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Ballina vs Central Coast

Urban Area comparison ≈ 542 km apart · Ballina profile · Central Coast profile

Ballina Central Coast

Central Coast and Ballina are both residential hubs in New South Wales, but they differ in how people live and move. Central Coast has better transport access, with 93.4% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport compared to 78.5% in Ballina. It also has more people working from home (25.4% versus 16.7%) and a higher share of separate houses. Ballina is older, with a typical resident aged 48 compared to 43 in Central Coast, and has more residents who own their homes outright (41.3% versus 34.5%).

These two areas are very similar in their typical weekly household incomes, which sit at $1,499 in Central Coast and $1,429 in Ballina. Several gaps between them have narrowed since 2011, including the difference in age and the share of adults with bachelor degrees. While Ballina has a higher proportion of volunteers and a more qualified workforce, Central Coast is more diverse, with a higher share of people born overseas (16.1% versus 12.7%).

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Where they differ most

Population: 296,990 larger in Central Coast Volunteering: 5.2 pts higher in Ballina PT commute: 1.0 pts higher in Central Coast Limited English: 0.5 pts higher in Central Coast Work from home: 8.8 pts higher in Central Coast

Demographics & Identity

Population in Ballinain Central Coast +296,990 larger in Central Coast gap widening
46,190 60th pct 343,180 86th pct
Median age in Ballinain Central Coast +5 yrs older in Ballina gap narrowing
48 yrs 87th pct 43 yrs 64th pct
First Nations in Ballinain Central Coast +1.0 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
3.9% 32nd pct 4.9% 45th pct
Aged 65+ in Ballinain Central Coast +4.8 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
27.1% 87th pct 22.2% 65th pct
Under 15 in Ballinain Central Coast +1.7 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
16.3% 17th pct 18.0% 46th pct
De facto in Ballinain Central Coast +0.6 pts higher in Ballina gap steady
12.4% 42nd pct 11.8% 28th pct

Age structure

27.1% Seniors (65+) ◂ +4.8 pts 22.2%
26.8% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +1.2 pts 25.6%
20.6% Young adults (25–44) +2.4 pts ▸ 23.0%
16.3% Children (0–14) +1.7 pts ▸ 18.0%
9.3% Youth (15–24) +1.9 pts ▸ 11.2%

Marital status

46.1% Married ◂ +1.7 pts 44.5%
32.0% Never married +1.7 pts ▸ 33.7%
11.2% Divorced even 11.2%
7.3% Widowed ◂ +0.7 pts 6.6%
3.3% Separated +0.7 pts ▸ 4.0%

Age & sex structure

Ballina Central Coast

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

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Ballinain Central Coast +3.4 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
12.7% 48th pct 16.1% 69th pct

Country of birth

81.5% Australia ◂ +2.5 pts 78.9%
3.7% England +0.9 pts ▸ 4.6%
1.7% New Zealand even 1.7%
0.4% Philippines +0.4 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.4% India +0.3 pts ▸ 0.7%
0.5% South Africa +0.1 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.1% China +0.4 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.2% Italy even 0.3%
0.1% Nepal +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.1% Vietnam even 0.1%

Ancestry

44.5% English ◂ +1.8 pts 42.6%
39.3% Australian +0.6 pts ▸ 39.8%
14.4% Irish ◂ +2.4 pts 12.0%
12.5% Scottish ◂ +2.0 pts 10.5%
4.6% German ◂ +1.3 pts 3.3%
3.3% Italian ◂ +0.5 pts 2.8%
1.5% Dutch ◂ +0.1 pts 1.5%
0.8% Chinese +0.7 pts ▸ 1.5%
0.6% Filipino +0.5 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.6% Indian +0.3 pts ▸ 1.0%
0.5% Greek +0.3 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.1% Vietnamese even 0.2%

Language

Other language in Ballinain Central Coast +2.4 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
4.7% 25th pct 7.1% 57th pct
Limited English in Ballinain Central Coast +0.5 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
0.4% 16th pct 0.9% 59th pct

Language used at home

89.8% English only ◂ +2.1 pts 87.7%
0.1% Mandarin +0.4 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.3% Italian even 0.3%
0.1% Tagalog +0.2 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.1% Cantonese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%
0.2% Punjabi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.2%
0.1% Greek +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.1% Arabic +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.1% Hindi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%
0.1% Vietnamese even 0.1%

Religion

No religion in Ballinain Central Coast +3.0 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
42.9% 54th pct 40.0% 37th pct

Religious affiliation

47.6% Christianity +3.2 pts ▸ 50.8%
42.9% No religion ◂ +3.0 pts 40.0%
7.2% Not stated ◂ +0.7 pts 6.5%
1.1% Buddhism ◂ +0.1 pts 1.0%
0.3% Hinduism +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%
0.6% Other religions ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%
0.1% Islam +0.3 pts ▸ 0.4%
0.1% Judaism even 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Ballinain Central Coast +2.2 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
49.3% 72nd pct 47.2% 63rd pct
Bachelor+ in Ballinain Central Coast +4.9 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
22.7% 82nd pct 17.8% 65th pct

Highest year of school

49.3% Year 12 ◂ +2.2 pts 47.2%
27.0% Year 10 +2.2 pts ▸ 29.2%
10.2% Year 9 or below +0.5 pts ▸ 10.7%
6.6% Year 11 ◂ +0.2 pts 6.4%

Highest qualification level

29.2% Certificate III / IV +5.0 pts ▸ 34.2%
24.8% Bachelor degree ◂ +4.4 pts 20.5%
15.9% Advanced diploma / diploma even 15.9%
6.4% Postgraduate degree ◂ +0.6 pts 5.8%
3.8% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +0.9 pts 2.9%
1.9% Certificate I / II +0.4 pts ▸ 2.3%

Field of qualification

16.3% Management & commerce +2.4 pts ▸ 18.7%
11.3% Engineering & related +1.9 pts ▸ 13.2%
12.9% Health ◂ +1.8 pts 11.0%
11.4% Society & culture +0.4 pts ▸ 11.9%
11.4% Education ◂ +2.9 pts 8.5%
6.7% Architecture & building +0.7 pts ▸ 7.4%
5.5% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.2 pts ▸ 5.6%
3.9% Creative arts ◂ +0.3 pts 3.6%
3.4% Agriculture & environment ◂ +1.5 pts 1.9%
2.3% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.3 pts 1.9%
1.1% Information technology +1.1 pts ▸ 2.1%

Income

Personal income in Ballinain Central Coast +$11 higher in Ballina gap narrowing
$737 52nd pct $726 48th pct
Household income in Ballinain Central Coast +$70 higher in Central Coast gap widening
$1,429 50th pct $1,499 57th pct
Family income in Ballinain Central Coast +$100 higher in Central Coast gap widening
$1,848 52nd pct $1,948 62nd pct
High earners in Ballinain Central Coast +0.7 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
9.0% 55th pct 9.7% 60th pct
High-income homes in Ballinain Central Coast +2.1 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
16.4% 58th pct 18.5% 72nd pct

Household income distribution

30.6% $650–$1,499 ◂ +2.2 pts 28.4%
27.9% $1,500–$2,999 +0.4 pts ▸ 28.3%
18.1% Under $650 +0.3 pts ▸ 18.4%
8.1% $3,000–$3,999 +1.2 pts ▸ 9.3%
8.3% $4,000 or more +0.9 pts ▸ 9.2%

Personal income distribution

41.3% Under $650 +1.2 pts ▸ 42.5%
33.6% $650–$1,499 ◂ +1.9 pts 31.7%
14.4% $1,500–$2,999 +1.2 pts ▸ 15.5%
3.4% $3,000 or more even 3.4%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Ballinain Central Coast +1.4 pts higher in Central Coast
32.5% 49th pct 34.0% 62nd pct
Mental health in Ballinain Central Coast +1.0 pts higher in Central Coast
10.0% 40th pct 11.0% 60th pct
Needs assistance in Ballinain Central Coast +0.3 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
6.7% 52nd pct 7.1% 59th pct

Long-term health conditions reported

10.9% Arthritis +0.6 pts ▸ 11.5%
10.0% Mental health +1.0 pts ▸ 11.0%
8.1% Asthma +1.5 pts ▸ 9.6%
8.5% Other condition +0.6 pts ▸ 9.0%
5.6% Heart disease ◂ +0.6 pts 5.0%
4.3% Diabetes +1.2 pts ▸ 5.5%
4.0% Cancer ◂ +0.3 pts 3.7%
2.5% Lung condition +0.1 pts ▸ 2.7%
1.5% Stroke ◂ +0.2 pts 1.3%
1.1% Dementia even 1.1%

Number of long-term health conditions

59.4% None ◂ +1.2 pts 58.1%
21.5% One condition +0.4 pts ▸ 21.9%
7.2% Two conditions +0.5 pts ▸ 7.7%
3.9% Three or more +0.5 pts ▸ 4.4%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Ballinain Central Coast +5.2 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
17.3% 75th pct 12.1% 7th pct
Unpaid carers in Ballinain Central Coast +1.1 pts higher in Ballina gap steady
13.6% 72nd pct 12.5% 41st pct
Unpaid child care in Ballinain Central Coast +0.7 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
25.0% 40th pct 25.7% 51st pct
Defence service in Ballinain Central Coast +0.8 pts higher in Ballina
3.6% 66th pct 2.8% 28th pct
Housework 15h+ in Ballinain Central Coast even gap narrowing
23.4% 77th pct 23.4% 77th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Ballinain Central Coast +0.1 larger in Central Coast gap narrowing
2.4 43rd pct 2.5 71st pct
One-parent in Ballinain Central Coast +2.2 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
15.2% 33rd pct 17.5% 61st pct
Living alone in Ballinain Central Coast +0.9 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
28.2% 47th pct 27.4% 34th pct

Family composition

49.9% Couples with children +4.0 pts ▸ 53.9%
33.9% Couples without children ◂ +6.2 pts 27.7%
15.2% One-parent families +2.2 pts ▸ 17.5%
1.0% Other families even 0.9%

Household size

38.2% 2 people ◂ +4.0 pts 34.3%
28.2% 1 person ◂ +0.9 pts 27.4%
13.9% 3 people +1.1 pts ▸ 14.9%
12.4% 4 people +2.0 pts ▸ 14.5%
5.1% 5 people +1.0 pts ▸ 6.1%
2.2% 6 or more +0.7 pts ▸ 2.9%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Ballinain Central Coast +$20 higher in Ballina gap narrowing
$420 94th pct $400 90th pct
Mortgage in Ballinain Central Coast +$50 higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
$1,950 86th pct $2,000 88th pct
People / bedroom in Ballinain Central Coast even gap steady
0.80 57th pct 0.80 57th pct
Renting in Ballinain Central Coast +0.9 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
26.7% 28th pct 27.6% 32nd pct
Owned outright in Ballinain Central Coast +6.8 pts higher in Ballina gap widening
41.3% 85th pct 34.5% 55th pct
Separate houses in Ballinain Central Coast +6.5 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
71.7% 14th pct 78.2% 25th pct
3+ bedrooms in Ballinain Central Coast +1.3 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
74.0% 24th pct 75.2% 30th pct

How homes are owned or rented

41.3% Owned outright ◂ +6.8 pts 34.5%
27.0% Owned with a mortgage +6.8 pts ▸ 33.9%
26.7% Rented +0.9 pts ▸ 27.6%
3.1% Other tenure ◂ +0.6 pts 2.5%
1.8% Not stated ◂ +0.3 pts 1.5%

Types of homes

71.7% Separate house +6.5 pts ▸ 78.2%
20.7% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +8.7 pts 12.0%
5.0% Flat or apartment +3.7 pts ▸ 8.8%
2.2% Other dwelling ◂ +1.4 pts 0.7%

Bedrooms per home

40.9% 3 bedrooms ◂ +2.2 pts 38.8%
26.6% 4 bedrooms +1.5 pts ▸ 28.1%
20.3% 2 bedrooms ◂ +1.0 pts 19.3%
6.5% 5 or more +1.9 pts ▸ 8.4%
3.7% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.1 pts 3.6%
0.4% Studio / none even 0.4%

Weekly rent distribution

40.4% $350–$549 +13.3 pts ▸ 53.7%
20.9% $550–$749 ◂ +10.7 pts 10.2%
19.6% $200–$349 +1.3 pts ▸ 20.9%
11.5% Under $200 ◂ +1.7 pts 9.8%
4.0% $750 or more ◂ +1.7 pts 2.3%

Monthly mortgage distribution

33.9% $1,800–$2,999 +4.0 pts ▸ 37.9%
26.3% $1,000–$1,799 even 26.2%
17.3% $3,000 or more ◂ +1.1 pts 16.2%
15.8% Under $1,000 ◂ +2.0 pts 13.8%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Ballinain Central Coast +1.7 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
4.9% 26th pct 6.5% 57th pct
Work from home in Ballinain Central Coast +8.8 pts higher in Central Coast gap widening
16.7% 84th pct 25.4% 98th pct
PT commute in Ballinain Central Coast +1.0 pts higher in Central Coast gap steady
0.3% 27th pct 1.3% 76th pct

How people get to work

59.0% Car (driver) ◂ +9.7 pts 49.3%
16.7% Worked at home +8.8 pts ▸ 25.4%
3.6% Car (passenger) ◂ +0.3 pts 3.3%
2.8% Walked ◂ +1.5 pts 1.3%
1.1% Bicycle ◂ +0.9 pts 0.2%
0.0% Train +0.7 pts ▸ 0.8%
0.3% Bus +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%

Motor vehicles per home

39.1% 2 vehicles ◂ +2.7 pts 36.4%
37.1% 1 vehicle +1.1 pts ▸ 38.2%
12.3% 3 vehicles ◂ +0.4 pts 11.9%
6.6% 4 or more +0.3 pts ▸ 6.9%
4.9% No vehicle +1.7 pts ▸ 6.5%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Ballinain Central Coast +3.1 pts higher in Ballina gap narrowing
40.6% 53rd pct 37.5% 30th pct
Recent arrivals in Ballinain Central Coast +2.1 pts higher in Ballina gap widening
9.1% 25th pct 6.9% 13th pct

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Ballinain Central Coast +1.3 pts higher in Central Coast gap widening
3.4% 14th pct 4.7% 48th pct
Participation in Ballinain Central Coast even gap narrowing
55.5% 38th pct 55.6% 38th pct
Full-time in Ballinain Central Coast +1.5 pts higher in Central Coast gap narrowing
51.0% 10th pct 52.6% 13th pct

Industries people work in

18.6% Health care & social assistance ◂ +0.8 pts 17.8%
10.2% Construction +1.3 pts ▸ 11.5%
10.7% Education & training ◂ +2.4 pts 8.2%
10.5% Retail trade ◂ +0.3 pts 10.2%
8.8% Accommodation & food ◂ +1.8 pts 7.0%
5.2% Public administration & safety +0.8 pts ▸ 6.1%
5.8% Professional & technical +0.1 pts ▸ 6.0%
4.1% Manufacturing +1.8 pts ▸ 5.9%
4.0% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +3.2 pts 0.8%
3.8% Other services even 3.8%
2.6% Transport & warehousing +1.1 pts ▸ 3.7%
3.3% Administrative & support even 3.3%

Occupations people work in

22.6% Professionals ◂ +2.2 pts 20.4%
13.8% Technicians & trades +0.8 pts ▸ 14.6%
13.9% Managers ◂ +1.7 pts 12.2%
13.5% Community & personal service ◂ +0.4 pts 13.0%
11.0% Clerical & administrative +2.1 pts ▸ 13.1%
10.0% Labourers ◂ +0.3 pts 9.7%
9.6% Sales workers ◂ +0.4 pts 9.2%
4.1% Machinery operators & drivers +1.8 pts ▸ 6.0%

Walkability

Walk score in Ballinain Central Coast +0.4 higher in Central Coast
5.0 51st pct 5.4 66th pct
Types ≤15 min in Ballinain Central Coast +0.3 more in Central Coast
4.7 48th pct 5.1 62nd pct
15-min city in Ballinain Central Coast +4.4 pts higher in Central Coast
52.8% 48th pct 57.2% 58th pct
Walk to shops in Ballinain Central Coast +6.7 pts higher in Ballina
57.4% 60th pct 50.8% 40th pct
Walk to transit in Ballinain Central Coast +15.0 pts higher in Central Coast
78.5% 39th pct 93.4% 89th pct
Walk to school in Ballinain Central Coast +6.3 pts higher in Central Coast
55.3% 29th pct 61.6% 43rd pct
Walk to a park in Ballinain Central Coast +5.3 pts higher in Central Coast
87.6% 43rd pct 92.9% 71st pct
Walk to health in Ballinain Central Coast +0.6 pts higher in Ballina
39.5% 46th pct 38.9% 43rd pct
Amenities/1k in Ballinain Central Coast +7.4 more in Ballina
24.3 86th pct 16.9 62nd pct
Intersections/km² in Ballinain Central Coast +10 higher in Central Coast
11 28th pct 21 56th pct
Mean slope in Ballinain Central Coast +2.3 pts higher in Central Coast
5.5% 58th pct 7.8% 89th pct

Compare Ballina with nearby areas

Lismore Byron Bay Gold Coast - Tweed Heads Grafton Brisbane Coffs Harbour Warwick Toowoomba Kempsey Armidale Sunshine Coast Port Macquarie

Compare Central Coast with nearby areas

Morisset - Cooranbong Sydney Newcastle - Maitland Singleton Medowie Nelson Bay Muswellbrook Lithgow Wollongong Bowral - Mittagong Bathurst Nowra - Bomaderry

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Ballina vs Central Coast [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sua/1003/ballina/vs/1010/central-coast