Murwillumbah, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Murwillumbah NSW is 7,616 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Murwillumbah is $604 per week ($31,408 per year). Median rent in Murwillumbah is $346 per week ($1,499 per month). Murwillumbah has a median age of 46 years, older than the national median of 38. Murwillumbah has a population density of 634 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Murwillumbah is England. The most common religion is No religion (39.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Punjabi. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Murwillumbah is $1,733.

There were 134 recorded offences in Murwillumbah in 2025-26, a rate of 18 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (45 offences).

Population
7,616
Census 2021
Median income
$604/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$346/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
46years
Census 2021

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

Murwillumbah vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Murwillumbah is $604 a week, 21% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,736th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $346 a week, $39 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 30.2% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 46, 3 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.
MeasureMurwillumbahTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$604/wk$765/wk −21%$766/wk
Household income$1,147/wk$1,704/wk −33%$1,637/wk
Rent$346/wk$385/wk −10%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,965/mo −12%$1,733/mo
Median age4643 +3 yrs42
Rent share of household income30.2%22.6% +7.6 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 Murwillumbah, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Murwillumbah Population

7,616 residents at the 2021 Census.

Murwillumbah Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$604/wk
$31,408 per year
Ranked 7,032 of 14,663
Median Rent
$346/wk
$1,499 per month
Ranked 3,507 of 14,663
Median Age
46years
8 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Murwillumbah Rent Prices & Affordability

30% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,147/wk
Median rent $346/wk
Rent to income 30.2%

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

Median rent in Murwillumbah against your income

About $4,970 a month
Median rent $346/wk
Left after rent $801/wk
Rent share 30.2%

Murwillumbah Schools

10
schools nearby
4
government
1008
avg ICSEA score
2,894
total students
The Small School Independent
Combined · K-10 · 67 students
1071
ICSEA
Mount St Patrick College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 823 students
1071
ICSEA
Mount St Patrick Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 373 students
1061
ICSEA
Sathya Sai College Independent
Primary · K-12 · 280 students
1046
ICSEA
Tweed Valley Adventist College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 381 students
1039
ICSEA
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 161 students
1011
ICSEA
Murwillumbah Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 149 students
959
ICSEA
Murwillumbah High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 347 students
950
ICSEA
Wollumbin High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 161 students
938
ICSEA
Murwillumbah East Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 152 students
935
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 Murwillumbah, with a map

Murwillumbah Map

Murwillumbah, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Murwillumbah

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.0% (3,578) Female 53.0% (4,034)

Population Density

634
people per km²
7,616 people · 12.0 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,468
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
3.5%
New Zealand
1.9%
India
1.3%
Germany
0.5%
Philippines
0.5%
South Africa
0.4%
United States of America
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

Punjabi
1.0%
Spanish
0.6%
French
0.4%
German
0.4%
Hindi
0.3%
Thai
0.2%
Filipino
0.2%

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

Ancestry

English
43.0%
Australian
37.9%
Irish
14.8%
Scottish
12.1%
German
4.0%
Australian Aboriginal
3.6%
Italian
2.5%
Indian
1.6%
Dutch
1.6%
French
0.9%
Welsh
0.7%

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
39.9%
Catholic
17.8%
Anglican
12.8%
Not stated
10.1%
Hinduism
3.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.6%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Uniting Church
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

3.8%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
40.7% 2,537
Separated
3.9% 244
Divorced
13.6% 847
Widowed
8.1% 503
Never married
33.7% 2,099

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
37.5%
Couple: no children
28.4%
One parent: children under 15
13.7%
Couple: no children under 15
12.2%
One parent: no children under 15
8.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.1%
2 persons
34.3%
3 persons
14.2%
4 persons
12.2%
5 persons
5.7%
6+ persons
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Murwillumbah

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,972 occupied private dwellings in Murwillumbah at the 2021 Census, 30.1% were rented, 34.4% owned outright and 31.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
3.0% 88 dwellings
Owned outright
34.4% 1,023 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
31.3% 929 dwellings
Rented
30.1% 894 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.5% 46 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
91.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
6.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.1%
2 bedrooms
22.7%
3 bedrooms
43.1%
4 bedrooms
25.3%
5 bedrooms
3.9%
6+ bedrooms
0.9%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.5%
$300-$449/mo
2.9%
$450-$599/mo
2.2%
$600-$799/mo
3.6%
$800-$999/mo
3.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
14.6%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
24.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
31.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
8.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
8.0%
1 vehicle
41.7%
2 vehicles
35.6%
3 vehicles
9.9%
4+ vehicles
4.8%

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

Work, income and education in Murwillumbah

Employment

Employed full-time
27.4% 1,512 people
Employed part-time
23.8% 1,312 people
Unemployed
3.2% 175 people
Not in labour force
45.6% 2,511 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
25.4%
Community & Personal Service
18.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
17.4%
Clerical & Administrative
10.7%
Managers
9.9%
Labourers
7.8%
Sales Workers
5.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
5.0%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.0%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.7%
$300-$399/wk
3.4%
$400-$499/wk
10.1%
$500-$649/wk
9.0%
$650-$799/wk
9.5%
$800-$999/wk
8.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.2%
$4,000+/wk
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.5%
$1-$149/wk
4.9%
$150-$299/wk
7.8%
$300-$399/wk
6.4%
$400-$499/wk
6.6%
$500-$649/wk
6.0%
$650-$799/wk
12.1%
$800-$999/wk
11.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
4.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.6%
$3,500+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
74.3%
Did not go to work
13.0%
Car (passenger)
4.9%
Walked only
3.9%
Truck
1.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.7%
Bus
0.6%
Other
0.6%
Bicycle
0.5%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.1%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
50.4%
Year 10 or equivalent
33.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
8.1%

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
43.4%
Bachelor Degree
24.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.3%
Postgraduate Degree
5.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.8%
Certificate I/II
2.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
15.7%
Society & Culture
14.5%
Health
14.2%
Engineering
13.6%
Education
11.3%
Architecture & Building
7.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.8%
Creative Arts
6.0%
Agriculture & Environment
4.6%
Information Technology
2.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.0%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
22.1%
Secondary: Government
18.3%
Primary: Catholic
13.7%
Vocational Education
12.4%
Secondary: Catholic
9.3%
Pre-school
8.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
8.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
7.0%

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
84.2%
Has need for assistance
8.3%
Need for assistance not stated
7.5%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
876
Arthritis
315
Asthma
302
Lung condition
224
Heart disease
201
Diabetes
188
Cancer
140
Stroke
124
Kidney disease
96
Dementia
28

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.7% 888
Did not provide
84.3% 4,759

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.0% 1,019
Not a volunteer
82.0% 4,649

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 8
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 4
Previously served
3.1% 174
Never served
96.7% 5,501

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
26.5%
1 child
14.4%
2 children
29.3%
3 children
19.6%
4 children
8.4%
5+ children
1.9%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
20
1951: 1960
77
1961: 1970
139
1971: 1980
126
1981: 1990
129
1991: 2000
116
2001: 2010
178
2011: 2015
104
2016
14
2017
9
2018
12
2019
10
2020
12
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

14.4%
moved in the last year
43.6%
moved in the last 5 years
5.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
51.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
5,985
Moved from NSW
449
Moved: same area (SA2)
298
Moved from QLD
146
Moved from VIC
38
Moved from overseas
31
Moved from NT
6
Moved from ACT
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
21.3%
5: 14 hours
30.3%
15: 29 hours
14.2%
30+ hours
9.3%
Did not do domestic work
24.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
81.6%
Step family: no other children
12.4%
Blended family: no other children
4.2%
Intact family: other children present
1.3%
Other couple: children only
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Murwillumbah Crime Statistics

134 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
45
Theft
30
Drug Offences
15
Property Damage
14
Assault
11
Other Against Person
9
Sexual Offences
6
Weapons
4

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Murwillumbah

The closest suburb to Murwillumbah is South Murwillumbah, 3.3 km away.

South Murwillumbah
3.3 km away · income $589/wk · rent $390/wk
Currumbin Valley
14.0 km away · income $778/wk · rent $510/wk
Terranora
15.6 km away · income $831/wk · rent $540/wk
Tallebudgera Valley
16.5 km away · income $753/wk · rent $373/wk
Bilambil Heights
16.6 km away · income $748/wk · rent $470/wk
Tweed Heads West
20.1 km away · income $612/wk · rent $350/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Murwillumbah

What is the population of Murwillumbah NSW?

The population of Murwillumbah NSW is 7,616 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 634 people per km². Murwillumbah is ranked #943 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Murwillumbah?

The median personal income in Murwillumbah NSW is $604 per week, or $31,408 per year. The median household income is $1,147 per week. Family income is $1,468 per week. Murwillumbah is ranked #7,032 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Murwillumbah?

Median rent in Murwillumbah NSW is $346 per week ($1,499 per month). Rent represents 30.2% of household income, which is considered moderate. Murwillumbah ranks #3,507 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Murwillumbah?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Murwillumbah NSW is $1,733. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Murwillumbah?

The median age in Murwillumbah NSW is 46 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Murwillumbah a good suburb to live in?

Murwillumbah is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 7,616. The median income is $604/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (30.2% 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: 12877. All dollar figures in AUD.