Pambula
At a median age of 54, Pambula's resident base skews 14 years above the national figure, making it one of the older communities on the NSW South Coast. Around 51% of dwellings are owned outright, well above national norms, which reflects an established, low-debt population rather than an active buyer market. Household income sits in just the 18th percentile nationally, yet housing stress remains low because mortgage repayments average $1,300 per month against weekly rents of $313. A vacancy rate of 13.1% signals that a meaningful share of the 1,002-person suburb's housing stock cycles as holiday or seasonal accommodation, shaping both the rental market and development patterns.
Population
1,002
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,117/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
12
Median House
$605K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $605,000 sits below the NSW coastal premium seen in larger resort towns, offering a comparatively accessible entry point into the Sapphire Coast. Prices peaked at $750,000 in 2024 before easing to $600,000 in 2025, a 20% correction that buyers should weigh against longer-term holding costs. Separate houses account for 72.8% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 22.2% and apartments at just 2.9%, so the market is overwhelmingly detached. The dominant bedroom configuration is three-bedroom at 38.3%, followed by two-bedroom at 35.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership manageable for buyers who already have equity.
For Buyers
The median house price of $605,000 sits below the NSW coastal premium seen in larger resort towns, offering a comparatively accessible entry point into the Sapphire Coast. Prices peaked at $750,000 in 2024 before easing to $600,000 in 2025, a 20% correction that buyers should weigh against longer-term holding costs. Separate houses account for 72.8% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 22.2% and apartments at just 2.9%, so the market is overwhelmingly detached. The dominant bedroom configuration is three-bedroom at 38.3%, followed by two-bedroom at 35.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership manageable for buyers who already have equity.
For Investors
A renter share of 22.4% and weekly rent of $313 imply a modest gross yield against the $605,000 median, and the 13.1% vacancy rate is above the level that typically signals balanced rental demand. That vacancy is partly structural: seasonal and holiday lettings inflate the unoccupied count outside peak periods, so the effective yield for long-term rentals may differ from headline figures. Development activity is low at 11 applications over 12 months, with recent lodgements including a dual occupancy and complying development certificates, suggesting constrained infill rather than growth-phase construction. The population of 1,002 is small by investment-market standards, and with household income in the 18th percentile nationally, rent growth is limited by local affordability.
Development Activity
Total DAs
70
Last 12 Months
12
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pambula iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Pambula Public School
K-6 · 257 students
Demographics
Pambula's median age of 54 sits 14 years above the national median, placing it among the most age-skewed suburbs in NSW. University qualification rates at 19.6% run 10.5 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a blue-collar and service-sector workforce rather than a knowledge-economy base. Overseas-born residents account for 12.5%, which is 9.1 points below the national average, confirming an Anglo-dominant ancestry profile led by English (439 residents), Irish (123) and Scottish (117). Average household size is 2.2, slightly below the national figure, and 35.4% of families are couples without children, which is consistent with the older age profile. The volunteering rate of 19.7% is relatively high, typical of established, lower-density coastal communities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
72.8%
Houses
22.2%
Townhouse
2.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Pambula is heavily weighted toward outright ownership at 51.2%, more than double the proportion carrying mortgages at 26.4%, with 22.4% renting. That outright-ownership rate is significantly above national averages and reflects long-held properties rather than active buyer churn. Stock is dominated by separate houses at 72.8%, semi-detached at 22.2%, and apartments at 2.9%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 38.3% and two-bedroom at 35.6%, while 4-plus bedroom homes make up 21.6%. Price data shows a 20% fall from $750,000 in 2024 to $600,000 in 2025, though this covers only two data points. Rent-to-income at 28% and mortgage-to-income at 26.9% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, so neither owner-occupiers nor renters are under acute financial pressure despite incomes in the 18th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$313
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$507
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.1%
Unoccupied
58
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.4%
Couples, no children
663
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 17.8% (42 workers), followed closely by Construction at 16.9% (40 workers) and Education at 13.1% (31 workers), with Hospitality at 10.2% reflecting the tourism and holiday-destination character of the Sapphire Coast. By occupation, Labourers form the largest group at 70, ahead of Community and Personal Service Workers at 53 and Professionals at 51. The labour market is constrained by the age structure: participation sits at only 44.5%, well below national norms, because 400 residents are not in the labour force. Unemployment is low at 2.6%, and those who do work split fairly evenly between full-time (196) and part-time (173), the latter consistent with service and hospitality jobs. Income is in the 18th percentile nationally, reflecting occupational mix rather than local economic failure.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.1%
Part-time
44.3%
Participation
44.5%
Employed
369
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.6%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
12.5%
Dwellings
379
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 77% of residents driving to work, compared to a national average skewed by metropolitan areas, though 15.7% walk or cycle, a notably elevated active-transport share for a regional suburb. Public transport at 1% is minimal, consistent with a coastal village without rail or bus-rapid infrastructure. No schools are recorded within the Pambula boundary in this dataset, so families depend on education facilities in neighbouring Bega and Eden. Crime data is not available for this suburb. The need-for-assistance rate of 12.1% (116 people) is above typical coastal suburb levels, driven by the older age structure where 54 is the median age. Rent-to-income at 28% and mortgage-to-income at 26.9% both remain below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing affordability is better than the low-income percentile would suggest.
Drive
77.0%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
15.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Pambula compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pambula a good suburb to live in?
Pambula suits retirees and low-density coastal lifestyle seekers well: 51.2% of dwellings are owned outright, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 26.9%, and 15.7% of residents walk or cycle rather than drive. The trade-offs are limited public transport at 1%, no schools recorded within the suburb boundary, and a median age of 54 that reflects a predominantly older community.
What is the median house price in Pambula?
The median house price is $605,000 as of 2025. Prices peaked at $750,000 in 2024 before falling 20% over the following year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and weekly rent runs $313, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 28%.
What schools are in Pambula?
No schools are recorded within the Pambula suburb boundary in this dataset. The 1,002-person population means families typically rely on schools in neighbouring Bega and Eden. University qualifications among residents reach 19.6%, which is 10.5 percentage points below the national average.
Is Pambula safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Pambula in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a volunteering rate of 19.7% and residential stability of 76.9% who stayed in the same address, both consistent with a settled, low-turnover community. The need-for-assistance rate of 12.1% reflects the older age profile rather than deprivation.
Is Pambula good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Rent of $313 per week against a $605,000 median implies a modest gross yield, and the 13.1% vacancy rate is elevated, partly due to seasonal holiday accommodation patterns. Prices fell 20% from $750,000 to $600,000 between 2024 and 2025. Development activity is low at 11 applications in 12 months, and the small population of 1,002 limits rental demand depth.
How is Pambula's population changing?
Pambula's population sits at 1,002 with a median age of 54, which is 14 years above the national figure. Residential stability is high with 76.9% of residents having stayed in place, suggesting slow turnover rather than growth. Development activity of 11 applications over 12 months points to incremental, not expansion-phase, housing change.
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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