Iluka
A median age of 62, sitting 22.0 years above the national comparison, defines Iluka more than its 1,764 residents alone suggest. The suburb combines a 26.4% vacancy rate with 54.6% outright ownership, so its housing profile is both settled and under-occupied. Separate houses account for 72.2%, while the average household size is 1.9, or 0.6 below the national figure. Compared with nearby Yamba, Iluka's profile is more clearly shaped by older, smaller households and long-term ownership. Growth is nevertheless forecast at 2.81% annually, driven by overseas migration, while the trajectory remains Aging and the gentrification stage is Not gentrifying.
Local council: Clarence Valley
Population
1,764
Median Age
62.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$834/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
61
For a homebuyer, Iluka suits people prioritising established housing and lower-density living over a high-turnover market. Separate houses make up 72.2% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the largest bedroom group at 45.6%; 2-bedroom homes add 29.6%. Ownership is concentrated: 54.6% own outright, higher than the 13.1% with a mortgage, while 30.6% rent. Because outright ownership is high, listings may turn over more slowly than in a highly leveraged market. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,300, yet mortgage stress reaches 36.0% of households, so buyers should test repayments against household income of $834 per week and allow for insurance, maintenance and travel costs.
For Buyers
For a homebuyer, Iluka suits people prioritising established housing and lower-density living over a high-turnover market. Separate houses make up 72.2% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes the largest bedroom group at 45.6%; 2-bedroom homes add 29.6%. Ownership is concentrated: 54.6% own outright, higher than the 13.1% with a mortgage, while 30.6% rent. Because outright ownership is high, listings may turn over more slowly than in a highly leveraged market. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,300, yet mortgage stress reaches 36.0% of households, so buyers should test repayments against household income of $834 per week and allow for insurance, maintenance and travel costs.
For Investors
Iluka presents a rental profile that needs careful vacancy testing. Weekly rent is $300 and 30.6% of households rent, while the 26.4% vacancy rate sits below the renting share but still points to substantial under-use or seasonal availability. Because forecast rent growth is 0.0%, investors should not rely on rapid rental uplift to support returns. Development activity reached 59 applications in 12 months, with examples including swimming pools, alterations and sheds, so each application needs to be distinguished from new dwelling supply. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, but the gentrification score is 10 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with a tight rental market, conservative occupancy and maintenance assumptions are more appropriate.
Development Activity
Total DAs
244
Last 12 Months
61
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+27.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Iluka
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Iluka's demographic profile is older and less tertiary-educated than the national comparison. Median age is 62, or 22.0 years above national, while university attainment is 14.2%, 15.9 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents represent 9.4%, which is 12.2 points below national, and the 1.9-person average household is 0.6 below national. English ancestry is recorded for 867 people, followed by Irish at 274 and Scottish at 241. Christianity counts 968 residents and no religion 636. This age structure helps explain the household pattern: 333 families are couples without children, equal to 64.8% of families, while couples with children account for 17.1%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.2%
Houses
14.8%
Townhouse
4.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Iluka's tenure mix is more owner-settled than debt-led: 54.6% of dwellings are owned outright, higher than the 13.1% with a mortgage and the 30.6% renting. That structure can reduce forced turnover, but the 26.4% vacancy rate indicates many homes are not occupied year-round or are not available to the standard rental market. Separate houses dominate at 72.2%, compared with 14.8% semi-detached dwellings and 4.4% apartments. The bedroom mix centres on 3-bedroom homes at 45.6%, followed by 2-bedroom homes at 29.6%; only 16.6% have 4 or more bedrooms. With average household size at 1.9, 0.6 below national, smaller households help explain why a detached-dominant suburb can still show high vacancy.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $300.
$460
Bond data Jun 2026
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$487
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
26.4%
Unoccupied
305
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.0% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.0% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.1%
Couples with children
64.8%
Couples, no children
15.4%
Single parent
514
Total families
Economy & Employment
Iluka's employment base is concentrated in services and trades. Healthcare leads with 46 workers, or 16.8%, followed by Education at 42 and 15.4%, Construction at 41 and 15.0%, Manufacturing at 21 and 7.7%, and Retail at 20 and 7.3%. Occupations reinforce that mix: Trades number 78, Labourers 72, Professionals 67, Community/Personal 63 and Sales 51. The labour-force participation rate is 31.1%, unemployment is 10.0%, and 47.5% of employed residents work full-time, reflecting the suburb's median age of 62 and a not-in-labour-force group of 1,008. Socioeconomic scores sit below the upper half of the decile scale: IEO is decile 3, IER 4, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 3. Lower education and resources deciles help explain why household income is only at the 5.5th percentile.
Unemployment
10.0%
Labour Force
498
Unemployed
50
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
47.5%
Part-time
44.4%
Participation
31.1%
Employed
448
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.2%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
9.4%
Dwellings
849
Transport to Work
Daily life in Iluka is likely to be car-dependent: 67.3% of residents drive a car, while 11.0% walk or cycle and 17.0% work from home. That matters for older residents, who make up a profile with a median age of 62, because access to shops, health services and regional connections should be checked from the exact address. Iluka has 1 local school, Iluka Public School, a government primary school; families should confirm enrolment zones and plan secondary-school travel separately. The suburb's IRSAD is decile 3, below the upper half of the scale, and 11.0% of residents need assistance with core activities, so accessibility and support services deserve practical attention. For a current safety check, review NSW Police incident information and visit streets at different times. Compared with more connected centres, Iluka rewards planning around driving distances and service frequency.
Drive
67.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
11.0%
Work from Home
17.0%
Growth Outlook
Iluka combines a strong regional growth signal with an ageing trajectory. The forecast annual trend is 2.81%, and population change across the wider area is 57.9% over 10 years, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. At the same time, the shift is labelled Aging: the senior share rises 5.8 points while the young share falls 4.6 points. Affordability moves from 83.4 in 2011 to 61.4 in 2021, below its earlier level, even though the affordability trend is Improving. Gentrification remains limited, with a score of 10 and stage Not gentrifying; a separate shift score is 13. This combination suggests demand growth without a strong transformation of the suburb's social or housing base, so services for older residents may matter more than rapid tenure change.
Population trend: Clarence Valley council area
Iluka sits in the Clarence Valley council area. These are the council area's residents, not Iluka's.
Residents 2025
56,874
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.2%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Iluka compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iluka a good suburb to live in?
Iluka may suit residents seeking a quieter, older coastal setting with established homes. Its median age is 62, 54.6% of dwellings are owned outright and vacancy is 26.4%, so buyers should weigh calm day-to-day living against car reliance and service access.
What is the median house price in Iluka?
Check recent settled sales in postcode 2466 for the current median, then compare like-for-like properties. Iluka is detached-house dominated, with 72.2% separate houses and 45.6% 3-bedroom homes, so land size, condition and dwelling type can materially change the headline result.
What schools are in Iluka?
Iluka has 1 local school, Iluka Public School, a government primary school. Confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address and plan secondary-school travel separately, because primary-school access does not confirm the full schooling pathway.
Is Iluka safe?
A confident safety judgement needs current incident information rather than assumptions from resident age or tenure. Review NSW Police information, speak with local residents and inspect the exact street at different times. Iluka has 1,764 residents, but population size is not a safety measure.
Is Iluka good for property investment?
Investment conditions are mixed. Weekly rent is $300, vacancy is 26.4%, renting is 30.6% and forecast rent growth is 0.0%. The 59 development applications in 12 months warrant property-specific checks, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver.
How is Iluka's population changing?
The wider-area forecast points to growth, with an annual trend of 2.81% and 57.9% population change over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but Iluka's trajectory is Aging: the senior share rises 5.8 points and the young share falls 4.6 points.
What development is happening in Iluka?
Development activity reached 59 applications over 12 months. Examples include swimming pools, alterations to existing buildings and sheds, so the count should not be read as 59 new homes. Check each property's approval, timing and likely impact on access, parking and construction noise.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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