Tea Gardens
With a median age of 69, Tea Gardens sits 29 years above the national figure, making it one of the oldest resident bases among NSW coastal towns. That single fact explains most of what follows: a 23% participation rate because most residents are retired, a 66.7% outright-ownership rate because long-tenure owners have paid off their homes, and household incomes in the 12.6th percentile nationally despite a median house price of $866,250. Population grew 28.9% over the decade driven by sea-changers relocating from metros, and the vacancy rate of 15.6% reflects a significant holiday-property component alongside the permanent resident base.
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
41
Median House
$866K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $907,500 in 2025, up from $817,500 in 2024, an 11% rise in one year. Detached houses dominate at 91.1% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 6.7% and apartments a slim 1.4%, so buyers face a predominantly freestanding market. The bedroom mix skews larger than average: 34.2% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 42.6% have three, which suits the retired couples-without-children profile that makes up 71.1% of families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,420, but the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 33.1%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are below state norms at the 12.6th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 66.7% far outnumber mortgage holders at 17.8%, reflecting the long tenure of the aging owner base.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $907,500 in 2025, up from $817,500 in 2024, an 11% rise in one year. Detached houses dominate at 91.1% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 6.7% and apartments a slim 1.4%, so buyers face a predominantly freestanding market. The bedroom mix skews larger than average: 34.2% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 42.6% have three, which suits the retired couples-without-children profile that makes up 71.1% of families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,420, but the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 33.1%, above the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are below state norms at the 12.6th percentile nationally. Outright owners at 66.7% far outnumber mortgage holders at 17.8%, reflecting the long tenure of the aging owner base.
For Investors
Rental supply is thin, with only 15.5% of dwellings rented and weekly rent at $365, which produces a gross yield near 2.2% against the $907,500 median, below most comparable coastal markets. The vacancy rate of 15.6% is elevated, largely because roughly half the housing stock appears to include holiday or occasional-use properties. Development is active for a small town: 38 applications lodged in the past 12 months indicate ongoing owner upgrades. Net internal migration averages 82 arrivals per year, the primary growth driver, confirming steady retiree and sea-changer inflow. Rent grew 40% over the past decade, which is strong in absolute terms, though the starting base was low compared to metro benchmarks.
Development Activity
Total DAs
198
Last 12 Months
41
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+17.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tea Gardens iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Tea Gardens Public School
K-6 · 130 students
Demographics
The median age of 69 is 29 years above the national figure, placing Tea Gardens in an exceptional category among Australian suburbs. The aging trajectory is confirmed by data: the senior share rose 14.3 points and the working-age share fell 7.1 points over the decade, while the young-adult share dropped 6 points. Overseas-born residents total 17.9%, which is 3.7 points below the national average, consistent with the Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile led by English (1,612), Irish (465) and Scottish (421) backgrounds. Average household size is 1.9, which is 0.6 below national, because couple-only households make up 71.1% of families. University qualifications at 19.3% sit 10.8 points below the national rate, partly because this cohort completed education before university attendance expanded broadly.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.1%
Houses
6.7%
Townhouse
1.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure data reveals a suburb in a different phase than most markets: 66.7% of residents own outright and only 17.8% hold a mortgage, compared to 15.5% who rent. This means fewer than one in five households carries housing debt, partly explaining why demand for the area persists despite incomes at the 12.6th percentile nationally. The stock is 91.1% separate houses, with three- and four-plus bedroom dwellings together making up 76.8% of the market, much larger than the 1.9-person average household needs, because retirees often stay in family-sized homes. Prices moved from $817,500 in 2024 to $907,500 in 2025, a compound growth rate of 11% over the measured period. Rent stress affects renters at 36.8% of income, above the 30% benchmark, despite the relatively low weekly rent of $365.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,420
Rent / wk
$365
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
71.1%
Couples, no children
2,454
Total families
Economy & Employment
The participation rate of 23% reflects a suburb where most working-age residents are retired rather than employed, and 2,089 people are not in the labour force out of a population of 3,288. Among those who do work, Healthcare leads at 25.5% of employed residents, followed by Construction at 12.2% and Retail at 8.1%, a pattern typical of coastal towns servicing an aging residential base. The unemployment rate is 5.5%, above the national average, in part because the denominator of active workers is so small. SEIFA scores show a mixed picture: IRSD at decile 5 suggests moderate disadvantage nationally, while the IRSAD at decile 4 and IEO at decile 3 indicate below-average education and occupation outcomes compared to other suburbs. Volunteering is high at 22% of the adult population, consistent with a retired community with available time.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
1,761
Unemployed
63
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.2%
Part-time
45.3%
Participation
23.0%
Employed
673
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.3%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
17.9%
Dwellings
1,547
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 86.2% of residents driving to work, well above the national average, because Tea Gardens lacks rail access and relies on regional road connections. Walking and cycling account for 8% of trips, which is above typical low-density coastal towns of similar size. The IRSAD decile of 4 places the suburb below the national midpoint for advantage, and the IEO decile of 3 puts education and occupation outcomes in the lower tier nationally. However, the 22% volunteering rate is notably high, reflecting community engagement typical of settled retiree populations. Assistance needs run at 9.4% of residents, above average, because the median age of 69 means a meaningful proportion of the population has age-related care requirements. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with children rely on services in nearby Hawks Nest or Raymond Terrace.
Drive
86.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
8.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.47%/yr
(+85 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 28.9% over the decade, faster than most established NSW coastal towns, driven primarily by internal migration of 82 net arrivals per year. Despite the strong historical gain, the growth rate has moderated to 1.47% annually, and the medium forecast projects the broader SA2 reaching around 6,436 by 2031 from 5,786 in 2025. The gentrification score of 18 signals the suburb is not gentrifying in the classic sense because the arrivals are retirees, not younger higher-income households. Affordability worsened from 59.2% in 2011 to 63.4% in 2021, consistent with the sea-change premium that pushed house prices from the lower range toward $866,250. Real income growth of 6.3% over the decade fell well short of price appreciation, widening the gap between owner wealth and new-entrant affordability.
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 suits retirees and sea-changers well: 66.7% of residents own their home outright, the volunteering rate is 22%, and median age of 69 reflects a settled, long-tenure community. Trade-offs include limited public transport (86.2% car dependent), below-average IRSAD decile of 4, and household incomes at the 12.6th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Tea Gardens?
The median house price reached $907,500 in 2025, up from $817,500 in 2024, an 11% rise. Weekly rent averages $365 and monthly mortgage repayments are around $1,420. Over 10 years rent grew 40%, showing the area has appreciated well above its starting base.
What schools are in Tea Gardens?
No schools are recorded within the Tea Gardens suburb boundary in this dataset. Families with children typically access schools in neighbouring Hawks Nest or Raymond Terrace. The local population skews heavily retired, with a median age of 69 and 71.1% of families being couples without children at home.
Is Tea Gardens safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Tea Gardens in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 5, at the national midpoint for relative disadvantage. The high volunteering rate of 22% and 83.9% of residents who stayed in the same address over the previous year suggest a stable, low-turnover community.
Is Tea Gardens good for property investment?
Gross yield is approximately 2.2%, calculated from $365 weekly rent against a $907,500 median, which is below most comparable coastal markets. However, prices rose 11% in one year and 40% rent growth was recorded over the decade. The 15.6% vacancy rate is elevated, reflecting a holiday-property component that reduces year-round rental reliability.
How is Tea Gardens's population changing?
Population grew 28.9% over the decade at 1.47% per year, driven by internal migration of 82 net arrivals annually. The suburb is aging: the senior share rose 14.3 points and the working-age share fell 7.1 points since 2011. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 growing from 5,786 in 2025 to around 6,436 by 2031.
How much development is happening in Tea Gardens?
There were 38 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling houses and outbuildings. For a town with a resident population of 3,288 that represents active construction activity, consistent with ongoing sea-changer arrivals adding to or upgrading the predominantly detached housing stock of 91.1% separate houses.
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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