Bega
Healthcare alone employs 28.0% of Bega's workforce, far above the share in most NSW towns, and that single industry shapes the whole suburb. As the service hub of the Bega Valley, it draws hospital and aged-care jobs that pull in an older population: the median age of 43 sits 3.0 years above the national figure. Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 88.3% separate houses and just 2.4% apartments, on a sprawling 31.17 km2 footprint at only 160.8 residents per km2. Household income lands in the 25th percentile nationally, and university qualifications at 23.2% run 6.9 points below national, a profile built on trades, health support and farming rather than knowledge work.
Population
5,013
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,196/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
71
Median House
$611K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Bega's median house price of $610,550 is modest by NSW standards, and growth has been flat, rising just 1.7% from $605,000 in 2024 to $615,000 in 2025. That affordability matters because household income sits in the 25th percentile nationally, yet monthly mortgage repayments average only $1,408 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Buyers get space rather than density: 88.3% of dwellings are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 47.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes 30.0%, so family-sized stock dominates. Apartments are almost absent at 2.4%, meaning low-maintenance options are scarce. The market suits owner-occupiers seeking a detached house on a budget more than those chasing rapid capital gains.
For Buyers
Bega's median house price of $610,550 is modest by NSW standards, and growth has been flat, rising just 1.7% from $605,000 in 2024 to $615,000 in 2025. That affordability matters because household income sits in the 25th percentile nationally, yet monthly mortgage repayments average only $1,408 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.2%, below the 30% stress threshold. Buyers get space rather than density: 88.3% of dwellings are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 47.7% and four-plus-bedroom homes 30.0%, so family-sized stock dominates. Apartments are almost absent at 2.4%, meaning low-maintenance options are scarce. The market suits owner-occupiers seeking a detached house on a budget more than those chasing rapid capital gains.
For Investors
Renters make up 33.8% of Bega households and weekly rent averages $320, which against the $610,550 median house price implies a gross yield near 2.7%, higher than many capital-city markets. The 8.2% vacancy rate is elevated, signalling the tenant pool is not deep, so void risk is real. Rent has climbed 47.2% over the decade, the strongest part of the income case, while capital growth stayed flat at 1.7% over the latest year. Demand is steady rather than surging: net internal migration adds 60 residents a year and overseas migration 28, with development activity at 67 applications in 12 months. With annual population growth of 0.69%, the investment thesis rests on yield and rent escalation more than price appreciation or volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
306
Last 12 Months
71
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bega iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sapphire Coast Anglican College
K-12 · 454 students
Mumbulla School for Rudolf Steiner Education
K-6 · 176 students
Thomas More Christian Montessori School
K-6 · 26 students
St Patrick's Primary School
K-6 · 175 students
Bega High School
7-12 · 706 students
Demographics
Bega's median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 9.6 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.9 points and the young share dropped 3.9 points. The population is far less international than the country as a whole, with only 9.7% born overseas, which is 11.9 points below national, and no significant non-English language community recorded. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,007), Irish (614) and Scottish (446), with German (269) the largest continental group. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, consistent with the older profile where couples without children make up 30.1% of the 3,643 families. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 2,161 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.3%
Houses
8.9%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is weighted toward established owners: 38.2% own outright, 28.0% carry a mortgage and 33.8% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free homes rather than a churn of recent buyers, fitting the older median age of 43. The stock is 88.3% separate houses and only 2.4% apartments, so the market is built around detached family living. Three-bedroom homes account for 47.7% and four-plus-bedroom 30.0%, while two-bedroom dwellings are just 18.2%, confirming larger floorplans. The median house price moved only 1.7% from $605,000 to $615,000 across 2024 and 2025. Both stress ratios stay manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 27.2% and rent-to-income at 26.8%, each below the 30% threshold, which reflects how affordable the housing is relative even to a 25th-percentile income base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,408
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$660
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
177
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.1%
Couples, no children
3,643
Total families
Economy & Employment
The Bega economy is anchored by Healthcare, which employs 28.0% of workers (349 people), nearly three times the next sector, because the town hosts the valley's main hospital and aged-care services. Education follows at 9.6% (120), then Manufacturing at 9.3% (116), Construction at 8.4% (105) and Public Administration at 7.5% (93). By occupation, Labourers (403) actually outnumber Professionals (352), with Community and Personal Service workers (317) close behind, a structure that explains why university qualifications sit below the national rate. Unemployment is low at 4.0%, but participation reads just 49.0% because the aging profile leaves 1,577 residents out of the labour force. The SEIFA decile 4 score for education and occupation, and decile 3 on the IRSAD advantage index, reflect this trades and service heavy base. Real incomes still grew 16.2% over the decade.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
4,250
Unemployed
162
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.8%
Part-time
39.2%
Participation
49.0%
Employed
1,911
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.2%
Postgraduate
5.1%
Born Overseas
9.7%
Dwellings
1,967
Transport to Work
Bega is built for cars: 81.4% of commuters drive while just 0.4% use public transport and 11.4% walk or cycle, a pattern driven by its low density of 160.8 residents per km2 across 31.17 km2. As a regional service centre it offers solid health access, with Healthcare employing 28.0% of the workforce, though only 8.8% of residents (401 people) report needing daily assistance despite the older median age of 43. Community engagement is healthy, with a volunteering rate of 18.6%. On the SEIFA indexes the suburb sits at decile 4 for relative disadvantage and decile 3 for overall advantage, below the national midpoint, which reflects a working town with modest incomes rather than acute deprivation. Housing costs stay manageable, with rent-to-income at 26.8%, below the stress threshold.
Drive
81.4%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
11.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.69%/yr
(+69 people/yr)
EstablishedBega is growing slowly and steadily, with annual population growth of 0.69% and a 9.0% rise over the past decade, classifying it as an established suburb rather than a boom market. Growth is balanced across sources: net internal migration adds 60 residents a year and overseas migration 28, so neither driver dominates. The gentrification reading is at the early-signs stage with a score of 23, supported by positive internal migration and an accelerating trend, though it remains far from active transformation. Affordability has held stable, easing only slightly from 42.7% in 2011 to 43.9% in 2021, while rent has grown a strong 47.2% over the same period. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 9.6 points, which tempers the pace of working-age expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+28
Net Internal / yr
+60
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Net internal migration +60/yr, Accelerating: -1% → 11%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bega compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bega a good suburb to live in?
Bega suits buyers wanting affordable detached housing, with a median house price of $610,550 and 88.3% separate houses. It is a regional service hub where Healthcare employs 28.0% of workers. Trade-offs include a 25th-percentile income base and SEIFA decile 4 disadvantage, both below the national midpoint.
What is the median house price in Bega?
The median house price in Bega is $610,550, modest by NSW standards. Prices rose just 1.7% from $605,000 in 2024 to $615,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $320 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,408, keeping the mortgage-to-income ratio at 27.2%, below the stress threshold.
What schools are in Bega?
No individual schools are recorded inside the Bega boundary in this dataset. Education is the second-largest local industry, employing 9.6% of workers (120 people), and as the Bega Valley service centre the town supports schooling for the wider district of 5,013 residents.
Is Bega safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bega in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores SEIFA decile 4 on relative disadvantage and decile 3 on overall advantage, and only 8.8% of its 5,013 residents (401 people) report needing daily assistance, consistent with a stable regional town.
Is Bega good for property investment?
Rent of $320 a week against a $610,550 median gives a gross yield near 2.7%, higher than many capital cities. Rent has grown 47.2% over the decade, but the 8.2% vacancy rate signals a shallow tenant pool. With 0.69% annual population growth, returns lean on yield rather than capital gains.
How is Bega's population changing?
Bega's population is growing slowly at 0.69% a year, a 9.0% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 9.6 points and the working-age share down 4.9 points over the decade. Net internal migration adds 60 residents a year and overseas migration 28.
How much development is happening in Bega?
There were 67 development applications lodged in Bega over the past 12 months, including subdivisions and dual-occupancy dwellings. This is moderate activity for a town of 5,013 residents and aligns with steady 0.69% annual population growth rather than a construction boom.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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