Narooma

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of Narooma is estimated at around 2,802, reflecting an increase of 71 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,731. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,766 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 29 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 23 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Narooma has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outpacing the SA3 area. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration which contributed approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with the suburb expected to grow by 288 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 9.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Narooma has had approximately 6 new homes approved annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 32 homes. As of FY-26, 4 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.7 new residents per year are associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating supply may not meet demand, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction cost value for new homes is $435,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments.

In FY-26, $1.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Narooma's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Narooma has 60.0% lower building activity per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Nationally, building activity is also lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity consists of 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Narooma's low density nature with a focus on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 791 people. Population forecasts indicate Narooma will gain 268 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Narooma has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly impact an area's performance like modifications to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable projects include Princes Highway Safety And Capacity: Nowra, NSW To Victorian Border, Low And Mid-Rise Housing Policy, Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements, and Corridor Preservation For East Coast High Speed Rail. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Narooma has a skilled workforce with prominence in tourism and hospitality sectors. The unemployment rate is 5.5% based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data as of September 2025. In this month, 1,014 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.7% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Narooma lags significantly at 44.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, only 13.0% of residents work from home. The key industries for employment among residents are retail trade, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Narooma has a notable concentration in accommodation & food with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented with only 13.9% of Narooma's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 5.1%, with employment decreasing by 4.8%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, 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 offer insight into potential future demand within Narooma. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Narooma's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes not accounting for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Narooma's median income among taxpayers is $35,782. The average income in the suburb is $48,699. Both figures are lower than national averages. Rest of NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $38,952 (median) and $53,014 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%. Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Narooma fall between the 1st and 6th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 34.7% of Narooma's community earns $400 - 799 per week (972 individuals), which differs from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. The concentration of 43.6% in sub-$800 weekly brackets suggests economic challenges faced by a significant portion of the community. After housing costs, 85.5% of income remains, ranking at only the 4th percentile nationally.

Narooma displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Narooma, as per the latest Census evaluation, 68.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 31.5% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Narooma stood at 55.0%, with mortgaged properties making up 19.1% and rented dwellings accounting for 25.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Narooma was recorded at $260, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Narooma's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 57.1 percent of all households, including 13.5 percent that are couples with children, 33.0 percent that are couples without children, and 9.7 percent that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 42.9 percent, with lone person households at 40.7 percent and group households comprising 2.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Narooma faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 18.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (30.6%). A total of 21.5% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 7.8% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 1.4% in tertiary education.

A substantial 21.5% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.8% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 1.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Narooma has 66 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 22 different routes that together facilitate 238 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 188 meters. In this predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars are the primary mode of transportation, used by 89% of residents, with 8% walking. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13.0% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 34 trips per day, equating to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

Narooma'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

Narooma's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks. AreaSearch assessed mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence as standard for both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of Narooma's total population (~1,296 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (14.5%) and mental health issues (9.1%). 56.6% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Narooma has 36.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,025 people), higher than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Narooma's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.9% of its population born in Australia, 90.2% being citizens, and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Narooma as of 2016, comprising 47.8% of people. However, Buddhism was overrepresented compared to Rest of NSW, making up 1.6% versus 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.4%), Australian (28.0%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, Scottish (9.0%) and Maltese (0.8%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 8.0% and 0.4%, respectively. Additionally, Australian Aboriginal representation was slightly lower at 4.2%.

Narooma ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Narooma is 57 years, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Narooma has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (22.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.6%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, Narooma's median age has decreased by 1.3 years from 58 to 57, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Specifically, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 increased from 7.3% to 9.6%, while the 75-84 cohort grew from 9.9% to 11.3%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55-64 declined from 17.0% to 14.2%, and the 65-74 group decreased from 24.8% to 22.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Narooma's age structure. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 40% (126 people), reaching 443 from 316. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.