Moving to Ballina NSW 2478
What the official numbers say about living in Ballina — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $360 a week, against a median household income of $1,013 a week.
About 55% of homes are owner-occupied and 38% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Ballina grew 24% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (7,875 → 9,735 people).
Around 54% of households are families, averaging 2.0 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, India; most spoken languages besides English: Punjabi, Thai, Italian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Ballina scores below the national average (decile 3 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (77% of workers), while 12% work from home.
Nearest bus interchange: Byron Byron Gateway Airport Tour Operators, 2.5 km north.
Nearest ferry wharf: Burns Point Ferry, 3.6 km south-west.
Nearest airport: Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, 2.7 km north.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 600 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 9 schools · 20 cafes & restaurants · 7 supermarkets · 34 parks · 6 beaches — see them all on the Ballina profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Biala Special School 300 m · Ballina Coast High School 950 m · St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School Ballina 1 km · Ballina Public School 1.2 km · Richmond Christian College 2.2 km · Southern Cross Public School 2.6 km · Southern Cross School of Distance Education 2.7 km · Southern Cross Primary School 2.7 km
Groceries: Coles 50 m · IGA 200 m · Woolworths 250 m · Asian Corner 1 km · Asian Supermarkt 1.1 km · ALDI 1.2 km · Spar 2.7 km
Parks and reserves: Saunders Oval 850 m · Cawarra Park 850 m · Clement Park 900 m · Meldrum Park 1.1 km · RSL Memorial Park 1.2 km · Captain Cook Park 1.2 km · Bagot Park 1.2 km · Wigmore Park 1.2 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Ballina, most often seen first: Crested Tern · Silver Gull · Rainbow Lorikeet · Australian White Ibis · Pied Cormorant · Torresian Crow.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Ballina, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballina here | 9,735 | — | 3/10 | 43% |
| East Ballina | 5,882 | — | 7/10 | 34% |
| West Ballina | 3,230 | — | 2/10 | 18% |
| Cumbalum | 2,211 | — | 9/10 | 40% |
| Skennars Head | 1,303 | — | 8/10 | 34% |
| Lennox Head | 7,687 | — | 10/10 | 28% |
| Alstonville | 5,912 | — | 5/10 | 32% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Ballina — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Richmond — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2478 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Ballina profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $360 a week, and about 38% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 24% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 7,875 people to 9,735. It sits about 600 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line. Local government is Ballina council, and the federal seat is Richmond.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Ballina vs East Ballina · Ballina vs Lennox Head.
Nearby guides: East Ballina · West Ballina · Cumbalum · Skennars Head · Lennox Head · Alstonville.
Keep an eye on Ballina
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