Catalina, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Catalina NSW is 2,522 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Catalina is $564 per week ($29,328 per year). Median rent in Catalina is $355 per week ($1,538 per month). Catalina has a median age of 53 years, older than the national median of 38. Catalina has a population density of 656 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Catalina is England. The most common religion is No religion (35.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Filipino. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Catalina is $1,560.

There were 27 recorded offences in Catalina in 2025-26, a rate of 11 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (9 offences).

Population
2,522
Census 2021
Median income
$564/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$355/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
53years
Census 2021

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

Catalina vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Catalina is $564 a week, 26% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,875th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $355 a week, $30 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 31.4% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 53, 10 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.
MeasureCatalinaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$564/wk$765/wk −26%$766/wk
Household income$1,130/wk$1,704/wk −34%$1,637/wk
Rent$355/wk$385/wk −8%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,560/mo$1,965/mo −21%$1,733/mo
Median age5343 +10 yrs42
Rent share of household income31.4%22.6% +8.8 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 Catalina, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Catalina Population

2,522 residents at the 2021 Census.

Catalina Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$564/wk
$29,328 per year
Ranked 7,560 of 14,663
Median Rent
$355/wk
$1,538 per month
Ranked 3,058 of 14,663
Median Age
53years
15 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,560/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Catalina Rent Prices & Affordability

31% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,130/wk
Median rent $355/wk
Rent to income 31.4%

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

Median rent in Catalina against your income

About $4,897 a month
Median rent $355/wk
Left after rent $775/wk
Rent share 31.4%

Catalina Schools

4
schools nearby
3
government
924
avg ICSEA score
1,625
total students
St Bernard's Primary School, Batemans Bay Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 394 students
993
ICSEA
Sunshine Bay Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 203 students
903
ICSEA
Batemans Bay High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 534 students
902
ICSEA
Batemans Bay Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 494 students
896
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 Catalina, with a map

Catalina Map

Catalina, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Catalina

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.1% (1,216) Female 51.9% (1,311)

Population Density

656
people per km²
2,522 people · 3.8 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,335
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
4.8%
New Zealand
1.3%
Scotland
0.7%
Germany
0.6%
Netherlands
0.6%
Croatia
0.4%
Philippines
0.4%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Filipino
0.4%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.4%
Vietnamese
0.4%
Other Indo-Aryan languages
0.3%
Mandarin
0.3%
Croatian
0.2%
Bengali
0.2%

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

Ancestry

English
42.4%
Australian
37.0%
Irish
12.8%
Scottish
10.8%
Australian Aboriginal
8.4%
German
3.3%
Italian
2.4%
Dutch
1.7%
Maltese
1.1%
New Zealander
1.0%
French
0.8%

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
35.5%
Anglican
22.1%
Catholic
21.6%
Not stated
8.5%
Uniting Church
3.3%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.5%
Christian (other)
1.2%
Baptist
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

9.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
44.8% 949
Separated
4.3% 92
Divorced
11.3% 239
Widowed
10.4% 221
Never married
29.2% 619

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
38.4%
Couple: children under 15
30.2%
One parent: children under 15
12.1%
Couple: no children under 15
11.4%
One parent: no children under 15
7.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
30.2%
2 persons
39.2%
3 persons
13.4%
4 persons
8.4%
5 persons
5.7%
6+ persons
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Catalina

Housing Tenure

Of the 957 occupied private dwellings in Catalina at the 2021 Census, 23.5% were rented, 47.4% owned outright and 22.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
3.4% 33 dwellings
Owned outright
47.4% 454 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.6% 216 dwellings
Rented
23.5% 225 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.9% 18 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
89.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
7.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.7%
2 bedrooms
10.5%
3 bedrooms
50.5%
4 bedrooms
28.5%
5 bedrooms
5.6%
6+ bedrooms
2.1%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.3%
$300-$449/mo
4.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.6%
$600-$799/mo
3.7%
$800-$999/mo
10.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
14.7%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
30.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
22.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
4.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.2%
1 vehicle
42.3%
2 vehicles
35.6%
3 vehicles
10.4%
4+ vehicles
5.4%

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

Work, income and education in Catalina

Employment

Employed full-time
20.2% 384 people
Employed part-time
19.0% 361 people
Unemployed
2.7% 52 people
Not in labour force
58.0% 1,101 people

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

Occupation

Technicians & Trade Workers
18.8%
Community & Personal Service
17.2%
Professionals
16.2%
Clerical & Administrative
13.2%
Labourers
10.5%
Managers
10.5%
Sales Workers
8.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
5.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.8%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
2.3%
$300-$399/wk
3.4%
$400-$499/wk
10.5%
$500-$649/wk
6.0%
$650-$799/wk
10.8%
$800-$999/wk
8.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
11.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.6%
$4,000+/wk
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.4%
$1-$149/wk
3.4%
$150-$299/wk
10.1%
$300-$399/wk
8.9%
$400-$499/wk
7.6%
$500-$649/wk
6.4%
$650-$799/wk
12.5%
$800-$999/wk
12.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.9%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.6%
$3,500+/wk
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
72.2%
Did not go to work
13.4%
Car (passenger)
7.9%
Truck
2.0%
Bicycle
1.3%
Walked only
1.2%
Other
1.1%
Bus
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
41.9%
Year 10 or equivalent
39.8%
Year 9 or equivalent
9.4%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.9%

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

Certificate III/IV
52.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.6%
Bachelor Degree
15.7%
Postgraduate Degree
5.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.5%
Certificate I/II
4.4%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.0%
Society & Culture
16.5%
Architecture & Building
11.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
10.9%
Engineering
10.9%
Health
10.5%
Education
8.5%
Agriculture & Environment
3.7%
Information Technology
2.5%
Creative Arts
2.3%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.9%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
35.9%
Secondary: Government
23.2%
Vocational Education
13.4%
Primary: Catholic
8.6%
Pre-school
8.1%
Secondary: Catholic
6.3%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.3%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
1.3%

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
81.1%
Has need for assistance
11.5%
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
311
Arthritis
166
Asthma
109
Diabetes
92
Heart disease
90
Lung condition
86
Cancer
68
Stroke
51
Kidney disease
37
Dementia
23

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.9% 287
Did not provide
85.1% 1,643

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.3% 279
Not a volunteer
85.7% 1,669

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
5.0% 98
Never served
95.0% 1,855

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
23.0%
1 child
12.1%
2 children
31.3%
3 children
21.1%
4 children
9.6%
5+ children
2.9%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
14
1951: 1960
56
1961: 1970
96
1971: 1980
52
1981: 1990
27
1991: 2000
17
2001: 2010
19
2011: 2015
10
2016
3
2017
4
2019
7
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

16.6%
moved in the last year
43.1%
moved in the last 5 years
5.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
41.0%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,919
Moved from NSW
209
Moved: same area (SA2)
92
Moved from ACT
36
Moved from QLD
11
Moved from overseas
9
Moved from VIC
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
16.3%
5: 14 hours
28.8%
15: 29 hours
12.8%
30+ hours
11.0%
Did not do domestic work
31.1%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
75.0%
Step family: no other children
14.1%
Blended family: no other children
8.3%
Other couple: children only
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Catalina Crime Statistics

27 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
9
Assault
6
Property Damage
6
Theft
4
Sexual Offences
1
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 Catalina

The closest suburb to Catalina is Batehaven, 1.5 km away.

Batehaven
1.5 km away · income $595/wk · rent $320/wk
Sunshine Bay
2.7 km away · income $605/wk · rent $370/wk
Batemans Bay
3.2 km away · income $539/wk · rent $285/wk
Surf Beach (NSW)
4.0 km away · income $612/wk · rent $330/wk
Surfside
4.1 km away · income $607/wk · rent $350/wk
Long Beach
5.6 km away · income $687/wk · rent $410/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Catalina

What is the population of Catalina NSW?

The population of Catalina NSW is 2,522 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 656 people per km². Catalina is ranked #2,708 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Catalina?

The median personal income in Catalina NSW is $564 per week, or $29,328 per year. The median household income is $1,130 per week. Family income is $1,335 per week. Catalina is ranked #7,560 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Catalina?

Median rent in Catalina NSW is $355 per week ($1,538 per month). Rent represents 31.4% of household income, which is considered moderate. Catalina ranks #3,058 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Catalina?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Catalina NSW is $1,560. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Catalina?

The median age in Catalina NSW is 53 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Catalina a good suburb to live in?

Catalina is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 2,522. The median income is $564/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (31.4% 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: 10852. All dollar figures in AUD.