Armidale Surrounds - South
Statistical Area - sa2

Armidale Surrounds - South is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Armidale Surrounds - South's population is approximately 6,064 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 170 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5,894. The growth from June 2024 to August 2025 is inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures and validated new addresses. The population density is around 1.8 persons per square kilometer. Since the 2021 Census, Armidale Surrounds - South has experienced a 2.9% growth rate, which is close to the SA3 area's 3.3%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.0% of recent population gains in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 using 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on current trends, Armidale Surrounds - South is expected to increase by approximately 544 persons by 2041, representing a total increase of 7.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Armidale Surrounds - South, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Armidale Surrounds - South has granted around 19 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years up to FY26. This totals 98 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY26. The population has fallen during this period, but housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $265,000, below regional norms, offering affordable housing options. In the current financial year, $1.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Armidale Surrounds - South records 19.0% less building activity per person and ranks among the 35th percentile nationally, indicating relatively constrained buyer choice and interest in existing homes. Recent construction comprises 92.0% detached houses and 8.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 484 people. Population forecasts indicate Armidale Surrounds - South will gain 458 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Armidale Surrounds - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Thirty projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly, with major changes to local infrastructure and planning initiatives. Key projects include New England Solar Farm, Deeargee Solar And Battery Project, Armidale Regional Airport Business Park, and Proposed Solar Farm, 347 Dangarsleigh Road. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The exceptional employment performance in Armidale Surrounds - South places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Armidale Surrounds - South has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 1.1% as of June 2025. This is below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

The area experienced employment growth of 3.7% over the past year. As of June 2025, there are 3,389 residents in work, with a workforce participation rate of 59.1%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for Armidale Surrounds - South residents include education & training, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and health care & social assistance. The area has a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 2.8 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 13.5% of the workforce compared to 16.9% in Rest of NSW. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.7%, labour force increased by 3.1%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1%, labour force growth by 0.3%, and an increase in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. This compares to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, and national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Armidale Surrounds - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Armidale Surrounds - South is $44,920, while average income stands at $53,704. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $49,682 (median) and $59,397 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Armidale Surrounds - South rank modestly, between the 29th and 32nd percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 30.4% of locals (1,843 people) in the $1,500-$2,999 category, aligning with the broader area at 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 88.1% retained, but disposable income is below average at the 35th percentile, placing the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 5th decile.

Armidale Surrounds - South is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Armidale Surrounds - South, as per the latest Census, was 95.7% houses and 4.3% other dwellings (including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's figures of 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Armidale Surrounds - South stood at 44.9%, with mortgaged properties at 37.1% and rented dwellings at 18.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,426, exceeding the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,408. The median weekly rent in Armidale Surrounds - South was $250, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Armidale Surrounds - South's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Armidale Surrounds - South has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.3% of all households, including 26.6% couples with children, 34.4% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.7%, with lone person households at 25.7% and group households making up 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Armidale Surrounds - South shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 26.0% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 19.5%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 16.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.3% and certificates at 27.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. Six schools operate within Armidale Surrounds - South, educating approximately 425 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 969) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes five primary and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 7.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.7, resulting in many families traveling to nearby areas for schooling.

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

Analysis of public transport in Armidale Surrounds - South shows 370 active transport stops operating. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 32 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 416 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 213 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 59 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per stop.

Health performance in Armidale Surrounds - South is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Armidale Surrounds - South faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 47% (around 2,850 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (10.6%) and asthma (9%). Notably, 62.9% reported no medical ailments, slightly lower than Rest of NSW's 65.5%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 22.5% (1,363 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 20.2%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming the general population in various health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Armidale Surrounds - South placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Armidale Surrounds-South, as per data from the 2016 Census, had a population with 92.1% being Australian citizens, 91.8% born in Australia, and 97.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 58.0%, compared to 55.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.4%), English (30.9%), and Irish (10.4%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 6.2% versus the regional average of 5.7%. Scottish ancestry also stood out at 9.1%, compared to 8.9% regionally, as did German ancestry at 3.6% versus 3.5%.

Armidale Surrounds - South hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Armidale Surrounds - South's median age in 2021 was 47 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile showed that those aged 55-64 were particularly prominent, making up 15.6% of the population, while the 25-34 age group was comparatively smaller at 9.5%. Between 2021 and the present day, the 0-4 age group has grown from 4.9% to 5.7% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has declined from 16.3% to 15.6%. By 2041, Armidale Surrounds - South is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 35-44 age group is projected to grow by 18 people (from 633 to 748), while the 15-24 cohort is expected to decline by 50 people.