Tweed Heads

Development Activity

Schools in Tweed Heads iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Demographics

The median age of 55 is 15 years above the national figure, and 43.5% of families are couples without children, the classic empty-nester profile. English ancestry dominates at 3,946, with Irish (1,323) and Scottish (1,024) forming the Anglo-Celtic core. Just 22.4% were born overseas, close to the national average, with Portuguese (116 speakers) as the dominant non-English language. Average household size of 2.0 is well below the 2.5 national norm. The 9.2% need-assistance rate (780 people) is among the highest in this cohort, consistent with the elderly demographic. University qualifications at 26.5% are 3.6 points below the national average, reflecting a workforce dominated by service-sector and trade roles rather than professional occupations.

Apartments lead at 44.5%, semi-detached at 30.4% and detached houses at 25.0%, an unusual mix for a regional NSW town. Two-bedroom units dominate at 47.0%, reflecting the downsizer and retiree market. Outright owners at 43.1% far exceed the national average, mortgage holders sit at 21.5%, and renters at 35.5%. The $880,000 median edged down 1.1% from $885,000 (2024) to $875,000 (2025). The price-to-income ratio is roughly 14.9 times annual household income, one of the worst affordability readings in this dataset. Mortgage stress at 35.2% and rent stress at 35.4% both exceed the threshold, a rare double-stress configuration driven by low incomes rather than extreme prices by Sydney standards.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

Healthcare dominates at 23.4% (557 workers), followed by Construction at 12.0% (286), Education at 10.2% (243), Hospitality at 8.2% (196) and Professional/Tech at 7.5% (178). The occupational mix is weighted toward Community/Personal (578), Labourers (368) and Clerical/Admin (393), reflecting service-economy employment. The participation rate of 41.8% is the lowest in this cohort, and full-time employment at 54.0% is well below the national average. Unemployment at 6.3% is above average. SEIFA IRSAD decile 3 and IEO decile 4 confirm below-average socio-economic conditions. The heavy reliance on healthcare employment (23.4%) is both a strength (stable sector) and a constraint (limited upward mobility).

Transport to Work

Walking and cycling at 11.4% is high for a regional town, reflecting flat terrain and proximity to the beach. Car driving at 82.9% and public transport at just 1.2% are typical of cross-border areas with limited transit. Two schools serve the suburb: St Joseph's Primary (ICSEA 1,069, 302 students, Catholic) scores above the 1,000 benchmark, while Tweed Heads Public School (ICSEA 984, 394 students, Government) sits below. SEIFA IRSAD decile 3 indicates below-average advantage. The 9.2% need-assistance rate (780 people) is high. Rent-to-income at 35.4% and mortgage-to-income at 35.2% both exceed the stress threshold, creating financial pressure for non-outright-owners.

Population Forecast

Population grows at 0.85% per year (183 persons), with balanced drivers: internal migration adds 164 and overseas migration adds 140 per year. The 10-year population change of 13.0% is below the national average. The aging trajectory is dominant: the senior share expanded 3.7 points over the decade, the young share fell 1.3 points, and the working-age share contracted 1.0 point. Real income grew 21.8% over the decade, faster than the population growth rate, suggesting improved per-capita economic conditions. The gentrification score of 41 shows early signs, though this likely reflects lifestyle-migration upgrading rather than classic inner-city gentrification. Projected population reaches approximately 22,580 by 2031.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Tweed Heads compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions