Ulladulla
Statistical Area - sa2

Ulladulla lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Ulladulla's population is approximately 17,562 as of August 2025. This represents an increase of 536 people, a 3.1% rise from the 2021 Census figure of 17,026. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 17,443 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 375 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Ulladulla has shown resilience with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outperforming its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed approximately 64.9% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a 2022 base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Ulladulla is projected to increase by 5,337 persons, reflecting a total rise of 29.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Ulladulla among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Ulladulla has seen approximately 140 new home approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 702 homes. As of FY-26, 31 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built each year between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $672,000, reflecting a focus on premium segment developments.

In FY-26, commercial development approvals reached $32.6 million, demonstrating high local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Ulladulla records elevated construction levels, 20.0% above the regional average per person over five years, maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. New developments consist of 62.0% detached dwellings and 38.0% attached dwellings, offering a mix of housing options across price brackets.

This shows a shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (87.0%). Ulladulla has around 236 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a low-density area. By 2041, Ulladulla is projected to grow by 5,210 residents. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

Ulladulla has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

AreaSearch has identified 17 infrastructure projects that could impact the area's performance. Key projects include Ulladulla Harbour Masterplan, Milton Ulladulla Bypass, 131 St Vincent Street Mixed-Use Precinct, and Ulladulla Public School Upgrade. 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Ulladulla well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Ulladulla has a skilled workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.2% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.2% over the past year.

In Ulladulla, 6890 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 47.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents comprised construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. The area had a particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food services, with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 2.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population. In Ulladulla, employment increased by 3.2% over a 12-month period while the labour force grew by 2.5%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.6 percentage points. Conversely, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% with labour force growth of 0.3% and a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national employment expansion at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Ulladulla's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.1% over ten years.

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

Ulladulla's median income among taxpayers was $40,667 in financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $54,433 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of NSW's median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates suggest Ulladulla's median income will be approximately $45,795 and the average income around $61,297, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census figures reveal that household, family, and personal incomes in Ulladulla fall between the 11th and 13th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 27.6% of Ulladulla's community earns between $1,500 and $2,999, with 4,847 individuals falling into this category. This is consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region, where 29.9% of individuals earn within the same bracket. After housing costs, 84.9% of income remains in Ulladulla, ranking at only the 13th percentile nationally.

Ulladulla is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Ulladulla's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.7% houses and 13.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Ulladulla stood at 51.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.2% and rented ones at 22.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Ulladulla was $351, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, Ulladulla's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,647 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also less at $351 compared to the national figure of $375.

Ulladulla has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 68.8 percent of all households, including 20.9 percent couples with children, 36.0 percent couples without children, and 11.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 31.2 percent, with lone person households at 28.8 percent and group households making up 2.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

Educational outcomes in Ulladulla fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 19.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.5%) and certificates (31.1%).

A substantial 23.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.8% in primary, 7.4% in secondary, and 2.0% in tertiary education. Ulladulla's five schools have a combined enrollment of 2,818 students, demonstrating typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 991) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes three primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (16.1 places per 100 residents vs 12.8 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Ulladulla has 211 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 31 different routes that together offer 465 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically living 207 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 66 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Ulladulla faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 47%, covering around 8,289 people, compared to 49.3% across the Rest of NSW, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (13.6%) and mental health problems (8.6%).

Approximately 60.3% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the 59.4% in the Rest of NSW. Ulladulla has a larger proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 31.7%, or around 5,570 people, compared to the Rest of NSW's 27.8%.

Ulladulla is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Ulladulla's population showed lower cultural diversity, with 86.2% born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 53.0%, similar to Rest of NSW at 52.6%. The top three ancestral groups were English (32.9%), Australian (29.1%), and Irish (9.3%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was slightly higher in Ulladulla at 8.8% compared to the regional average of 8.1%. Maltese and Welsh ancestries were also notably present at 0.6% each, matching their respective regional averages.

Ulladulla ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Ulladulla's median age is 51 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in Ulladulla at 17.2%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.3%. This 65-74 concentration is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has grown from 10.1% to 11.4% of Ulladulla's population, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 15.3% to 13.2%. By 2041, Ulladulla is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 45-54 group projected to grow by 44%, reaching 2,697 people from a previous total of 1,875.