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 approximately 4,969 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 62 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,907. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,942 in June 2024 and an additional 60 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 45 persons per square kilometer. Urunga's growth rate of 1.3% since the census is within 2.5 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 63.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, AreaSearch utilizes NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, national non-metropolitan areas are expected to have lower quartile growth. Urunga is anticipated to grow by 241 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 4.3% 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 11 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 57 homes were approved, with another 7 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 2.3 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these years, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $491,000. This year, $490,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Urunga has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks around the 54th percentile among assessed areas, though building activity has increased recently.

This lower level may indicate market maturity and potential development constraints. Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, maintaining Urunga's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. Interestingly, developers are building 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, suggesting a low density market. Future projections show Urunga adding around 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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence performance. AreaSearch identified two relevant projects impacting the area. Key projects are Sewering Coastal Villages Project, Urunga Boardwalk Replacement, Waterfall Way Corridor Strategy, and Pacific Highway Upgrade: Hexham To Brisbane. The following list details those 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 has a skilled workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.6% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.6%. As of June 2025, 1,983 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Urunga was 48.0%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

Education & training has notably high concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 3.0% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 1.6%, while labour force grew by 3.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Urunga's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages. The Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 during the same period. By March 2025, estimated median income in Urunga would be approximately $47,687 and average income $58,845, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Urunga were between the 12th and 12th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicated that 27.3% of Urunga's community earned $800 - $1,499 (1,356 individuals), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were 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 dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 84.3% houses and 15.7% 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, lower than 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 below 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 the remaining 33.1%, with lone person households at 29.4% and group households comprising 4.0%. 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%. 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, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (31.4%). A total of 24.9% of the population is actively pursuing education, with 9.5% in primary, 6.9% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary levels.

The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 282 students and offer balanced educational opportunities, typical of Australian schools (ICSEA: 1017). These three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited at 5.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.6, 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 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 43 different routes that together facilitate 594 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average located 228 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 84 trips per day, which equates 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

Health data indicates significant challenges for Urunga, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is notably low at approximately 47% of the total population (~2,320 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 11.6 and 9.4% of residents respectively. Conversely, 60.6% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 63.9% across Rest of NSW. 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 showed below-average cultural diversity, with 91.0% citizens, 89.5% born in Australia, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 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 representation was higher at 9.4% than the regional average of 8.3%. Australian Aboriginal representation was lower at 3.3%, compared to 4.0% regionally. French representation was equal to the regional average at 0.5%.

Urunga ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Urunga's median age is 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, Urunga has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (19.0%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.5%). This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 8.9% to 11.1%, while the 65 to 74 cohort has increased from 17.8% to 19.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 12.8% to 10.8%, and the 25 to 34 group has dropped from 8.1% to 6.5%. Looking ahead to 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. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 64% of the projected growth. Conversely, both the 45 to 54 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.