Moruya Heads
A vacancy rate of 22.5% in a suburb of only 1,125 residents tells the real story of Moruya Heads: this is a coastal holiday and semi-retirement destination where a significant share of dwellings sits empty between visits. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, one of the more pronounced age gaps you find in coastal NSW. House prices reached $752,500 in 2025, up 10.7% from $680,000 in 2024, a sharper annual gain than the state average. Owner-occupiers dominate at 46.2% owning outright compared with just 21.5% renting, a tenure profile typical of established coastal communities rather than commuter belts.
Population
1,125
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,357/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$728K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $727,500 places Moruya Heads below Sydney's inner-ring market but above many regional NSW towns, reflecting the coastal premium for the Eurobodalla region. Prices climbed from $680,000 in 2024 to $752,500 in 2025, a 10.7% one-year gain, suggesting sustained demand. Separate houses dominate at 85.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached accounting for the remaining 14.4% and no apartment stock recorded. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 52.3%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 32.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,663, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 28.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, making purchase costs relatively manageable compared with metropolitan markets.
For Buyers
The median house price of $727,500 places Moruya Heads below Sydney's inner-ring market but above many regional NSW towns, reflecting the coastal premium for the Eurobodalla region. Prices climbed from $680,000 in 2024 to $752,500 in 2025, a 10.7% one-year gain, suggesting sustained demand. Separate houses dominate at 85.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached accounting for the remaining 14.4% and no apartment stock recorded. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 52.3%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 32.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,663, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 28.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, making purchase costs relatively manageable compared with metropolitan markets.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed picture in Moruya Heads. Weekly rent of $350 against a $727,500 median implies a gross yield around 2.5%, lower than many regional NSW centres. The 22.5% vacancy rate is the key concern, running well above the national average of around 2-3%, because a large share of dwellings are holiday homes held off the long-term rental market. Only 21.5% of residents rent, so the permanent tenant base is thin. Development activity is modest at 8 applications in the past 12 months, including a new dwelling house and a subdivision. The 10.7% price gain from 2024 to 2025 indicates short-term capital growth momentum, but investors targeting yield rather than holiday-let income will find conditions challenging compared with higher-density markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
55
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+42.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, placing Moruya Heads firmly among the most age-skewed coastal communities in NSW. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (442), Irish (161) and Scottish (146) are the top three recorded ancestries. Overseas-born residents stand at 12.5%, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a locally-born community with limited international migration. University qualifications reach 28.6%, 1.5 percentage points below national, consistent with a mixed professional and trades workforce. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national average of 2.5. Couples without children represent 38.1% of families, the largest household type, aligning with the retirement and post-family-stage demographic.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.6%
Houses
14.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupation is the defining tenure characteristic: 46.2% of households own their home outright, well above the national figure, and only 21.5% rent. This outright-ownership tilt reflects the older, debt-free resident base alongside the holiday-home stock. Separate houses account for 85.6% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 14.4%. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 52.3% and 4-plus bedroom dwellings at 32.6%, giving the area a family-scale footprint despite its aging population. The price rose from $680,000 in 2024 to $752,500 in 2025, a 10.7% gain. Rent-to-income at 25.8% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 28.3% is similarly manageable compared with Sydney-focused benchmarks.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,663
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$714
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
22.5%
Unoccupied
124
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.1%
Couples, no children
817
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 25.0% of the local workforce (84 workers), well above the national industry average, reflecting the aging resident base driving demand for health services. Education follows at 12.8% (43 workers) and Construction at 11.6% (39 workers), with Public Administration at 11.3% (38 workers) rounding out the top four. By occupation, Professionals lead at 101 workers, followed by Community and Personal service at 75 and Clerical/Admin at 66. The unemployment rate is low at 3.2%, but the participation rate of 45.9% is notably below national norms because 361 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a large retired and semi-retired cohort. Household income sits at the 35.1st percentile nationally, below the median.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.9%
Part-time
44.9%
Participation
45.9%
Employed
424
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.6%
Postgraduate
7.9%
Born Overseas
12.5%
Dwellings
430
Transport to Work
Car dependence is strong at 90.7% of residents commuting by private vehicle, higher than the national average, reflecting the rural coastal location with limited public transport infrastructure. Walking and cycling account for 4.7% of commuters, providing some active transport use. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on facilities in nearby Moruya. The volunteering rate of 26.4% is notably high compared with metropolitan averages, signalling a community-oriented resident base. Only 6.1% of residents need daily assistance (61 people), manageable relative to the population size. Rent stress is absent with rent-to-income at 25.8%, and mortgage stress is similarly low at 28.3%, meaning the resident base is financially stable compared with many NSW coastal towns.
Drive
90.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Moruya Heads compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moruya Heads a good suburb to live in?
Moruya Heads suits retirees and coastal lifestyle seekers well, with a median age of 51 (11 years above national), 46.2% of households owning their home outright, and a low mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3%. The main trade-offs are high car dependence at 90.7% and no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Moruya Heads?
The median house price is $727,500 based on recent data. Prices rose 10.7% from $680,000 in 2024 to $752,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,663, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.3%.
What schools are in Moruya Heads?
No schools are recorded within the Moruya Heads suburb boundary. Families rely on schools in nearby Moruya township. Locally, 28.6% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 1.5 percentage points below the national average.
Is Moruya Heads safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Moruya Heads in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the unemployment rate is low at 3.2%, 6.1% of residents (61 people) need daily assistance, and the volunteering rate of 26.4% is above typical metropolitan levels, all consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community.
Is Moruya Heads good for property investment?
The 10.7% price growth from $680,000 to $752,500 in 2025 is encouraging, but the 22.5% vacancy rate is well above the national average of 2-3%, because many dwellings are holiday homes. Weekly rent of $350 against a $727,500 median gives a gross yield around 2.5%, below most regional NSW rental markets.
How is Moruya Heads's population changing?
The permanent population is 1,125 with a median age of 51, which is 11 years above the national figure. The 80% retention rate over the survey period is high, but the aging demographic profile points to natural population decline over time unless offset by ongoing retiree migration to the coast.
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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