Moruya

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

Moruya's population was recorded as 4,295 people according to the Census of 2021. By November 2025, this had increased to an estimated 4,369 people, a rise of 74 individuals (1.7%). This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 4,330 following their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, combined with validation of an additional 23 new addresses since the Census date. The current population density in Moruya stands at 56 persons per square kilometer. Between 2021 and 2025, Moruya's growth rate was 1.7%, which is within 0.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.6%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 56% to overall population gains during this period.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by ABS data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Applying these growth rates to Moruya from 2032 to 2041 results in an expected population increase of 359 persons, reflecting a total increase of 6.8% over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Moruya averaged approximately 27 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 139 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY-26. This averages to about 0.8 new residents arriving per new home over the past five financial years.

New construction has been matching or outpacing demand, offering buyers more options and potentially enabling population growth beyond current expectations. The average value of new properties constructed is around $523,000. This year, there have also been approximately $3.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's primarily residential nature.

Comparatively, Moruya shows moderately higher new home approvals than the rest of NSW, with 13.0% more per person over the past five years. This has maintained good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, construction activity has recently eased. Recent construction comprises approximately 77.0% standalone homes and 23.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving Moruya's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 287 people per dwelling approval, Moruya exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Looking ahead, AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Moruya to grow by approximately 298 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Moruya has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include South Moruya Roundabout, Moruya Housing Infrastructure Project, New Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, and Moruya Bypass. The following details these projects with the greatest potential relevance.

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The labour market performance in Moruya lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Moruya has a diverse workforce with both white and blue-collar jobs, prominent essential services sectors, and an unemployment rate of 4.5% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of June 2025, 1,811 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Moruya stands at 47.3%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade is particularly strong with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 2.8% of Moruya's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

The area may have limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Moruya's labour force decreased by 3.7%, alongside a 4.8% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Moruya. Applying these projections to Moruya's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Moruya had a median taxpayer income of $39,344 and an average income of $50,461. Nationally, the averages were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, median income is estimated at $44,305 and average at $56,824. Census data places Moruya's household, family, and personal incomes between the 9th and 10th percentiles nationally. The predominant income bracket in Moruya is $400 - $799, with 28.1% of locals (1,227 people) falling into this category, unlike the regional trend where 29.9% are in the $1,500 - $2,999 range. After housing costs, 85.6% of income remains, ranking at the 12th percentile nationally.

Moruya is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Moruya's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.3% houses and 10.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Moruya was at 49.6%, with the rest being mortgaged (27.4%) or rented (22.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Moruya was $1,517, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent in Moruya was $300, compared to Non-Metro NSW's figures of $1,517 and $320 respectively. Nationally, Moruya's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Moruya features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical 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 account for the remaining 33.0%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.8%, substantially lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (32.8%). Educational participation is high at 26.0%, with 9.9% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education.

Moruya's three schools have a combined enrollment of 837 students, serving distinct age groups with two primary and one secondary school. The area functions as an education hub with 19.2 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.7, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Moruya has 144 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 32 different routes that together offer 311 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 199 meters.

On average, there are 44 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately two trips per week for each individual stop.

Health performance in Moruya is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Moruya faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low, at approximately 47% (around 2,051 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 13.0% of residents) and mental health issues (9.1%). Conversely, 57.8% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 59.6%. Moruya has a senior population of 29.6%, comprising around 1,293 people, which is lower than the Rest of NSW's 31.7%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Moruya are better than those of the general population.

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

Moruya, as per the data, has a cultural diversity index below average. Its population comprises 89.1% citizens, with 88.2% born in Australia and 96.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Moruya, accounting for 54.3%, compared to 49.0% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups are English (31.8%), Australian (30.9%), and Irish (9.7%). Some ethnic groups show notable differences: Welsh at 0.8% in Moruya versus 0.5% regionally, Hungarian at 0.4% compared to 0.2%, and Dutch at 1.7% against 1.4%.

Moruya ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Moruya is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and well above the national norm of 38. The 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Moruya at 16.4%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 9.1%. This concentration of the 65-74 cohort is well above the national average of 9.4%. From 2021 to present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 8.6% to 9.6% of Moruya's population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 18.1% to 15.3%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Moruya. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 67%, adding 104 residents to reach a total of 262. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 55-64 age cohorts.