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 estimated population of the suburb of Narooma is around 2,802. This reflects an increase of 71 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,731. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,766 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (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. Narooma's growth rate of 2.6% since census positions it within 0.9 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.5%). Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing 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 area expected to grow by 284 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 8.8% 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 had approximately 7 new homes approved annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling around 35 homes. As of FY-26, 6 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.6 new residents were associated with each home built between FY-21 and FY-25. This supply lagged demand significantly, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures.

New homes were constructed at an average value of $435,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating a focus on quality developments. In FY-26, $1.4 million in commercial approvals were registered, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Narooma had 56.0% lower building activity per person. This limited new supply generally supported stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Nationally, building activity was also lower than average, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints.

Detached dwellings accounted for 78.0% of new building activity, with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 22.0%, preserving Narooma's low-density nature. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 616 people. By 2041, AreaSearch forecasts indicate Narooma will gain 248 residents. Development pace appears to be keeping reasonable pace with projected growth, though increasing competition among buyers is expected as the population expands.

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

No changes can affect an area's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 0 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects comprise 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, with the following list detailing those likely most 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 5.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,017 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.1% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Narooma lags at 44.3%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. Only 13.0% of residents work from home, as per Census responses, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries for employment among residents are retail trade, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Narooma shows 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 Regional NSW's 16.9%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.9%, with employment decreasing by 2.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Narooma. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific 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.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Narooma's median income among taxpayers is $35,782. The average income in the suburb is $48,699. Nationally, the median income was higher at $52,390 and the average was $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income in Narooma would be approximately $38,952 and the average would be around $53,014. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Narooma all fall between the 1st and 6th percentiles nationally. In Narooma, 34.7% of individuals earn between $400 and $799 weekly, while in the surrounding region, 29.9% earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. The concentration of 43.6% in sub-$800 weekly brackets indicates economic challenges for a significant portion of Narooma's community. After housing costs, 85.5% of income remains, which ranks at the 4th percentile nationally.

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

Narooma's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 68.4% houses and 31.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Narooma was at 55.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 19.1% and rented ones at 25.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Narooma was $260, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Narooma's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 vs Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were lower at $260 vs 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% of all households, including 13.5% couples with children, 33.0% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 42.9%, with lone person households at 40.7% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.0 people, 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's university qualification rate is 18.8%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. The most common qualifications are bachelor degrees (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 at 11.4% and certificates at 30.6%. A total of 21.5% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, with 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 collectively offer 238 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 188 meters. In this predominantly residential area, most people commute outwards using cars, with car being the dominant mode of transportation at 89%. Eight percent of residents walk to their destinations. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling in Narooma, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13% 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, resulting in 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 present at standard levels across both young and elderly cohorts. Private health cover is extremely low, affecting approximately 46% of Narooma's total population (around 1,296 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9%, and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 14.5% and 9.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 56.6% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. Narooma has a higher proportion of seniors, with 36.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,033 people), compared to Regional NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, ranking even 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'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 predominant religion in Narooma, making up 47.8% of people there, compared to Regional NSW's average of 41.6%. Buddhism, however, was overrepresented in Narooma with 1.6%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English at 32.4%, Australian at 28.0%, and Irish at 9.9%. Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented at 9.0% (vs regional average of 8.0%), Maltese at 0.8% (vs 0.4%), and Australian Aboriginal at 4.2% (vs Regional NSW's 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 (22.4%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.7%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the median age in Narooma has decreased by 1.2 years, from 58 to 57 years, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Specifically, the percentage of residents aged 35-44 has grown from 7.3% to 9.7%, while the percentage of those aged 75-84 has increased from 9.9% to 11.4%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 55-64 has declined from 17.0% to 14.3%, and the percentage of those aged 65-74 has dropped from 24.8% to 22.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Narooma's age structure. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 38%, reaching 442 people from 319. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts.