Bathurst - South
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bathurst - South reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Bathurst - South's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 10,571, a decrease of 181 individuals (1.7%) from the 2021 Census figure of 10,752. This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 10,521 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density stands at 282 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, with a 2022 base year.

For uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to grow by 1,911 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 17.3% over the 17-year period.

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

Bathurst - South granted approval for approximately 29 residential properties annually over the past five financial years ending June 30, totalling 149 homes. As of June 26, 2022, 22 approvals have been recorded in this financial year. The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $294,000. Commercial approvals totalled $4.9 million in the current financial year.

In comparison to Rest of NSW, Bathurst - South has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks at the 31st percentile nationally, indicating somewhat limited buyer options while demand for established properties strengthens. Recent construction comprises 46.0% detached houses and 54.0% medium and high-density housing. The estimated population density is 522 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts project Bathurst - South will gain 1,831 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Population forecasts indicate Bathurst - South will gain 1,831 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bathurst - South has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre, Bathurst Industrial Park 4-Lot Subdivision, Bathurst Intermodal Transport Terminal, and Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment. 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.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, Bathurst - South has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Bathurst South has a skilled workforce with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.5%, as of June 2025.

This rate is 0.2% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Bathurst South is 52.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 1.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. There are 1.1 jobs for every resident in the area, indicating it functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3% while employment declined by 3.6%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a slight employment decline of 0.1% with labour force growth of 0.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bathurst South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Bathurst - South's median taxpayer income was $46,782 and average income was $56,421 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $52,681 (median) and $63,536 (average). According to 2021 Census figures, personal income ranked at the 29th percentile ($704 weekly), while household income was at the 13th percentile. Income distribution showed that 28.8% of residents earned $800 - 1,499 weekly (3,044 residents), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category was predominant at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 12th percentile.

Bathurst - South displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Bathurst - South, as evaluated at the Census conducted on 9 August 2016, consisted of 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bathurst - South stood at 28.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.4% and rented dwellings at 53.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Bathurst - South was $295, compared to Non-Metro NSW's figure of $315. Nationally, Bathurst - South's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Bathurst - South features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 51.2% of all households, including 14.4% couples with children, 23.4% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for 48.8%, with lone person households at 43.2% and group households comprising 5.5%. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Bathurst - 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 27.1% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 19.3% and that of Rest of NSW at 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 17.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (25.4%).

Educational participation is high at 32.8%, including tertiary education (10.3%), primary education (8.5%), and secondary education (6.6%). Eleven schools serve 4,205 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 985) offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes five primary, five secondary, and one K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 39.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.8, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Transport analysis in Bathurst - South shows 207 active transport stops operating, including both train and bus services. These stops are served by 105 individual routes that collectively facilitate 2,489 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 107 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 355 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bathurst - South is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Bathurst - South faces significant health challenges, with various conditions impacting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at approximately 48%, compared to 51.4% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 11.7% of residents, while arthritis impacts 10.2%.

Conversely, 58.7% report no medical ailments, lower than the 63.5% in Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.3%, compared to 19.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

Bathurst - South ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bathurst-South, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data from June 2016, had a cultural diversity below average. Its population composition was 80.6% citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 90.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, accounting for 54.2%.

The most notable overrepresentation was in the 'Other' category, with 1.7% compared to Rest of NSW's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.4%), Australian (27.8%), and Irish (11.6%). There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 4.7% compared to the regional average of 4.6%, Lebanese at 0.4% vs 0.3%, and Scottish at 8.2% vs 7.8%.

Bathurst - South's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Bathurst - South has a median age of 38, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 but equivalent to the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 17.6% of Bathurst - South's population, higher than the Rest of NSW figure, while the 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 7.8%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 15.5% to 16.5%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 11.4% to 10.4%. Demographic modeling indicates Bathurst - South's age profile will significantly change by 2041. The 45 to 54 group is projected to grow by 46%, adding 494 people, reaching a total of 1,580 from the current 1,085. The 65 to 74 age group is expected to grow by 3%, with an increase of 32 residents.