Median house price
$1.3M
+16% change
NSW · Ballina Council
South Ballina, 2478
Est. population · Jun 2025
28
Growth (1 yr)
+3.7%
Growth (5 yr)
+7.7%
Median age
56
Median income
$1,124/wk
Employment rate
61.5%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$1,300,000
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
Suburb profile
In Ballina Council, South Ballina keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here. With limited local amenities, residents regularly travel to a neighbouring town for shops, appointments and a wider choice.
Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.
Reported crime has been rising recently. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
At a glance
South Ballina snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$755/wk
Houses $850 · Units $595
Population (ERP)
28
+3.7% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
0.0%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Safety
78th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
96th
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
6/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
26th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $595
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $850
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $755
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 236
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $1,300,000
- Median price change
- +16.1%
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
28(June 2025)
+3.7% annual · +7.7% over 5 years · 96th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +3.7%
- 5-year growth
- +7.7%
- Change in 1 year
- +1
- Change in 5 years
- +2
- Growth rank in NSW
- 96th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~50), extrapolated at +1.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 27
- Median age
- 56
- Median household income / week
- $1,124
- Dwelling vacancy
- 0%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 0 of 17
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,242
- Employment rate
- 61.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 14 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 3
- Against the person
- 0
- Against property
- 1
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 107.1
- State safety percentile
- 77.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +50.4%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions342
- Fraud335
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment155
- Malicious Damage To Property240
- Steal From Retail Store305
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 952
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 26th
School list
- Ballina Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 869 · 6th percentile · LBOTE 17% · 254 students · Top SEA quarter 5% · 1.6 km awayView on My School →
- St Francis Xavier Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · ICSEA 1045 · 66th percentile · LBOTE 15% · 398 students · Top SEA quarter 19% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
- Ballina Coast High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 952 · 26th percentile · LBOTE 8% · 722 students · Top SEA quarter 9% · 2.0 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
6 public transport stops in this suburb
- 370 South Ballina Beach Rd
- Ballina Beach Nature Resort, South Ballina Beach Rd
- Ballina Beach Nature Resort, South Ballina Beach Rd
- Ballina Sea Breeze Holiday Park, South Ballina Bch Rd
- Ballina Sea Breeze Holiday Park, South Ballina Bch Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
Local character & venue list
Local character
- Limited walkable amenities nearby
- Walkability proxy
- 9/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Other(4)
- Richmond River Nature ReserveAttraction
- Ballina Beach VillageCaravan Site
440 South Ballina Beach Road
- Seabreeze Holiday ParkCaravan Site
344 South Ballina Beach Road
- Parking
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Ballina District Hospital (2.3 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 1
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 35.7
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 19°
- Rainfall
- 569 mm · ~71 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 612 mm · ~76 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 20° / 10°
- Rainfall
- 289 mm · ~36 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 300 mm · ~38 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
6 planning-related records
2025· 1 proposal
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure352 SOUTH BALLINA BEACH ROAD SOUTH BALLINA 2478Determined
2024· 3 proposals
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure352 SOUTH BALLINA BEACH ROAD SOUTH BALLINA 2478Determined
May 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Caravan park440 South Ballina Beach Rd, South Ballina NSW 2478Determined
January 2024
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Caravan park440 SOUTH BALLINA BEACH ROAD SOUTH BALLINA 2478Determined
2023· 1 proposal
August 2023
- Demolition344 South Ballina Beach Road South BallinaDetermined
2022· 1 proposal
December 2022
- Demolition; Alterations and additions to commercial development; Other440 SOUTH BALLINA BEACH ROAD SOUTH BALLINA 2478Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · 2020–2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Richmond
- Member of Parliament
- Justine ELLIOT (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 126,814
- Turnout (2025)
- 89.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +1.8 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 40.0%Labor 60.0%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 14.1 km away).
Coalition 38.7%Labor 61.3%
1.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +2.2 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- Ballina (Richmond)Labor 65.0% · Coalition 35.0% TPP (2025)2.0 km away
- Ballina WestLabor 54.7% · Coalition 45.3% TPP (2025)2.6 km away
- Ballina NorthLabor 59.0% · Coalition 41.0% TPP (2025)4.3 km away
- Ballina EastLabor 62.3% · Coalition 37.7% TPP (2025)4.6 km away
- Skennars HeadLabor 68.7% · Coalition 31.3% TPP (2025)7.3 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Ballina Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.