Tea Gardens
Age is the defining feature of Tea Gardens: the median age is 69, or 29 years above the national comparison. The suburb has 3,288 residents across 81.55 square kilometres, with a low density of 40.3 people per square kilometre. Housing is overwhelmingly detached at 91.1%, while the 15.6% vacancy rate is high. Household income sits at the 12.6th percentile. Buyers comparing Tea Gardens with nearby Hawks Nest should focus on tenure, services and flood or coastal exposure at the exact address.
Population
3,288
Median Age
69.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$991/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Tea Gardens suits buyers seeking detached housing and modest-density living, because 91.1% of dwellings are separate houses and only 1.4% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 42.6% of stock, while 4-bedroom or larger homes represent 34.2%, giving families more choice than apartment-oriented markets. The mortgage benchmark is $1,420 per month, but mortgage stress is flagged at 33.1% of income. With 54.1% of homes owned outright, the market has a strong established-owner base. Compare recent settled sales with the property condition and test repayments against household income before buying.
For Buyers
Tea Gardens suits buyers seeking detached housing and modest-density living, because 91.1% of dwellings are separate houses and only 1.4% are apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 42.6% of stock, while 4-bedroom or larger homes represent 34.2%, giving families more choice than apartment-oriented markets. The mortgage benchmark is $1,420 per month, but mortgage stress is flagged at 33.1% of income. With 54.1% of homes owned outright, the market has a strong established-owner base. Compare recent settled sales with the property condition and test repayments against household income before buying.
For Investors
The rental case is selective rather than purely yield-driven. Weekly rent is $365, but only 12.5% of households rent and vacancy is 15.6%, creating a higher holding risk than in a tightly occupied rental market. Rent growth of 40.0% supports the income story, although the ageing trajectory may favour smaller, accessible and low-maintenance homes over high-turnover family stock. Internal migration is the primary growth driver and the annual trend is 1.47%. Thirty-three development applications in 12 months indicate activity, but examples include pools, sheds and a veterinary facility rather than only new dwellings. Allow for longer leasing periods and property-specific demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
201
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tea Gardens
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Tea Gardens has an older and more settled population than the national comparison: the median age is 69, household size is 1.9, and 83.9% of residents stayed at the same address over the reference period. Overseas-born residents comprise 17.9%, which is 3.7 percentage points below the national comparison, while university attendance at 19.3% is 10.8 points lower. English ancestry is reported by 1,612 people, followed by Irish at 465 and Scottish at 421. Christianity accounts for 2,159 responses and no religion for 807. The smaller household profile helps explain demand for low-maintenance homes and local health or support services.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.1%
Houses
6.7%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tea Gardens is a detached-house market with a high outright-ownership share. Some 54.1% of dwellings are owned outright, compared with 14.4% under mortgage and 12.5% rented, while 19.0% fall into other tenure categories. Separate houses account for 91.1%, substantially higher than the 1.4% apartment share and the 6.7% semi-detached share. Three-bedroom homes make up 42.6% of stock and 4-bedroom or larger homes 34.2%. Housing stress remains important despite the established owner base: mortgage costs equal 33.1% of income and rent equals 36.8%. Compared with smaller-home markets, the local stock is more space-oriented but may be less affordable for lower-income renters.
Mortgage / mo
$1,420
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $365.
$600
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $600 · units $525
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$529
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.6%
Unoccupied
286
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.8% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.1% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
12.4%
Couples with children
79.6%
Couples, no children
7.2%
Single parent
1,104
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Tea Gardens' largest industry at 25.5%, or 119 workers, followed by construction at 12.2% and 57 workers, retail at 8.1% and 38, hospitality at 7.3% and 34, and education at 6.9% and 32. The leading occupation groups are community and personal services with 121 people, trades with 109, labourers with 104, managers with 101 and professionals with 100. Unemployment is 4.9% among a labour force of 797, but participation is only 25.7% because 2,089 people are outside the labour force, consistent with a median age of 69. The IEO decile is 3, below the IER decile of 5, while IRSD is 5 and IRSAD is 4. That gap suggests economic resources are closer to the middle than education and occupation outcomes.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
797
Unemployed
39
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
43.7%
Part-time
45.1%
Participation
25.7%
Employed
758
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.3%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
17.9%
Dwellings
1,547
Transport to Work
Tea Gardens is car-oriented, with 68.5% of residents driving to work compared with 6.4% who walk or cycle. Working from home accounts for 20.6%, which may soften commuting pressure but does not replace access to shops, healthcare and regional services. The suburb covers 81.55 square kilometres at a density of 40.3 people per square kilometre, so daily trips can be longer than in denser centres. One identified local school, Tea Gardens Public School, provides government primary education; families should confirm enrolment zones against the exact address. IRSAD is in decile 4, while IEO is decile 3 and IRSD is decile 5. Car dependence is therefore higher than active travel, making parking, road access and proximity to services important liveability checks.
Drive
68.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
20.6%
Population Forecast
+1.47%/yr
(+85 people/yr)
EstablishedTea Gardens has an established growth profile, with an annual trend of 1.47% driven primarily by internal migration. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 28.9% over 10 years, while the trajectory is classified as Aging: the senior share has risen 14.3 percentage points, the young share has fallen 6.0 points and the working share has fallen 7.1 points. Rent growth is recorded at 40.0%, and affordability worsened from 59.2 in 2011 to 63.4 in 2021. The main gentrification rating is score 18, or Not gentrifying, although the shift profile records score 36 and Early signs. Compared with a younger growth corridor, demand is more likely to centre on retirement, care and accessible housing.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+25
Net Internal / yr
+82
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +23% since 2011, Net internal migration +82/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tea Gardens compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tea Gardens a good suburb to live in?
Tea Gardens can suit residents seeking detached homes, quiet surroundings and a settled older population. The median age is 69, 91.1% of dwellings are separate houses and 20.6% of workers work from home. Car access matters because 68.5% drive to work and only 6.4% walk or cycle.
What is the median house price in Tea Gardens?
A current median house price requires checking recent settled sales rather than relying on a broad suburb estimate. Compare similar properties by bedroom count, land size and condition, then test repayments against the $1,420 monthly mortgage benchmark and the local mortgage-stress figure of 33.1%.
What schools are in Tea Gardens?
Tea Gardens Public School is the identified local school, operating as a government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address and check available secondary options in the wider area. The suburb has a median age of 69, so local education demand differs from younger family markets.
Is Tea Gardens safe?
Safety should be checked at the street and property level before purchase or renting. Review recent NSW Police incident information and speak with local residents, while also considering access to services across the 81.55 square kilometre suburb. Tea Gardens has 3,288 residents and a low density of 40.3 people per square kilometre.
Is Tea Gardens good for property investment?
Tea Gardens may suit investors comfortable with a high-vacancy, ageing market. Weekly rent is $365, vacancy is 15.6% and only 12.5% of households rent. The annual growth trend is 1.47% and rent growth is 40.0%, but leasing periods, property maintenance and demand for accessible homes should be stress-tested.
How is Tea Gardens's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 1.47% annually and is driven by internal migration. The wider-area population change measure is 28.9% over 10 years, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 14.3 percentage points while the young share has fallen 6.0 points. Demand is shifting toward retirement and care-related services.
What development is occurring in Tea Gardens?
There were 33 development applications in the latest 12-month period. Recent examples include swimming pools, sheds and a veterinary facility, so the activity is broader than new housing alone. Buyers should check council approvals, construction timing and any address-specific impacts before assuming development will increase dwelling supply.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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