East Ballina
Two numbers define East Ballina: a median age of 48, which sits 8.0 years above the national figure, and a $1,050,000 median house price reached on essentially flat growth of 1.0% across 2024 to 2025. The pairing is no accident. Household income lands at the 49.5th percentile nationally, almost exactly mid-table, yet prices push past a million because the stock is dominated by separate houses at 61.2% in a low-density coastal pocket of 904.6 residents per km2. The resident base is aging, with the senior share up 7.1 points and the working-age share down 3.6 points over the decade. University qualifications reach 35.8%, which is 5.7 points above national, while the overseas-born share of 12.7% runs 8.9 points below it, marking an Anglo-leaning, settled population.
Population
5,882
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,554/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
44
Median House
$1.1M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers face a $1,050,000 median that has barely moved, rising 1.0% from 2024 to 2025, so this is a hold-and-live market rather than a momentum play. The stock suits families: 61.2% are separate houses and three-bedroom homes make up 46.7% with four-plus bedrooms at 29.5%, leaving apartments at just 6.7% for downsizers. Affordability is gentler than the price tag suggests because monthly mortgage repayments average $1,800, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold even at mid-table incomes. That gap exists because 46.1% of homes are owned outright, far above the 25.3% carrying a mortgage, which signals long-settled owners who bought before the run-up rather than recent leveraged entrants.
For Buyers
Buyers face a $1,050,000 median that has barely moved, rising 1.0% from 2024 to 2025, so this is a hold-and-live market rather than a momentum play. The stock suits families: 61.2% are separate houses and three-bedroom homes make up 46.7% with four-plus bedrooms at 29.5%, leaving apartments at just 6.7% for downsizers. Affordability is gentler than the price tag suggests because monthly mortgage repayments average $1,800, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold even at mid-table incomes. That gap exists because 46.1% of homes are owned outright, far above the 25.3% carrying a mortgage, which signals long-settled owners who bought before the run-up rather than recent leveraged entrants.
For Investors
Renters make up 28.6% of households, a moderate pool, and weekly rent of $460 against the $1,050,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, low and typical of a lifestyle coastal market where buyers pay for amenity over income. The 7.8% vacancy rate is elevated and points to seasonal or holiday-let softness rather than a tight long-term rental base. Demand support is steady but slow: net internal migration adds 134 residents a year and overseas migration 104, with annual population growth of 0.69%. Rent has grown 39.3% over the period, well above the flat 1.0% capital move, so the recent return has come from yield escalation. With 42 development applications lodged in 12 months, mostly secondary dwellings and additions, supply growth is incremental and the case rests on rent growth and capital preservation more than turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
227
Last 12 Months
44
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in East Ballina iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Southern Cross Public School
K-6 · 388 students
Southern Cross School of Distance Education
K-12 · 79 students
Demographics
The median age of 48 runs 8.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging rather than stable: the senior share rose 7.1 points while the working-age share fell 3.6 points and the young share slipped 1.4 points over the decade. Only 12.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 8.9 points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,664), Irish (937) and Scottish (786). University qualifications at 35.8% sit 5.7 points above national, higher than the income percentile would suggest and consistent with retirees who carry credentials but lower current earnings. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, matching a profile where couples without children make up 36.7% of families, slightly ahead of couples with children at 1,546.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
61.2%
Houses
30.7%
Townhouse
6.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward outright ownership: 46.1% own their home debt-free, well above the 25.3% with a mortgage and the 28.6% who rent. That outright-heavy split reflects an older population that bought before prices reached the current $1,050,000 median, a figure that moved just 1.0% from 2024 to 2025. The stock is house-dominated at 61.2% separate dwellings and 30.7% semi-detached, with apartments at only 6.7%, which keeps detached supply scarce and supports values. Three-bedroom homes lead at 46.7% and four-plus at 29.5%, a family-sized profile. Both stress measures stay contained, with mortgage-to-income at 26.8% and rent-to-income at 29.6%, the latter closer to the 30% line because tenants earn less than the established owner base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wk
$460
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$814
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
203
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.7%
Couples, no children
4,532
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment concentrates in public-facing service sectors: Healthcare leads at 24.1% (485 workers), Education follows at 17.0% (342) and Construction at 12.0% (242), with Professional/Tech at 8.4% and Public Admin at 7.0%. By occupation, Professionals (729) and Community and Personal Service workers (393) dominate, fitting a coastal town built around hospitals, schools and aged care. Unemployment is low at 3.3%, but the participation rate of 53.4% sits below what the 35.8% university share would imply, because the aging profile leaves 1,889 residents not in the labour force. The SEIFA scores read consistently middle-tier: IRSAD, IRSD and IEO all land at decile 4, while economic resources (IER) dips to decile 3, the one anomaly, because retiree households show lower current income despite holding debt-free property.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
8,145
Unemployed
328
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.8%
Part-time
41.9%
Participation
53.4%
Employed
2,562
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.8%
Postgraduate
7.0%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
2,405
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-centred: 90.4% of residents drive to work while only 0.6% use public transport and 4.0% walk or cycle, a reliance well above the national norm and typical of a low-density coastal town at 904.6 residents per km2. The suburb scores decile 4 on the IRSAD index of advantage and decile 4 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, a solid middle-tier reading that signals few residents face acute deprivation. Volunteering runs at 18.8% and just 5.2%, or 290 people, need daily assistance despite the older median age of 48. No schools are recorded inside the 6.5 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in central Ballina and nearby suburbs, a practical trade-off for the quieter residential setting.
Drive
90.4%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.69%/yr
(+129 people/yr)
EstablishedEast Ballina is a slow-growth established market: annual population growth registers 0.69%, adding about 129 residents a year, while the 10-year change of 15.2% confirms gradual rather than rapid expansion. Migration is balanced, with net internal inflow of 134 a year and net overseas migration of 104, so growth is organic settlement rather than a development-led surge. The gentrification stage reads early signs on a score of 21, supported by the population rise and steady inflow, but the aging trajectory tempers it, with the senior share up 7.1 points over the decade. Affordability has improved slightly from 61.0% in 2011 to 58.8% in 2021 even as rents climbed 39.3%, and real incomes grew 17.4%, pointing to a settled coastal community absorbing newcomers at a measured pace.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+134
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +12% since 2011, Net internal migration +134/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How East Ballina compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is East Ballina a good suburb to live in?
East Ballina suits buyers who want a settled coastal lifestyle. It scores decile 4 on the IRSAD advantage index, a solid middle tier, with university qualifications at 35.8%, which is 5.7 points above national. Trade-offs are a $1,050,000 median house price and heavy car reliance at 90.4% of commuters.
What is the median house price in East Ballina?
The median house price is $1,050,000, having risen just 1.0% from 2024 to 2025. Weekly rent averages $460 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,800, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.8%, below the 30% stress threshold despite mid-table local incomes.
What schools are in East Ballina?
No schools are recorded inside the 6.5 km2 East Ballina boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in central Ballina and neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 35.8%, which is 5.7 points above the national figure.
Is East Ballina safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for East Ballina in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 4 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, a middle tier, and only 5.2% of its residents, or 290 people, need daily assistance, both consistent with a settled, low-disadvantage area.
Is East Ballina good for property investment?
Rent of $460 a week against the $1,050,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%, low for the price, and the 7.8% vacancy rate is elevated. Rent grew 39.3% over the period versus a flat 1.0% capital move, so recent returns have come from yield rather than price growth.
How is East Ballina's population changing?
Population growth is 0.69% annually, adding about 129 residents a year, with a 15.2% rise over 10 years. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.1 points and the working-age share down 3.6 points over the decade, supported by net internal migration of 134 a year.
How much development is happening in East Ballina?
There were 42 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, modest for a 6.5 km2 suburb. Most are secondary dwellings, garages and alterations to existing homes rather than new estates, consistent with a slow-growth established market expanding at 0.69% annually.
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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