Kingscliff

Kingscliff lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of Kingscliff is around 8,636, reflecting an increase of 281 people since the 2021 Census. The population was reported as 8,355 in the 2021 Census. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 8,597 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 266 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 1,375 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Kingscliff has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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 trends project an above median growth of Australian non-metropolitan areas, with Kingscliff expected to grow by 1,710 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 19.4% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Kingscliff among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Kingscliff recorded around 66 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, approximately 333 homes were approved, with a further 54 approved in FY26 by May. On average, 1.8 new residents arrived per year for each new home over these five years, suggesting balanced supply and demand conditions.

The average construction value of new properties was $1,037,000, indicating a focus on premium segment development. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $511.7 million, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Kingscliff exhibited 159.0% higher development activity per person as of May 2026. New developments consisted of 54.0% standalone homes and 46.0% attached dwellings, offering a mix of medium-density options across different price brackets.

With around 128 people per approval, Kingscliff reflects low-density urban planning. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Kingscliff is projected to grow by 1,671 residents by 2041. Current development appears well-suited to meet future needs, supporting stable market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Kingscliff has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Uniting Kingscliff Redevelopment, Marine & Pearl, Bells Boulevard Kingscliff - Stage 3, and Kai Kingscliff. The following list details 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.

The labour market strength in Kingscliff positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Kingscliff has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 1.7% as of December 2025. This rate is below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, which was current at that time.

Workforce participation in Kingscliff is somewhat lower, at 56.3% compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to the Census, 23.6% of residents work from home. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Kingscliff has a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 1.2% of Kingscliff's workforce compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between the Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.6% alongside a 0.4% employment decline in Kingscliff, causing unemployment to fall by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment contract by 1.2%, the labour force fall by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kingscliff's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Kingscliff suburb has high national income levels. The median income is $49,257 and the average income is $74,478. This contrasts with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Kingscliff are approximately $54,340 (median) and $82,164 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data ranks household, family, and personal incomes in Kingscliff modestly, between the 39th and 44th percentiles. The largest segment comprises 28.2% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 2,435 residents falling into this bracket, similar to metropolitan regions at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Kingscliff, with only 82.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 38th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Kingscliff, as per the latest Census evaluation, 61.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 38.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is in contrast to Regional NSW's dwelling structure, which was 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kingscliff stood at 43.1%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 27.7% and rented ones 29.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,200, exceeding Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Kingscliff was recorded at $490, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Kingscliff's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kingscliff has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 69.3% of all households, including 26.9% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 9.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.7%, with lone person households at 27.0% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the Regional NSW average.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates of 28.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA3 area rate of 21.5%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 13.0% while certificates make up 23.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Kingscliff has 52 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 61 different routes that together facilitate 785 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 180 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters in this primarily residential area travel outward, predominantly by car (91%), while 5% walk. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 23.6% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 112 trips per day, equating to about 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Kingscliff is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Kingscliff shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 56% (~4867 people) have private health cover, higher than Regional NSW's 51.9%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (9.8%) and asthma (7.7%), with 66.6% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Under-65 residents have better health outcomes than average. Kingscliff has 28.8% of residents aged 65 and over (2487 people), higher than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Senior health outcomes are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Kingscliff, as per the census conducted on 27 June 2016, showed lower cultural diversity with 84.5% of its population born in Australia, 90.5% being citizens, and 96.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 54.2% of Kingscliff's population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.1%), Australian (26.9%), and Irish (11.5%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was higher at 8.9% in Kingscliff than the regional average of 8.0%. Samoan ancestry was also slightly higher at 0.2% compared to 0.1%, and French ancestry stood at 0.5% versus the regional 0.4%.

Kingscliff hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Kingscliff's median age at 47 years is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 and exceeds the national average of 38 by a substantial margin. The age profile indicates that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 15.6% of the population, which is notably higher than both Regional NSW's figure and the national average of 9.4%. Meanwhile, the 25-34 age group comprises only 7.2%, smaller than Regional NSW's percentage. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 9.2% to 10.9%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has grown from 7.9% to 9.6%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 age group has declined from 11.8% to 10.3%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 14.8% to 13.5%. By 2041, Kingscliff's demographic is expected to shift significantly. The 85+ age group will double in size (from 310 to 622 people), comprising a significant portion of the population growth at 51%. In contrast, the 5 to 14 age group will show minimal growth, increasing by just 4% (38 people).