Tuross Head

An assessment of population growth drivers in Tuross Head reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Tuross Head is around 2,308, reflecting a decrease of 45 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,353. This decrease was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,302 based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 145 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Tuross Head has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outpacing the SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed around 56% 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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data.

Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase its population by around 210 persons to reach a total of approximately 2,518 by 2041, reflecting a gain of about 13.9% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Tuross Head when compared nationally

Tuross Head has recorded approximately four residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 20 homes were approved, with four more approved in FY26 so far.

This results in an average of 8.3 new residents per year for every home built during this period. The demand significantly exceeds new supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $523,000, indicating that developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Tuross Head has markedly lower building activity, 71.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. However, development activity has picked up in recent periods.

Nationally, this is also below average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New building activity shows 80.0% standalone homes and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 96.0% houses. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 302 people per dwelling approval, Tuross Head shows characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 320 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Tuross Head has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure changes have been identified by AreaSearch that will 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.

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.

The employment landscape in Tuross Head presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.1%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Tuross Head has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 3.1%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 893 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 0.7% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is significantly lower at 43.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 14.8% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food. Tuross Head has a particular specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, labour force decreased by 4.4%, alongside a 4.4% employment decline, leaving unemployment broadly flat. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.5%, labour force contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tuross Head's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 2023 indicates that Tuross Head's median income among taxpayers is $38,946, with an average of $49,949. This is lower than the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Tuross Head would be approximately $42,397 (median) and $54,374 (average) as of September 2025. Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Tuross Head fall between the 4th and 10th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that the largest segment comprises 30.9% earning $400 - $799 weekly (713 residents), unlike the region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. Housing costs are modest with 87.8% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 8th percentile nationally.

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

In Tuross Head, as per the latest Census evaluation, 95.8% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 4.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tuross Head stood at 61.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.0% and rented ones at 16.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Tuross Head was $330, equal to Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Tuross Head's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,430 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 63.9% of all households, including 12.0% that are couples with children, 46.1% that are couples without children, and 6.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 33.2% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 1.9 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Tuross Head shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Tuross Head's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 22.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the NSW average of 32.2%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 12.1% and certificates at 29.5%.

School and university attendance encompasses 17.9% of the community, including 6.3% in primary education, 5.7% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Tuross Head has 51 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that collectively offer 63 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 146 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Tuross Head being primarily residential. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation at 97%. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.8% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages nine trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

The level of general health in Tuross Head is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Tuross Head shows better-than-average health outcomes, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups have low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is held by approximately 47% (~1,079 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (16.7%) and mental health issues (8.6%). 52.9% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age residents face significant health challenges due to higher chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 47.2% (1,089 people), compared to 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Seniors' health outcomes are above average and align with national rankings for the general population.

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

Tuross Head had a cultural diversity level below average, with 83.9% of its population born in Australia and 91.3% being citizens. English was the language spoken at home by 97.0%. Christianity was the predominant religion in Tuross Head, comprising 54.3%, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.9%), Australian (28.5%), and Irish (10.2%). Notably, Hungarian ethnicity was overrepresented at 0.5% in Tuross Head versus 0.2% regionally, Scottish at 8.8% compared to 8.0%, and Macedonian at 0.3% versus 0.4%.

Tuross Head ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Tuross Head has a median age of 62 years, which is significantly higher than both the Rest of NSW average of 43 and the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Tuross Head has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (28.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (4.3%). This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is notably above the national average of 9.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 35-44 increased from 5.7% to 7.4%, while the 75-84 age group rose from 13.7% to 14.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group decreased from 21.0% to 18.1%, and the 5-14 age group fell from 5.7% to 4.3%. By 2041, Tuross Head's age composition is projected to shift significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is expected to expand by 103 people (30%), growing from 341 to 445 residents. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 61% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 15-24 age group is expected to contract by 5 residents.