Brunswick Heads

Population growth drivers in Brunswick Heads are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Brunswick Heads is around 2,162. This reflects an increase of 257 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,905 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,094 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 151 persons per square kilometer. Brunswick Heads's growth rate of 13.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.1%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

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. Looking ahead, an above median population growth is projected for the suburb of Brunswick Heads, expected to expand by 404 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 15.5% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Brunswick Heads when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Brunswick Heads had approximately 17 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 89 homes. As of FY26, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents per year arrived per new home between FY21 and FY25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. The average development value was $591,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market segment for higher-end properties.

In FY26, there have been $786,000 in commercial approvals, predominantly residential. Compared to Rest of NSW, Brunswick Heads exhibits 54.0% higher development activity per person. Recent construction comprises 71.0% detached dwellings and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low density character with a focus on family homes. With approximately 117 people per approval, Brunswick Heads reflects a developing area.

Population forecasts indicate an increase of 336 residents by 2041, based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth.

Brunswick Heads has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to impact the region: Bayside Brunswick Heads (Wallum). Other key projects include Gulgan Village and Byron Shire Residential Strategy 2041, as well as Queensland Energy Roadmap 2025. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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While Brunswick Heads retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.7%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Brunswick Heads has a well-educated workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.7% as of December 2025, which is 0.3% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was somewhat below standard at 56.4%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%.

According to Census responses, 26.0% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries among residents comprised health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area showed strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level, while public administration & safety had lower representation at 3.5% versus the regional average of 7.5%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data.

During the year to December 2025, the labour force remained stable by 0.0%, alongside a 0.1% employment decline, keeping unemployment relatively stable compared to Regional NSW where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggested that national employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Brunswick Heads's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Brunswick Heads had a median income among taxpayers of $40,949. The average income was $57,517. Both figures were lower than the national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively for Regional NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates project median income to be approximately $44,577 and average income to be around $62,613 as of September 2025. In the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 34th percentile ($732 weekly), while household income was at the 18th percentile. Income distribution showed that 29.8% of the population (644 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, aligning with the regional figure of 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 79.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 15th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

Brunswick Heads displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Brunswick Heads, as per the latest Census evaluation, 60.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 39.5% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This is in contrast to Regional NSW's dwelling structure, which was 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Brunswick Heads stood at 41.2%, similar to Regional NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings made up 18.4%, while rented dwellings accounted for 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,001, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Brunswick Heads was recorded at $440, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Brunswick Heads' median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,001 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 55.3% of all households, including 17.6% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 44.7%, consisting of 36.8% lone person households and 7.8% group households. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate stands at 30.6%, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region's rate of 24.3%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 35.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 12.3% and certificates at 23.3%.

A total of 24.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 7.4% in primary, 6.3% in secondary, and 3.2% in tertiary education.

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

Brunswick Heads has 20 active public transport stops, serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are served by 36 individual routes, offering 345 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is considered good, with residents typically residing 233 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 87%, followed by walking at 8% and cycling at 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 26.0% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 49 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 17 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Brunswick Heads is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Brunswick Heads shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and elderly populations exhibit low incidence of common health issues. Approximately 50% (~1,074 people) have private health insurance, lower than Regional NSW's 51.9%, but higher than the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (8.7%) and mental health concerns (7.7%), with 68.7% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes for working-age residents are generally unremarkable. As of 2021, 23.7% (~512 people) are aged 65 and over. Seniors' health outcomes rank exceptionally well nationally.

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

Brunswick Heads, as per the census on 27 June 2016, showed lower cultural diversity with 86.5% of its population being Australian citizens and 81.6% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 93.8%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 35.5%.

Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.7%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%. The top ancestry groups were English (31.4%), Australian (23.9%), and Irish (12.8%). Notably, French (1.3%) and New Zealand (0.9%) ancestry were overrepresented, while Scottish (8.7%) was slightly higher than the regional average of 8.0%.

Brunswick Heads hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Brunswick Heads has a median age of 46, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and significantly greater than the national average of 38. The age group of 35-44 years shows strong representation at 15.1%, compared to Regional NSW, while the 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 7.7%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 12.5% to 15.1% of the population, and the 25 to 34 cohort has risen from 11.5% to 12.9%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 age group has decreased from 15.9% to 13.6%. By 2041, Brunswick Heads is projected to experience notable shifts in its age composition, with the 35 to 44 age group expected to grow by 24%, reaching 404 people from 326. Meanwhile, the 55 to 64 cohort is projected to decline by 8 people.