Nambucca Heads, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Nambucca Heads NSW is 6,675 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Nambucca Heads is $499 per week ($25,948 per year). Median rent in Nambucca Heads is $280 per week ($1,213 per month). Nambucca Heads has a median age of 57 years, older than the national median of 38. Nambucca Heads has a population density of 216 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Nambucca Heads is England. The most common religion is No religion (38.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Nambucca Heads is $1,300.

There were 158 recorded offences in Nambucca Heads in 2025-26, a rate of 24 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (52 offences).

Population
6,675
Census 2021
Median income
$499/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$280/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
57years
Census 2021

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

Nambucca Heads vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Nambucca Heads is $499 a week, 35% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 2,023rd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $280 a week, $105 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 33.4% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 57, 14 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.
MeasureNambucca HeadsTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$499/wk$765/wk −35%$766/wk
Household income$839/wk$1,704/wk −51%$1,637/wk
Rent$280/wk$385/wk −27%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,300/mo$1,965/mo −34%$1,733/mo
Median age5743 +14 yrs42
Rent share of household income33.4%22.6% +10.8 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 Nambucca Heads, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Nambucca Heads Population

6,675 residents at the 2021 Census.

Nambucca Heads Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$499/wk
$25,948 per year
Ranked 8,191 of 14,663
Median Rent
$280/wk
$1,213 per month
Ranked 5,374 of 14,663
Median Age
57years
19 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg household size: 2 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Nambucca Heads Rent Prices & Affordability

33% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $839/wk
Median rent $280/wk
Rent to income 33.4%

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

Median rent in Nambucca Heads against your income

About $3,636 a month
Median rent $280/wk
Left after rent $559/wk
Rent share 33.4%

Nambucca Heads Schools

4
schools nearby
3
government
931
avg ICSEA score
1,242
total students
Nambucca Valley Christian Community School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 555 students
1042
ICSEA
Nambucca Heads Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 156 students
904
ICSEA
Nambucca Heads High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 314 students
890
ICSEA
Frank Partridge VC Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 217 students
886
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 Nambucca Heads, with a map

Nambucca Heads Map

Nambucca Heads, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Nambucca Heads

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.1% (3,213) Female 51.9% (3,464)

Population Density

216
people per km²
6,675 people · 30.8 km²

Households

2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,235
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
3.9%
New Zealand
1.3%
Scotland
0.5%
Germany
0.5%
Philippines
0.5%
India
0.4%
Netherlands
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

Australian Indigenous Languages
0.4%
Malayalam
0.3%
Italian
0.2%
Nepali
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.2%
Punjabi
0.1%
German
0.1%

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

Ancestry

English
41.7%
Australian
39.8%
Irish
11.6%
Scottish
10.9%
Australian Aboriginal
9.3%
German
4.2%
Italian
1.7%
Dutch
0.8%
Filipino
0.7%
New Zealander
0.6%
Welsh
0.6%

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
38.6%
Catholic
17.7%
Anglican
16.6%
Not stated
10.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.9%
Uniting Church
3.1%
Christian (other)
1.8%
Pentecostal
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

10.1%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
36.9% 2,125
Separated
4.2% 244
Divorced
16.0% 924
Widowed
11.0% 632
Never married
31.9% 1,835

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
39.6%
Couple: children under 15
25.2%
One parent: children under 15
14.2%
Couple: no children under 15
11.4%
One parent: no children under 15
9.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
42.3%
2 persons
35.5%
3 persons
10.4%
4 persons
6.2%
5 persons
3.7%
6+ persons
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Nambucca Heads

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,947 occupied private dwellings in Nambucca Heads at the 2021 Census, 33.3% were rented, 45.8% owned outright and 16.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.1% 63 dwellings
Owned outright
45.8% 1,351 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
16.1% 475 dwellings
Rented
33.3% 981 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.5% 74 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
84.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
9.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
5.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
8.2%
2 bedrooms
31.6%
3 bedrooms
39.2%
4 bedrooms
16.3%
5 bedrooms
3.7%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.2%
$300-$449/mo
4.2%
$450-$599/mo
5.5%
$600-$799/mo
6.6%
$800-$999/mo
9.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
22.3%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
15.5%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
4.2%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
9.7%
1 vehicle
52.6%
2 vehicles
26.5%
3 vehicles
7.8%
4+ vehicles
3.4%

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

Work, income and education in Nambucca Heads

Employment

Employed full-time
17.1% 875 people
Employed part-time
17.6% 898 people
Unemployed
3.3% 168 people
Not in labour force
62.0% 3,163 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
23.6%
Community & Personal Service
19.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.4%
Clerical & Administrative
10.7%
Managers
10.1%
Labourers
9.7%
Sales Workers
6.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.9%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.3%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
2.4%
$300-$399/wk
4.9%
$400-$499/wk
14.4%
$500-$649/wk
11.0%
$650-$799/wk
12.4%
$800-$999/wk
9.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.5%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
6.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
3.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.3%
$4,000+/wk
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.3%
$1-$149/wk
3.6%
$150-$299/wk
10.9%
$300-$399/wk
11.0%
$400-$499/wk
9.4%
$500-$649/wk
9.0%
$650-$799/wk
11.5%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
3.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.2%
$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)
75.8%
Did not go to work
12.2%
Car (passenger)
6.0%
Walked only
3.8%
Truck
1.2%
Other
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.2%
Bus
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
39.4%
Year 12 or equivalent
39.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
13.0%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.6%

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
50.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.8%
Bachelor Degree
18.1%
Certificate I/II
4.4%
Postgraduate Degree
4.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.8%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
19.0%
Society & Culture
16.5%
Health
13.4%
Engineering
12.9%
Education
11.3%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
9.6%
Architecture & Building
8.5%
Agriculture & Environment
3.0%
Creative Arts
2.5%
Information Technology
2.1%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.1%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.1%
Secondary: Government
26.4%
Vocational Education
15.7%
Pre-school
9.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.4%
Primary: Catholic
5.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.7%
Secondary: Catholic
1.0%

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
78.8%
Has need for assistance
12.1%
Need for assistance not stated
9.0%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
886
Arthritis
474
Lung condition
427
Heart disease
326
Diabetes
274
Asthma
243
Cancer
203
Kidney disease
161
Stroke
136
Dementia
68

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.5% 813
Did not provide
84.5% 4,422

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.9% 887
Not a volunteer
83.1% 4,360

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 9
Previously served
5.5% 291
Never served
94.3% 4,965

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
25.2%
1 child
12.3%
2 children
30.3%
3 children
19.0%
4 children
9.8%
5+ children
3.4%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
38
1951: 1960
102
1961: 1970
171
1971: 1980
115
1981: 1990
85
1991: 2000
68
2001: 2010
65
2011: 2015
35
2016
9
2017
9
2018
4
2019
12
2020
8
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

12.9%
moved in the last year
40.4%
moved in the last 5 years
7.9%
unemployment rate (Census)
36.5%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
5,160
Moved from NSW
392
Moved: same area (SA2)
241
Moved from QLD
47
Moved from VIC
29
Moved from overseas
13
Moved from WA
7
Moved from NT
6
Moved from ACT
5
Moved from TAS
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
16.8%
5: 14 hours
26.9%
15: 29 hours
13.8%
30+ hours
10.7%
Did not do domestic work
31.8%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
78.6%
Step family: no other children
10.2%
Blended family: no other children
9.5%
Intact family: other children present
1.0%
Other couple: children only
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Nambucca Heads Crime Statistics

158 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
52
Other Against Property
38
Assault
30
Other Against Person
15
Property Damage
10
Sexual Offences
6
Drug Offences
3
Weapons
3
Robbery
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 Nambucca Heads

The closest suburb to Nambucca Heads is Newee Creek, 5.2 km away.

Newee Creek
5.2 km away · income $638/wk · rent $225/wk
Valla Beach
6.5 km away · income $597/wk · rent $400/wk
Valla
6.9 km away · income $674/wk · rent $310/wk
Macksville
11.0 km away · income $511/wk · rent $320/wk
Bowraville
11.7 km away · income $521/wk · rent $260/wk
Urunga
13.7 km away · income $590/wk · rent $340/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Nambucca Heads

What is the population of Nambucca Heads NSW?

The population of Nambucca Heads NSW is 6,675 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 216 people per km². Nambucca Heads is ranked #1,134 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Nambucca Heads?

The median personal income in Nambucca Heads NSW is $499 per week, or $25,948 per year. The median household income is $839 per week. Family income is $1,235 per week. Nambucca Heads is ranked #8,191 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Nambucca Heads?

Median rent in Nambucca Heads NSW is $280 per week ($1,213 per month). Rent represents 33.4% of household income, which is considered moderate. Nambucca Heads ranks #5,374 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Nambucca Heads?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Nambucca Heads NSW is $1,300. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Nambucca Heads?

The median age in Nambucca Heads NSW is 57 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Nambucca Heads a good suburb to live in?

Nambucca Heads is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 6,675. The median income is $499/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (33.4% 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: 12898. All dollar figures in AUD.