Eden
A median age of 53 makes Eden one of the oldest resident bases on the NSW South Coast, sitting 13 years above the national figure, yet the suburb has grown 45.2% over the past decade. That combination of aging demographics and high growth is unusual and reflects a sustained wave of sea-change migration rather than natural increase. Household income ranks in just the 13.7th percentile nationally, and SEIFA places the suburb in decile 1 on both IRSAD and IEO, signalling concentrated disadvantage alongside the lifestyle appeal. The median house price nonetheless reached $700,000 in 2024-2025, driven by demand pressure from internal migration averaging 227 residents per year.
Population
3,350
Median Age
53.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,025/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
24
Median House
$700K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price sits at $700,000, up from $690,000 in 2024 to $712,500 in 2025, a 3.3% one-year gain. Separate houses dominate at 80.6% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes at 46.7% and four-plus bedrooms at 27.1%, meaning most of the available stock suits families or sea-changers seeking space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.2%, above the 30% stress threshold for a suburb where household income sits in just the 13.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 46.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 21.5%, a pattern typical of a retiree-heavy area where assets were accumulated elsewhere before moving in. First-home buyers face a price point that tests serviceability relative to local incomes.
For Buyers
The median house price sits at $700,000, up from $690,000 in 2024 to $712,500 in 2025, a 3.3% one-year gain. Separate houses dominate at 80.6% of dwellings, with three-bedroom homes at 46.7% and four-plus bedrooms at 27.1%, meaning most of the available stock suits families or sea-changers seeking space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.2%, above the 30% stress threshold for a suburb where household income sits in just the 13.7th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 46.4% outnumber mortgage holders at 21.5%, a pattern typical of a retiree-heavy area where assets were accumulated elsewhere before moving in. First-home buyers face a price point that tests serviceability relative to local incomes.
For Investors
A 32.1% renter share and weekly rent of $270 provide a tenant base, but the 15.2% vacancy rate is notably high and indicates seasonal or holiday-letting churn rather than structural rental demand. Against the $700,000 median, that $270 rent implies a gross yield near 2.0%, low even for a coastal market. Demand for residents is growing: net internal migration of 227 per year has pushed population up 45.2% over the decade, and the medium forecast adds roughly 1,545 residents by 2031. Development activity ran at 19 applications in the past 12 months, modest volume that limits new supply competition. The investment case relies on continued sea-change demand driving capital growth rather than current yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
150
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Eden iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Eden Marine High School
7-12 · 536 students
Eden Public School
K-6 · 256 students
Demographics
The median age of 53 is 13 years above the national figure, the most distinctive single data point in the brief. The senior share of residents rose 2.0 points over the decade, while the young share fell 1.5 points, confirming an aging trajectory that is likely to continue as retirees form a larger share of net internal migrants. Overseas-born residents account for 12.7%, which is 8.9 points below the national average, placing Eden firmly among the most Anglo-Celtic communities in NSW. English (1,407), Irish (358) and Scottish (334) are the top ancestries. University qualifications at 17.1% run 13 points below national. Couples without children make up 39.9% of families, consistent with post-child-raising retirees settling for the coastal environment.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.6%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
3.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews strongly toward outright ownership: 46.4% own free and clear, compared to just 21.5% carrying a mortgage and 32.1% renting. The outright-owner majority reflects the retiree demographic that dominates the population. Separate houses account for 80.6% of stock, with semi-detached at 12.7% and apartments at only 3.7%, so the market is almost entirely detached dwellings. The price moved from $690,000 in 2024 to $712,500 in 2025, a 3.3% rise, and the CAGR over the available window sits at 3.3%. Mortgage-to-income of 34.2% exceeds the stress threshold, even as rent-to-income at 26.3% stays below it, a divergence that reflects how purchase prices have run ahead of local wage levels typical of a lifestyle-driven coastal market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$270
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$577
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.2%
Unoccupied
240
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.2% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.9%
Couples, no children
2,286
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 18.5% (128 workers), reflecting the aged-care and health needs of a senior-heavy population of 3,350. Hospitality and education each contribute around 10%, consistent with a tourism-oriented coastal town. By occupation, Labourers (212) and Community/Personal workers (184) are the two largest groups, pointing to a predominantly blue-collar and care-sector workforce rather than a professional base. Unemployment stands at 6.3%, above average, and the full-time employment rate of 55.2% is constrained by low participation at 40.7%, because 1,302 residents are not in the labour force, predominantly retirees. All four SEIFA indexes place Eden in decile 1 or 2, the lowest advantage tier nationally, signalling that the lifestyle appeal coexists with limited economic opportunity.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
4,802
Unemployed
150
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.2%
Part-time
38.5%
Participation
40.7%
Employed
1,075
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.1%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
1,333
Transport to Work
Car dependency is extreme: 86.1% of residents drive to work, and only 0.4% use public transport, the lowest feasible figure for an isolated coastal town 484 km from Sydney. Walking and cycling account for 6.8%, reasonable for a compact town centre. No schools are recorded in the Eden locality dataset, so families depend on facilities in the broader Bega Valley area. Crime data is not available for this suburb. As an indirect measure, SEIFA IRSAD places Eden in decile 1 nationally, the most disadvantaged tier, and 9.0% of residents (273 people) require daily assistance, above the typical rate for a community this size. Volunteering at 18.8% is relatively high, pointing to active community participation that partly offsets the thin formal-service footprint in a small coastal town.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
6.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.72%/yr
(+311 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 45.2% over the decade, a rate that ranks Eden among the fastest-growing coastal communities in NSW despite starting from a small base of 3,350. The current annual growth rate of 2.72% adds roughly 91 residents per year, with the medium forecast projecting the broader SA2 reaching 12,977 by 2031. Internal migration is the primary engine, averaging net 227 arrivals per year, while overseas migration contributes 77. The gentrification composite scores 40 and is classified Active, driven by that sustained in-migration. Affordability improved from 51.8% in 2011 to 46.7% in 2021, suggesting prices rose but so did purchasing capacity among the arriving cohort. The trajectory is Mixed: strong headcount growth but a declining young-adult share as the incoming demographic skews older.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+77
Net Internal / yr
+227
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +227/yr, Accelerating: 14% → 48%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Eden compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Eden a good suburb to live in?
Eden offers a detached-house coastal lifestyle at a $700,000 median, with 80.6% separate houses and a population that has grown 45.2% in a decade, signalling strong liveability appeal. The trade-offs are significant: SEIFA places it in decile 1 on both IRSAD and IEO, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, public transport covers only 0.4% of commuters, and services are limited for its 3,350 residents.
What is the median house price in Eden?
The median house price is $700,000, based on PSI-derived data. Prices rose from $690,000 in 2024 to $712,500 in 2025, a 3.3% annual gain. Weekly rent averages $270 and monthly mortgage repayments run around $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 34.2%, above the standard 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Eden?
No schools are recorded within the Eden suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the wider Bega Valley area. The local population has a university qualification rate of 17.1%, which is 13 points below the national average, reflecting the older, trade and care-sector workforce that characterises the town.
Is Eden safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Eden in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, SEIFA places the suburb in decile 1 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, and 9.0% of its 3,350 residents need daily assistance, a rate consistent with the older median age of 53. These figures suggest caution in assuming uniformly low crime risk.
Is Eden good for property investment?
The 3.3% annual price growth and 45.2% decade-long population rise signal ongoing demand from sea-change buyers, which supports the capital growth case. However, the 15.2% vacancy rate and a gross yield of roughly 2.0% on $270 weekly rent against a $700,000 median are unfavourable. Returns are likely to come from price appreciation driven by the 227-person-per-year net internal migration inflow, not rental income.
How is Eden's population changing?
The broader SA2 population reached 11,432 in 2025 after growing 45.2% over the decade, with 2.72% annual growth adding roughly 311 residents per year. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 227 arrivals per year. The medium forecast projects the area reaching 12,977 by 2031. The resident profile is aging, with a median age of 53 and a declining young-adult share.
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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