Tuncurry
An older resident base shapes Tuncurry more than its modest scale suggests: 6,376 residents, a median age of 62 that is 22 years above the national comparison, and average households of 1.9 people. Tuncurry sits beside nearby Forster in a linked local area, while its own profile points to a lower-income market, with household income of $854 a week at the 6.3rd percentile. More than half of homes are owned outright at 52.6%, and vacancy is 19.0%, higher than the 16.6% mortgage share. Internal migration and a 1.46% annual trend support ongoing demand, but the aging profile means healthcare, access and low-maintenance housing matter more than family-scale growth.
Population
6,376
Median Age
62.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$854/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
45
Homebuyers will find a more varied housing mix than a detached-only suburb. Separate houses account for 54.3% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes make up 23.5% and apartments 20.6%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 42.3%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 33.0%, creating options for smaller households as well as families. Outright ownership at 52.6% is higher than the 16.6% mortgage share, reflecting an established owner base. Affordability still needs care because the monthly mortgage figure is $1,322, rent is $310 a week, mortgage stress is 35.8% and rent stress is 36.3%. These pressures matter because household income is only $854 a week.
For Buyers
Homebuyers will find a more varied housing mix than a detached-only suburb. Separate houses account for 54.3% of dwellings, while semi-detached homes make up 23.5% and apartments 20.6%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 42.3%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 33.0%, creating options for smaller households as well as families. Outright ownership at 52.6% is higher than the 16.6% mortgage share, reflecting an established owner base. Affordability still needs care because the monthly mortgage figure is $1,322, rent is $310 a week, mortgage stress is 35.8% and rent stress is 36.3%. These pressures matter because household income is only $854 a week.
For Investors
Investor conditions are mixed rather than uniformly strong. Renters account for 28.3% of households and weekly rent is $310, but the 19.0% vacancy rate indicates more available stock than a tightly occupied rental market. The renter share is higher than the 16.6% mortgage share, supporting a meaningful tenant pool, although vacancy can lengthen letting periods and reduce pricing power. Development activity is also notable, with 48 applications recorded over 12 months, including alterations, industrial work and outdoor additions. Forecast growth of 1.46% annually, driven by Internal migration, supports demand, while 57.0% rent growth and an Early signs gentrification score of 35 point to a market that needs careful property-level selection.
Development Activity
Total DAs
273
Last 12 Months
45
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tuncurry
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Tuncurry has a markedly older demographic than Australia overall: the median age is 62, or 22 years above the national comparison. University attainment is 12.7%, which is 17.4 percentage points below the national figure, and only 11.1% of residents were born overseas, 10.5 points below the national comparison. English ancestry is reported by 2,785 people, followed by Irish at 703 and Scottish at 624. Christianity counts 3,823 responses, while no religion counts 1,968. Smaller households are common at 1.9 people, with couples without children representing 59.9% of families. The 76.5% five-year stay rate is higher than the 23.5% turnover rate, supporting a settled community shaped by aging and long-term residence.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.3%
Houses
23.5%
Townhouse
20.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tuncurry's tenure profile is more established than a high-turnover mortgage market. Outright ownership is 52.6%, compared with 16.6% paying a mortgage and 28.3% renting, while 2.5% falls into other tenure categories. The dwelling mix is also broader than a conventional detached suburb: separate houses account for 54.3%, semi-detached homes 23.5% and apartments 20.6%. Three-bedroom properties are the most common at 42.3%, more prevalent than four-bedroom-plus homes at 17.0%, while two-bedroom dwellings make up 33.0%. The 1.9-person average household size helps explain this smaller-home demand. Housing stress remains important because mortgage costs equal 35.8% of income and rent equals 36.3%, with affordability worsening from 57.3 in 2011 to 61.2 in 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$1,322
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $310.
$550
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $650 · units $450
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$499
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.0%
Unoccupied
701
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
36.3% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.8% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.6%
Couples with children
59.9%
Couples, no children
18.3%
Single parent
1,726
Total families
Economy & Employment
Tuncurry's economy is service-led, with healthcare employing 327 people or 28.3% of the workforce, a share higher than education at 129 people or 11.2%. Construction accounts for 121 people, hospitality 102 and retail 97, while the leading occupations are community and personal service work at 360, trades at 291, professionals at 271, labourers at 232 and clerical administration at 225. This healthcare concentration fits a suburb with a median age of 62 because older residents generally increase demand for care and support services. Labour force participation is 35.7%, unemployment is 7.1%, and part-time employment at 865 people is close to full-time employment at 880. SEIFA rankings are low across all four measures: IEO decile 1, IER decile 2, IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 1. These results align with household income at the 6.3rd percentile, despite the presence of professional and trades employment.
Unemployment
7.1%
Labour Force
2,057
Unemployed
147
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
46.1%
Part-time
45.3%
Participation
35.7%
Employed
1,910
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.7%
Postgraduate
1.8%
Born Overseas
11.1%
Dwellings
2,978
Transport to Work
Daily life in Tuncurry is more car-dependent than public-transport oriented. Car drivers account for 75.2% of journeys, compared with only 0.7% using public transport and 7.5% walking or cycling; 9.7% work from home. This pattern matters because transport access is likely to be more important for the 62-year median-age population and the 14.3% who need assistance. Families have access to 3 local schools, comprising 2 government secondary campuses and 1 government primary school. Check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across suburb lines. Community participation is supported by a 13.3% volunteering rate. Tuncurry's IRSAD decile 1 is lower than middle-ranked areas, so affordability, health access and reliable transport should be weighed more heavily than amenity alone.
Drive
75.2%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
7.5%
Work from Home
9.7%
Population Forecast
+1.46%/yr
(+108 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is present, but its direction is strongly shaped by aging. The annual forecast trend is 1.46%, with Internal migration identified as the primary driver, while the wider area's population change is 24.3% over ten years. The trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has increased by 8.9 percentage points, versus a 3.9-point decline in the young share, and the working share has fallen by 3.8 points. Compared with a static established suburb, this points to continued movement into Tuncurry without a younger household profile. Rent growth is forecast at 57.0%, while affordability is marked Worsening, moving from 57.3 in 2011 to 61.2 in 2021. Gentrification signals are mixed, with a score of 35 at the Early signs stage and a separate shift score of 57 labelled Active.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+15
Net Internal / yr
+90
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +27% since 2011, Net internal migration +90/yr, Accelerating: 7% → 19%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tuncurry compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tuncurry a good suburb to live in?
Tuncurry can suit residents seeking a quieter, older coastal setting with established housing and local schools. The median age is 62, outright ownership is 52.6%, and 75.2% drive, so it is better suited to people comfortable with car-based living than those seeking strong public transport. Nearby Forster provides a useful comparison point.
What is the median house price in Tuncurry?
Tuncurry's current median house price is best established from recent comparable sales rather than tenure figures alone. Check at least 10 recent sales, separating 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom homes because they represent 33.0% and 42.3% of local dwellings, respectively, and account for the 23.5% semi-detached share.
What schools are in Tuncurry?
Tuncurry has 3 local government schools: 1 primary school and 2 secondary campuses. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact address, as school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. The local mix is more secondary-focused than a suburb with only primary provision, so transition planning is important.
Is Tuncurry safe?
Safety should be checked using current NSW Police information and by inspecting the exact street before making a decision. A suburb-wide view cannot replace address-level checking. Tuncurry has 6,376 residents and a 19.0% vacancy rate, so compare the immediate pocket with nearby Forster rather than relying only on a suburb label.
Is Tuncurry good for property investment?
Tuncurry has a meaningful rental base, with 28.3% of households renting and weekly rent at $310. However, the 19.0% vacancy rate is a clear risk, even with 1.46% annual forecast growth and Internal migration supporting demand. Investors should compare several properties because 48 development applications may add competition or improve local stock.
How is Tuncurry's population changing?
Population change is positive but increasingly older in character. Tuncurry has 6,376 residents today, while the wider area's change is forecast at 24.3% over ten years and annual growth is 1.46%. Internal migration is the primary driver, with the senior share up 8.9 points and the young share down 3.9 points.
What development is occurring in Tuncurry?
There were 48 development applications over 12 months, indicating continuing building and renovation activity. Recent examples include alterations to existing buildings, balconies or decks, and an industrial structure. The volume is higher than a suburb with only occasional applications, so buyers should check nearby approvals before committing to a property.
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.
Explore Tuncurry on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map