NSW · Tweed Council
Cudgen, 2487
Current weather
19.9°CMainly clear
78% humidity · 18.6 km/h wind · 20.7° / 17.7° today · 0.1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Cudgen is a practical smaller community in Tweed, well placed for families who want metro access without the inner-city squeeze. You get space and calm here, while the city and neighbouring suburbs are still close enough for regular outings. Residents are mostly families and working professionals, with family life visible on every street.
Daily life is practical and well connected, with the city and nearby suburbs easy to tap into. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space lag similar metro suburbs, despite relative strength in growth momentum and housing affordability. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 952
- Median age
- 39
- Median household income / week
- $1,893
- Dwelling vacancy
- 3.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 12 of 325
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,929
- Employment rate
- 63.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 19 / 55 / 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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $780
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $1,150
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $885
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 125
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 tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 59
- Against the person
- 15
- Against property
- 27
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 62
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 63 residents
- State safety percentile
- 39.9th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -1.4%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud77
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment67
- Malicious Damage To Property87
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault75
- Steal From Motor Vehicle64
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 · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 984
- Cudgen Public SchoolPrimary
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 · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
51 public transport stops in this suburb
- 535 Cudgen Rd
- Plantation Rd After Cudgen Rd
- Plantation Rd After Reardons Rd
- Plantation Rd Before Cudgen Rd
- Reardons Rd After Plantation 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 · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
168 planning-related records
2026· 21 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Fences; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation184 TWEED COAST ROAD CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool49 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support55 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
May 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool77 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support27 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Stairway; Swimming pool15 MURRAYA WAY CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure147 TWEED COAST ROAD CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure18 SUGAR MILL ROAD CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool351 CUDGEN ROAD CUDGEN 2487Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool7 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Supporting Development5 SUGAR MILL ROAD CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool14 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Supporting Development8 SUGAR MILL ROAD CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool22 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
February 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool320 CUDGEN ROAD CUDGEN 2487Withdrawn
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support8 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool24 SUGAR MILL ROAD CUDGEN 2487Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development34 DENMAN DRIVE CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development44 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure77 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
2025· 19 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool64 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool43 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
November 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support34 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
October 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Swimming pool; Supporting Development46 JOHN ROBB WAY CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development19 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool642 CUDGEN ROAD CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure42 DENMAN DRIVE CUDGEN 2487Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support45 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool; Non-standard Housing; Residential Accommodation25 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Subdivision396 CUDGEN ROAD CUDGEN 2487Open
- Erection of a new structure; Fences; Swimming pool; Supporting Development20 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool99 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Swimming pool93 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
August 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool9 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support26 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support50 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support18 PRICHARD PLACE CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support49 BOWEN LOOP CUDGEN 2487Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool4 SUGAR MILL ROAD CUDGEN 2487Determined
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 · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
6 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bus stop
- Crescent St at The Village LaneBus stop
- Crescent St opp The Village LaneBus stop
- Cudgen Rd before Crescent StBus stop
- Farm & CoRestaurant
529 Cudgen Road
- Cudgen Public SchoolSchool
11 Collier Street, Cudgen
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- On site
- Tweed Valley HospitalCudgen Roadhospital
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
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 · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 41.3/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 48% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 3243rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1021st in NSW
- Peer rank
- #297 among Metro Sydney · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #607 among Metro Sydney suburbs
- Data confidence
- 82%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Bus stopamenitiesbus_stop
- Crescent St at The Village Laneamenitiesbus_stop
- Crescent St opp The Village Laneamenitiesbus_stop
- Cudgen Public Schoolamenities11 Collier Street, Cudgenschool
- Cudgen Rd before Crescent Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Farm & Coamenities529 Cudgen Roadrestaurant
- Fraudcrime77
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime67
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime87
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime75
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Tweed Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.