Nambucca Heads
Two numbers define Nambucca Heads: a median age of 57, a full 17 years above the national figure, and a bottom decile 1 ranking on all four SEIFA indexes. The two are linked, because a population where 3,164 residents sit outside the labour force pulls household income down to the 5.6th percentile nationally, just $839 a week. The town sits on the NSW Mid North Coast at a low 216 people per km2 across 30.84 km2, and housing is overwhelmingly detached at 73.1%. Despite the low incomes the median house price reached $650,000 in 2025, up 13.5% in a year, which has pushed both rent and mortgage costs into stress territory for local earners.
Population
6,675
Median Age
57.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$839/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
119
Median House
$622K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price climbed from $572,500 in 2024 to $650,000 in 2025, a 13.5% one-year jump that ran well ahead of local incomes. Stock favours buyers wanting space: 73.1% of dwellings are separate houses against just 11.3% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 38.8% with another 20.7% carrying four or more bedrooms. The catch is affordability. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, but against a household income in the 5.6th percentile that produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.8%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners make up 48.1% of households, far higher than the 16.9% still paying a mortgage, which signals a market held by older, debt-free residents rather than recent buyers stretching to enter.
For Buyers
The median house price climbed from $572,500 in 2024 to $650,000 in 2025, a 13.5% one-year jump that ran well ahead of local incomes. Stock favours buyers wanting space: 73.1% of dwellings are separate houses against just 11.3% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 38.8% with another 20.7% carrying four or more bedrooms. The catch is affordability. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, but against a household income in the 5.6th percentile that produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.8%, above the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners make up 48.1% of households, far higher than the 16.9% still paying a mortgage, which signals a market held by older, debt-free residents rather than recent buyers stretching to enter.
For Investors
A 34.9% renter share and weekly rent of $280 give landlords a steady tenant base, and against the $650,000 median that implies a gross yield near 2.2%, healthier than premium coastal markets. The standout figure is rent growth of 50% over the period, which is why rent-to-income now sits at 33.4%, into stress territory and signalling genuine demand pressure. The 10% vacancy rate is elevated, partly a function of holiday and seasonal stock common on the Mid North Coast. Demand support is real but modest: net internal migration adds 78 residents a year against 18 from overseas, and 109 development applications were lodged in 12 months, mostly single new dwellings rather than large supply. The case rests on rent escalation and affordable entry prices rather than rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
539
Last 12 Months
119
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+52.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Nambucca Heads iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Nambucca Valley Christian Community School
K-12 · 555 students
Nambucca Heads Public School
K-6 · 156 students
Nambucca Heads High School
7-12 · 314 students
Frank Partridge VC Public School
K-6 · 217 students
Demographics
The defining trait is age: a median of 57 runs 17 years above national, and the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 7.1 points and the working-age share down 4.1 points over the decade. The population is notably Anglo, with English (2,784), Irish (776) and Scottish (728) the leading ancestries, and only 12.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 9 points below national. University qualifications reach 16%, fully 14.1 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce built on community services and trades rather than knowledge sectors. Average household size is just 2.0, half a person below national, reflecting the older couple and lone-person profile. Christianity dominates religion at 3,231 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
73.1%
Houses
13.0%
Townhouse
11.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews toward outright ownership: 48.1% own their home debt-free, against 16.9% with a mortgage and 34.9% renting. The high outright share points to long-settled retirees rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 73.1% separate houses with only 11.3% apartments and 13% semi-detached, so density stays low. Three-bedroom homes lead at 38.8% and two-bedroom at 31.3%. The median house price rose from $572,500 to $650,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 13.5% gain. Both housing stress flags are tripped: mortgage-to-income sits at 35.8% and rent-to-income at 33.4%, each above the 30% threshold, because prices and rents have grown faster than the 5.6th-percentile household incomes that anchor the local market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$499
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.0%
Unoccupied
328
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.4% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.8% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.0%
Couples, no children
4,321
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in service sectors that match an older town. Healthcare leads decisively at 24.4% (291 workers), more than double the next sector, followed by Education at 12% (143), Construction at 10.6% (126), Hospitality at 9.8% (117) and Retail at 8.7% (104). By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (345) outnumber Professionals (308) and Labourers (279), a profile geared to aged care and tourism rather than corporate roles. The labour market is soft: unemployment runs at 8.6%, well above the national average, while the full-time rate is 49.5% and participation just 33.6%, dragged down by 3,164 residents outside the labour force. The suburb sits in decile 1 on the IEO education and occupation index, the lowest advantage tier, which aligns with these figures.
Unemployment
8.0%
Labour Force
2,654
Unemployed
211
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.5%
Part-time
41.9%
Participation
33.6%
Employed
1,770
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.0%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
2,915
Transport to Work
Daily life runs almost entirely on cars: 88.4% of commuters drive while only 0.3% use public transport and 4.4% walk or cycle, far below the national reliance on active and public transport, which reflects the dispersed coastal layout at 216 people per km2. Community ties are strong for the population size, with a volunteering rate of 16.9% and turnover of just 19%, meaning 81% of residents stayed put year on year. The trade-offs are real: 13.4% of residents (811 people) need daily assistance, high because of the median age of 57, and the suburb sits in decile 1 on the IRSAD advantage index, the lowest tier nationally. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring towns.
Drive
88.4%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.84%/yr
(+72 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady but slow, at 0.84% a year, roughly 72 extra residents annually, classifying Nambucca Heads as an established suburb rather than a boom market. Over the decade the population rose 10.5%, and medium forecasts lift it from 8,539 in 2026 to 8,900 by 2031. The single biggest driver is internal migration, adding a net 78 residents a year against just 18 from overseas, typical of a lifestyle relocation town drawing retirees and sea-changers. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, with a score of 14, because incomes in the 5.6th percentile and decile 1 SEIFA rankings show no upward wealth shift despite the population gains. Real incomes did grow 18.2% over the decade, but from a low base that keeps the suburb well below state and national living standards.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+78
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal migration +78/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Nambucca Heads compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nambucca Heads a good suburb to live in?
Nambucca Heads suits older residents and sea-changers, with 81% staying year on year and a 16.9% volunteering rate. The trade-offs are real: household income sits in the 5.6th percentile and the suburb ranks decile 1 on all four SEIFA indexes, the lowest advantage tier nationally, alongside an 8.6% unemployment rate.
What is the median house price in Nambucca Heads?
The median house price reached $650,000 in 2025, up 13.5% from $572,500 in 2024. Weekly rent averages $280 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.8%, above the 30% stress threshold given local incomes in the 5.6th percentile.
What schools are in Nambucca Heads?
No schools are recorded inside the Nambucca Heads boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring towns. Education is the second-largest local employer at 12% of the workforce, though university qualifications reach only 16%, which is 14.1 points below the national figure.
Is Nambucca Heads safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Nambucca Heads in this dataset. As context, the suburb has a low residential density of 216 people per km2 and high stability, with 81% of residents staying in place year on year and turnover of just 19%, both consistent with a settled coastal community.
Is Nambucca Heads good for property investment?
Rent of $280 a week against a $650,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.2%, with rent growth of 50% over the period showing real demand. The 10% vacancy rate is elevated, partly seasonal stock, and net internal migration of 78 a year supports steady rather than rapid growth.
How is Nambucca Heads's population changing?
Population growth is 0.84% a year, about 72 residents, with a 10.5% rise over the decade. Medium forecasts lift the count from 8,539 in 2026 to 8,900 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.1 points and the working-age share down 4.1 points.
How much development is happening in Nambucca Heads?
There were 109 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly single new dwellings and complying development certificates rather than large projects. That activity matches steady population growth of 0.84% a year and net internal migration of 78 residents 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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