Albion Park Rail

Albion Park Rail has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Albion Park Rail's population was 6,920 as of May 2021. By May 2026, this had decreased to around 6,900, a drop of 20 people (0.3%). This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,883 in June 2025 and an additional 86 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density in May 2026 was approximately 962 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on these projections, the area is expected to expand by 93 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 1.1% over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Albion Park Rail according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Albion Park Rail has averaged approximately 36 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 181 homes. As of FY2025/26, 9 approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has likely been keeping pace with demand, offering buyers good choice while new properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $273,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms. In FY2025/26, $16.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating moderate levels of commercial development.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Albion Park Rail has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and places among the 75th percentile nationally for areas assessed. New building activity shows 15% detached dwellings and 85% attached dwellings, reflecting a skew towards compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers, marking a considerable change from the current housing mix of 78% houses. With around 168 people per dwelling approval, Albion Park Rail shows characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate Albion Park Rail will gain 76 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Population forecasts indicate Albion Park Rail will gain 76 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Albion Park Rail has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects potentially impacting the region. Notable initiatives include the Regional Multi-Sports, Aquatics and Leisure Facility, Albion Park Rail Industrial Estate Development, Shellharbour Airport Master Plan Upgrades, and Park Central Bulky Goods Complex. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Albion Park Rail faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Albion Park Rail has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, well-represented essential services sectors, an unemployment rate of 10.1%, and estimated employment growth of 1.4% in the past year as of December 2025. There are 3,024 residents employed with an unemployment rate of 6.2%, higher than Regional NSW's 3.9%. Workforce participation is similar to Regional NSW at 60.5%.

Census data shows 15.6% of residents work from home. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade, with health care being particularly strong at 1.2 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.3% compared to 5.3% regionally. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data.

Over December 2024 to December 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, labour force by 0.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.9 percentage points, contrasting with Regional NSW's contraction in employment and increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Albion Park Rail's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Albion Park Rail SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $58,771 and an average of $68,424. Nationally, this is approximately average. In comparison, Regional NSW had a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $64,836 (median) and $75,485 (average). Census data reveals household, family, and personal incomes in Albion Park Rail fall between the 16th and 29th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 34.5% of residents (2,380 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999, reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Albion Park Rail, with only 81.2% of income remaining, ranking at the 25th percentile nationally.

Albion Park Rail is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Albion Park Rail's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 78.1% houses and 21.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Albion Park Rail was at 34.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.9% and rented ones at 27.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,820, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Albion Park Rail was $390, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Albion Park Rail's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Albion Park Rail has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.3% of all households, including 26.5% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 16.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.7%, with lone person households at 25.0% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Albion Park Rail faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 10.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 7.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 46.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (36.4%). Educational participation is high at 26.0%, with 9.1% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Albion Park Rail has 83 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 50 individual routes, collectively facilitating 1,785 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 115 meters from the nearest stop. Primarily residential, most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 94%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 15.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 255 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 21 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Albion Park Rail is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Albion Park Rail faces significant health challenges, as identified by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

A variety of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups, with private health cover at approximately 53% of the total population (~3,677 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.3%) and mental health issues (11.0%), while 57.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age individuals face notable health challenges due to higher chronic condition rates. The area has 21.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,501 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings largely comparable to those of the general population.

Albion Park Rail ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Albion Park Rail, as per the census on 27th June 2016, had a cultural diversity below average with 84.3% of its population born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 93.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 55.5% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (30.8%), Australian (30.0%), and Scottish (7.6%).

Notably, Spanish (0.8%) and Maltese (1.3%) were overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively, while Macedonian was also slightly higher at 0.6%.

Albion Park Rail's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Albion Park Rail was 40 years as of a certain date, which is slightly below Regional NSW's average of 43 but above Australia's median of 38. The percentage of residents aged 25-34 was notably higher at 16.4% compared to the regional average, while those aged 45-54 were under-represented at 9.9%. Between the 2021 Census and a later date, the proportion of people aged 25 to 34 increased from 13.3% to 16.4%, while those aged 75 to 84 grew from 6.6% to 7.9%. Conversely, the percentage of individuals aged 55 to 64 decreased from 13.4% to 11.9%, and the 45 to 54 age group dropped from 11.4% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for a future date indicate significant demographic shifts in Albion Park Rail, with the 75 to 84 age cohort projected to expand by 117 people (21%) from 545 to 663. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups are expected to experience population declines.