Culburra Beach

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of Culburra Beach is estimated at around 2,945 people. This reflects a decrease of 1 person since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,946 people. The current resident population estimate by AreaSearch is 2,930, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 29 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 220 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for Culburra Beach.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth is anticipated for regional areas like Culburra Beach, with projections indicating a population increase of 114 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 3.8% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Culburra Beach recorded around 22 residential properties granted approval per year. Approximately 110 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 17 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $629,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen $10.4 million in commercial approvals, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Culburra Beach maintains similar construction rates per person, consistent with broader area market balance.

New development consists of 75% standalone homes and 25% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 165 people per dwelling approval, confirming its low density market status. Looking ahead, Culburra Beach is expected to grow by 99 residents through to 2041, according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Culburra Beach has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified one major project expected to affect the region: West Culburra Development. Key projects include Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Transport Plan 2041, Sydney-Canberra Rail Connectivity And Capacity, and South Pacific Offshore Wind Project. Relevant details are listed below.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Culburra Beach significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Culburra Beach has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.9% in December 2025. Employment grew by 2.1% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of December 2025, 1,209 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.1% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Culburra Beach was significantly lower at 47.9%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, 18.2% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training.

Culburra Beach showed strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 0.8% compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 2.1% while labour force increased by 2.9%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.8 percentage points in Culburra Beach. 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 offered further insight into potential future demand within Culburra Beach. These projections estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Culburra Beach's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Culburra Beach had a median income among taxpayers of $47,354 and an average income of $59,691 in the financial year 2023, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures were lower than those for Regional NSW, which stood at $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average). By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,550 (median) and $64,980 (average). The 2021 Census showed that household, family, and personal incomes in Culburra Beach all fell between the 16th and 16th percentiles nationally. Income distribution revealed that the $800 - $1,499 bracket dominated with 27.3% of residents (803 people), contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 84.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 17th percentile.

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

In Culburra Beach, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 11.6% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is in contrast to Regional NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Culburra Beach stood at 48.6%, with mortgaged properties at 26.9% and rented dwellings at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,768, surpassing Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent in Culburra Beach was $350, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Culburra Beach's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 65.1% of all households, including 18.5% couples with children, 35.8% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 31.3% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Culburra Beach fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 19.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (31.8%).

School and university attendance encompasses 19.5% of the community, comprising 6.8% in primary education, 5.0% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Culburra Beach has 48 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 8 different routes that together facilitate 93 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 173 meters of the nearest stop. Most residents in this primarily residential area commute outward. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport, used by 94% of residents, while walking accounts for 4%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 18.2% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 13 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Culburra Beach faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age groups have high prevalence of common health conditions.

Only approximately 51% (~1,489 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 14.1% of residents) and mental health issues (9.5%). Conversely, 58.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age residents face substantial health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors (35.1%, or 1,033 people) than Regional NSW (23.4%). Senior health outcomes align with national rankings but present some challenges.

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

Culburra Beach had a cultural diversity score below average, with 87.7% of its population born in Australia, 94.1% being citizens, and 95.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Culburra Beach, accounting for 55.1% of the population. However, Judaism showed significant overrepresentation, comprising 0.4% compared to the regional average of 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.4%), Australian (30.2%), and Irish (9.4%). Notable differences existed in the representation of certain ethnicities: Hungarian was overrepresented at 0.4%, Maltese at 1.1%, and Australian Aboriginal at 4.2%.

Culburra Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Culburra Beach is 53, which is higher than the Regional NSW figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Regional NSW, Culburra Beach has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (17.3%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.8%). This 65-74 concentration is well above the national figure of 9.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 7.9% to 9.9%, while the 85+ cohort increased from 4.5% to 6.2%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort declined from 17.0% to 14.4%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 10.4% to 8.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Culburra Beach's age structure. The 75 to 84 group is projected to grow by 24%, reaching 422 from 341. Those aged 65 and above will comprise 61% of this growth. Conversely, both the 15 to 24 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.