Bega

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Bega is around 5,149. This figure reflects an increase of 136 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,013. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,013, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 139 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 165 persons per square kilometer. The suburb's 2.7% growth since census positions it within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.5%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 50.0% 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate a median increase just below national regional areas, with the suburb expected to expand by 461 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 7.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Bega recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Bega has recorded around 32 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 162 homes. So far in FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, on average, 0.8 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built.

New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average value of new homes being built is $496,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $20.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Bega shows moderately higher building activity, at 12.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period.

Recent construction comprises 51.0% detached dwellings and 49.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a growing mix of housing types to provide options across different price points. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 88.0% houses. The location has approximately 171 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts indicate Bega will gain 403 residents through to 2041, according to 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.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of three projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include the South Bega Urban Land Release Planning Proposal, the Bega Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, the Barrack Street Bega Redevelopment Project, and the Princes Highway Safety And Capacity project from Nowra, NSW to the Victorian border. The following list details those projects that are most likely to be 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.

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

Bega has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 4.5%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 2,249 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is 0.7% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation stands at 58.9%, below Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, only 8.5% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Notably, health care & social assistance employs 1.3 times the regional average.

However, education & training employs just 6.8% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 9.6%. There appears to be limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 5.2%, while employment declined by 5.1%, resulting in a fall of 0.1 percentage points in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5%, labour force fall by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bega's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Bega had a median income among taxpayers of $40,419. The average income stood at $49,511. This is below the national average. Rest of NSW had levels of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Bega would be approximately $44,000 (median) and $53,898 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Bega all fall between the 13th and 21st percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 28.7% of Bega's population falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range. This mirrors the region where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Bega, with only 83.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile.

Bega is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Bega's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consist of 88.3% houses and 11.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bega stands at 38.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.8% and rented ones at 33.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,408, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Bega is $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Bega's mortgage repayments are significantly lower at $1,408 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bega features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.7% of all households, including 22.2% couples with children, 26.9% couples without children, and 14.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 35.3%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households making up 3.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Bega shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 19.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 38.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (29.9%). Educational participation is high at 29.5%, comprising 12.1% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.1% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bega has 104 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are covered by 37 different routes that together facilitate 572 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated highly, with residents typically residing just 183 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most inhabitants commute outside Bega. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 87% of residents, while 10% opt to walk. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, only 8.5% of residents work from home, which might be attributed to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages out to 81 trips per day across all routes, translating to roughly five weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map illustrates the locations of the 100 nearest stops to Bega's central point.

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

Bega faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age groups have high prevalence of common health conditions. The private health cover rate is extremely low in Bega, at approximately 47% (around 2,398 people), compared to 51.9% across the Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 11.0% and 10.8% of residents respectively. However, 59.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across the Rest of NSW. Working-age population in Bega faces substantial health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 24.9% (1,282 people), than the Rest of NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors present additional challenges, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Bega's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.5% of its population being citizens, 90.3% born in Australia, and 95.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Bega, comprising 48.4% of people. While Judaism's representation is similar to Rest of NSW at 0.1%, notable overrepresentation occurs among Australian Aboriginal (4.8%), German (4.1%), and Dutch (1.2%) ethnic groups compared to regional averages of 4.6%, 3.1%, and 1.0% respectively.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Bega are Australian, comprising 33.2% of the population, English, comprising 30.7% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is notably overrepresented at 4.8% of Bega (vs 4.6% regionally), German at 4.1% (vs 3.1%) and Dutch at 1.2% (vs 1.0%).

Bega hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Bega has a median age of 43, matching the Rest of NSW figure and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile indicates that individuals aged 5-14 years make up 13.1% of the population, while those aged 55-64 years comprise 11.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 0 to 4 age group has increased from 5.6% to 6.6%, whereas the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 13.7% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Bega's age structure. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 37%, reaching 634 people from 463. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will contribute to 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.