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Ballina vs Mermaid Beach

Name: Ballina vs Mermaid Beach — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

State Electorate comparison ≈ 71 km apart · Ballina profile · Mermaid Beach profile

Ballina Mermaid Beach

Ballina and Mermaid Beach are very different environments despite being only 71 km apart. Ballina is a more spread-out area where detached houses are far more common (75.2% compared to 47.3% in Mermaid Beach) and more homes are owned outright (39.8% versus 29.2%). Mermaid Beach is much more urban and accessible, with a very walkable score of 7.6 compared to Ballina's 4.8 (somewhat walkable). This is reflected in the facts that 85.6% of Mermaid Beach homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, while only 56.1% of homes in Ballina are.

Both areas have similar unemployment rates, which sit close to the national figure. They also share nearly identical household sizes, with 2.4 people per home in each location. While Ballina is generally older — with a typical resident aged 45 compared to 38 in Mermaid Beach — this age gap has narrowed slightly since 2011. At the same time, Mermaid Beach has seen a significant increase in its overseas-born population, which is now far higher than in Ballina.

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Where they differ most

Separate houses: 27.9 pts higher in Ballina Born overseas: 13.2 pts higher in Mermaid Beach Housework 15h+: 4.9 pts higher in Ballina Volunteering: 5.8 pts higher in Ballina Unpaid carers: 3.1 pts higher in Ballina

Demographics & Identity

Population in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +28,671 larger in Ballina gap widening

82,405 85th pct 53,734 46th pct

Median age in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +7 yrs older in Ballina gap narrowing

45 yrs 86th pct 38 yrs 43rd pct

Age structure

23.7% Young adults (25–44) +6.5 pts ▸ 30.2%

27.7% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +3.6 pts 24.0%

23.3% Seniors (65+) ◂ +6.2 pts 17.1%

16.2% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.4 pts 15.8%

9.1% Youth (15–24) +3.8 pts ▸ 12.9%

Marital status

41.3% Married ◂ +0.6 pts 40.7%

37.7% Never married +3.5 pts ▸ 41.2%

12.0% Divorced ◂ +1.6 pts 10.3%

5.8% Widowed ◂ +1.2 pts 4.7%

3.2% Separated ◂ +0.1 pts 3.1%

Age & sex structure

Ballina Mermaid Beach

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

75.4% Australia ◂ +10.1 pts 65.3%

2.0% New Zealand +4.0 pts ▸ 6.0%

4.4% England +0.5 pts ▸ 4.8%

0.1% China +1.8 pts ▸ 1.9%

0.6% South Africa +0.8 pts ▸ 1.4%

0.3% Philippines +0.5 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.3% India +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.4% Italy +0.1 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.1% Vietnam +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.1% Nepal even 0.0%

Ancestry

42.6% English ◂ +3.4 pts 39.2%

35.2% Australian ◂ +5.1 pts 30.1%

14.8% Irish ◂ +3.5 pts 11.3%

12.3% Scottish ◂ +2.0 pts 10.3%

5.3% German ◂ +0.6 pts 4.7%

0.8% Chinese +3.6 pts ▸ 4.4%

3.7% Italian +0.6 pts ▸ 4.3%

1.7% Dutch even 1.7%

0.5% Filipino +0.7 pts ▸ 1.2%

0.6% Greek +0.5 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.6% Indian +0.4 pts ▸ 1.1%

0.1% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

Language

Language used at home

85.6% English only ◂ +5.6 pts 80.0%

0.1% Mandarin +2.2 pts ▸ 2.3%

0.1% Cantonese +0.9 pts ▸ 0.9%

0.5% Italian +0.1 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.1% Greek +0.3 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.1% Arabic +0.3 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.1% Tagalog +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.1% Vietnamese +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.2% Punjabi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

0.1% Hindi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

Religion

Religious affiliation

50.0% No religion ◂ +4.6 pts 45.4%

37.1% Christianity +7.1 pts ▸ 44.2%

9.6% Not stated ◂ +3.0 pts 6.6%

1.5% Buddhism +0.1 pts ▸ 1.6%

0.7% Other religions ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

0.4% Hinduism +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.6% Judaism ◂ +0.3 pts 0.3%

0.2% Islam +0.4 pts ▸ 0.6%

Education & Qualifications

Schools/1k kids in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +2.51 more in Ballina

3.22 80th pct 0.71 0th pct

Schools ≤3 km in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +37 more in Ballina

43 88th pct 6 8th pct

Students in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +5,810 more in Ballina

11,334 67th pct 5,524 18th pct

Avg size in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +657 larger in Mermaid Beach

264 17th pct 921 96th pct

ICSEA in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +3 higher in Mermaid Beach

1,046 63rd pct 1,049 64th pct

Highest year of school

54.8% Year 12 +11.4 pts ▸ 66.2%

22.6% Year 10 ◂ +6.6 pts 16.0%

7.7% Year 9 or below ◂ +2.7 pts 5.0%

6.2% Year 11 +0.2 pts ▸ 6.4%

Highest qualification level

27.1% Bachelor degree +1.7 pts ▸ 28.8%

25.0% Certificate III / IV ◂ +0.1 pts 24.9%

15.7% Advanced diploma / diploma +1.4 pts ▸ 17.1%

7.4% Postgraduate degree +1.2 pts ▸ 8.6%

3.8% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.4 pts 3.3%

1.6% Certificate I / II even 1.6%

Field of qualification

15.0% Management & commerce +7.0 pts ▸ 22.0%

12.5% Society & culture ◂ +0.7 pts 11.8%

11.8% Health +0.1 pts ▸ 12.0%

9.4% Engineering & related +0.6 pts ▸ 10.1%

9.9% Education ◂ +2.2 pts 7.7%

6.5% Architecture & building +0.8 pts ▸ 7.3%

6.9% Creative arts ◂ +2.2 pts 4.7%

5.3% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.4 pts ▸ 6.7%

3.2% Agriculture & environment ◂ +2.1 pts 1.1%

2.5% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.4 pts 2.0%

1.1% Information technology +1.0 pts ▸ 2.1%

Income

Personal income in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +$91 higher in Mermaid Beach gap narrowing

$749 37th pct $840 61st pct

Household income in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +$292 higher in Mermaid Beach gap narrowing

$1,488 30th pct $1,780 55th pct

Family income in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +$267 higher in Mermaid Beach gap narrowing

$1,880 33rd pct $2,147 58th pct

Household income distribution

28.2% $1,500–$2,999 +1.9 pts ▸ 30.1%

28.9% $650–$1,499 ◂ +3.0 pts 25.9%

17.7% Under $650 ◂ +3.2 pts 14.4%

9.4% $4,000 or more +2.2 pts ▸ 11.6%

8.2% $3,000–$3,999 +2.8 pts ▸ 11.0%

Personal income distribution

39.7% Under $650 ◂ +2.7 pts 37.1%

33.1% $650–$1,499 +0.6 pts ▸ 33.8%

14.0% $1,500–$2,999 +3.7 pts ▸ 17.7%

4.0% $3,000 or more +0.8 pts ▸ 4.7%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

9.1% Arthritis ◂ +2.0 pts 7.1%

8.9% Mental health ◂ +1.5 pts 7.4%

7.9% Other condition ◂ +0.9 pts 7.0%

7.2% Asthma ◂ +0.3 pts 6.9%

4.5% Heart disease ◂ +1.2 pts 3.3%

3.5% Cancer ◂ +0.6 pts 2.9%

3.2% Diabetes ◂ +0.4 pts 2.9%

2.2% Lung condition ◂ +0.8 pts 1.5%

1.2% Stroke ◂ +0.3 pts 0.9%

0.8% Dementia even 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

61.6% None +6.3 pts ▸ 67.9%

19.4% One condition ◂ +1.9 pts 17.5%

5.9% Two conditions ◂ +1.2 pts 4.7%

3.0% Three or more ◂ +0.9 pts 2.1%

Community Participation

Family & Households

Household size in Ballina in Mermaid Beach even gap narrowing

2.4 29th pct 2.4 29th pct

Family composition

50.8% Couples with children +3.2 pts ▸ 54.1%

32.6% Couples without children ◂ +2.5 pts 30.1%

15.6% One-parent families ◂ +1.0 pts 14.6%

0.9% Other families +0.3 pts ▸ 1.2%

Household size

36.6% 2 people +0.2 pts ▸ 36.7%

27.6% 1 person ◂ +2.3 pts 25.3%

15.2% 3 people +1.1 pts ▸ 16.2%

13.0% 4 people +2.1 pts ▸ 15.1%

5.3% 5 people ◂ +0.4 pts 4.8%

2.4% 6 or more ◂ +0.6 pts 1.8%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +$35 higher in Mermaid Beach gap narrowing

$450 86th pct $485 90th pct

Mortgage in Ballina in Mermaid Beach even gap narrowing

$2,000 68th pct $2,000 68th pct

People / bedroom in Ballina in Mermaid Beach even gap steady

0.80 29th pct 0.80 29th pct

How homes are owned or rented

39.8% Owned outright ◂ +10.6 pts 29.2%

28.2% Rented +7.4 pts ▸ 35.6%

27.5% Owned with a mortgage +5.3 pts ▸ 32.8%

2.8% Other tenure ◂ +1.6 pts 1.1%

1.8% Not stated ◂ +0.4 pts 1.4%

Types of homes

75.2% Separate house ◂ +27.9 pts 47.3%

16.5% Townhouse / semi-detached +9.5 pts ▸ 26.0%

5.4% Flat or apartment +20.5 pts ▸ 26.0%

2.4% Other dwelling ◂ +1.9 pts 0.5%

Bedrooms per home

41.0% 3 bedrooms ◂ +7.7 pts 33.3%

18.8% 2 bedrooms +8.8 pts ▸ 27.6%

25.2% 4 bedrooms ◂ +0.5 pts 24.6%

6.6% 5 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 6.3%

5.8% 1 bedroom +0.3 pts ▸ 6.1%

0.9% Studio / none ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

Weekly rent distribution

35.0% $350–$549 +14.2 pts ▸ 49.2%

23.2% $550–$749 +1.4 pts ▸ 24.6%

17.5% $200–$349 ◂ +7.2 pts 10.3%

11.3% $750 or more ◂ +1.4 pts 9.9%

9.3% Under $200 ◂ +5.9 pts 3.4%

Monthly mortgage distribution

31.9% $1,800–$2,999 +3.1 pts ▸ 35.0%

23.9% $1,000–$1,799 +1.6 pts ▸ 25.6%

20.9% $3,000 or more ◂ +2.1 pts 18.9%

16.4% Under $1,000 ◂ +3.0 pts 13.5%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +275 more in Ballina

448 86th pct 173 27th pct

Stops/1k in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +2.22 more in Ballina

5.44 67th pct 3.22 22nd pct

Departures/1k in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +1,041.5 more in Mermaid Beach

198.9 16th pct 1,240.4 60th pct

PT routes in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +10 more in Ballina

32 63rd pct 22 38th pct

How people get to work

54.1% Car (driver) +7.1 pts ▸ 61.1%

21.0% Worked at home ◂ +5.6 pts 15.5%

3.1% Car (passenger) +0.5 pts ▸ 3.5%

3.3% Walked ◂ +0.9 pts 2.3%

1.5% Bicycle ◂ +0.3 pts 1.2%

0.3% Bus +0.7 pts ▸ 1.0%

0.0% Train +0.4 pts ▸ 0.4%

Motor vehicles per home

39.3% 2 vehicles +1.2 pts ▸ 40.5%

36.2% 1 vehicle +1.5 pts ▸ 37.8%

12.9% 3 vehicles ◂ +1.6 pts 11.3%

7.3% 4 or more ◂ +1.7 pts 5.5%

4.2% No vehicle +0.6 pts ▸ 4.9%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

16.6% Health care & social assistance ◂ +2.1 pts 14.5%

9.7% Construction +1.2 pts ▸ 10.8%

10.7% Accommodation & food ◂ +0.8 pts 9.8%

10.2% Retail trade ◂ +0.2 pts 10.0%

9.8% Education & training ◂ +0.6 pts 9.2%

7.1% Professional & technical +0.8 pts ▸ 7.9%

4.2% Public administration & safety ◂ +0.2 pts 3.9%

4.0% Manufacturing ◂ +0.3 pts 3.7%

3.6% Other services +0.4 pts ▸ 3.9%

3.6% Administrative & support +0.1 pts ▸ 3.8%

3.7% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +3.5 pts 0.2%

2.0% Arts & recreation +1.6 pts ▸ 3.6%

Occupations people work in

24.2% Professionals +0.2 pts ▸ 24.4%

15.3% Managers ◂ +1.4 pts 13.9%

13.8% Technicians & trades ◂ +1.0 pts 12.8%

13.1% Community & personal service even 13.1%

9.7% Clerical & administrative +2.6 pts ▸ 12.3%

9.0% Sales workers +1.3 pts ▸ 10.4%

9.5% Labourers ◂ +2.0 pts 7.5%

3.5% Machinery operators & drivers +0.1 pts ▸ 3.7%

Walkability

Walk score in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +2.8 higher in Mermaid Beach

4.8 35th pct 7.6 82nd pct

Types ≤15 min in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +2.4 more in Mermaid Beach

4.5 34th pct 6.9 76th pct

15-min city in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +40.3 pts higher in Mermaid Beach

50.2% 31st pct 90.6% 75th pct

Walk to shops in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +29.5 pts higher in Mermaid Beach

56.1% 38th pct 85.6% 74th pct

Walk to transit in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +22.3 pts higher in Mermaid Beach

75.3% 33rd pct 97.6% 70th pct

Walk to school in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +11.4 pts higher in Mermaid Beach

50.5% 22nd pct 61.9% 34th pct

Walk to a park in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +23.9 pts higher in Mermaid Beach

76.1% 22nd pct 100.0% 93rd pct

Walk to health in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +46.0 pts higher in Mermaid Beach

38.9% 37th pct 84.9% 85th pct

Amenities/1k in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +0.4 more in Mermaid Beach

20.8 82nd pct 21.2 83rd pct

Intersections/km² in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +227 higher in Mermaid Beach

8 27th pct 235 81st pct

Mean slope in Ballina in Mermaid Beach +1.3 pts higher in Ballina

6.1% 64th pct 4.8% 37th pct

Compare Ballina with nearby areas

Tweed Currumbin Burleigh Mudgeeraba Mermaid Beach Surfers Paradise Southport Gaven

Compare Mermaid Beach with nearby areas

Burleigh Surfers Paradise Southport Bonney Mudgeeraba Gaven Currumbin Theodore

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Ballina vs Mermaid Beach [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sed/SED10003/ballina/vs/SED30053/mermaid-beach