Moving to East Ballina NSW 2478
What the official numbers say about living in East Ballina — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $460 a week, against a median household income of $1,554 a week.
About 71% of homes are owner-occupied and 28% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
East Ballina grew 11% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (5,320 → 5,882 people).
Around 70% of households are families, averaging 2.3 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, United States; most spoken languages besides English: Portuguese, German, French.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), East Ballina scores a little above the national average (decile 7 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (77% of workers), while 20% work from home.
Nearest bus interchange: Byron Byron Gateway Airport Tour Operators, 3.8 km north-west.
Nearest ferry wharf: Burns Point Ferry, 6.1 km west.
Nearest airport: Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, 3.5 km north-west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 601 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 10 schools · 10 cafes & restaurants · 4 supermarkets · 25 parks · 8 beaches — see them all on the East Ballina profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Southern Cross Primary School 750 m · Southern Cross Public School 750 m · Southern Cross School of Distance Education 850 m · Ballina Coast High School 2.5 km · Biala Special School 2.5 km · St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School Ballina 2.6 km · Ballina Public School 2.6 km · Xavier Catholic College Ballina 3.3 km
Groceries: IGA 2.4 km · Coles 2.6 km · Woolworths 2.8 km · Asian Corner 2.9 km
Parks and reserves: McDougall Reserve 450 m · Fred Stoker Park 450 m · Jan Moon Reserve 600 m · Richmond Park 700 m · Pop Denison Park 900 m · Bayview Drive Reserve 950 m · Eliza Mackinnon Park 950 m · Mercer Park 950 m
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around East Ballina, most often seen first: Crested Tern · Silver Gull · Pied Cormorant · Red-necked Stint · Little Tern · Australian Pied Oystercatcher.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to East Ballina, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Ballina here | 5,882 | — | 7/10 | 34% |
| Ballina | 9,735 | — | 3/10 | 43% |
| Skennars Head | 1,303 | — | 8/10 | 34% |
| West Ballina | 3,230 | — | 2/10 | 18% |
| Lennox Head | 7,687 | — | 10/10 | 28% |
| Cumbalum | 2,211 | — | 9/10 | 40% |
| 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 East Ballina profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $460 a week, and about 28% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 11% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 5,320 people to 5,882. It sits about 601 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: East Ballina vs Ballina · East Ballina vs West Ballina.
Nearby guides: Ballina · Skennars Head · West Ballina · Lennox Head · Cumbalum · Alstonville.
Keep an eye on East Ballina
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