Bathurst - South

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 is around 10,571 as of Nov 2025. This reflects a decrease from 10,752 people in the 2021 Census, indicating a drop of 181 people (1.7%). The estimated resident population was 10,521 in June 2024, with an additional 42 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 282 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate an above median population growth in Australia's regional areas, with the area expected to expand by 1,911 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 17.3% over the 17 years.

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 has recorded approximately 29 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years ending June 30, 2021, totalling 149 homes. As of April 28, 2026, 22 approvals have been recorded in the current financial year. The average value of new dwellings developed is $294,000. There has also been $4.9 million in commercial approvals this financial year.

Relative to the rest of NSW, Bathurst South has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 31st percentile nationally, indicating somewhat limited buyer options while demand for established properties strengthens. Recent construction comprises 46% detached houses and 54% medium and high-density housing. The estimated population density is 522 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Bathurst South will gain approximately 1,831 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to meet population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Bathurst - South has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that may impact this region. Key projects include Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre, Bathurst Intermodal Transport Terminal, Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment, and Bathurst Industrial Park 4-Lot Subdivision. The following list details those most 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.

Employment performance in Bathurst - South has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Bathurst - South has an unemployment rate of 4.2% as of September 2025, with 5,223 residents employed. This rate is 0.4% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Bathurst - South is 52.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. There are 1.1 jobs per resident in the area as at Census.

Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.6%, and employment declined by 5.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.5% employment decline and a 0.1% labour force decline, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bathurst - South's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% 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

The Bathurst - South SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $46,782 and an average of $56,421 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below 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. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $52,681 (median) and $63,536 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 29th percentile ($704 weekly), while household income was at the 13th percentile. The largest income segment comprised 28.8% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (3,044 residents). Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.9% of income remaining after housing costs, 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 2016 Census, comprised 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bathurst - South was 28.5%, with the remainder either mortgaged (18.4%) or rented (53.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733 and Australia's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Bathurst - South was $295, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $315 and 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 48.8%, with lone person households at 43.2% and group households making up 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 university qualification rate is 27.1%, higher than the SA4 region average of 19.3% and Rest of NSW's 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 35.2% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 25.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.8% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in tertiary education, 8.5% in primary education, and 6.6% pursuing secondary education.

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

Bathurst-South has 207 active public transport stops. These are served by 105 routes, offering a total of 2,489 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 107 meters.

On average, there are 355 daily trips across all routes, which equates to about 12 weekly trips per 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 affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 48% (~5,074 people), lower than Rest of NSW's 51.4% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues impact 11.7%, while arthritis affects 10.2% of residents.

Conversely, 58.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.5% in Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.3% (2,250 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 19.4%. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with the broader 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, surveyed in 2016, showed cultural diversity below average. Its population comprised 80.6% citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 90.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 54.2%.

Notably, the 'Other' category stood at 1.7%, higher than 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%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 4.7% compared to 4.6% regionally, Lebanese at 0.4% versus 0.3%, and Scottish at 8.2% against 7.8%.

Bathurst - South's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

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