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

Mullumbimby's population is estimated at around 4,810 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 4,180 people, a rise of 630 people (15.1%). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 4,487 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 192 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 174 persons per square kilometer. Mullumbimby's growth exceeded that of its SA4 region (4.1%) and Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 47.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Mullumbimby is expected to expand by 927 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.9% in total over the 17 years.

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

Mullumbimby recorded around 37 residential properties granted approval per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 188 homes were approved, with a further 17 approved in FY-26. On average, 1.8 new residents were associated with each dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

This suggests a balance between supply and demand, contributing to stable market dynamics. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings was $506,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. In FY-26, there have been $5.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited commercial development focus compared to residential.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Mullumbimby has recorded elevated construction levels, with 49.0% more constructions per person over the past five years. This maintains good buyer choice and supports existing property values. New developments consist of 79.0% standalone homes and 21.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are approximately 131 people per dwelling approval in Mullumbimby. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Mullumbimby is expected to grow by 572 residents through to 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 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 five projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Mullumbimby Hospital Redevelopment, Mullumbimby Rail Corridor Housing, Station Street Affordable Housing, and Mullumbimby Road Upgrade, with details of most relevant projects below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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

Mullumbimby has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 7.1%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 1,958 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.3% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Mullumbimby is lower at 57.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census data shows that 26.2% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training, with retail trade being particularly strong at 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented at 3.2% compared to Rest of NSW's 7.5%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.0% and employment declined by 2.1%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these 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 consider localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Mullumbimby had a lower than average national income level according to AreaSearch data from the ATO for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $35,115 and the average income stood at $64,082. In comparison, Rest of NSW's median income was $52,390 and average income was $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $38,226 (median) and $69,760 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Mullumbimby all fell between the 21st and 24th percentiles nationally. The income distribution showed that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominated with 30.8% of residents (1,481 people), similar to the broader area where 29.9% occupied this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 78.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 19th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

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

In Mullumbimby, as per the latest Census, 89.2% of dwellings were houses while 10.8% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mullumbimby was 39.7%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.7% and rented ones at 31.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,929, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Mullumbimby was $500, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Mullumbimby's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than 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 higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 31.8% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 24.3% in the SA4 region. This educational advantage is largely due to bachelor degrees (22.6%), postgraduate qualifications (6.1%), and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.8%) and certificates (20.5%).

Educational participation is high in Mullumbimby, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.0%), secondary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (3.3%).

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

Mullumbimby has 83 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 38 different routes that collectively facilitate 515 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to these stops, with an average distance of 179 meters to the nearest one. Most residents commute outward from Mullumbimby, primarily using cars (86%). Walking and cycling account for 6% and 5% respectively. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents work from home (26.2%), which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 73 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Mullumbimby is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Mullumbimby shows superior health outcomes according to AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both young and elderly residents exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is prevalent at approximately 52%, higher than the average SA2 area (~2,515 people). The most frequent medical conditions are mental health issues (8.8%) and arthritis (7.1%), while 70.8% of residents report no medical ailments compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Under-65s have better-than-average health outcomes. Mullumbimby has 20.8% residents aged 65 and over (1,000 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, ranking nationally in line with the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Mullumbimby records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Mullumbimby's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 10.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data from 2016. In terms of birthplace, 22.4% were born overseas in Mullumbimby. Christianity was the main religion in Mullumbimby, comprising 26.1% of people.

However, Judaism was notably overrepresented compared to Rest of NSW, making up 2.3% of Mullumbimby's population. The top three ancestry groups based on country of birth of parents were English at 29.9%, Australian at 21.8% (notably lower than the regional average of 30.0%), and Irish at 11.5%. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences in representation included French at 1.2% compared to 0.4% regionally, Polish at 1.1% versus 0.5%, and Russian at 0.5% compared to 0.2%.

Mullumbimby hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Mullumbimby's median age of 44 years is similar to Rest of NSW's 43 years and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Mullumbimby has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (14.8%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.3%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the age group 35-44 has increased from 12.6% to 14.8%, while the 25-34 cohort rose from 9.9% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group decreased from 13.8% to 12.0%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 15.3% to 13.7%. By 2041, Mullumbimby's population is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The 35-44 age group is expected to grow by 20%, reaching 856 people from the current 711. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts are anticipated to decrease in population.