Narooma

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

By 2025 Nov, Narooma's population is estimated at around 2,746. This reflects a growth of 15 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,731. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,736 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in Jun 2024 and an additional 26 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 22 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Narooma has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a 1.0% compound annual growth rate, outpacing its SA3 area. Interstate migration 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 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. By 2041, a population increase just below Australia's non-metropolitan median is expected, with Narooma gaining approximately 308 persons, reflecting a total gain of 12.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Narooma recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis shows Narooma had approximately 4 new homes approved annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling around 24. As of FY-26, there has been 1 approval recorded so far. This results in an average of 5 new residents per year for every home built between FY-21 and FY-25. However, supply is lagging demand, leading to increased buyer competition and pricing pressures.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $435,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY-26, commercial approvals valued at $451,000 have been registered, indicating the area's residential focus. Compared to Rest of NSW, Narooma has significantly lower building activity, 70.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. Building activity is also lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints.

New building activity comprises 83.0% standalone homes and 17.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Narooma's traditional low density character. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 462 people. By 2041, AreaSearch estimates Narooma will grow by 338 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and price growth.

Narooma has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

No infrastructure changes have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact this area. Key projects include Princes Highway Safety And Capacity: Nowra, NSW to Victorian Border (2018-2025), Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy (effective from 2021), Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements (ongoing), and Corridor Preservation For East Coast High Speed Rail (initiation planned for 2024).

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Employment conditions in Narooma face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Narooma has a skilled workforce with tourism and hospitality sectors prominent. Its unemployment rate is 6.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, 1,015 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.8% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Narooma lags at 40.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are retail trade, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Notably, accommodation & food has high concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 13.9% versus the regional average of 16.9%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.3%, combined with employment decreasing by 5.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insight into potential future demand within Narooma. These projections suggest 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 local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Narooma's median income among taxpayers was $35,769 in financial year 2022, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This figure is below the national average. The average income in Narooma for that year stood at $48,686, compared to Rest of NSW's figures of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income in Narooma would be approximately $40,279 as of September 2025, with the average income estimated at around $54,825. In the 2021 Census, household incomes in Narooma fell between the 1st and 6th percentiles nationally. The distribution data shows that 34.7% of residents (952 people) earned between $400 and $799 weekly, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 to $2,999 bracket led at 29.9%. This concentration of 43.6% in sub-$800 weekly brackets indicates economic challenges faced by a significant portion of Narooma's community. After housing costs, 85.5% of income remained, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally in terms of disposable income.

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

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 comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 84.3% houses and 15.7% 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, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average, while the median weekly rent was $260, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $320. Nationally, Narooma's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 than 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 42.9%, with lone person households at 40.7% and group households making up 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.2.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 18.8% compared to NSW's 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 held by 42.0% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 30.6%. Active pursuit of formal education is seen in 21.5% of the population, including 7.8% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 1.4% in tertiary education.

Narooma High School and Narooma Public School serve a total of 845 students. The area's ICSEA score is 947, indicating varied educational conditions. It functions as an education hub with 30.8 school places per 100 residents, higher than the regional average of 12.7, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis indicates 61 active stops operating in Narooma, offering a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 24 unique routes, collectively facilitating 226 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 188 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 32 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Narooma is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Critical health challenges are evident across Narooma, with various health conditions impacting both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover stands at approximately 46%, covering around 1,270 people, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (affecting 14.5% of residents) and mental health issues (9.1%), while 56.6% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 59.6% across Rest of NSW. As of 2021, 37.1% of Narooma's residents are aged 65 and over, totaling around 1,018 people, which is higher than the 31.7% recorded in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Narooma are above average, even outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Narooma, as per the census data from June 2016, had a population with 83.9% born in Australia, 90.2% being citizens, and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 47.8% of Narooma's population. Buddhism, while still a minority, was more prevalent in Narooma at 1.6%, compared to the regional average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestral groups were English (32.4%), Australian (28.0%), and Irish (9.9%). Notably, Scottish ancestry was slightly overrepresented at 9.0% in Narooma versus 8.6% regionally. Maltese ancestry was also higher than the regional average, at 0.8% compared to 0.4%. Australian Aboriginal ancestry showed a significant divergence, with 4.2% in Narooma compared to 3.6% regionally.

Narooma ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Narooma is 57 years, which is significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Narooma has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (22.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.6%). 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 1.1 years from 58 to 57, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has grown from 7.3% to 9.3%, while the proportion of those aged 15-24 increased from 7.0% to 8.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 55-64 declined from 17.0% to 14.4%, and the proportion of those aged 65-74 dropped from 24.8% to 22.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Narooma's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 41%, reaching 441 people from 313. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age cohorts.