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New South Wales · Postcode 2478
West Ballina postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 599 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
West Ballina at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where West Ballina ranks: household income sits in the bottom 25% of NSW suburbs; SEIFA decile 2 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
West Ballina vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | West Ballina | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,015 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $370 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,863 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 54 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 2/10 -NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 5.0% ≈NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
West Ballina is a locality 599 km from Sydney in New South Wales, classified as inner regional by the ABS. The postcode is 2478. It falls within the Richmond - Tweed region. The local government area is Ballina.
According to the 2021 Census, West Ballina has a population of 3,230 with a median age of 54. The median weekly household income is $1,015, below the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 5.0%. The Indigenous population is 248 (7.7% of residents).
Housing in West Ballina includes a median weekly rent of $370, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,863, with 1,391 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 71.2% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, West Ballina scores in decile 2 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
West Ballina is part of the Richmond Valley - Coastal statistical area in New South Wales.
West Ballina details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2478 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 3,230 |
| Median Age | 54 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,015/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $601/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $370 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,863 |
| Average Household Size | 2.1 persons |
| Area | 9.3 km² |
| Population Density | 348/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 1,391 |
| Australian Citizens | 88.6% |
| Indigenous Population | 248 (7.7%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 2/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -28.8646166 |
| Longitude | 153.5332596 |
| Distance from Sydney | 599 km |
| Region (SA4) | Richmond - Tweed |
| Area (SA3) | Richmond Valley - Coastal |
| Local Government | Ballina |
| Federal Electorate | Richmond |
| State Electorate | Ballina |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 435 (13.5%) |
| 15–24 years | 312 (9.7%) |
| 25–44 years | 518 (16.0%) |
| 45–64 years | 810 (25.1%) |
| 65+ years | 1,157 (35.8%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 477 (14.8%) |
| Asthma | 278 (8.6%) |
| Diabetes | 243 (7.5%) |
| Heart Disease | 238 (7.4%) |
| Cancer | 156 (4.8%) |
| Lung Condition | 121 (3.7%) |
| Dementia | 26 (0.8%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 71 (5.2%) |
| 1 vehicle | 632 (46.5%) |
| 2 vehicles | 480 (35.3%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 176 (13.0%) |
Suburbs Near West Ballina
Same Postcode (2478)
More West Ballina Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.