Murwillumbah

Population growth drivers in Murwillumbah are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Murwillumbah's population is estimated at around 7,577 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease of 39 people (0.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,616 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 7,577, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on June 2025 and an additional 45 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 631 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future population trends, a population increase just below the median of locations outside of capital cities is expected. The suburb is expected to grow by 733 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 9.7% in total over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Murwillumbah, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Murwillumbah averaged approximately 11 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years (FY-20 to FY-24), totalling an estimated 59 homes. As of FY-26, 2 approvals have been recorded. Historically, there has been an average of 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling constructed in Murwillumbah between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially driving population growth beyond current expectations.

The average value of new homes being built is $599,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $7.6 million, suggesting limited commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Murwillumbah has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 15th percentile nationally, implying more limited housing choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. This low level of building activity is below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations.

New building activity in Murwillumbah consists of 91% detached houses and 9% townhouses or apartments, preserving its low-density nature and appealing to space-seeking buyers. With approximately 1084 people per dwelling approval, it reflects a quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Murwillumbah is forecasted to gain 733 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Murwillumbah 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 seven projects potentially impacting the area. Notable ones are Murwillumbah Depot, Quarry Business Park, Industry Central Land Swap, and Hundred Hills Estate. The following details those likely 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 employment landscape in Murwillumbah shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Murwillumbah has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.4%. Over the past year, it has shown relative employment stability based on AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of December 2025, there are 3,245 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is 0.5% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Murwillumbah is lower at 54.2%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, only 11.4% of residents work from home.

Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing has a lower representation at 2.8%, compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the working population versus resident population count from Census data. Over the past year, labour force decreased by 0.6% and employment declined by 0.5%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Regional NSW saw an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, and a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. 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, but growth rates vary between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Murwillumbah's employment mix indicates a potential local employment increase of 6.5% over five years and 13.5% 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Murwillumbah had a median income among taxpayers of $41,194. The average income stood at $51,777. This is below the national average of $52,390 and the regional NSW average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Murwillumbah would be approximately $45,445 (median) and $57,120 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Murwillumbah fall between the 9th and 12th percentiles nationally. Family incomes also fall within this range. Personal incomes in Murwillumbah are at the 11th percentile nationally. The largest segment of income distribution comprises 28.5% earning $400 - $799 weekly, with 2,159 residents falling into this bracket. This contrasts with metropolitan regions where the highest percentage is the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Murwillumbah, with only 79.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 8th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Murwillumbah, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 76.0% houses and 24.0% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Regional NSW's dwelling structure of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Murwillumbah stood at 36.0%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (32.5%) or rented (31.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, aligning with Regional NSW's average, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $346, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Murwillumbah's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, as reported on 27 June 2021, and rents were less than the national figure of $375 for the same period.

Murwillumbah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 65.8 percent of all households, including 23.9 percent couples with children, 25.2 percent couples without children, and 15.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.2 percent, with lone person households at 31.1 percent and group households comprising 2.9 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.

Educational attainment in Murwillumbah aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 20.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.8% and certificates at 29.8%. Educational participation is high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.7% in primary, 9.1% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Murwillumbah has 182 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 58 different routes that together offer 881 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 112 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outwards, with cars being the dominant mode of transport at 92%. Five percent of residents walk to their destinations. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11.4% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 125 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately four weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this report, showing the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Murwillumbah is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Murwillumbah faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is low, at approximately 47% of the total population (~3596 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.2% and 10.0% of residents respectively. However, 62.7% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 25.2%, compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW.

Murwillumbah ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Murwillumbah, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016, had a population with 85.8% born in Australia, 89.6% being citizens, and 94.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 48.5%. The category 'Other' was overrepresented compared to Regional NSW, comprising 1.7% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.8%), Australian (28.0%), and Irish (10.9%). Notably, French (0.7%) Scottish (8.9%), and Welsh (0.6%) ethnicities showed higher representation in Murwillumbah compared to Regional NSW figures of 0.4%, 8.0%, and 0.5% respectively.

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

Murwillumbah's median age is 46, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and significantly greater than Australia's national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group constitutes 12.4% of Murwillumbah's population, compared to Regional NSW, while the 25-34 cohort makes up 9.8%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 9.6% to 11.4%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.9% to 12.6%, and the 85+ group has dropped from 5.0% to 3.8%. By 2041, Murwillumbah's age composition is expected to shift notably. Leading this demographic change, the 75-84 group is projected to grow by 27% (183 people), reaching 850 from 666. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.