Tomakin
A 32.7% vacancy rate is the standout feature of Tomakin, alongside a median age of 54 and a population of 1,233. The suburb is detached-home led, with 80.2% separate houses, and its age profile is 14 years above the national comparison. Ownership is substantial at 53.9% outright, while household income sits at the 28.1st percentile. Compared with nearby Broulee and Mossy Point, Tomakin reads as a quieter, older coastal market, with 71.9% of residents staying at the same address and a 2.2-person average household. That combination supports a settled lifestyle, but the high vacancy rate warrants care when interpreting holiday-home and seasonal effects.
Local council: Eurobodalla
Population
1,233
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,260/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
22
For buyers, Tomakin suits households prioritising detached space over apartment choice: 80.2% of homes are separate houses, while apartments account for 2.8%. The bedroom profile is broad, with 37.1% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 35.5% having 4 or more. A mortgage repayment of $1,517 per month equates to 27.8% of household income, while rent is $350 a week. Compared with a higher-density suburb, buyers here trade convenience for land and car dependence, as 75.8% drive to work and only 0.8% use public transport. Check flood, bushfire, coastal exposure, maintenance and insurance costs before committing, especially where vacancy may reflect non-permanent occupancy.
For Buyers
For buyers, Tomakin suits households prioritising detached space over apartment choice: 80.2% of homes are separate houses, while apartments account for 2.8%. The bedroom profile is broad, with 37.1% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 35.5% having 4 or more. A mortgage repayment of $1,517 per month equates to 27.8% of household income, while rent is $350 a week. Compared with a higher-density suburb, buyers here trade convenience for land and car dependence, as 75.8% drive to work and only 0.8% use public transport. Check flood, bushfire, coastal exposure, maintenance and insurance costs before committing, especially where vacancy may reflect non-permanent occupancy.
For Investors
Tomakin's investment case is income-sensitive rather than purely yield-led. Weekly rent is $350 and 20.5% of households rent, but vacancy is 32.7%, so rental demand needs more caution than in a tightly occupied market. Development activity is visible, with 23 applications in the past 12 months, including a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy and subdivision activity. The forecast describes migration as Balanced and annual growth at 1.67%, which supports a measured rather than speculative approach. A 53.9% outright-ownership share may limit tenant depth, while the 28.1 household-income percentile points to affordability constraints. Compare an investment's net yield after insurance, maintenance, vacancy and management costs, and test whether returns still work under longer vacancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
119
Last 12 Months
22
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+37.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Tomakin has an older, settled demographic profile: the median age is 54, or 14 years above the national comparison, and 71.9% stayed at the same address. Couples without children account for 53.9% of families, while average household size is 2.2, 0.3 below the national figure. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 554, 164 and 147 respectively; Christianity is reported by 596 residents and no religion by 541. Overseas-born residents make up 13.6%, 8.0 percentage points below the national comparison, and university participation is 23.7%, 6.4 points lower. Compared with the national profile, Tomakin is more oriented to established households and ageing-in-place, which helps explain its lower labour-force participation of 44.8%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.2%
Houses
3.4%
Townhouse
2.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tomakin's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and relatively large: 80.2% are separate houses, 37.1% have 3 bedrooms and 35.5% have 4 or more. The 4-plus bedroom category at 35.5% is higher than the 2-bedroom share at 22.5%. Tenure is also distinctive, with 53.9% owned outright, 24.1% mortgaged and 20.5% rented. Mortgage costs are $1,517 monthly and mortgage-to-income is 27.8%, while rent is $350 weekly. The 32.7% vacancy rate is high enough to examine whether some dwellings are seasonal or intermittently occupied. Compared with nearby Broulee and Mossy Point, buyers should assess each property's exposure, upkeep and resale audience rather than assume all coastal stock behaves alike.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $350.
$565
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $600
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$685
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
32.7%
Unoccupied
246
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.8%
Couples with children
53.9%
Couples, no children
13.5%
Single parent
356
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in practical and public-facing sectors. Healthcare leads at 20.8% or 65 workers, followed by construction at 14.7% or 46, public administration at 12.8% or 40, education at 11.9% or 37, and other services at 7.1% or 22. Occupations are led by professionals at 93, trades at 81, community and personal services at 56, labourers at 55 and managers at 51, giving the local economy a broader base than a single-industry resort setting. Unemployment is 3.8% among a 44.8% participation rate, while 518 people are outside the labour force. SEIFA deciles are 6 for IEO, 6 for IER, 7 for IRSD and 6 for IRSAD. The 28.1 household-income percentile is lower than the IRSD decile might imply, likely because an older, less labour-force-active population weighs on current incomes.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
470
Unemployed
18
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.1%
Part-time
40.7%
Participation
44.8%
Employed
452
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.7%
Postgraduate
5.9%
Born Overseas
13.6%
Dwellings
506
Transport to Work
Tomakin is strongly car-oriented: 75.8% drive to work, compared with 0.8% using public transport, while 3.8% walk or cycle and 15.5% work from home. That makes a private vehicle important for shopping, appointments and regional connections, particularly for residents less able to drive. Families should check the exact address, enrolment zones and travel times when assessing nearby government, Catholic and independent school options, rather than assume suburb boundaries determine access. The IRSAD decile is 6, and volunteering reaches 17.5%, supporting a moderate level of socioeconomic access and community participation. With 1,233 residents across 3.88 square kilometres, density is 317.8 people per square kilometre, giving Tomakin a compact footprint compared with a dispersed rural setting. Street-level safety should be checked through recent local incident information before purchase or renting.
Drive
75.8%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
15.5%
Growth Outlook
Tomakin's forecast points to established, moderate expansion rather than a rapid transformation. Annual growth is 1.67%, with migration labelled Balanced, while population change across the wider area is 34.1% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 5.3 percentage points, young share has fallen 1.9 points and working share has declined 2.9 points. The forecast gentrification reading is score 12 and Not gentrifying, even though the shift profile records a 56 score and Active stage, so buyers should distinguish current demographic change from redevelopment pressure. Compared with a younger-growth corridor, the ageing pattern suggests demand for low-maintenance homes, services and accessibility will grow faster than demand from new family entrants.
Population trend: Eurobodalla council area
Tomakin sits in the Eurobodalla council area. These are the council area's residents, not Tomakin's.
Residents 2025
41,309
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.5%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tomakin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tomakin a good suburb to live in?
Tomakin can suit buyers seeking detached coastal housing, lower-density living and an older resident base. The median age is 54, 80.2% of homes are separate houses and 75.8% of workers drive, so it is better suited to people comfortable with car-based daily life than those needing frequent public transport.
What is the median house price in Tomakin?
A reliable current median house price should be checked against recent comparable sales. Useful affordability markers are a $1,517 monthly mortgage figure, $350 weekly rent and a 27.8% mortgage-to-income ratio. With 53.9% of homes owned outright, comparisons should account for a substantial established-owner market.
What schools are in Tomakin?
School access should be checked by exact address, enrolment zone and travel time, including the government, Catholic and independent pathways serving the area. Tomakin has 1,233 residents and only 0.8% commute by public transport, so families should test school transport and daily driving requirements before choosing a property.
Is Tomakin safe?
Safety is best assessed with recent local incident information and an inspection of the exact street, because demographic patterns cannot replace current checks. Tomakin has 1,233 residents, 71.9% stayed at the same address and volunteering is 17.5%. These indicate settlement and participation, but they are not crime measures.
Is Tomakin good for property investment?
It can work for a carefully priced, long-hold strategy, but vacancy risk is material. Rent is $350 a week, vacancy is 32.7%, 20.5% of households rent and 23 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Forecast growth is 1.67% annually with Balanced migration, so stress-test cash flow rather than rely on capital growth alone.
How is Tomakin's population changing?
Tomakin is ageing while still recording moderate growth. The forecast annual trend is 1.67%, migration is Balanced and population change across the wider area is 34.1% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 5.3 percentage points and young share down 1.9 points, indicating rising demand for accessible, lower-maintenance housing.
What development is occurring in Tomakin?
Development activity includes 23 applications over 12 months, with examples involving a swimming pool, subdivision and a 2-dwelling attached dual occupancy modification. This is meaningful activity for a suburb of 1,233 residents, but individual proposals should be checked for approval status, timing and effects on surrounding streets.
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).
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