Bermagui

Development Activity

Schools in Bermagui iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Demographics

Bermagui's median age of 58 is 18 years above the national figure, the result of a decade-long aging trajectory where the senior share rose 8.3 points and the working-age share fell 5.9 points. The overseas-born share is 15.3%, which is 6.3 points below national, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (846), Scottish (252) and Irish (243) are the three leading ancestries. University qualifications reach 23.9%, which is 6.2 points below the national figure, consistent with a blue-collar and trade-oriented community. Average household size is 2.1, below the national average, reflecting the high proportion of retired couples without children at home: 49.1% of families are couples with no children.

The owner-occupier profile is striking: 56.6% of households own outright, compared to the national average of around 31%, and only 19.4% carry a mortgage. This unusual split results from an older population that has paid off its home. Separate houses account for 81.1% of the stock, with semi-detached at 9.8% and apartments at 6.6%. Three-bedroom homes are the modal type at 43.8%, and four-plus bedroom homes make up 25.9%. The median house price pulled back from $832,500 in 2024 to $817,500 in 2025, a 1.8% decline. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.3% exceeds the 30% stress threshold, signalling that recent buyers are stretched relative to local incomes in the 13.5th percentile nationally.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads local employment at 15.5% of workers (70 people), followed by Construction at 14.3% (65) and Hospitality at 13.7% (62), reflecting both the ageing population's care needs and the town's tourism economy. Education accounts for 11.0% and Retail 8.6%. The occupation mix spans Professionals (102), Community and Personal service workers (96), Managers (95) and Labourers (78). Unemployment is low at 3.6%, but labour force participation of 38.9% is well below state norms because a large retired cohort sits outside the workforce entirely. SEIFA scores place the suburb in the 3rd to 4th decile nationally across all four indexes, meaning it ranks below average on advantage but not at the lowest tier.

Transport to Work

Car dependence is high, with 80.6% of residents commuting by car, reflecting the town's coastal and rural setting with limited public transport options. Walking and cycling account for 12.6% of trips, relatively high and consistent with a compact, flat town layout. Crime data is not reported for this suburb in the dataset. The IRSAD decile of 3 places Bermagui in the lower tier nationally on socioeconomic advantage, though the 7.3% rate of residents needing daily assistance (125 people) partly reflects the older age structure rather than deprivation. The volunteering rate of 26.1% is high, indicating strong community participation. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Bega Valley towns.

Population Forecast

Population grew 14.6% over the past decade, reaching 1,865 residents, and the forecast projects annual growth of 0.74% or about 75 people per year through to 2031. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 119 arrivals annually, with overseas migration adding 29 more. The gentrification score of 34 places Bermagui at the early signs stage, with signals including 12% population growth since 2011 and internal migration accelerating from 2% to 10% annually. Real incomes rose 20.7% over the decade. The aging trajectory is expected to continue, with the senior share having already grown 8.3 points, which will increase demand for healthcare and community services rather than family-oriented infrastructure.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Bermagui compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions