Crescent Head

Crescent Head has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

The estimated population of the suburb of Crescent Head is around 1,689 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 56 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,633 people. The change was inferred from the resident population of 1,633 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 15 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 9.3 persons per square kilometer. Crescent Head's growth rate of 3.4% since census positions it within 1.8 percentage points of the SA3 area, demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 53.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, Crescent Head is expected to grow by 194 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 8.2% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Crescent Head had an average of two dwelling approvals per year between 2016 and 2020. This resulted in a total of 13 dwellings over the five-year period. The low development activity reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs drive development rather than market demand.

The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics. Crescent Head has much lower development activity compared to the rest of NSW and national averages. Recent development has been exclusively detached houses, maintaining the rural character with emphasis on space. Interestingly, 82% of dwellings at Census were not traditional houses, but recent developments indicate strong demand for family homes despite density pressures.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 660 people, reflecting Crescent Head's quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Crescent Head is expected to grow by 138 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

No infrastructure changes will influence an area's performance more than local adjustments. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that may impact this region. Key initiatives include Verge and Eden Streets Sporting Complex, Central Kempsey Wastewater Treatment Plant, Kempsey Regional Saleyards Infrastructure Upgrade, 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.

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.

Employment performance in Crescent Head has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Crescent Head has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 4.3%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025772 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.4% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation is lower at 57.7%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. A moderate 15.9% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment is concentrated in education & training, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Crescent Head specializes in education & training with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 14.5% versus the regional average of 16.9%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, labour force decreased by 1.3% and employment declined by 1.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Crescent Head's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Crescent Head had an income level below the national average based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Crescent Head was $48,723 and the average income stood at $57,146. These figures compared to Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $53,040 and the average income around $62,209, factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year ended June 2023. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from 2021, incomes in Crescent Head fell between the 21st and 23rd percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The largest income bracket comprised 29.0% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 489 residents falling into this category, aligning with the broader area where this cohort represented 29.9%. Housing costs were modest, allowing for retention of 87.7% of income. However, total disposable income ranked at just the 26th percentile nationally, and the suburb's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Crescent Head, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.3% houses and 17.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is similar to Regional NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Crescent Head stood at 52.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.7% and rented dwellings at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,591, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Crescent Head was $320, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Crescent Head's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.5% of all households, including 21.1% couples with children, 30.5% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.5%, with lone person households at 31.9% and group households comprising 4.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 24.4% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 14.8%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.2% and certificates at 32.7%.

A significant 24.4% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 9.0% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Crescent Head has nine operational public transport stops, all of which offer bus services. These stops are served by eight different routes that collectively facilitate 62 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents typically residing 358 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward, primarily using cars (92%), with walking accounting for 8% of journeys. On average, each dwelling owns 1.5 vehicles. According to the 2021 Census, 15.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages eight trips per day, resulting in approximately six weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Crescent Head shows better-than-average health outcomes, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence data. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 50% of the total population (around 837 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.8 and 8.2% of residents respectively. About 67.1% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than the 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among working-age individuals are generally typical. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.3% (477 people), compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Senior health outcomes rank particularly high, even better than the general population nationally.

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

Crescent Head's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 90.4% of its population being citizens, 88.1% born in Australia, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Crescent Head, comprising 46.1% of people. However, Buddhism was overrepresented at 1.3%, compared to 0.9% across Regional NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (33.9%), Australian (29.3%), and Irish (9.4%). There were notable divergences in the representation of French (0.8% vs 0.4%), Australian Aboriginal (5.7% vs 4.6%), and Maltese (0.7% vs 0.4%) ethnic groups.

Crescent Head ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Crescent Head's median age is 49, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Regional NSW average, Crescent Head has an over-representation of the 65-74 age group (18.1% locally), while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented (9.9%). This 65-74 concentration is higher than the national figure of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.5% to 8.6%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 7.7% to 9.7%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 18.8% to 16.4%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.0% to 11.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Crescent Head's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow by 55 people (38%), from 145 to 201, while population declines are projected for the 15 to 24 and 55 to 64 cohorts.