Urunga

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

As of Nov 2025, Urunga's population is estimated at around 3,229 people, reflecting a 1.4% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,185 people. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,212 as of June 2024, based on ABS ERP data and 40 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb has a population density ratio of 66 persons per square kilometer. Urunga's growth rate of 1.4% since census is within 2.8 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 64.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a 2022 base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a 2021 base year.

Considering these projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 5.6% by 2041, reflecting an increase of 184 persons.

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

Urunga has seen approximately 7 dwellings granted development approval annually. Between FY21-FY25, around 39 homes were approved, with another 5 approved in FY26 to date. Each new dwelling built over these years has resulted in an average of 2.5 new residents.

The average construction cost for new homes is $491,000. This financial year, there have been $490,000 in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Urunga records around 58% of building activity per person, placing it at the 50th percentile nationally. However, building activity has increased recently.

New construction consists entirely of detached dwellings, maintaining Urunga's low-density character and appealing to those seeking family homes. At approximately 322 people per approval, Urunga reflects a low-density area. By 2041, projections estimate an increase of 182 residents in Urunga. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Two projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence the local area significantly: the Sewering Coastal Villages Project and the Urunga Boardwalk Replacement. Additionally, the Waterfall Way Corridor Strategy and the Pacific Highway Upgrade from Hexham to Brisbane are also notable initiatives.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Urunga recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Urunga has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.9%.

As of June 2025, 1,235 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation lagged at 44.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction employed 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 1.9% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally, with a lower Census working population compared to resident population. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 1.9%, and labour force by 3.5%, raising the unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of NSW, where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years for Urunga, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

Urunga has a median taxpayer income of $42,187 and an average income of $52,057 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest Urunga's median income will be approximately $47,507 and the average will be around $58,621. The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Urunga fall between the 5th and 10th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the majority of residents, 28.9%, earn between $400 and $799 (933 people), unlike the surrounding region where earnings predominantly fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 range at 29.9%. Housing affordability is a significant issue in Urunga, with only 82.9% of income remaining after expenses, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

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

Urunga's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Urunga stood at 49.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.7% and rented ones at 28.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Urunga was $340, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Urunga's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 63.0% of all households, including 16.9% couples with children, 32.6% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households comprising 4.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Urunga fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 19.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 32.4%.

A substantial 24.0% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 9.2% in primary, 6.2% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education. Urunga Public School serves the local area with an enrollment of 187 students as of a recent date. The school offers balanced educational opportunities typical of Australian schools (ICSEA: 971). It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 5.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.6, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Urunga has 23 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 24 individual routes serving these stops, which together provide 477 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Urunga is rated as good, with residents typically located 241 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 68 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Urunga is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Urunga faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 48% (~1536 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.6% of residents) and mental health issues (9.5%). Conversely, 58.0% claim to be free from medical ailments compared to 63.9% in Rest of NSW. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 35.6% (1149 people), higher than the 23.9% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming general population metrics.

The latest Census data sees Urunga placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Urunga had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 90.9% of its population being citizens and 97.1% speaking English only at home. The majority of Urunga's population was born in Australia, with 90.0%. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 51.3% of people in Urunga.

Judaism had a higher representation in Urunga compared to the rest of NSW, comprising 0.2% versus 0.1%. The top three ancestry groups were English at 32.7%, Australian at 31.5%, and Irish at 10.5%. Notably, Scottish ancestry was slightly overrepresented at 8.8% in Urunga compared to the regional average of 8.3%. Australian Aboriginal ancestry was also present but had a lower representation than the region's average, with 3.8% versus 4.0%. Welsh ancestry was equally represented in both Urunga and the region, at 0.5%.

Urunga ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Urunga's median age is 55 years, which is considerably higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and the national norm of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 20.5% of the population, while those aged 25-34 make up only 6.8%. This concentration of those aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the age group of 35 to 44 has grown from 8.3% to 10.2%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 6.8% to 8.0%. Conversely, the age groups of 45 to 54 have declined from 11.8% to 9.5% and those aged 25-34 dropped from 8.3% to 6.8%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Urunga's age structure. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to increase by 108 people (30%), growing from 368 to 477 residents. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 65% of anticipated growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 45-54 and 65-74.