Nimbin

Population growth drivers in Nimbin are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

By Nov 2025, Nimbin's estimated population was around 1,757, an increase of 150 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,607. This growth reflects an inferred resident population of 1,741 from AreaSearch's examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 24 persons per square kilometer. Nimbin's 9.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (0.5%) and the SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 56.00000000000001% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

These projections indicate an above median population growth for regional areas across the nation, with the suburb expected to increase by 212 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 5.1% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Nimbin has had around 27 new homes approved per year. Between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 135 homes were approved, with another 6 approved so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 0.4 new residents was estimated per dwelling constructed.

The average value for new dwellings developed is $419,000, aligning with regional trends. This financial year has seen $1.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating Nimbin's residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Nimbin has 492.0% more building activity per person, which should provide ample buyer choice despite recent slowing activity. Ninety-five percent of new building activity consists of standalone homes, maintaining the area's low-density character and appealing to those seeking space. Nimbin reflects a developing area with around 136 people per approval.

Population forecasts indicate Nimbin will gain 89 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Nimbin has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

No changes can significantly affect an area's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 0 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Queensland Energy Roadmap Infrastructure, South Queensland Correctional Facilities Expansion, Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, and Building Future Hospitals Program, with the following list detailing those most likely to be 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.

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

Nimbin has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors being well represented. The unemployment rate was 8.0% as of June 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

There were 668 residents in work at this time, with an unemployment rate that was 4.3% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation lagged significantly behind the regional average, at 39.4% compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Nimbin shows a particularly strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share that is 1.4 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, public administration & safety has limited presence, with only 3.7% of employment compared to the regional average of 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Based on AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data for the wider area during the year to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 5.5%, alongside a 4.2% decline in employment, causing unemployment to fall by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insight into potential future demand within Nimbin. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Nimbin's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.4% over ten years. It is important to note that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account 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 ending June 2022 shows that median income in Nimbin is $30,081 and average income is $38,375. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where the median income is $49,459 and average income is $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year ending June 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $33,874 (median) and $43,214 (average). Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Nimbin fall between the 0th and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 36.5% of residents (641 people) earn between $400 and $799 weekly, unlike regional trends where 29.9% earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly. The concentration of 50.2% in sub-$800 weekly brackets highlights economic challenges facing a significant portion of the community. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 2nd percentile nationally.

Nimbin is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Nimbin, as per the latest Census evaluation, 94.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 5.4% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's figures of 86.8% houses and 13.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Nimbin stood at 55.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.3% and rented ones at 20.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,199, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,452. The median weekly rent in Nimbin was $300, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure but significantly below the national average of $375. Nationally, Nimbin's mortgage repayments were notably lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 49.9% of all households, including 15.0% couples with children, 20.2% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 50.1%, with lone person households at 43.2% and group households making up 6.0%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Nimbin exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 30.1% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the SA3 area average of 20.9% and the Rest of NSW average of 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 21.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 14.1% and certificates for 26.6%.

Educational participation is high at 37.3%, with 13.4% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education. Nimbin Central School and Tuntable Falls Community School serve a total of 288 students in the area, which demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 993) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes one primary school and one K-12 school.

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

Nimbin has 79 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together facilitate 230 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is considered good, with residents living on average 241 meters away from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are approximately 32 trips across all routes, which translates to about two weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Nimbin is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Nimbin faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence rates for common health conditions. Only approximately 42% (~741 people) of Nimbin's total population has private health cover, compared to Rest of NSW's 47.4%.

Nationally, the average is 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 13.1% and 10.2% of residents respectively. However, 63.1% of Nimbin residents report having no medical ailments, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.9%. Nimbin has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 24.6% (432 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 22.9%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Nimbin are above average and better than the general population in terms of health metrics.

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

Nimbin, as per data from the 2016 Census, showed cultural diversity below average levels. Its population was predominantly Australian citizens, with 74.6%, born in Australia, at 80.3%, and speaking English only at home, at 91.9%. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 17.1% of Nimbin's population.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category had a higher representation in Nimbin at 2.9%, compared to 1.1% across Rest of NSW. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English at 30.8%, Australian at 20.5%, and Irish at 12.8%. The Scottish group was notably overrepresented in Nimbin at 11.2% (regional average: 8.5%), Dutch at 2.2% (regional average: 0.8%), and French at 0.9% (regional average: 0.4%).

Nimbin ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Nimbin's median age is 50, surpassing Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and the national average of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 19.5% of Nimbin's population, higher than Rest of NSW but lower than the national 25-34 cohort at 8.1%. Post-2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group grew from 4.5% to 6.3%, while the 55 to 64 group declined from 21.2% to 19.5% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 11.2% to 9.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Nimbin's age profile. The 75 to 84 cohort is expected to grow by 41 people (37%), from 110 to 152. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55 to 64 and 5 to 14 cohorts.