Terrigal
A 13.8% vacancy rate is the standout signal in Terrigal, pointing to a coastal market with a large lifestyle and holiday-home layer rather than a purely commuter suburb. The median house price is $1.45 million, incomes sit at the 77.1 household percentile, and SEIFA IRSAD is decile 9, well above average. Compared with nearby Wamberal and Erina, Terrigal reads as more premium and beach-led, with 71.1% separate houses supporting family demand and an older median age of 43 shaping services and local trade.
Population
12,730
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,056/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
137
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
For homebuyers, Terrigal is a high-entry coastal market where the $1.45 million median house price needs to be weighed against a latest quarterly reading of $1.40 million after a 7.0% fall from the 2024 peak. Detached homes dominate at 71.1%, and 46.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, so the suburb is better suited to buyers wanting space than apartment depth. Mortgage costs sit at 28.0% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household incomes are relatively high.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Terrigal is a high-entry coastal market where the $1.45 million median house price needs to be weighed against a latest quarterly reading of $1.40 million after a 7.0% fall from the 2024 peak. Detached homes dominate at 71.1%, and 46.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms, so the suburb is better suited to buyers wanting space than apartment depth. Mortgage costs sit at 28.0% of income, below common stress thresholds, because household incomes are relatively high.
For Investors
Investors face mixed signals. Renting accounts for 24.5% of households and the median rent is $520 a week, but the 13.8% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental market would normally support. That likely reflects holiday stock and second homes because Terrigal has a strong visitor profile. Development activity is also elevated, with 124 applications in 12 months, while rent growth in the shift indicators was 44.4%. Overseas migration averages 191 people annually vs -70 internal migration, adding demand but not evenly across rental types.
Development Activity
Total DAs
745
Last 12 Months
137
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+21.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Terrigal iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Primary School
K-6 · 605 students
Terrigal Public School
K-6 · 888 students
Terrigal High School
7-12 · 847 students
Demographics
Terrigal's 12,730 residents are older, educated and relatively affluent. The median age is 43, which is 3.0 years above the national benchmark, and university attainment is 38.4%, 8.3 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 22.2%, only 0.6 points above national, so the profile leans more Anglo than many Sydney-linked markets. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are high at 5,653, 1,707 and 1,450, while Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 42 speakers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.1%
Houses
7.3%
Townhouse
21.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by established owner-occupiers. Outright ownership is 39.9% vs 35.6% with a mortgage and 24.5% renting, which is a more settled tenure mix than many high-growth coastal rentals. The price series is short but clear: $1,505,500 in 2024, $1,400,000 in 2025, and a 7.0% fall from peak to latest. With weekly household income at $2,056, the $1.45 million house median is about 13.6 times annual household income, so price pressure remains high even after the pullback.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,492
Rent / wk
$520
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$906
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.8%
Unoccupied
751
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.3%
Couples, no children
10,349
Total families
Economy & Employment
Terrigal's economy is service-led rather than industrial. Healthcare is the largest industry at 22.2% and 968 workers, followed by education at 12.8%, construction at 11.1%, professional and tech at 8.7%, and public admin at 6.5%. Professionals number 1,747 and managers 1,026, supporting the high income profile. Unemployment is low at 3.6%, while participation is 53.1%, lower than a pure workforce suburb because the age profile is older. SEIFA is consistently high: IEO decile 8, IER 9, IRSD 9 and IRSAD 9.
Unemployment
1.3%
Labour Force
8,542
Unemployed
112
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.7%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
53.1%
Employed
5,354
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.4%
Postgraduate
8.8%
Born Overseas
22.2%
Dwellings
4,697
Transport to Work
Terrigal scores well for education and coastal amenity, but day-to-day mobility is car-heavy. Three local schools span Catholic and government sectors, with ICSEA scores from 1044 to 1102; Our Lady Star of The Sea at 1102, Terrigal Public at 1078 and Terrigal High at 1044 give families local options. Car driving is 90.7%, far higher than public transport at 1.3%, because rail access is not local. Crime rate per 1,000 is not available, while IRSAD decile 9 indicates a higher socioeconomic setting than average.
Drive
90.7%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.09%/yr
(+171 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than explosive. The forecast trend is 1.09% a year, or 171 people annually, taking the medium population path from 15,748 in 2026 to 16,603 in 2031. Migration is the key driver: overseas migration averages 191 people a year, compared with -70 net internal migration, so new demand is being replenished from outside Australia more than from local moves. The gentrification score is 21 and stage is Early signs, while the broader shift is Aging, with senior share up 4.5 points and working share down 3.4 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+191
Net Internal / yr
-70
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +18% since 2011, Accelerating: 5% → 12%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Terrigal compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Terrigal a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers who value coastal amenity, schools and established housing. Terrigal has 3 local schools, IRSAD decile 9 and a median age of 43, but car dependence is high with 90.7% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Terrigal?
The median house price is $1.45 million. The quarterly price series shows $1,505,500 in 2024 and $1,400,000 in 2025, a 7.0% fall from peak to latest.
What schools are in Terrigal?
Terrigal has 3 local schools: Our Lady Star of The Sea Catholic Primary, Terrigal Public School and Terrigal High School. ICSEA scores range from 1044 to 1102.
Is Terrigal safe?
A current suburb crime rate per 1,000 is not available for Terrigal. As context, the suburb sits in IRSAD decile 9, which is above average socioeconomic positioning.
Is Terrigal good for property investment?
Terrigal can work for lifestyle-led investors, but the 13.8% vacancy rate is a caution. Rent is $520 a week, renting is 24.5%, and there were 124 development applications in 12 months.
How is Terrigal's population changing?
Terrigal is forecast to grow at 1.09% a year, or 171 people annually. The medium path rises from 15,748 in 2026 to 16,603 in 2031, with overseas migration the primary driver.
Is there much development in Terrigal?
Yes. There were 124 development applications in the past 12 months, including dwelling houses and alterations. That is higher activity than a quiet fully built-out suburb would show.
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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