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 Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Urunga is around 3,243, reflecting an increase of 58 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,185. This increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,232 based on their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 43 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 66 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 64.0% 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.

Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations to all areas for years 2032 to 2041, the suburb of Urunga is expected to grow by 186 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 5.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Urunga shows approximately 8 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 43 homes were approved, with another 6 approved so far in FY26. Each dwelling built over these years has resulted in an average of 2.4 new residents per year.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $491,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $358,000, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Rest of NSW, Urunga records about 64% of building activity per person and ranks in the 60th percentile nationally for building activity. However, recent years have seen accelerating building activity.

The area maintains its traditional low density character, with new construction consisting entirely of detached dwellings (81.0%), appealing to those seeking space despite increasing density pressures. Urunga reflects a low density area, with around 248 people per approval. Future projections estimate an addition of 175 residents by 2041. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely affecting this region. Notable initiatives include the Sewering Coastal Villages Project, Urunga Boardwalk Replacement, Waterfall Way Corridor Strategy, and Pacific Highway Upgrade: Hexham To Brisbane.

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

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The employment landscape in Urunga shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Urunga has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 3.7% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.3%. As of December 2025, 1,249 residents were in work and the unemployment rate was 0.2% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation lagged significantly at 46.3%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. Based on Census responses, only 12.7% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction was particularly strong with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed just 1.9% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, employment increased by 3.3% while labour force increased by 2.7%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasted with Regional NSW where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Urunga's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

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

Urunga's median taxpayer income was $42,187 and average income was $52,057 in financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average of $65,215 for Regional NSW, which had a median income of $52,390. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Urunga would be approximately $45,925 and $56,669 respectively, based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Urunga fell between the 5th and 10th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. The income bracket of $400 - $799 dominated with 28.9% of residents (937 people), contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category was predominant at 29.9%. Housing affordability was severe, with only 82.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Urunga, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.4% houses and 18.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Regional NSW's 81.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Urunga was at 49.0%, with the rest either mortgaged (22.7%) or rented (28.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Urunga was $340, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Urunga's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 constitute 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 account for the remaining 37.0%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4 people.

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 disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity 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 prevalent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 9.6% and certificates make up 32.4%.

A substantial 24.0% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 9.2% in primary education, 6.2% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Urunga has 26 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 22 routes providing 445 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents located an average of 238 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily due to Urunga's primarily residential nature. Cars remain the dominant transport mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 63 trips per day, equating to approximately 17 weekly trips per stop.

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

Urunga faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~1,543 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (12.6%) and mental health issues (9.5%). 58.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 36.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,167 people), higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 90.9% of its population being citizens, 90.0% born in Australia, and 97.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Urunga, comprising 51.3% of people. Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.2% compared to 0.1% across Regional NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.7%), Australian (31.5%), and Irish (10.5%). Notably, Scottish (8.8%) and Welsh (0.5%) were equally represented in Urunga as regionally, while Australian Aboriginal was underrepresented at 3.8% compared to 4.6%.

Urunga ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Urunga's median age is 55 years, which is considerably higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and the national norm of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 65-74 year-olds are particularly prominent at 20.2%, while the 25-34 year-olds make up only 6.8%. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 8.3% to 10.4%, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 10.6% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.8% to 8.8%, and the 25 to 34 year-olds have 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 91 people (24%) from 389 to 481. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 68% of anticipated growth, while population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 65 to 74 cohorts.