Urunga
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Urunga's population is around 4,969 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 62 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,907 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,942 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 60 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 45 persons per square kilometer. Urunga's growth rate of 1.3% since census positions it within 2.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.8%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 63.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as 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 are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of non-metropolitan areas nationally is anticipated. The area is expected to grow by 241 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 4.3% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Urunga according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Urunga has seen approximately 12 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 61 homes over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25, and six approvals so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built has resulted in an average of 2.3 new residents per year over these five years, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $491,000.

This financial year has seen commercial approvals valued at $490,000, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Urunga has around half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and places among the 54th percentile nationally for building activity, though recent years have seen acceleration in development. This lower level may reflect market maturity and potential development constraints. Recent development has been entirely standalone homes, maintaining Urunga's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

Interestingly, developers are constructing more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (84.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes. The location has approximately 290 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections show Urunga adding 214 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Urunga has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified two projects that are expected to impact this area. Notable projects include Sewering Coastal Villages Project, Urunga Boardwalk Replacement, Waterfall Way Corridor Strategy, and Pacific Highway Upgrade: Hexham To Brisbane. The following list highlights those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis reveals Urunga recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Urunga's workforce is skilled with strong representation in essential services. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.6% over the past year.

As of that date, 1,983 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Urunga was at 48.0%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, education & training has a high concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 3.0% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as shown by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 1.6% while labour force grew by 3.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and an increase in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data for NSW up to Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth was 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Urunga's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Urunga's median taxpayer income was $43,117 and average income was $53,205 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is lower than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. As of March 2025, current estimates suggest Urunga's median income would be approximately $47,687 and average income around $58,845, based on a 10.6% growth in Wage Price Index since the financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Urunga all falling between the 12th and 12th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 27.3% of Urunga's community earns between $800 - $1,499 (1,356 individuals), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Urunga, with only 84.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally.

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

Urunga's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Urunga stood at 49.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.7% and rented ones at 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,680, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Urunga was $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Urunga's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Urunga features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 66.9% of all households, including 20.0% couples with children, 33.9% couples without children, and 12.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for 33.1%, with lone person households at 29.4% and group households comprising 4.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 21.3%, 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 common at 14.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 10.3% and certificates for 31.4%.

A substantial 24.9% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.5% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education. The area has three schools with a combined enrollment of 282 students, offering balanced educational opportunities typical of Australian schools (ICSEA: 1017). These schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby due to limited local school capacity (5.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.7), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Urunga has 76 operational public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus services. There are 43 distinct routes that collectively facilitate 594 weekly passenger trips. Residential accessibility to these stops is rated good, with residents typically situated 228 meters from the nearest stop.

The average service frequency across all routes is 84 trips per day, translating to approximately 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Urunga faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data. Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is low, with approximately 47% of Urunga's total population (~2,320 people) having it, compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (9.4%). However, 60.6% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 63.9%. Urunga has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 32.5% (1,615 people), compared to the Rest of NSW's 23.9%.

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

Urunga's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.0% of its population being citizens and 89.5% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 97.1%. Christianity was the predominant religion at 50.0%, compared to 47.5% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.9%), Australian (30.8%), and Irish (10.4%). Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented at 9.4% in Urunga versus 8.3% regionally, while Australian Aboriginal was slightly underrepresented at 3.3% compared to 4.0%. French ancestry had equal representation at 0.5%.

Urunga ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Urunga's median age is 53, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Urunga has a higher concentration of 65-74 residents at 19.0%, but fewer 25-34 year-olds at 6.5%. This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 8.9% to 11.1%, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 17.8% to 19.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.8% to 10.8%, and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 8.1% to 6.5%. By 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Urunga's age structure. The 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 28%, reaching 625 from 487. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 64% of this growth. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.