Mullumbimby

Mullumbimby 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 November 2025, the estimated population of Mullumbimby is around 4,619, reflecting a growth of 439 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 10.5% rise from the previous population count of 4,180. The current resident population estimate of 4,550, as per AreaSearch's validation following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and additional 181 new addresses since the Census date, suggests a density ratio of 167 persons per square kilometer. Mullumbimby's growth rate surpassed both its SA4 region (3.3%) and non-metro areas, indicating its status as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 47% to overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors. AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 using the base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2-level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations to all areas, Mullumbimby is projected to expand by 929 persons to the year 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 16.4% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Mullumbimby when compared nationally

Mullumbimby's residential building approvals averaged around 36 properties per year. From FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 182 homes were approved, with an additional 11 granted in FY-26. This results in an average of 1.9 new residents per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

The average construction value for new dwellings is $506,000. In FY-26, there have been $10.4 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Rest of NSW, Mullumbimby's construction activity is 44.0% higher per person over the past five years, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice and stable property values.

New development consists of 76.0% standalone homes and 24.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature. There are approximately 140 people per dwelling approval in Mullumbimby, suggesting an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Mullumbimby is expected to grow by 759 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mullumbimby has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects are Mullumbimby Hospital Redevelopment, Mullumbimby Rail Corridor Housing, Station Street Affordable Housing, and Mullumbimby Road Upgrade. The following 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Mullumbimby faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Mullumbimby has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate as of June 2025 is 6.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

In June 2025, 1895 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Mullumbimby is similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Retail trade is particularly strong with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

However, public administration & safety is under-represented at 3.2% compared to Rest of NSW's 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.6% and employment declined by 4.6%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Mullumbimby. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, indicate national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Mullumbimby's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

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

Mullumbimby's median income among taxpayers was $35,115 in financial year 2022, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $64,082 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of NSW's median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% suggest Mullumbimby's median income will be approximately $39,543 and the average income around $72,163. The 2021 Census shows household, family and personal incomes in Mullumbimby falling between the 21st and 24th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 30.8% of residents (1,422 people) earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to the broader area at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile. Mullumbimby's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Mullumbimby's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 89.2% houses and 10.8% other dwellings. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 75.1% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mullumbimby was 39.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.7% and rented ones at 31.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,929, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,980. Median weekly rent in Mullumbimby was $500, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $450. Nationally, Mullumbimby's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,929 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $500 against the national figure of $375.

Mullumbimby features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.6% of all households, including 24.1% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 16.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 28.1% and group households comprising 7.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

Educational attainment in Mullumbimby is notably high, with 31.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 24.3% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 22.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.3% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 13.8% and certificates at 20.5%. Educational participation is high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.0% in primary, 9.5% in secondary, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

Mullumbimby's four schools have a combined enrollment of 921 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1023) with balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub, offering 19.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.2, and attracts students from surrounding communities.

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

Mullumbimby has 78 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of bus routes totaling 45 individual services. Together, these routes facilitate 473 weekly passenger trips in the area.

The town's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 181 meters from their nearest transport stop. On average, there are 67 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

Mullumbimby's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Mullumbimby's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks.

Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a standard level. Private health cover is held by approximately 52% of Mullumbimby's total population (~2,415 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues and arthritis were found to be the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 8.8 and 7.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 70.8% of Mullumbimby's residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 68.0% across Rest of NSW. The area has 20.9% of residents aged 65 and over (965 people), which is lower than the 23.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors in Mullumbimby are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Mullumbimby was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mullumbimby's population, as per the 2016 Census, showed cultural diversity with 10.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 22.4% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 26.1%. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 2.3%, compared to 0.6% in Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.9%), Australian (21.8%), and Irish (11.5%). Other ethnic groups with notable divergences included French (1.2% vs regional 0.9%), Polish (1.1% vs 0.5%), and Russian (0.5% vs 0.3%).

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

Mullumbimby's median age is 44 years, similar to Rest of NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Mullumbimby has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (14.1%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.3%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 12.6% to 14.4%, while the 25-34 age group increased from 9.9% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group declined from 13.8% to 12.2%, and the 45-54 age group dropped from 15.3% to 14.1%. By 2041, Mullumbimby's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 35-44 age group is projected to grow by 28%, reaching 852 people from the current 665. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 65-74 age groups are expected to decrease in population.