Batemans Bay

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the population of Batemans Bay is estimated at around 1,744 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 171 people (10.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,573 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,739 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 90 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 52 persons per square kilometer. Batemans Bay's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.6%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 69.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for national non-metropolitan areas, with Batemans Bay expected to increase by 367 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 20.8% in total over the 16 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Batemans Bay has experienced around 28 dwellings receiving development approval per year over the past five financial years ending June 2025. This totals an estimated 140 homes. As of July 2026, 17 approvals have been recorded in this financial year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, there has been an average of 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed.

New construction is matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average value of new properties being constructed is $634,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $35.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Batemans Bay has 220.0% more new home approvals per person, creating greater choice for buyers. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods.

This is substantially higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity shows 69.0% detached dwellings and 31.0% attached dwellings, featuring an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges. New construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (40.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. With around 181 people per dwelling approval, Batemans Bay shows characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts indicate Batemans Bay will gain 362 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Batemans Bay has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 49thth percentile nationally

Eight projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. These include Batemans Bay Community Health Facility, Batemans Bay Dredging, Clyde Street Mixed Use Tourist, Residential & Retail Development at 3 Clyde Street, and Beach Road Residential Development at 24 Beach Road. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The labour market performance in Batemans Bay lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Batemans Bay has a balanced workforce that includes both white and blue collar jobs. Tourism and hospitality sectors are prominent in the area. The unemployment rate is 6.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the past year.

As of December 2025, there are 714 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 2.4% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Batemans Bay lags behind Regional NSW at 48.5% compared to 60.5%. According to Census responses, only 6.2% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries among residents are accommodation & food, retail trade, and health care & social assistance.

The area has a notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 2.7 times the regional average. However, education & training is under-represented, with only 3.4% of Batemans Bay's workforce compared to 9.6% in Regional NSW. There are 1.5 workers for every resident, indicating that the area functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, while labour force increased by 0.3%, resulting in a decrease of unemployment by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force contract by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Batemans Bay's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 30, 2023 shows that income in Batemans Bay is below the national average. The median income was $36,751 and the average income stood at $45,635. This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year ended June 30, 2023, current estimates would be approximately $40,544 (median) and $50,345 (average) as of March 2026. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Batemans Bay all fall between the 0th and 6th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 38.9% earning $400 - $799 weekly (678 residents), differing from patterns across the metropolitan region where $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 29.9%. Lower income households are notably prevalent, with 51.4% earning below $800 weekly, indicating affordability pressures for many residents. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 75.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 2nd percentile nationally.

Batemans Bay features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Batemans Bay's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 40.4% houses and 59.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Batemans Bay stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 9.0% and rented ones at 57.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Batemans Bay was recorded as $285, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Batemans Bay's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Batemans Bay features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 42.8% of all households, including 8.5% that are couples with children, 21.9% that are couples without children, and 10.7% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 57.2%, with lone person households at 52.0% and group households comprising 5.2% of the total. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Batemans Bay exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 11.2%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.2%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.6%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (29.9%). Education pursuit is active among 21.3% of the population, with 7.3% in primary education, 4.2% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

A substantial 21.3% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.3% in primary education, 4.2% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Batemans Bay has 28 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 36 different routes that collectively facilitate 566 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 183 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 82% of residents, while 14% walk. On average, there are 0.7 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 6.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 80 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Batemans Bay faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment conducted on 07/06/2021. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were notably high across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover was found to be extremely low, with approximately 45% of the total population (~786 people) having it, compared to Regional NSW's 51.9%.

Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%. Arthritis and mental health issues were the most common medical conditions in Batemans Bay, affecting 13.3 and 11.0% of residents respectively, as of 07/06/2021. Conversely, 54.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Working-age population health challenges were notable due to elevated chronic condition rates. As of 07/06/2021, Batemans Bay had 33.9% of its residents aged 65 and over (591 people), higher than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors presented additional challenges, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Batemans Bay ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Batemans Bay's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.6% of its population being Australian citizens, 81.5% born in Australia, and 92.6% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Batemans Bay is Christianity, accounting for 55.4% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups are English (31.7%), Australian (29.5%), and Irish (9.8%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation is higher in Batemans Bay at 6.9%, compared to 4.6% regionally. Croatian and Maltese populations also diverge from regional averages, with 0.6% and 0.5% respectively in Batemans Bay, versus 0.3% and 0.4% regionally.

Batemans Bay ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Batemans Bay has a median age of 53, which is considerably higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Relative to Regional NSW, Batemans Bay has a higher concentration of residents aged 75-84 at 14.0%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 6.4%. This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is well above the national figure of 6.1%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 8.4% to 10.1%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 7.2% to 8.5%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 7.0% to 6.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Batemans Bay's age structure. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 76%, adding 54 people and reaching a total of 126 from the current figure of 71. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort grows by a modest 2%, with an increase of just 2 people.