Broulee
A 39.6% vacancy rate and a median age of 50 tell the story of Broulee before any other figure does. Situated on the NSW South Coast, this is primarily a holiday and sea-change destination, where 48.7% of dwellings are owned outright with no mortgage, pointing to established, debt-free owners rather than active buyers. Population has grown 34.1% over the decade, faster than most comparable coastal towns, and rent has climbed 60% over the same period. Household income sits at the 35th percentile nationally, below average, yet the suburb scores IRSD decile 7, reflecting the asset wealth concentrated in property rather than wages. Median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure.
Population
1,947
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,355/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
53
Median House
$940K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $940,000 places Broulee above the national median for a NSW South Coast location with limited services. Prices have retreated from a $960,000 peak in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025, a 6.2% fall, giving buyers negotiating room compared to the prior year. Separate houses make up 75.4% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 21.8% and apartments just 2.5%, so detached-house supply is plentiful relative to apartment alternatives. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 39.1%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 35.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,790, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 30.5%, above the 30% stress threshold, so buyers relying on income rather than equity face real servicing pressure at current prices.
For Buyers
The median house price of $940,000 places Broulee above the national median for a NSW South Coast location with limited services. Prices have retreated from a $960,000 peak in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025, a 6.2% fall, giving buyers negotiating room compared to the prior year. Separate houses make up 75.4% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 21.8% and apartments just 2.5%, so detached-house supply is plentiful relative to apartment alternatives. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 39.1%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 35.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,790, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 30.5%, above the 30% stress threshold, so buyers relying on income rather than equity face real servicing pressure at current prices.
For Investors
A 39.6% vacancy rate is the headline risk for investors, roughly double what you would accept in a metro suburb. Weekly rent of $380 against a $940,000 median implies a gross yield below 2.1%, thin for the capital required. The vacancy signals a holiday-letting dominated market where properties sit empty outside peak seasons. On the demand side, net internal migration averages 49 per year and net overseas migration adds 13, providing baseline rental demand that keeps the market from stagnating. Rent growth of 60% over the decade confirms that when properties do rent, pricing power is real. Development activity has generated 45 applications in the past 12 months, above what a small population of under 2,000 Census residents would typically produce, indicating continued interest in upgrading and adding to existing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
260
Last 12 Months
53
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+20.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Broulee iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Peter's Anglican College - Broulee
K-12 · 925 students
Broulee Public School
K-6 · 246 students
Carroll College
7-12 · 493 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national average, making Broulee one of the older coastal communities in NSW. The senior share has risen 5.3 points over the decade while the working-age share has fallen 2.9 points, a trajectory consistent with sea-change retirees arriving and younger residents leaving. Overseas-born residents make up 12.6% of the population, which is 9 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (901), Irish (354) and Scottish (246). University qualifications reach 35.1%, which is 5 percentage points above national, suggesting the older resident base includes a high proportion of retired professionals. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national figure, reflecting the couples-without-children profile: 36.5% of families are couples with no children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.4%
Houses
21.8%
Townhouse
2.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Nearly half of all dwellings (48.7%) are owned outright with no mortgage, far above the national norm, because the ownership base is weighted towards retirees and long-term holders rather than recent purchasers. A further 28.2% carry a mortgage and 23.1% rent. The median house price peaked at $960,000 in 2024 then softened to $900,000 in 2025, a 6.2% correction. Separate houses dominate at 75.4% of stock, with semi-detached at 21.8% and apartments at just 2.5%, which limits the options for buyers seeking lower entry points. Rent averages $380 per week and mortgage repayments $1,790 per month. Mortgage stress at 30.5% of income is above the threshold, though this affects the 28.2% of households with loans rather than the majority who own outright.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,790
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$751
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
39.6%
Unoccupied
499
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.5%
Couples, no children
1,390
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 23.7% of the local workforce (132 workers), followed by Education at 17.8% (99) and Construction at 16.5% (92). Public Admin accounts for a further 9.9%. The occupation profile leans toward Professionals (207) and Managers (115), which is consistent with the above-average university qualification rate of 35.1%. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, matching the national rate, but the participation rate of 46.5% is well below average, because 721 residents are not in the labour force, reflecting the retiree-heavy population. Real income grew 27.9% over the decade, faster than inflation, but household income still sits at the 35th percentile nationally because much of the economic activity is part-time or retirement-income based. SEIFA IRSD decile 7 reflects modest but not severe disadvantage levels.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
1,724
Unemployed
37
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.1%
Part-time
39.7%
Participation
46.5%
Employed
735
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.1%
Postgraduate
7.5%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
763
Transport to Work
Broulee residents depend heavily on private vehicles, with 85.7% driving to work, above the state average for coastal suburbs with limited transit access. Walking and cycling account for 8.7% of commutes, a meaningful share for a low-density area, likely reflecting proximity to beaches and local paths. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families travel to neighbouring Moruya or Batemans Bay for schooling. IRSAD decile 6 places the suburb in the upper-middle band nationally for combined advantage and disadvantage, broadly average. The volunteering rate of 23.9% is notably high compared to urban benchmarks, consistent with a tightly engaged permanent resident community amid the holiday-home turnover. Only 8.4% of residents (152 people) need daily assistance despite the older median age of 50.
Drive
85.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
8.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.67%/yr
(+66 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has grown 34.1% over the decade, reaching an estimated 3,951 in 2025, and is forecast to continue at 1.67% per year, adding around 66 residents annually. Medium projections place the population at 4,375 by 2031. Net internal migration of 49 per year is the primary growth driver, consistent with ongoing sea-change movement from larger cities. The aging trajectory is the key structural shift: the senior share is up 5.3 points and the young-adult share down 1.9 points since 2011, meaning growth is concentrated in the 60-plus cohort. Rent growth of 60% over the decade indicates the market has absorbed that demand with limited new supply. The suburb sits in an active gentrification-signal zone with a score of 56, driven by population gains rather than income uplift.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+13
Net Internal / yr
+49
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +36% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Broulee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Broulee a good suburb to live in?
Broulee suits retirees and lifestyle buyers well: 48.7% of homes are owned outright, median age is 50, and the volunteering rate is 23.9%. IRSAD decile 6 places it in the upper-middle national band. The main practical trade-offs are high car dependency at 85.7% and no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Broulee?
The median house price is $940,000, down from a $960,000 peak in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025, a 6.2% fall. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run $1,790. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.5%, above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Broulee?
No schools are recorded within the Broulee suburb boundary. Families rely on schools in nearby Moruya and Batemans Bay. Despite this, 35.1% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 5 percentage points above the national figure, reflecting the educated retiree base.
Is Broulee safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Broulee in this dataset. As a proxy, the suburb scores IRSD decile 7 on the index of relative disadvantage, above the national median, and only 8.4% of residents (152 people) require daily assistance. The high outright-ownership rate of 48.7% is typical of stable, low-churn communities.
Is Broulee good for property investment?
The 39.6% vacancy rate is the primary risk: that figure is consistent with a holiday-letting market where properties sit empty much of the year. Gross yield is below 2.1% on current prices and rents. Rent growth of 60% over the decade and annual population growth of 1.67% are positive long-term signals, but short-term yield is weak.
How is Broulee's population changing?
Population grew 34.1% over the decade and reached an estimated 3,951 in 2025, growing at 1.67% per year. Net internal migration of 49 per year drives most of this growth. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 5.3 points since 2011, consistent with continued sea-change migration from larger cities.
How much development is happening in Broulee?
There were 45 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, high relative to a Census population under 2,000 residents. Most applications are alterations and additions to existing dwellings rather than new builds, consistent with a mature coastal suburb where owners invest in upgrading holiday and permanent homes.
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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