Tathra

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

As of November 2025, Tathra's population is estimated at around 1,559 people. This reflects an increase of 32 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,527. The current resident population estimate by AreaSearch is 1,519, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, with an additional 22 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 75 persons per square kilometer. Tathra's growth rate of 2.1% since the Census is within 0.5 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth (2.6%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. By 2041, the suburb is expected to increase by 137 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 9.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Tathra according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Tathra has had around 7 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 36 homes. So far in FY2026, 2 approvals have been recorded. This results in an average of approximately 2.1 new residents per year for each dwelling built between FY2021 and FY2025, indicating solid demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value of new homes is $496,000.

There has also been $627,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Tathra records 19.0% less building activity per person while it places among the 32nd percentile of areas assessed nationally, suggesting limited buyer options and strengthening demand for established homes. Recent construction comprises 44.0% standalone homes and 56.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition of 77.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. The estimated population density is around 520 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment.

Future projections estimate Tathra to add 142 residents by 2041, with current construction levels expected to adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

No changes can impact an area's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 0 projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable 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.

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.

While Tathra retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.6%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Tathra has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.6% as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025672 residents were employed, aligning with Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%. However, workforce participation lagged at 49.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and education & training. Notably, accommodation & food employed 1.9 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounted for only 2.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area showed limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population data. Between Jun-24 and Jul-25, labour force decreased by 3.6%, while employment declined by 4.3%, increasing unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggested potential future demand in Tathra. These projections estimated national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tathra's employment mix indicated local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2022, Tathra had a median income among taxpayers of $45,686 with the average level standing at $55,962. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $49,459 and $62,998 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year ending June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $51,447 (median) and $63,019 (average) as of September 2025. Census data from 2021 shows household incomes sit at the 14th percentile, while personal income performs better at the 38th percentile. Distribution data shows 28.5% of the population (444 individuals) fall within the $800 - 1,499 income range, contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. While housing costs are modest with 86.7% of income retained, the 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

The dwelling structure in Tathra, as per the latest Census, consisted of 76.7% houses and 23.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 84.3% houses and 15.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tathra was 52.2%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's rate. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 20.2%, while rented dwellings made up 27.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tathra was $1,603, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,517. The median weekly rent figure in Tathra was $320, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure and significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Tathra's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 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 comprise the remaining 38.8%, with lone person households at 36.5% and group households making up 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.2.

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 and above, 31.4% have 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 common, with 34.7% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 24.6%.

Currently, 20.2% of Tathra's population is actively pursuing formal education, including 6.9% in primary, 6.2% in secondary, and 2.8% in tertiary education. Tathra Public School serves the local community with an enrollment of 183 students as of a recent report. The school focuses on primary education and has an ICSEA score of 1030, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. Secondary education options are available in nearby areas.

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

Transport analysis in Tathra shows 21 active transport stops operating, serving mixed bus routes. These are covered by 6 individual routes, offering 125 weekly passenger trips combined. Transport accessibility is high, with residents typically located 169 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 17 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Tathra is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Tathra faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~765 people), compared to 47.0% across Rest of NSW, which is below the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.4% and 8.4% of residents respectively.

Meanwhile, 61.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 59.6% across Rest of NSW. As of 2021, the area has 35.3% of residents aged 65 and over (550 people), which is higher than the 31.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Tathra's population, surveyed in June 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 87.9% born in Australia, 94.0% being citizens, and 95.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated the religious landscape, comprising 45.2%. Buddhism, though small at 1.5%, was higher than the regional average of 1.0%.

Ancestry-wise, top groups were English (33.1%), Australian (29.0%), and Irish (12.9%). Hungarian (0.3%) and Scottish (8.6%) groups were notably present in Tathra, compared to regionally at 0.2% and 8.6% respectively. German ancestry was also slightly higher at 4.2%.

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 national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes a strong 20.5% of the population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 7.3%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. 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 11.2%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 19.6% to 17.6%. Looking ahead to the year 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Tathra's age structure. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 41%, adding 72 residents to reach a total of 247. This growth contributes to an overall increase in the number of residents aged 65 and older, who will represent 57% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for both the 65-74 and 5-14 age cohorts.