Brunswick Heads, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Brunswick Heads NSW is 1,905 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Brunswick Heads is $732 per week ($38,064 per year). Median rent in Brunswick Heads is $440 per week ($1,907 per month). Brunswick Heads has a median age of 47 years, older than the national median of 38. Brunswick Heads has a population density of 133 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Brunswick Heads is England. The most common religion is No religion (54.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is French. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brunswick Heads is $2,001.

There were 62 recorded offences in Brunswick Heads in 2025-26, a rate of 33 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (28 offences).

Population
1,905
Census 2021
Median income
$732/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$440/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
47years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Brunswick Heads vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Brunswick Heads is $732 a week, 4% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,235th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $440 a week, $55 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 34.4% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 47, 4 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBrunswick HeadsTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$732/wk$765/wk −4%$766/wk
Household income$1,280/wk$1,704/wk −25%$1,637/wk
Rent$440/wk$385/wk +14%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,001/mo$1,965/mo +2%$1,733/mo
Median age4743 +4 yrs42
Rent share of household income34.4%22.6% +11.8 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Brunswick Heads, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Brunswick Heads Population

1,905 residents at the 2021 Census.

Brunswick Heads Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$732/wk
$38,064 per year
Ranked 4,885 of 14,663
Median Rent
$440/wk
$1,907 per month
Ranked 1,252 of 14,663
Median Age
47years
9 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,001/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.9 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Brunswick Heads Rent Prices & Affordability

34% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,280/wk
Median rent $440/wk
Rent to income 34.4%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Brunswick Heads against your income

About $5,547 a month
Median rent $440/wk
Left after rent $840/wk
Rent share 34.4%

Brunswick Heads Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
1025
avg ICSEA score
222
total students
Brunswick Heads Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 222 students
1025
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Brunswick Heads, with a map

Brunswick Heads Map

Brunswick Heads, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Brunswick Heads

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.0% (915) Female 52.0% (992)

Population Density

133
people per km²
1,905 people · 14.3 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.9
Persons per bedroom
$1,763
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
4.5%
New Zealand
2.3%
Canada
1.2%
United States of America
1.1%
Brazil
0.6%
Italy
0.6%
France
0.5%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

French
1.2%
Portuguese
0.7%
German
0.6%
Italian
0.6%
Japanese
0.3%
Punjabi
0.2%
Spanish
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
44.0%
Australian
33.5%
Irish
17.9%
Scottish
12.2%
German
5.9%
Italian
3.9%
Australian Aboriginal
2.2%
French
1.8%
New Zealander
1.3%
Dutch
1.3%
Polish
1.2%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
54.0%
Catholic
14.1%
Not stated
10.5%
Anglican
8.5%
Uniting Church
3.3%
Buddhism
1.3%
Pentecostal
1.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
31.2% 517
Separated
4.2% 69
Divorced
17.1% 284
Widowed
4.9% 81
Never married
42.6% 707

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
35.1%
Couple: no children
33.5%
One parent: no children under 15
11.6%
Couple: no children under 15
10.9%
One parent: children under 15
8.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
36.0%
2 persons
34.3%
3 persons
13.8%
4 persons
9.9%
5 persons
4.3%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Brunswick Heads

Housing Tenure

Of the 803 occupied private dwellings in Brunswick Heads at the 2021 Census, 38.9% were rented, 38.6% owned outright and 17.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.1% 17 dwellings
Owned outright
38.6% 310 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
17.9% 144 dwellings
Rented
38.9% 312 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.9% 23 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
90.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
7.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
15.9%
2 bedrooms
25.8%
3 bedrooms
35.5%
4 bedrooms
18.4%
5 bedrooms
3.8%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.4%
$300-$449/mo
3.5%
$450-$599/mo
2.6%
$600-$799/mo
3.5%
$800-$999/mo
7.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.4%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
15.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
19.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
16.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.6%
1 vehicle
42.0%
2 vehicles
36.3%
3 vehicles
10.2%
4+ vehicles
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Brunswick Heads

Employment

Employed full-time
25.9% 381 people
Employed part-time
28.7% 422 people
Unemployed
3.4% 50 people
Not in labour force
42.0% 617 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
30.6%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.4%
Managers
15.2%
Community & Personal Service
13.4%
Clerical & Administrative
7.9%
Sales Workers
7.3%
Labourers
7.1%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.4%
$1-$149/wk
1.2%
$150-$299/wk
1.0%
$300-$399/wk
2.5%
$400-$499/wk
9.0%
$500-$649/wk
8.9%
$650-$799/wk
6.3%
$800-$999/wk
8.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.1%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.6%
$4,000+/wk
7.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.7%
$1-$149/wk
3.8%
$150-$299/wk
5.8%
$300-$399/wk
4.8%
$400-$499/wk
6.0%
$500-$649/wk
5.6%
$650-$799/wk
11.3%
$800-$999/wk
14.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
67.4%
Did not go to work
18.1%
Walked only
6.1%
Bicycle
3.7%
Car (passenger)
2.7%
Truck
1.3%
Other
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
63.6%
Year 10 or equivalent
24.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
6.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.8%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
34.5%
Certificate III/IV
31.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.7%
Postgraduate Degree
9.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.1%
Certificate I/II
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
17.2%
Health
15.0%
Society & Culture
14.8%
Creative Arts
14.0%
Education
9.7%
Engineering
8.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.5%
Architecture & Building
6.3%
Agriculture & Environment
4.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.7%
Information Technology
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
25.6%
Vocational Education
19.8%
Secondary: Government
17.2%
Pre-school
11.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
10.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
7.6%
Primary: Catholic
5.0%
Secondary: Catholic
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
87.1%
Has need for assistance
5.7%
Need for assistance not stated
7.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
158
Arthritis
80
Lung condition
67
Asthma
62
Heart disease
50
Cancer
36
Diabetes
25
Stroke
23
Kidney disease
14
Dementia
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.1% 213
Did not provide
85.9% 1,303

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
24.9% 378
Not a volunteer
75.1% 1,142

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
1.6% 24
Never served
98.4% 1,500

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
40.1%
1 child
12.8%
2 children
25.8%
3 children
16.5%
4 children
4.3%
5+ children
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
5
1951: 1960
18
1961: 1970
45
1971: 1980
38
1981: 1990
37
1991: 2000
34
2001: 2010
60
2011: 2015
40
2016
7
2017
3
2018
11
2019
11
2020
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

20.1%
moved in the last year
46.5%
moved in the last 5 years
5.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
54.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,397
Moved from NSW
192
Moved: same area (SA2)
82
Moved from VIC
28
Moved from QLD
27
Moved from overseas
12

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
21.6%
5: 14 hours
32.5%
15: 29 hours
16.5%
30+ hours
8.5%
Did not do domestic work
21.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
84.8%
Step family: no other children
8.3%
Blended family: no other children
6.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Brunswick Heads Crime Statistics

62 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
28
Assault
10
Other Against Property
7
Property Damage
6
Other Against Person
5
Drug Offences
3
Sexual Offences
2
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Brunswick Heads

The closest suburb to Brunswick Heads is Mullumbimby, 4.5 km away.

Mullumbimby
4.5 km away · income $660/wk · rent $500/wk
Ocean Shores
5.5 km away · income $711/wk · rent $508/wk
Myocum
5.9 km away · income $738/wk · rent $380/wk
Ewingsdale
9.1 km away · income $958/wk · rent $600/wk
Byron Bay
11.5 km away · income $805/wk · rent $600/wk
Bangalow
13.8 km away · income $920/wk · rent $650/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Brunswick Heads

What is the population of Brunswick Heads NSW?

The population of Brunswick Heads NSW is 1,905 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 133 people per km². Brunswick Heads is ranked #3,100 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Brunswick Heads?

The median personal income in Brunswick Heads NSW is $732 per week, or $38,064 per year. The median household income is $1,280 per week. Family income is $1,763 per week. Brunswick Heads is ranked #4,885 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Brunswick Heads?

Median rent in Brunswick Heads NSW is $440 per week ($1,907 per month). Rent represents 34.4% of household income, which is considered moderate. Brunswick Heads ranks #1,252 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Brunswick Heads?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Brunswick Heads NSW is $2,001. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Brunswick Heads?

The median age in Brunswick Heads NSW is 47 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Brunswick Heads a good suburb to live in?

Brunswick Heads is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,905. The median income is $732/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (34.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10618. All dollar figures in AUD.