Narooma

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Narooma is around 2,805. This figure represents an increase of 74 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,731. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, indicating a resident population of 2,803. This increase results in a population density ratio of 23 persons per square kilometer. Narooma's growth of 2.7% since the 2021 census exceeds that of its SA3 area at 2.6%, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

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 where applicable, with a base year of 2021. Future trends indicate a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas by 2041, with an expected growth of 246 persons, reflecting an overall gain of 8.7% over the 16 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Narooma has had approximately 7 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 35 homes. As of FY-26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents arrived per year for each new home between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating balanced supply conditions. However, this has decreased to 1.2 people per dwelling over the past two financial years. New properties are constructed at an average value of $435,000, slightly above the regional average.

This year, $1.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Narooma's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Narooma has 56.0% lower building activity per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Nationally, building activity is also lower, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity consists of 78.0% detached dwellings and 22.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving Narooma's low-density nature with a focus on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 613 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Narooma will gain 244 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but increasing competition among buyers may arise as the population expands.

Narooma has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 45thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area. Key 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.

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

Narooma has a skilled workforce with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.9%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,017 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Narooma lags at 43.3%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. Census responses show that only 13.0% of residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. 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 16.9% in Regional NSW. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population numbers. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.3%, with employment decreasing by 3.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.2 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force contract by 0.8%, and unemployment rise 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, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Narooma's employment mix indicates potential local employment increases of 6.2% over five years and 12.9% 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 indicates that Narooma's median income among taxpayers is $35,782. The average income in the suburb is $48,699. This is lower than national averages. In comparison, Regional NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% from financial year 2023 to March 2026, estimated incomes would be approximately $39,475 (median) and $53,725 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Narooma fall between the 1st and 6th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile reveals that 34.7% of the community earns between $400 and $799 weekly (973 individuals), differing from the surrounding region where the predominant category is $1,500 to $2,999 at 29.9%. A significant portion of the community faces economic challenges with 43.6% in sub-$800 weekly brackets. 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

The dwelling structure in Narooma, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.4% houses and 31.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Narooma stood at 55.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.1% and rented dwellings at 25.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Narooma was $260, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Narooma's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,517 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 comprise 57.1% of all households, including 13.5% couples with children, 33.0% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 42.9%, with lone person households at 40.7% and group households making up 2.6%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 18.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the 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 operating within its boundaries, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 22 individual routes that collectively facilitate 238 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 188 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting in Narooma is outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport for residents, used by 89% of them, while walking accounts for 8%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling in Narooma is 1.1, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census data, a relatively low 13.0% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 34 trips per day across all routes, translating 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, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and old age cohorts in Narooma. Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 46% of the total population (around 1,297 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 14.5% and 9.1% of residents respectively, while 56.6% report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age population faces significant health challenges with higher chronic condition rates. Narooma has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 37.8% (around 1,060 people), compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking higher than the general population nationally.

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

Narooma had a cultural diversity index below the 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 predominant religion in Narooma, comprising 47.8% of the population. Buddhism, however, was overrepresented compared to Regional NSW, with 1.6% of Narooma's population identifying as such, while the regional average was 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English at 32.4%, Australian at 28.0%, and Irish at 9.9%. Notable divergences included Scottish (9.0% vs 8.0%), Maltese (0.8% vs 0.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (4.2% vs 4.6%).

Narooma ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Narooma is 57 years, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Narooma has a higher percentage of residents aged 65-74 (22.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.4%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to post-2021 Census data, Narooma's median age has decreased by one year from 58 years to 57 years, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Specifically, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 has increased from 7.3% to 9.5%, while those aged 75-84 have risen from 9.9% to 12.0%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55-64 has decreased from 17.0% to 14.4%, and those aged 65-74 have dropped from 24.8% to 22.8%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Narooma's age structure. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 39%, reaching 440 people from 316. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts.