Tweed Heads South, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Tweed Heads South NSW is 7,941 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Tweed Heads South is $561 per week ($29,172 per year). Median rent in Tweed Heads South is $390 per week ($1,690 per month). Tweed Heads South has a median age of 52 years, older than the national median of 38. Tweed Heads South has a population density of 957 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Tweed Heads South is England. The most common religion is No religion (36.4% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Punjabi. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tweed Heads South is $1,733.

There were 358 recorded offences in Tweed Heads South in 2025-26, a rate of 45 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (150 offences).

Population
7,941
Census 2021
Median income
$561/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$390/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
52years
Census 2021

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

Tweed Heads South vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Tweed Heads South is $561 a week, 27% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,888th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $390 a week, $5 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 40.0% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 52, 9 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.
MeasureTweed Heads SouthTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$561/wk$765/wk −27%$766/wk
Household income$976/wk$1,704/wk −43%$1,637/wk
Rent$390/wk$385/wk +1%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,733/mo$1,965/mo −12%$1,733/mo
Median age5243 +9 yrs42
Rent share of household income40.0%22.6% +17.4 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 Tweed Heads South, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Tweed Heads South Population

7,941 residents at the 2021 Census.

Tweed Heads South Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$561/wk
$29,172 per year
Ranked 7,594 of 14,663
Median Rent
$390/wk
$1,690 per month
Ranked 2,258 of 14,663
Median Age
52years
14 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,733/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Tweed Heads South Rent Prices & Affordability

40% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $976/wk
Median rent $390/wk
Rent to income 40.0%

Rent is more than 35% of household income, a level often described as housing stress.

Median rent in Tweed Heads South against your income

About $4,229 a month
Median rent $390/wk
Left after rent $586/wk
Rent share 40.0%

Tweed Heads South Schools

18
schools nearby
9
government
974
avg ICSEA score
5,447
total students
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 302 students
1069
ICSEA
St James' Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 406 students
1068
ICSEA
St Joseph's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 838 students
1050
ICSEA
Pacific Coast Christian School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 999 students
1027
ICSEA
Pacific Hope Christian School Independent
Combined · U · 85 students
1014
ICSEA
Banora Point Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 390 students
992
ICSEA
Coolangatta State School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 285 students
989
ICSEA
Tweed Heads Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 394 students
984
ICSEA
Centaur Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 424 students
975
ICSEA
Banora Point High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 503 students
965
ICSEA
Tweed River High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 590 students
940
ICSEA
Caldera School Government
Secondary · U · 24 students
936
ICSEA
Fingal Head Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 33 students
934
ICSEA
Tweed Heads South Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 142 students
882
ICSEA
Pacific Gulgangali Jarjums Christian School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 32 students
781
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 18 schools.

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

All schools near Tweed Heads South, with a map

Tweed Heads South Map

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

People in Tweed Heads South

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.4% (3,684) Female 53.6% (4,254)

Population Density

957
people per km²
7,941 people · 8.3 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,384
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
5.6%
New Zealand
3.2%
India
1.5%
Philippines
1.2%
Scotland
0.7%
China
0.6%
Germany
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

Punjabi
0.8%
Mandarin
0.7%
Spanish
0.5%
Filipino
0.4%
Thai
0.4%
Portuguese
0.3%
Tagalog
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
43.2%
Australian
35.8%
Irish
11.6%
Scottish
11.0%
Australian Aboriginal
6.6%
German
4.5%
Italian
2.2%
Dutch
1.5%
Filipino
1.4%
Chinese
1.4%
Indian
1.3%

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
36.4%
Catholic
19.2%
Anglican
18.0%
Not stated
7.9%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.2%
Christian (other)
3.2%
Uniting Church
3.2%
Pentecostal
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

7.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
37.9% 2,599
Separated
4.2% 287
Divorced
14.9% 1,022
Widowed
11.2% 770
Never married
31.8% 2,184

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
35.5%
Couple: children under 15
30.0%
One parent: children under 15
11.6%
Couple: no children under 15
11.5%
One parent: no children under 15
11.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
37.3%
2 persons
35.6%
3 persons
12.8%
4 persons
8.7%
5 persons
3.9%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Tweed Heads South

Housing Tenure

Of the 3,424 occupied private dwellings in Tweed Heads South at the 2021 Census, 30.8% were rented, 42.1% owned outright and 22.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.6% 88 dwellings
Owned outright
42.1% 1,443 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.3% 763 dwellings
Rented
30.8% 1,054 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.4% 83 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
62.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
23.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
13.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
9.6%
2 bedrooms
28.5%
3 bedrooms
42.1%
4 bedrooms
16.7%
5 bedrooms
2.4%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
5.8%
$300-$449/mo
2.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.7%
$600-$799/mo
4.0%
$800-$999/mo
4.4%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
16.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
21.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
26.5%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
11.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
6.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
11.3%
1 vehicle
49.5%
2 vehicles
28.3%
3 vehicles
7.6%
4+ vehicles
3.3%

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

Work, income and education in Tweed Heads South

Employment

Employed full-time
23.0% 1,414 people
Employed part-time
19.8% 1,221 people
Unemployed
3.2% 194 people
Not in labour force
54.1% 3,328 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
20.2%
Community & Personal Service
19.6%
Technicians & Trade Workers
19.1%
Clerical & Administrative
11.6%
Labourers
11.0%
Managers
8.7%
Sales Workers
5.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.5%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
2.0%
$300-$399/wk
4.0%
$400-$499/wk
11.1%
$500-$649/wk
9.8%
$650-$799/wk
10.9%
$800-$999/wk
10.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.5%
$4,000+/wk
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.1%
$1-$149/wk
3.8%
$150-$299/wk
7.2%
$300-$399/wk
8.1%
$400-$499/wk
8.6%
$500-$649/wk
6.8%
$650-$799/wk
11.6%
$800-$999/wk
13.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.5%
$3,500+/wk
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
71.6%
Did not go to work
13.1%
Car (passenger)
7.4%
Walked only
2.9%
Bicycle
1.3%
Bus
1.1%
Truck
0.9%
Other
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
45.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
36.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
9.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.5%

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
48.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
20.9%
Bachelor Degree
20.1%
Postgraduate Degree
4.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.0%
Certificate I/II
2.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
18.9%
Society & Culture
15.4%
Health
14.9%
Engineering
12.6%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
10.2%
Architecture & Building
8.9%
Education
8.3%
Creative Arts
5.0%
Information Technology
2.2%
Agriculture & Environment
1.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.6%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
28.1%
Secondary: Government
23.0%
Vocational Education
16.6%
Pre-school
9.9%
Primary: Catholic
6.2%
Secondary: Catholic
6.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.7%

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
81.9%
Has need for assistance
11.9%
Need for assistance not stated
6.3%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
983
Arthritis
486
Lung condition
374
Heart disease
336
Asthma
331
Diabetes
281
Cancer
194
Kidney disease
170
Stroke
151
Dementia
67

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.3% 912
Did not provide
85.7% 5,444

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
11.7% 747
Not a volunteer
88.3% 5,644

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 7
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 4
Previously served
4.8% 307
Never served
95.1% 6,117

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
28.4%
1 child
14.2%
2 children
29.0%
3 children
18.3%
4 children
7.6%
5+ children
2.5%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
51
1951: 1960
149
1961: 1970
242
1971: 1980
183
1981: 1990
147
1991: 2000
123
2001: 2010
235
2011: 2015
177
2016
61
2017
24
2018
31
2019
54
2020
11
2021
4

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

Population Mobility

15.3%
moved in the last year
46.2%
moved in the last 5 years
6.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
44.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
6,202
Moved from NSW
631
Moved from QLD
205
Moved: same area (SA2)
154
Moved from overseas
40
Moved from VIC
22
Moved from TAS
10
Moved from SA
8
Moved from NT
8
Moved from ACT
4
Moved from WA
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.0%
5: 14 hours
24.9%
15: 29 hours
12.0%
30+ hours
7.8%
Did not do domestic work
36.3%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
82.1%
Step family: no other children
11.8%
Blended family: no other children
4.0%
Intact family: other children present
1.4%
Other couple: children only
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Tweed Heads South Crime Statistics

358 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
150
Other Against Property
65
Assault
44
Property Damage
34
Other Against Person
24
Drug Offences
23
Weapons
15
Sexual Offences
2
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 Tweed Heads South

The closest suburb to Tweed Heads South is Tweed Heads, 2.3 km away.

Tweed Heads
2.3 km away · income $660/wk · rent $403/wk
Banora Point
2.9 km away · income $629/wk · rent $440/wk
Coolangatta (Qld)
3.3 km away · income $785/wk · rent $405/wk
Tweed Heads West
3.7 km away · income $612/wk · rent $350/wk
Bilinga
5.0 km away · income $804/wk · rent $428/wk
Bilambil Heights
5.4 km away · income $748/wk · rent $470/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Tweed Heads South

What is the population of Tweed Heads South NSW?

The population of Tweed Heads South NSW is 7,941 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 957 people per km². Tweed Heads South is ranked #892 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Tweed Heads South?

The median personal income in Tweed Heads South NSW is $561 per week, or $29,172 per year. The median household income is $976 per week. Family income is $1,384 per week. Tweed Heads South is ranked #7,594 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Tweed Heads South?

Median rent in Tweed Heads South NSW is $390 per week ($1,690 per month). Rent represents 40.0% of household income, which is considered stressed. Tweed Heads South ranks #2,258 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Tweed Heads South?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tweed Heads South 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 Tweed Heads South?

The median age in Tweed Heads South NSW is 52 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Tweed Heads South a good suburb to live in?

Tweed Heads South is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 7,941. The median income is $561/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as stressed (40.0% 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: 14003. All dollar figures in AUD.