# South Coast

Sub-region (SA3) · Area profile

Located in: New South Wales › Rest of NSW

Area: 9,864 km²

Covering nearly 10,000 square kilometres of varied landscape, South Coast is a sprawling region defined by an ageing population and a relaxed pace of life. It is far older than most of Australia, with a typical resident aged 53 and nearly a third of the community aged 65 or over. This shift toward a senior population is reflected in the housing and health data, where home ownership is very high but the need for daily care is more common. It is a predominantly English-speaking area with a strong connection to its natural environment.

## Demographics & Identity

The region is far older than the national figure, with 31.0% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 7.3 points since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 14.4%, which is well below the New South Wales average of 18.2%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 76,736 | +13.0% since 2011 |
| Median age | 53 yrs | +8.2% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 5.0% | +25.2% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 31.0% | +30.6% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 14.4% | -14.8% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 13.6% | +25.2% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Seniors (65+) 31.0%, Older adults (45–64) 29.3%, Young adults (25–44) 17.1%, Children (0–14) 14.4%, Youth (15–24) 8.2%

**Marital status** — Married 47.5%, Never married 29.4%, Divorced 12.0%, Widowed 7.5%, Separated 3.7%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

The community is predominantly Australian-born, and only 13.0% of people were born overseas, which is far below the state and national figures. English, Australian, and Irish are the most common ancestries.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 13.0% | +1.9% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 79.0%, England 4.5%, New Zealand 1.3%, Philippines 0.4%, South Africa 0.3%, India 0.3%, Italy 0.2%, China 0.1%, Nepal 0.1%, Vietnam 0.1%

**Ancestry** — English 43.3%, Australian 39.2%, Irish 13.1%, Scottish 11.4%, German 4.8%, Italian 2.1%, Dutch 1.9%, Chinese 0.6%, Filipino 0.5%, Greek 0.5%, Indian 0.4%, Vietnamese 0.1%

## Language

English is the dominant language here, with only 3.7% of people using another language at home, a figure far below the New South Wales average of 26.6%. Consequently, very few people (0.4%) speak little or no English.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 3.7% | +12.1% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.4% | +5.2% since 2016 |

**Language used at home** — English only 89.2%, Italian 0.2%, Greek 0.2%, Mandarin 0.2%, Tagalog 0.1%, Vietnamese 0.1%, Cantonese 0.1%, Punjabi 0.1%, Hindi 0.1%, Arabic 0.0%

## Religion

A large proportion of the community has no religion, accounting for 44.8%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and represents a significant increase of 20 points since 2011.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 44.8% | +82.4% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 44.8%, Christianity 44.3%, Not stated 9.0%, Buddhism 0.9%, Other religions 0.4%, Hinduism 0.3%, Islam 0.2%, Judaism 0.1%

## Education & Qualifications

Education levels are generally lower than the state average, with 43.1% of people completing Year 12 compared to 58.9% in New South Wales. However, the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher rose 5.5 points since 2011 to reach 17.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 43.1% | +24.1% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 17.7% | +44.9% since 2011 |
| Schools | 38 | — |
| Schools per 1,000 children | 3.43 | — |
| School enrolments | 9,932 | — |
| Average school size | 268 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 974 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 12 43.1%, Year 10 28.4%, Year 9 or below 11.7%, Year 11 8.1%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 33.4%, Bachelor degree 18.5%, Advanced diploma / diploma 14.6%, Postgraduate degree 5.6%, Graduate diploma / certificate 4.0%, Certificate I / II 2.3%

**Field of qualification** — Management & commerce 14.2%, Engineering & related 12.9%, Society & culture 11.5%, Health 10.6%, Education 9.6%, Architecture & building 7.6%, Food, hospitality & personal services 5.7%, Agriculture & environment 3.6%, Creative arts 2.9%, Natural & physical sciences 2.3%, Information technology 1.3%

## Income

Typical incomes are well below the national figure, with the usual weekly household income being $1,183. Only 10.1% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, which is among the lowest for its level.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $631 | +44.4% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $1,183 | +45.5% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,466 | +50.8% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 5.8% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 10.1% | — |

**Household income distribution** — $650–$1,499 35.6%, $1,500–$2,999 25.0%, Under $650 21.9%, $3,000–$3,999 5.6%, $4,000 or more 4.5%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 46.8%, $650–$1,499 31.7%, $1,500–$2,999 10.8%, $3,000 or more 2.0%

## Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions are common, affecting 36.5% of people, which is well above the national figure of 27.7%. This is consistent with the older population, as 7.1% of residents need help with daily activities.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 36.5% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 10.5% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 7.1% | +11.2% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Arthritis 14.7%, Mental health 10.5%, Other condition 9.1%, Asthma 8.8%, Heart disease 6.2%, Diabetes 5.5%, Cancer 4.6%, Lung condition 3.1%, Stroke 1.4%, Dementia 1.0%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 53.9%, One condition 23.0%, Two conditions 8.6%, Three or more 4.9%

## Community Participation

The area has a high rate of volunteerism at 19.5%, well above the national figure. This is alongside a higher-than-usual number of people who have served in the Defence Force (4.2%) and those providing unpaid care (13.4%).

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 19.5% | -18.3% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 13.4% | +3.7% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 20.8% | -11.6% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 4.2% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 26.6% | -8.9% since 2011 |

## First Nations

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 5.0% of the population, which is a little above the national figure of 3.2%. However, First Nations personal income is much lower than most areas, with a typical weekly amount of $496.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 3,862 | — |
| First Nations median age | 24 yrs | — |
| First Nations Year 12 completion | 28.1% | — |
| First Nations unemployment rate | 10.5% | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $496 | — |
| First Nations household income | $1,341 | — |
| Speaks a First Nations language | 4.4% | — |

## Family & Households

Living arrangements are often small or solo, with 30.8% of people living alone, which is well above the national average. This helps explain why the typical home contains only 2.2 people.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.2 | -4.3% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 14.5% | -3.9% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 30.8% | +9.4% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 42.5%, Couples without children 42.2%, One-parent families 14.5%, Other families 0.8%

**Household size** — 2 people 42.4%, 1 person 30.8%, 3 people 11.0%, 4 people 9.4%, 5 people 4.1%, 6 or more 2.2%

## Housing & Dwellings

Home ownership is very high, with 49.2% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%. Most residents live in separate houses (83.9%), and renting is much less common here than elsewhere in the state.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $320 | +56.1% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $1,517 | +16.3% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -36.4% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 21.6% | -13.1% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 49.2% | +8.5% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 83.9% | +0.3% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 73.6% | +0.3% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 49.2%, Owned with a mortgage 25.0%, Rented 21.6%, Other tenure 2.4%, Not stated 1.8%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 83.9%, Townhouse / semi-detached 8.5%, Flat or apartment 5.4%, Other dwelling 1.8%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 43.0%, 4 bedrooms 24.7%, 2 bedrooms 19.4%, 5 or more 6.0%, 1 bedroom 4.3%, Studio / none 0.8%

**Weekly rent distribution** — $200–$349 40.3%, $350–$549 38.1%, Under $200 14.4%, $550–$749 2.8%, $750 or more 0.4%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — $1,000–$1,799 36.8%, $1,800–$2,999 26.2%, Under $1,000 23.8%, $3,000 or more 7.9%

## Transport & Vehicles

Car dependency is very high, with 63.6% of people driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport. Very few homes are without a motor vehicle, at just 4.2%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 4.2% | -28.9% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 12.2% | +67.8% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 0.4% | -45.2% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 457 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 5.96 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 163.5 | — |
| Public transport routes | 13 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 63.6%, Worked at home 12.2%, Car (passenger) 4.3%, Walked 3.8%, Bicycle 0.5%, Bus 0.3%, Train 0.0%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 2 vehicles 39.0%, 1 vehicle 37.9%, 3 vehicles 12.5%, 4 or more 6.4%, No vehicle 4.2%

## Migration & Movement

The population is relatively stable, with a lower percentage of people moving in the last five years (37.2%) compared to the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas are also among the lowest at this level, at 5.3%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 37.2% | +2.1% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 5.3% | +16.9% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Fewer adults are working or looking for work (47.8%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. The most common industries for those employed are health care, construction, and retail.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | -43.0% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 47.8% | -2.0% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 50.3% | -4.1% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Health care & social assistance 15.9%, Construction 11.4%, Retail trade 11.2%, Accommodation & food 9.8%, Education & training 8.0%, Public administration & safety 6.9%, Manufacturing 4.8%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 4.6%, Professional & technical 4.5%, Other services 3.8%, Administrative & support 3.7%, Transport & warehousing 3.1%, Wholesale trade 1.7%, Arts & recreation 1.5%, Rental & real estate 1.4%, Finance & insurance 1.2%, Electricity, gas & water 1.2%, Media & telecommunications 0.9%, Mining 0.3%

**Occupations people work in** — Professionals 16.9%, Technicians & trades 15.7%, Community & personal service 13.8%, Managers 13.1%, Labourers 12.2%, Clerical & administrative 11.2%, Sales workers 9.6%, Machinery operators & drivers 5.5%

## Economy & Advantage

Population growth since 2021 has been 2.8%, which is well below the New South Wales rate of 6.1%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Population estimate | 78,583 | — |
| Population growth since 2021 | 2.8% | — |

## Environment & Climate

The region is wetter than most of the state, with average annual rainfall of 1,116mm. Temperatures are generally lower, with an average maximum of 21.6 degrees.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average annual rainfall | 1,116 | — |
| Average maximum temperature | 21.6 | — |
| Average minimum temperature | 9.3 | — |

## Walkability

The area is mostly car-dependent, with a walkability score of 3.7, far below the state average. Many homes are far from essential services, with only 32.8% within a 15-minute walk of a school.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 3.7 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 3.7 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 40.1% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 41.3% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 61.3% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 32.8% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 70.1% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 34.8% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 22.7 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 1 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 9.2% | — |

## Schools serving South Coast

38 schools, 9,932 students, average ICSEA 974.

By sector: Government 28, Independent 5, Catholic 5

By type: Primary 27, Secondary 7, Combined 4

Nearest 10 shown:

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| St Peter's Anglican College - Broulee | Independent | Combined | — | 925 |
| Bega High School | Government | Secondary | — | 706 |
| Lumen Christi Catholic College | Catholic | Combined | — | 692 |
| Eden Marine High School | Government | Secondary | — | 536 |
| Batemans Bay High School | Government | Secondary | — | 534 |
| Batemans Bay Public School | Government | Primary | — | 494 |
| Carroll College | Catholic | Secondary | — | 493 |
| Narooma High School | Government | Secondary | — | 463 |
| Sapphire Coast Anglican College | Independent | Combined | — | 454 |
| Merimbula Public School | Government | Primary | — | 428 |

## Areas within South Coast

[Batemans Bay](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041017/batemans-bay) · [Batemans Bay - South](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041018/batemans-bay-south) · [Bega - Tathra](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041019/bega-tathra) · [Bega-Eden Hinterland](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041020/bega-eden-hinterland) · [Broulee - Tomakin](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041021/broulee-tomakin) · [Deua - Wadbilliga](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041022/deua-wadbilliga) · [Eden](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041023/eden) · [Eurobodalla Hinterland](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041024/eurobodalla-hinterland) · [Merimbula - Tura Beach](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041025/merimbula-tura-beach) · [Moruya - Tuross Head](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041026/moruya-tuross-head) · [Narooma - Bermagui](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101041027/narooma-bermagui)

## Nearby areas

[Snowy Mountains](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/10103/snowy-mountains) · [Queanbeyan](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/10102/queanbeyan) · [Tuggeranong](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/80107/tuggeranong) · [Uriarra - Namadgi](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/80111/uriarra-namadgi) · [Canberra East](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/80103/canberra-east) · [Woden Valley](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/80109/woden-valley) · [South Canberra](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/80106/south-canberra) · [Weston Creek](https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/80108/weston-creek)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sa3/10104/south-coast