Urunga
Age is the standout feature of Urunga: the median age is 55, which is 15 years above the national comparison, while the town has 3,185 residents across 48.51 square kilometres. Housing is strongly detached, with 81.4% of dwellings separate houses and 49.3% owned outright. Compared with nearby Nambucca Heads, Urunga has a more small-town profile and a forecast growth rate of 0.36% a year. Its older resident base supports healthcare and community services, but the 16.3 household-income percentile points to tighter budgets than in higher-income areas.
Population
3,185
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,071/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Urunga suits buyers who value detached housing and a quieter, lower-density setting, but borrowing capacity needs close attention. Separate houses make up 81.4% of dwellings, while 43.9% have 3 bedrooms and 26.3% have 4 or more, giving families more choice than the 10.1% apartment share. The tenure mix is settled: 49.3% own outright compared with 22.0% paying a mortgage. That ownership base can reduce turnover, although mortgage stress reaches 35.5% of household income, higher than the 31.7% rent-to-income figure. Weekly rent is $340 and monthly mortgage payments average $1,647, so buyers should test rates, insurance and maintenance costs rather than rely on the suburb's low-density format alone.
For Buyers
Urunga suits buyers who value detached housing and a quieter, lower-density setting, but borrowing capacity needs close attention. Separate houses make up 81.4% of dwellings, while 43.9% have 3 bedrooms and 26.3% have 4 or more, giving families more choice than the 10.1% apartment share. The tenure mix is settled: 49.3% own outright compared with 22.0% paying a mortgage. That ownership base can reduce turnover, although mortgage stress reaches 35.5% of household income, higher than the 31.7% rent-to-income figure. Weekly rent is $340 and monthly mortgage payments average $1,647, so buyers should test rates, insurance and maintenance costs rather than rely on the suburb's low-density format alone.
For Investors
Urunga's investment case is income-led but not a high-growth proposition. Renting accounts for 27.6% of occupied dwellings, with weekly rent at $340, creating a tenant pool alongside 49.3% outright ownership and 22.0% mortgage ownership. Vacancy is 8.8%, so investors should allow for reletting time and avoid assuming continuous occupancy. Development activity reached 31 applications in 12 months, including a secondary dwelling, alterations and a swimming pool, which may improve housing quality but does not guarantee new rental supply. Compared with the owner-occupier base, the rental share is lower, and the forecast migration driver is Balanced rather than clearly expansionary. A 0.36% annual growth trend favours careful yield, property condition and tenant-demand analysis over speculative capital-growth assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
232
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-53.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Urunga
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Urunga has an older, mostly Australian-born resident base. Median age is 55, 15 years above the national figure, while only 22.2% of residents hold a university qualification, 7.9 percentage points below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 10.0%, 11.6 points below the national share. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are prominent at 1,383, 443 and 374 people respectively, while Christianity and no religion are reported by 1,479 and 1,352 residents. Average household size is 2.2, below the national comparison by 0.3, because couples without children represent 52.0% of families. Against nearby Nambucca Heads, Urunga presents as a smaller community with a more pronounced ageing profile, so services for older residents and downsizers matter.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.4%
Houses
5.8%
Townhouse
10.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Urunga's housing stock is designed more around detached living than apartment density. Separate houses account for 81.4% of dwellings, compared with 10.1% apartments and 5.8% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings are the largest bedroom group at 43.9%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 26.3%, while 23.8% have 2 bedrooms. Tenure is more secure than the rental share suggests: 49.3% of homes are owned outright, versus 22.0% with a mortgage and 27.6% rented. That pattern reflects an older population and helps explain the 2.2-person average household size. Affordability remains mixed, however, with mortgage costs of $1,647 monthly and mortgage-to-income stress at 35.5%, higher than rent-to-income stress at 31.7%. Compared with apartment-oriented centres, Urunga gives buyers more land-oriented stock but less housing diversity.
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $340.
$530
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $555
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$590
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
130
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.5% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.1%
Couples with children
52.0%
Couples, no children
20.9%
Single parent
877
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Urunga's largest industry at 22.0% of workers, followed by education at 16.2%, construction at 12.1%, hospitality at 7.1% and retail at 6.7%. This service mix fits an older population because care, education and local trade support daily needs. Occupations are led by professionals at 223 people, trades at 175, community and personal service at 168, managers at 148 and labourers at 140. Labour force participation is 45.1%, unemployment is 5.3% and full-time employment is 49.7%, while 1,318 people are outside the labour force. Household income sits at the 16.3 percentile. SEIFA records education and occupation at decile 3, economic resources at decile 4, relative disadvantage at decile 3 and relative socioeconomic advantage and disadvantage at decile 3. Compared with higher-decile areas, the economy has useful service anchors but less household financial capacity.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
1,234
Unemployed
66
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.7%
Part-time
42.2%
Participation
45.1%
Employed
1,168
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.2%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
10.0%
Dwellings
1,333
Transport to Work
Urunga is practical for residents with a car, but less convenient for households seeking frequent public transport. Car drivers account for 79.1% of commuters, compared with only 0.3% using public transport; walking or cycling is 3.4% and working from home is 13.2%. One local government primary school, Urunga Public School, provides the main in-suburb school option, so families should check enrolment zones and plan secondary-school travel from the exact address. The suburb's IRSAD decile is 3, below higher-resource communities, which can affect access to services and household buffers. A suburb-level crime rate is not stated, so safety decisions should include current police information, street lighting, flood exposure and the 48.51 square kilometre travel pattern. Compared with denser centres, Urunga offers lower-density living but more reliance on driving.
Drive
79.1%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
13.2%
Population Forecast
+0.36%/yr
(+18 people/yr)
EstablishedUrunga is on a slow-growth, ageing trajectory rather than a rapid expansion path. The forecast annual trend is 0.36%, while population change across the wider area is 7.9% over 10 years, both below the pace associated with high-growth corridors. Migration is classified as Balanced, so growth is not attributed to one dominant inflow. The shift profile records Aging, with the senior share up 6.1 percentage points, the young share down 2.3 points and the working-age share down 1.9 points. That direction follows the median age of 55 and helps explain demand for healthcare, accessible homes and lower-maintenance dwellings. Gentrification is labelled Not gentrifying with a score of 0, so investors should not build a strategy around rapid neighbourhood repricing. Compared with larger regional growth centres, Urunga's appeal is steadier demand and established services, not volume-led expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+8
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Urunga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Urunga a good suburb to live in?
Urunga can suit residents seeking detached housing, quieter surroundings and established services. It has 3,185 residents, a median age of 55 and 81.4% separate houses. Compared with denser centres, daily life is more car-dependent because 79.1% drive and only 0.3% use public transport.
What is the median house price in Urunga?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales because a sale median is not stated. The housing profile is 81.4% separate houses, 49.3% owned outright and 27.6% rented. Weekly rent is $340, which provides useful market context but is not a substitute for a purchase-price measure.
What schools are in Urunga?
Urunga Public School is the identified local school, providing 1 government primary-school option within the suburb. Families should confirm the intake zone and plan secondary-school travel from the exact address, especially because 79.1% of commuters drive and public transport use is only 0.3%.
Is Urunga safe?
A suburb-level crime rate should be checked through current NSW Police information for the exact address, as no local rate is stated. Urunga has 3,185 residents across 48.51 square kilometres, so buyers and renters should also inspect street lighting, flood exposure, traffic conditions and evening activity before deciding.
Is Urunga good for property investment?
Urunga may suit investors prioritising established rental demand over rapid growth. Renting accounts for 27.6% of dwellings, weekly rent is $340 and vacancy is 8.8%. However, forecast growth is only 0.36% annually, so yield, maintenance and tenant demand should matter more than speculative capital gains.
How is Urunga's population changing?
Urunga has an ageing trajectory rather than rapid population expansion. Annual forecast growth is 0.36%, while wider-area population change is 7.9% over 10 years. The senior share has risen 6.1 percentage points, the young share has fallen 2.3 points and migration is classified as Balanced.
What development is happening in Urunga?
Development activity reached 31 applications over 12 months, including a secondary dwelling, building alterations and a swimming pool. This level of activity may support gradual housing renewal, but it does not guarantee substantial new dwelling supply or a rapid change in the local market.
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 Urunga on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map