Moruya

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Moruya is around 4,304, reflecting an increase of 9 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,295. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4,296 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of an additional 20 new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 55 persons per square kilometer. Interstate migration contributed approximately 56.00000000000001% of overall population gains during recent periods. Population projections for Moruya are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former.

Future population trends indicate an expected increase just below the median of locations outside capital cities, with Moruya projected to grow by 363 persons to 2041, reflecting an 8.2% total gain over the 17 years.

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

Moruya has received approximately 25 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 126 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved in FY-26. On average, each new home attracted about 0.9 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

New construction has been matching or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is approximately $523,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, $4.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature.

Compared to the Rest of NSW, Moruya exhibits similar construction activity per capita, maintaining market equilibrium consistent with surrounding areas. However, development activity has shown some moderation in recent periods. The majority of new building activity involves standalone homes (78%), with townhouses or apartments accounting for 22%, preserving the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking spacious family homes. As of now, there are an estimated 453 people per dwelling approval in Moruya, indicative of its quiet, low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Moruya's population to grow by 355 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, presenting favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond existing projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may impact this region. Key projects include South Moruya Roundabout, Moruya Housing Infrastructure Project, New Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, and Moruya Bypass. The following details these projects in order of likely relevance.

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.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.6%, Moruya has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Moruya's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs, with prominent essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.6% as of AreaSearch data aggregation in December 2025. This rate is 0.3% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Moruya is at 50.4%, significantly lower than Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, only 10.6% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with retail trade particularly notable at 1.3 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 2.8% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%.

The area may offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, Moruya's labour force decreased by 4.5% and employment declined by 3.9%, resulting in a 0.6 percentage point fall in unemployment rate. Conversely, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Moruya's employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Moruya's employment mix.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 30, 2023, Moruya suburb had median income among taxpayers of $39,344 with average level at $50,461. This is below national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year ended June 30, 2023, current estimates would be approximately $42,830 (median) and $54,932 (average) as of September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from August 2021, household incomes in Moruya fall between 9th and 10th percentiles nationally. Predominant income cohort spans 28.1% of locals (1,209 people) in $400 - $799 category, differing from regional levels where $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. After housing expenses, 85.6% of income remains, ranking at 12th percentile nationally.

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

Moruya's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.3% houses and 10.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moruya stood at 49.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.4% and rented ones at 22.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Moruya was $300, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Moruya's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

Moruya features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 67.0% of all households, including 19.4% couples with children, 35.1% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.0%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households making up 2.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate stands at 16.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent among qualifications, with 11.5% of residents holding one, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent in the area, with 44.2% of residents aged 15 and above possessing vocational credentials.

This includes advanced diplomas held by 11.4% of residents and certificates held by 32.8%. Educational participation is notably high, with 26.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (9.9%), secondary education (7.5%), and tertiary education (1.9%).

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

Moruya has 161 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are serviced by 34 individual routes, providing a total of 323 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 198 meters. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars are the dominant mode of transport, used by 92% of residents, while walking accounts for 5%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 10.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 46 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this data, showing the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Moruya faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age cohorts exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is relatively low in Moruya, at approximately 47% of the total population (around 2,021 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 13.0% and 9.1% of residents respectively. However, 57.8% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age population in Moruya faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors, with 30.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,312 people), compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present additional challenges, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Moruya's population showed low diversity, with 89.1% citizens, 88.2% born in Australia, and 96.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 54.3%, compared to 55.9% regionally. The top three ancestral groups were English (31.8%), Australian (30.9%), and Irish (9.7%).

Notably, Welsh (0.8%) and Hungarian (0.4%) residents exceeded regional averages (0.5% and 0.2%, respectively), as did Dutch residents at 1.7%.

Moruya ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Moruya is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and also above the national norm of 38 years. The 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in Moruya at 17.1%, compared to the Regional NSW average, while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 9.3%. This concentration of the 65-74 cohort is well above the national average of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.6% to 9.8% of Moruya's population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 18.1% to 15.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Moruya. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 72%, adding 111 residents to reach a total of 266. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 65-74 age cohorts.