higher at 0.7% compared to the regional 0.5%.

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

Tweed Heads South has a median age of 53, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Tweed Heads South has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84 (12.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.1%). The concentration of residents aged 75-84 is significantly above the national figure of 6.0%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the median age in Tweed Heads South decreased by one year from 54 to 53, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 increased from 9.2% to 10.9%, while those aged 0-4 rose from 4.0% to 5.3%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 65-74 decreased from 15.6% to 14.0%, and those aged 75-84 dropped from 14.0% to 12.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Tweed Heads South's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents 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 a reduction in numbers.