New South Wales · Suburb Profile

Byron Bay NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Byron Bay, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Byron Bay NSW is 6,330 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Byron Bay is $805 per week ($41,860 per year). Median rent in Byron Bay is $600 per week ($2,600 per month). Byron Bay has a median age of 39 years, older than the national median of 38. Byron Bay has a population density of 330.9 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Byron Bay is England. The most common religion is No Religion (61% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Byron Bay is $2,167.

There were 251 recorded offences in Byron Bay in 2025-26, a rate of 40 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (96 offences).

Byron Bay Map

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Byron Bay Population

residents (Census 2021)

Byron Bay Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$805/wk

$41,860 per year

#3540 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$600/wk

$2,600 per month

#202 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

39years

1 years older than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$2,167/mo

Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.9 per bedroom

Byron Bay Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.6% (3,081) Female 51.4% (3,253)

Population Density

330.9

people per km²

6,330 people · 19.1 km²

Households

2.3

Avg household size

0.9

Persons per bedroom

$2,029

Family income/wk

Byron Bay 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 & Locality (SAL)

Byron Bay Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

63.6% 830 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

36.4% 476 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Byron Bay Country of Birth

Australia

82.5%

England

8.6%

Brazil

2.6%

France

2.1%

Germany

1.6%

Canada

1.0%

Chile

0.9%

India

0.6%

Greece

0.1%

Hong Kong

0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Byron Bay Religion

No Religion

60.9%

Catholic

12.6%

Not stated

12.3%

Anglican

7.4%

Buddhism

2.5%

Uniting Church

1.7%

Judaism

1.3%

Christian (other)

1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Byron Bay Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

75.3%

Year 10 or equivalent

16.0%

Year 11 or equivalent

6.0%

Year 9 or equivalent

2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Byron Bay Languages Spoken at Home

Spanish

31.8%

Other

13.8%

Portuguese

12.7%

French

11.7%

Italian

11.7%

German

10.1%

Japan

6.4%

SAL Indon

1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Byron Bay Employment

💼

Employed full-time

25.0% 1,191 people

⏰

Employed part-time

35.1% 1,673 people

🔍

Unemployed

3.9% 188 people

🏠

Not in labour force

36.0% 1,719 people

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

Byron Bay Qualifications

Bachelor Degree

41.2%

Certificate III/IV

21.6%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

20.0%

Postgraduate Degree

11.2%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

3.9%

Certificate I/II

2.0%

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

Byron Bay Occupation

Professionals

28.3%

Managers

18.8%

Community & Personal Service

15.2%

Technicians & Trade Workers

14.0%

Labourers

8.8%

Clerical & Administrative

6.7%

Sales Workers

6.6%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

1.7%

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

Byron Bay Field of Study

Management & Commerce

21.5%

Society & Culture

16.2%

Creative Arts

14.0%

Health

11.4%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

8.6%

Architecture & Building

7.7%

Engineering

7.2%

Education

6.2%

Natural & Physical Sciences

3.6%

Agriculture & Environment

2.1%

Information Technology

1.7%

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

Byron Bay Dwelling Types

Separate house

69.4%

Semi-detached (2+ storey)

21.8%

Semi-detached (1 storey)

8.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Byron Bay Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk

2.6%

$1-$149/wk

0.8%

$150-$299/wk

1.2%

$300-$399/wk

3.1%

$400-$499/wk

7.1%

$500-$649/wk

6.8%

$650-$799/wk

6.0%

$800-$999/wk

6.3%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

7.3%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

7.7%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

5.8%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

5.2%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

10.9%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

6.2%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

4.8%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

3.8%

$4,000+/wk

14.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Byron Bay Marital Status

💍

Married

27.7% 1,556

↔️

Separated

2.4% 134

📋

Divorced

12.4% 699

🕊️

Widowed

3.5% 197

👤

Never married

54.0% 3,040

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Byron Bay Ancestry

English

30.8%

Australian

20.8%

Irish

11.7%

Other

10.5%

Scottish

8.8%

German

5.0%

Italian

4.7%

Spanish

2.0%

French

1.9%

Dutch

1.6%

Aboriginal Australianralian

1.4%

Greek

0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Byron Bay School & University Attendance

Vocational Education

27.8%

Primary — Government

21.7%

Secondary — Government

15.5%

Pre-school

7.8%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

7.5%

Primary — Other Non-Govt

7.3%

Secondary — Catholic

6.6%

Primary — Catholic

5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Byron Bay Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

4.5% 517

✅

No need for assistance

95.5% 10,942

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

Byron Bay Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

19.6% 988

—

Not a volunteer

80.4% 4,058

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Byron Bay Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

10.1%

$300-$449/mo

1.7%

$450-$599/mo

2.3%

$600-$799/mo

2.6%

$800-$999/mo

2.3%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

12.8%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

13.6%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

22.3%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

15.9%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

16.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Byron Bay How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

55.0%

Did not go to work

21.4%

Walked only

10.4%

Bicycle

6.7%

Car (passenger)

3.4%

Motorbike/Scooter

1.3%

Other

1.1%

Truck

0.6%

Bus

0.2%

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

Byron Bay Car Ownership

0 vehicles

6.9%

1 vehicle

42.6%

2 vehicles

33.7%

3 vehicles

10.6%

4+ vehicles

6.2%

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

Byron Bay Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

12.9%

2 bedrooms

21.3%

3 bedrooms

40.0%

4 bedrooms

19.6%

5 bedrooms

4.4%

6+ bedrooms

1.7%

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

Byron Bay Population Mobility

25.7%

moved in the last year

55.3%

moved in the last 5 years

5.6%

unemployment rate (Census)

59.6%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Byron Bay Indigenous Population

2.3%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

261

Indigenous residents

11,312

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Byron Bay Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

463

Asthma

186

Arthritis

172

Heart disease

118

Lung condition

107

Diabetes

Cancer

Stroke

Kidney disease

Dementia

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

Byron Bay Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

6.7%

$1-$149/wk

3.0%

$150-$299/wk

4.9%

$300-$399/wk

3.8%

$400-$499/wk

4.0%

$500-$649/wk

5.7%

$650-$799/wk

13.0%

$800-$999/wk

13.6%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

12.8%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

7.8%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

6.4%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

4.0%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

6.8%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

2.1%

$3,500+/wk

5.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Byron Bay Family Structure

Couple — no children

40.0%

Couple — children under 15

36.2%

Couple — no children under 15

9.5%

One parent — children under 15

8.3%

One parent — no children under 15

6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Byron Bay Military Service

🛡️

Current ADF — Reserves

0.1% 3

🏅

Previously served

1.5% 78

👤

Never served

98.4% 4,993

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Byron Bay Unpaid Carers

🤲

Provided unpaid assistance

9.3% 467

—

Did not provide

90.7% 4,557

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Byron Bay Children Ever Born

No children

53.0%

1 child

12.1%

2 children

21.1%

3 children

9.5%

4 children

3.4%

5+ children

1.1%

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

Byron Bay When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951

1951–1960

1961–1970

1971–1980

128

1981–1990

155

1991–2000

139

2001–2010

269

2011–2015

272

2016

2017

2018

161

2019

242

2020

132

2021

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

Byron Bay Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

24.9%

5–14 hours

29.4%

15–29 hours

11.7%

30+ hours

6.5%

Did not do domestic work

27.5%

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

Byron Bay Household Size

1 person

33.8%

2 persons

33.1%

3 persons

15.2%

4 persons

11.4%

5 persons

4.4%

6+ persons

2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Byron Bay Where Residents Moved From

Same address

4,225

Moved from NSW

532

Moved — same area (SA2)

486

Moved from QLD

134

Moved from VIC

132

Moved from overseas

Moved from WA

Moved from SA

Moved from ACT

Moved from TAS

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

Byron Bay Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

84.3%

Step family — no other children

11.6%

Blended family — no other children

4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Byron Bay Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 251 total

Theft

Other Against Property

Assault

Property Damage

Drug Offences

Sexual Offences

Other Against Person

Weapons

Robbery

Offence trend by year:

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Byron Bay Schools

schools nearby

government

1077

avg ICSEA score

1,701

total students

St Finbarr's Primary School Catholic

Primary · K-6 · 325 students

1096

ICSEA

Byron Community Primary School Independent

Primary · K-6 · 95 students

1094

ICSEA

Byron Bay Public School Government

Primary · K-6 · 461 students

1067

ICSEA

Byron Bay High School Government

Secondary · 7-12 · 820 students

1050

ICSEA

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

View all schools in Byron Bay with map →

Byron Bay Rent Prices & Affordability

38%

of income

Stressed

Household Income $1,561/wk

Median Rent $600/wk

Rent-to-Income 38.4%

Rent exceeds 35% of household income — this area may be under housing stress.

If you earn X in Byron Bay

Your weekly income

≈ $6,764/month

Median rent $600/wk

Left after rent $961/wk

Rent share 38.4%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Condobolin

Income: $668/wk Rent: $200/wk Save: $400/wk

Narromine

Income: $710/wk Rent: $250/wk Save: $350/wk

Yenda (NSW)

Income: $821/wk Rent: $250/wk Save: $350/wk

Parkes (NSW)

Income: $731/wk Rent: $260/wk Save: $340/wk

Narrabri

Income: $826/wk Rent: $260/wk Save: $340/wk

Junee

Income: $729/wk Rent: $260/wk Save: $340/wk

Hanwood

Income: $825/wk Rent: $275/wk Save: $325/wk

Wallerawang

Income: $666/wk Rent: $275/wk Save: $325/wk

Byron Bay vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

South Nowra

Pop: 3,165 Income: $830/wk Rent: $398/wk

Warrawee

Pop: 3,170 Income: $1,153/wk Rent: $650/wk

Bungarribee

Pop: 3,177 Income: $1,077/wk Rent: $453/wk

Dean Park

Pop: 3,180 Income: $753/wk Rent: $400/wk

Condobolin

Pop: 3,185 Income: $668/wk Rent: $200/wk

Urunga

Pop: 3,185 Income: $590/wk Rent: $340/wk

Compare Byron Bay

Byron Bay vs South Nowra →Byron Bay vs Warrawee →Byron Bay vs Bungarribee →Byron Bay vs Dean Park →

Frequently Asked Questions About Byron Bay

What is the population of Byron Bay NSW?

The population of Byron Bay NSW is 6,330 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 330.9 people per km².Byron Bay is ranked #1,228 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Byron Bay?

The median personal income in Byron Bay NSW is $805 per week, or $41,860 per year.The median household income is $1,561 per week.Family income is $2,029 per week.Byron Bay is ranked #3,540 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Byron Bay?

Median rent in Byron Bay NSW is $600 per week ($2,600 per month).Rent represents 38.4% of household income, which is considered stressed.Byron Bay ranks #202 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Byron Bay?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Byron Bay NSW is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Byron Bay?

The median age in Byron Bay NSW is 39 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Byron Bay a good suburb to live in?

Byron Bay is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 6,330.The median income is $805/wk, which is above the NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as stressed (38.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Looking for schools, childcare centres, and playgrounds in this area? See kid.com.au for family facilities data.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10731. All dollar figures in AUD.