Sussex Inlet

Population growth drivers in Sussex Inlet are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the population of Sussex Inlet was estimated at around 4108 as of Feb 2026. This reflected an increase of 220 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3888. The change was inferred from the resident population of 4084, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 240 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 111 persons per square kilometer. Sussex Inlet's growth rate of 5.7% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region at 4.8% and the SA3 area, making it a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 91.0% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. According to demographic trends, an above median population growth is projected for Australia's regional areas, with Sussex Inlet expected to expand by 883 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 20.9% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Sussex Inlet when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Sussex Inlet had approximately 40 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 202 homes. As of FY-26, 21 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 new residents arrive per year for each new home built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market with stable conditions. New properties are constructed at an average value of $478,000, targeting the premium market segment.

In FY-26, approximately $1.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Sussex Inlet has 50.0% more construction activity per person. Building activity has slowed recently but offers greater choice for buyers. Around 82.0% of new building activity consists of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With approximately 129 people per dwelling approval, Sussex Inlet exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. AreaSearch estimates that Sussex Inlet will grow by around 859 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Sussex Inlet has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to influence this region. Notable ones are Sussex Inlet Golf Village, St Georges Basin, Berrara, Swan Lake Coastal Management Program, Seniors Housing Suncrest Avenue, and Bay and Basin NSW Ambulance Station. The following list details those most 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 drivers in Sussex Inlet are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Sussex Inlet's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with prominent essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.7% as of December 2024, with relative stability over the past year. As of December 2025, the employment figure stands at 1,281 residents, an increase from the previous year despite a rise in unemployment rate to 9.6%.

This is 1.8 percentage points higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9% for the same period. Workforce participation in Sussex Inlet was 36.7%, significantly lower than Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, only 12.0% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food.

Construction is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 1.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force increased by 2.8% while employment declined by 0.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 3.1 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Sussex Inlet's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The latest AreaSearch data for financial year 2023 shows that Sussex Inlet's median income is $36,956 and average income is $46,583. This is lower than national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average). Regional NSW has higher incomes compared to Sussex Inlet. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Sussex Inlet would be approximately $40,230 and $50,710 respectively, based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Sussex Inlet fall between the 1st and 3rd percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 36.6% of residents earning $400-$799 weekly, contrasting with surrounding regions where the $1,500-$2,999 bracket is prevalent at 29.9%. A significant portion (46.1%) of Sussex Inlet residents earn less than $800 weekly, suggesting constrained household budgets after housing costs. After accounting for housing expenses, only 3rd percentile nationally remains for income available in Sussex Inlet.

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

Dwelling structure in Sussex Inlet, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 89.9% houses and 10.0% other dwellings. Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings during this period. Home ownership in Sussex Inlet was recorded at 60.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.0% and rented ones at 19.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,511 compared to Regional NSW's $1,733. Median weekly rent in Sussex Inlet was $310, while Regional NSW recorded $330. Nationally, Sussex Inlet's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Sussex Inlet features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.4% of all households, including 14.8% couples with children, 37.6% couples without children, and 8.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.6%, with lone person households at 36.5% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.1%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.8%) and certificates (36.4%). Education pursuit is active among 20.2% of the population, with primary education at 7.6%, secondary education at 6.1%, and tertiary education at 1.8%.

A substantial 20.2% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 7.6% in primary education, 6.1% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Sussex Inlet has 129 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These are served by ten different routes that together offer 161 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 135 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuting in this primarily residential area is outward-bound, and cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 95%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 12% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 23 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. A map accompanies this information, showing the hundred nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Sussex Inlet faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 45% of the total population (~1,866 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (impacting 15.6% of residents) and mental health issues (8.8%), while 50.8% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. As of the assessment date, 44.2% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,815 people), higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Sussex Inlet's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.4% of its population being citizens, 85.9% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Sussex Inlet is Christianity, accounting for 60.5% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups in Sussex Inlet are English (34.9%), Australian (30.8%), and Irish (8.7%).

Notably, Maltese (0.8%) is overrepresented compared to regional levels (0.4%), as are Scottish (8.3% vs 8.0%) and Polish (0.7% vs 0.5%).

Sussex Inlet ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Sussex Inlet's median age is 61 years, which is notably older than Regional NSW's median age of 43 and significantly higher than Australia's national average of 38. Comparing Sussex Inlet's age distribution with Regional NSW, the 65-74 cohort is prominently over-represented at 23.0%, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 6.9%. This concentration in the 65-74 age bracket is substantially higher than the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, Sussex Inlet's population aged 25 to 34 has increased from 6.7% to 7.7%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 17.7% to 16.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant growth in Sussex Inlet's oldest age group, with the 85+ cohort expanding by 188 people (75%), from 250 to 439. Senior residents aged 65 and above will contribute significantly to population growth, accounting for 53%, reflecting the trend of demographic aging in the area. Conversely, the 55-64 age group is projected to grow minimally by just 3% (23 people).