At the
2016 census, there were people in the Ballina local government area; of these 48.2 per cent were male and 51.8 per cent were female.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 3.3 per cent of the population, which was higher than the national (2.9%) and state averages (2.8%). The
median age of people in the Ballina Shire area was 48 years, which was significantly higher than the national median of 38 years. Children aged 0–14 years made up 16.7 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 25.0 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 48.9 per cent were married and 14.4 per cent were either divorced or separated. Population growth in the Ballina Shire area between the 2001 census and the was 3.89 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 2.11 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78 per cent and 8.32 per cent respectively, population growth in the Ballina local government area was significantly lower than the national average. Growth increased to a 9.2% increase between 2011 and 2016, compared to a national average of 8.8%. The median
weekly income for residents within the Ballina Shire area was significantly lower than the national average. At the 2016 census, the proportion of residents in the Ballina local government area who stated their
ancestry as
Australian or
English exceeded 60 per cent of all residents (national average was 48.3 per cent). Nearly 60% of all residents in the Ballina nominated a
religious affiliation with
Christianity at the 2011 census. Ballina Shire had a significantly higher proportion of households (89.1 per cent) where
English only was spoken at home (national average was 72.7 per cent). == Council ==