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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Culburra Beach's population is estimated at around 2,968 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 22 people (0.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,946 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,957 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 222 persons per square kilometer. Culburra Beach's 0.7% growth since census positions it within 2.4 percentage points of the SA4 region (3.1%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, lower quartile growth of Australia's regional areas is anticipated. The suburb of Culburra Beach is expected to grow by 119 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 3.6% in total over the 16 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Culburra Beach granted around 22 residential property approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 110 homes were approved, with another 21 in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline, housing supply has been adequate relative to demand, maintaining a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost for new dwellings is $629,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. Commercial approvals this financial year total $10.4 million, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Culburra Beach's construction rates per person are similar to Rest of NSW, preserving market balance with the broader area.

New development consists of 75% standalone homes and 25% townhouses or apartments, maintaining low density and attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 167 people per dwelling approval. By 2041, Culburra Beach is projected to grow by 108 residents. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth exceeding 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 has identified one major project likely affecting 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. Below is a list of those 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.

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 2.1% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.6%. As of December 2025, there were 1,237 residents in work and the unemployment rate was 1.9% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation was 48.8%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. Eighteen point two percent of residents worked from home according to Census responses. Dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction was particularly strong with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 0.8% compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 2.6%, labour force by 3.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Culburra Beach's employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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 are lower than the Regional NSW averages of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. By March 2026, estimates based on a 10.32% Wage Price Index growth suggest median income will be approximately $52,241 and average income $65,851. The 2021 Census showed household, family and personal incomes in Culburra Beach all fell between the 16th percentile nationally. Income distribution revealed that 27.3% of residents (810 people) earned between $800 - $1,499, contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Culburra Beach, with only 84.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

Culburra Beach's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.4% houses and 11.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Culburra Beach stood at 48.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.9% and rented ones at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,768, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. 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 less 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 constitute 65.1% of all households, consisting of 18.5% couples with children, 35.8% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.9%, with lone person households at 31.3% and group households making up 4.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is 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 the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are 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 - advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 31.8%.

School and university attendance covers 19.5% of the community, including 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 bus services. These are covered by 8 routes offering a total of 93 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop is 173 meters. Most residents commute outwards, with cars being the primary mode at 94%, and walking at 4%. Average vehicle ownership is 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. In 2021 Census data, 18.2% of residents worked from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 13 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per 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, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 51% of the total population (~1,500 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (14.1%) and mental health issues (9.5%), while 58.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. As of the assessment date (2021), 35.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,047 people), higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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's population, as per the 2016 Census, showed low cultural diversity with 87.7% born in Australia and 95.7% speaking English only at home. The majority religion was Christianity at 55.1%. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.

Top ancestry groups were English (32.4%), Australian (30.2%), and Irish (9.4%). Hungarian (0.4%) and Maltese (1.1%) were also overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively. Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was slightly lower at 4.2%.

Culburra Beach ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Culburra Beach is 54 years, significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 and the national norm of 38. The 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented at 17.3% locally compared to Regional NSW's average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 7.7%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 7.9% to 10.1%, while the 85+ cohort increased from 4.5% to 5.8%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 10.4% to 8.3%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 17.0% to 14.9%. By 2041, Culburra Beach is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 75 to 84 age cohort projected to grow steadily by 76 people (21%), from 362 to 439. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 58% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, both the 15 to 24 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.