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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
The median house price in Skennars Head is $1.85m, with units at $1.14m. House values have moved 4.7% a year compounded over five years.
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
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Skennars Head has an estimated 2,221 residents, up from 1,303 at the 2021 Census — a change of 918 people, or 70.5%. Growth has averaged 11.6% a year over five years, faster than 98% of areas nationally. 244 new addresses have been validated here since Census night. That puts 298 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch evaluations of broader ABS regional figures alongside post-Census validated address counts, the suburb of Skennars Head holds an estimated population of roughly 2,221 as of Aug 2026. This equates to an expansion of 918 people (70.5%) relative to the 2021 Census baseline of 1,303 people. That assessment draws on a resident tally of 2,213 calculated from the ABS June 2025 ERP update, combined with 244 post-Census validated new addresses. With a population density of 297 persons per square kilometer, the locality offers ample space alongside room for ongoing growth.
Over the post-2021 period, the suburb of Skennars Head outpaced both the SA4 region (3.8%) and the Rest of NSW with its 70.5% advance, establishing it as a primary regional growth hub. Inflow from overseas served as the leading demographic catalyst, generating roughly 39.0% of total growth, with natural increases and interstate movements also contributing positively. Projections for the suburb of Skennars Head incorporate the 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 dataset based in 2022, supplemented where necessary by 2022 NSW State Government SA2 forecasts based in 2021, with age-specific growth trajectories mapped across all territories for 2032 to 2041. These combined SA2 models place future population growth in the upper quartile of regional Australia, anticipating an additional 924 persons by 2041, which corresponds to a 41.2% total expansion across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
222 new dwellings have been approved in Skennars Head over the past five years, an average of 44 a year. That places the area in the 92nd percentile for residential development activity nationally, about 20 approvals per 1,000 residents a year. Of the 39 dwellings approved in the latest reporting year, 59% were detached houses and the rest townhouses or apartments. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 28, well below that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
ABS building approval statistics compiled by AreaSearch indicate an annual rate of approximately 44 approved dwellings in Skennars Head, accumulating to 222 residential approvals over the preceding 5 financial years. In FY-25 to date, 28 approvals have been logged. Inbound population growth averaged 4.8 people per year for every home constructed across the 5 financial years between FY-21 and FY-25, creating strong demand pressures that drive buyer competition and asset values. These newly approved residences carry an average construction valuation of $830,000, underscoring an emphasis on higher-end builds, while $1.7 million in non-residential commercial approvals during this financial year highlights the area's predominantly residential focus.
Skennars Head records a construction volume per resident that is 345.0% higher than the Rest of NSW, ensuring substantial selection for incoming purchasers and exceeding nationwide benchmarks to reflect solid builder sentiment. Recent building approvals consist of 59.0% separate houses alongside 41.0% townhouses or multi-unit dwellings, shifting toward higher-density options to meet evolving demographic preferences and land constraints against an existing stock of 89.0% houses. With roughly 46 people per dwelling approval, the locality displays typical growth-corridor momentum. Long-range demographic projections indicate Skennars Head will gain 916 residents by 2041 relative to recent AreaSearch quarterly updates. Prevailing construction volumes appear well positioned to satisfy this inbound demand, sustaining favorable purchasing conditions and potentially enabling expansion beyond baseline forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Skennars Head
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 2 current infrastructure and development projects inside Skennars Head, worth an estimated $15 million. A further 84 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $3.04 billion. 18 are already under construction and 29 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure investment and strategic development remain vital drivers of community performance, with AreaSearch cataloguing 3 major initiatives positioned to shape the locality. Notable developments include Aureus Village Centre - Skennars Head, Aureus Townhomes, Lennox Rise Estate, and the Ballina Airport Boulevard & Southern Cross Industrial Estate Expansion.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Aureus Village Centre - Skennars Head
Two lot Torrens Title subdivision to create 1 x 6,402m2 Lot (Proposed Lot 1) and 1 x 6,649m2 Lot (Proposed Lot 2). Construction of a mixed use development (Commercial/Residential) on Proposed Lot 1 comprising 3 retail premises, 5 food and drink premises and 17 shop top housing dwellings, and associated car parking, landscaping and infrastructure works, and subsequent Stratum subdivision and Strata Title subdivision.
Aureus Townhomes
A $21.5-million residential development by Intrapac Property involving demolition of a sales office and construction of a two-storey multi-dwelling housing development comprising 25 dwellings (13 three-bedroom and 12 four-bedroom townhouses), each with double garages, ocean views, passive cooling features, associated earthworks, retaining walls, landscaping, and infrastructure works. Part of the broader Aureus Estate master-planned community at Skennars Head.
GemLife Lennox Head Resort
A secure, gated, pet-friendly over-50s lifestyle resort offering luxurious modern homes and premium country club facilities in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, close to beaches and shopping.
Lennox Rise Estate
A masterplanned hilltop land estate in Lennox Head offering premium, levelled and retained homesites across 41.16 hectares, with elevated district and ocean-breeze outlooks. The 189-lot community is being delivered by Lateral Properties across multiple stages, with a central activity park, playground and a southern leisure park featuring established pine trees. Lots are zoned R3 Medium Density with duplex potential (STCA). Most stages are sold out, with only a small number of lots remaining in the final release, priced from approximately $825,555 to $915,000.
Crest Estate
A 116-lot residential subdivision on approximately 14.82 hectares at Reservoir Hill, Lennox Head. Approved by Ballina Shire Council under DA 2018/51 (99 lots) and DA 2020/284 (a further 19 lots), the estate captures elevated coastal, hinterland and district views close to Lennox Village and North Creek Reserve. Development was delayed by council assessment processes and ecological constraints, including nearby endangered rainforest and freshwater wetland, but civil works and staged land releases have since progressed, with lots from 454 to 697 square metres continuing to be released and sold.
Mixed-Use Development at 21 Aureus Boulevard, Skennars Head
Two-lot subdivision for a mixed-use development, including 3 retail premises, 5 food and drink premises, and 17 shop-top housing dwellings, with associated parking, landscaping, and infrastructure.
Habitat Way Townhouses
DA-approved subdivision of a 6,606m2 block into 6 Torrens-title lots, with concept plans for 19 three-bedroom townhouses in a residential precinct.
New Ballina SES Headquarters
A purpose-built NSW State Emergency Service (SES) Ballina Unit headquarters and Emergency Operations Centre. The $6.3 million facility replaces an outdated building with a six-bay vehicle shed, modern incident control area, training rooms, and administration offices. The project also features carparking, lighting upgrades, and significant landscaping including 80 new trees. Construction is being jointly funded by Ballina Shire Council and the NSW Government to enhance regional flood and disaster response capabilities.
1,240 residents of Skennars Head are employed, from a labour force of 1,257. Unemployment sits at 1.4%, with participation at 68.0%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth, so in an area growing as fast as this one it understates the likely rise in local jobs. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Skennars Head maintains an educated local labor pool with strong representation in key service sectors, an unemployment rate of 1.4%, and an annual employment growth rate of 10.6% derived from AreaSearch statistical consolidations. As of March 2026, employed residents total 1,240, keeping joblessness 2.8% below the Regional NSW benchmark of 4.1%, while local participation reaches 68.0% compared to 60.6% across Regional NSW. Census records indicate 21.3% of workers operated from home, subject to prevailing pandemic-era restrictions. Key employment sectors for local residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.
Notably, education & training shows heavy concentration, capturing a workforce proportion 1.4 times that of the surrounding region. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for merely 1.4% of local employment versus 5.3% across Regional NSW. Census workplace comparisons indicate a substantial share of local workers travel outside the suburb for their employment. According to ABS and SALM figures aggregated by AreaSearch, the annual cycle recorded a 10.6% rise in employment alongside an 11.1% increase in the labor pool, lifting the local unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points, whereas Regional NSW saw contractions of 0.9% in employment and 0.4% in its labor force alongside an identical 0.5 percentage point jobless increase. National baseline projections from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26 suggest employment growth of 6.6% across five years and 13.7% over ten years, with sector-weighted mapping pointing to potential local employment gains of 6.9% across five years and 14.2% over ten years for Skennars Head.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Skennars Head is $1,674 a week (about $87,000 a year), with median personal income at $794 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $39,605 a year against an average of $53,306. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Taxation records from the ATO for financial year 2023 place the suburb of Skennars Head median taxpayer earnings at $39,605 and the average at $53,306, trailing the Regional NSW median of $52,390 and average of $65,215 as well as national benchmarks. Factoring in a 10.32% Wage Price Index rise from financial year 2023 brings indexed estimates to roughly $43,692 (median) and $58,807 (average) by March 2026. Across personal, family, and household levels, Census earnings sit between the 45th and 48th percentiles, with 28.6% of residents (635 individuals) falling into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, closely mirroring the broader regional share of 29.9%.
Non-housing expenses account for 85.1% of disposable earnings, positioning the suburb in the 7th decile on the SEIFA economic index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Skennars Head had 508 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 89% detached houses and 1% apartments. 31% are owned with a mortgage, 16% rented and 54% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $550 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,297 a month. Rent absorbs 32.9% of household income here and mortgage repayments 31.7%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census records indicate that standalone houses account for 88.7% of residences in Skennars Head, while medium-to-high density formats comprise 11.3%, compared to 82.6% separate houses and 17.4% alternate dwellings across Regional NSW. Full home ownership reaches 53.6%, comfortably surpassing regional levels, alongside 31.0% mortgaged homes and 15.5% rental properties. The area records a median monthly mortgage payment of $2,297 and a median weekly rent of $550, exceeding Regional NSW benchmarks of $1,733 and $330 as well as Australian figures of $1,863 and $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Skennars Head counted 508 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 866 today, averaging 2.5 people each. 29% are couples with children, against 35% couples without children. 25% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units constitute 73.2% of local residences, comprising couples without children (34.9%), couples with children (28.5%), and single parent families (8.9%). Non-family setups make up the other 26.8%, consisting of single-person households at 25.4% and group living arrangements at 1.7%. Average household occupancy stands at 2.5 people, slightly higher than the Regional NSW standard of 2.4.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
30.9% of adults in Skennars Head hold a university qualification, including 21.3% with a bachelor degree and 6.4% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 85% of areas nationally. A further 25.0% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 1,281 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 1,095 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment is elevated in the locality, where 30.9% of individuals aged 15+ hold tertiary qualifications, surpassing the Rest of NSW (21.3%) and the SA4 region (24.3%). Attainment is led by bachelor degrees at 21.3%, postgraduate awards at 6.4%, and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Furthermore, 37.8% of residents aged 15+ possess technical qualifications, split between certificates (25.0%) and advanced diplomas (12.8%). Community educational engagement is high, with 27.2% of residents enrolled in formal studies. Primary schooling accounts for 10.5%, secondary education represents 8.6%, and 2.9% attend higher education institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Skennars Head reaches 20 stops on 34 routes, timetabled for about 270 services a week. The typical home sits about 140 m from its nearest stop. Households keep an average of 1.5 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transit across the suburb of Skennars Head comprises 20 operational stops served by bus networks. These stops connect to 34 individual routes that deliver 267 passenger services each week, with local connectivity highlighted by an average walking distance of 139 meters to the nearest stop. Commuters rely overwhelmingly on private vehicles, which represent 96% of journeys, with households averaging 1.5 motor vehicles. Remote workers comprised 21.3% of the labor force at the 2021 Census during pandemic conditions. Transit services provide an average volume of 38 departures daily across the entire network, translating to roughly 13 departures weekly for each individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
69.1% of residents in Skennars Head report no long-term health condition, a healthier profile than 80% of areas nationally. 4.5% need daily assistance with core activities, and 48.1% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 3.3 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
AreaSearch evaluations of mortality and chronic illness indicate strong general health across Skennars Head, accompanied by a low private health insurance uptake of approximately 48% (around 1,067 people). This compares to 51.9% for Regional NSW and 55.7% across Australia. Arthritis and asthma represent the most frequent medical conditions, diagnosed in 9.5% and 6.8% of the populace respectively, while 69.1% of residents report no long-term illnesses compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health measures among the working cohort match standard benchmarks, while the senior population of 535 people (24.1% of residents aged 65 and over) shows robust well-being in line with national patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Skennars Head is largely Australian-born, at 87.8% of residents, with 3.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (30.7%) and Australian (28.0%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity measures in Skennars Head are comparatively low, with Australian-born residents accounting for 87.8%, citizens representing 93.1%, and monolingual English speakers making up 96.2%. Christianity constitutes the primary religious affiliation, encompassing 57.5% of residents relative to 55.9% across Regional NSW. Ancestral backgrounds are led by English (30.7%), Australian (28.0%), and Irish (13.4%). Specific ethnic concentrations differ from regional averages, including French ancestry at 1.1% versus 0.4% regionally, Scottish at 9.7% versus 8.0%, and Sri Lankan at 0.4% versus 0.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Skennars Head is 47, older than 85% of areas nationally. 16.3% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The local age distribution aligns closely with Regional NSW benchmarks, showing a maximum variance of 5.4 percentage points. The median age is calculated at 47 as at August 2026, matching the 2021 Census outcome while sitting 4 years above the regional baseline of 43 and above the national figure of 38 from the same Census. Young-to-middle adults aged 25 - 44 expanded from 18.0% at the Census to an estimated 20.0% of the population. By 2041, mature adults aged 45 - 64 are projected to experience the largest numerical addition, growing by 260 people (40%) to 909, while seniors aged 65+ will record the fastest proportional expansion, rising 46% to 784 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Skennars Head
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2025 about a year ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 244 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (1,303 at the 2021 Census → 2,221 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL13569). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.