Tathra

Tathra has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Tathra is around 1,568, reflecting an increase of 41 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,527. This growth of 2.7% is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 1,509 based on latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and additional 15 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb has a population density of 75 persons per square kilometer. Tathra's growth rate since census is within 0.8 percentage points of its SA3 area's 3.5%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.0% 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year are utilised. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Tathra's population is expected to increase by 135 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 8.3% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Tathra has received approximately 5 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 28 homes. As of FY-26, 2 approvals have been recorded. This results in an average of 2.7 new residents per year for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, suggesting solid demand supporting property values. New homes are being constructed at an average cost of $496,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

Additionally, $3.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Rest of NSW, Tathra shows approximately 63% of the construction activity per person and places among the 62nd percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 57.0% standalone homes and 43.0% medium and high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 77.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

At around 240 people per approval, Tathra reflects a low density area. Future projections based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate suggest Tathra will add approximately 130 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

No factors influence an area's performance more than changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially impact this area. Key projects include 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. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The employment landscape in Tathra presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.2%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Tathra's workforce is well-educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.2% as per AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025686 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Tathra was 52.7%, which is significantly lower compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 13.5% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and education & training. Notably, accommodation & food had an employment level of 1.9 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence with 2.5% employment compared to 5.3% regionally.

The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison. Between September 2024 and August 2025, labour force decreased by 5.0% and employment decreased by 5.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, but growth rates varied significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Tathra's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Tathra had a median income among taxpayers of $45,686 and an average income of $55,962. These figures are below the national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year ended June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $49,734 (median) and $60,920 (average) as of September 2025. From the Census conducted in August 2021, household incomes sit at the 14th percentile while personal income is at the 38th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 28.5% of locals, with 446 people earning between $800 and $1,499 per week. This differs from surrounding regions where the $1,500 to $2,999 category dominates at 29.9%. Housing costs are modest, with 86.7% of income retained after expenses. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 18th percentile nationally and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

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

In Tathra, as per the latest Census evaluation, 76.7% of dwellings were houses while 23.2% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tathra stood at 52.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.2% and rented ones at 27.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,603, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Tathra was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Tathra's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,603 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.2% of all households, including 16.5% couples with children, 35.9% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.8%, with lone person households at 36.5% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in Tathra aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

Tathra's educational attainment is notably higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15+, 31.4% possess university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 21.5% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.3%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 24.6%.

Additionally, 20.2% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 6.9% in primary education, 6.2% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Tathra has 27 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together provide 120 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living 157 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 91%, while walking accounts for 8%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.3, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 13.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 17 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Tathra's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Tathra. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was found to be relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (around 770 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW, which is lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.4 and 8.4% of residents respectively. Approximately 61.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Working-age residents showed above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 35.5% of residents aged 65 and over (556 people), which is higher than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

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

Tathra's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.9% of its population born in Australia, 94.0% being citizens, and 95.7% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Tathra is Christianity, comprising 45.2% of the population. Notably, Buddhism is overrepresented in Tathra at 1.5%, compared to 0.9% across the rest of NSW.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (33.1%), Australian (29.0%), and Irish (12.9%). Other ethnic groups with notable divergences include Hungarian (0.3% vs regional 0.2%), Scottish (8.6% vs 8.0%), and German (4.2% vs 3.1%).

Tathra ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Tathra is 56 years, which is notably higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and significantly exceeds Australia's median age of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 20.6% of Tathra's population, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 5-14 cohort makes up 7.0%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 0-4 age group has grown from 2.7% to 4.2%, and the 75-84 cohort has increased from 10.0% to 11.3%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 19.6% to 17.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Tathra's age structure. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 39%, adding 68 residents to reach 246. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 57% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 15-24 age cohorts.