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 10,490 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,752 people. The change is inferred from ABS data: an estimated resident population of 10,484 in June 2025 and an additional 38 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 279 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth during recent periods.

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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate an above median population growth for Australia's regional areas. The area is expected to expand by 1,771 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 16.8% over the 16 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 recorded approximately 29 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 149 homes. In FY-26 so far, 22 approvals have been recorded. The population has fallen during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is $294,000.

This financial year has seen $4.9 million in commercial approvals, indicative of the area's residential character. Compared 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, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options but strengthening demand for established properties. This activity is below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent construction comprises 46% detached houses and 54% medium to high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points suitable for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval in the area is 522 people, reflecting its quiet development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Bathurst - South will gain 1,764 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Bathurst - South has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones 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 a skilled workforce with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.7%. As of December 2025, there are 5187 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, 0.7% higher than Regional NSW's 3.9%.

Workforce participation is similar to Regional NSW at 60.5%. Census data shows 11.3% work from home. Dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.5%, below Regional NSW's 5.3%.

There is a ratio of 1.1 workers per resident, indicating the area serves as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding regions. From December 2024 to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.5% and employment declined by 4.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced a 1.2% employment decline and 0.8% labour force decline with a 0.4 percentage point unemployment increase. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national 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 employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

The Bathurst - South SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $48,883 and an average income of $57,486 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is lower than the national average. Regional NSW's median income was $52,390 with an average income of $65,215 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $53,928 (median) and $63,419 (average). According to 2021 Census figures, personal income ranked at the 29th percentile ($704 weekly), while household income was at the 13th percentile. Distribution data showed that the largest segment comprised 28.8% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (3,021 residents). This differed from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominated 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 2016 Census, comprised 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% 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 Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $295, compared to Regional NSW's $330. 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 compose 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 constitute 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, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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 of 27.1% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the SA4 region average of 19.3% and that of Rest of NSW at 21.3%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 17.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 35.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 9.8% while certificates make up 25.4%.

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

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

Transport analysis indicates 219 active transport stops operating within Bathurst - South, consisting of a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 104 individual routes, collectively facilitating 2,385 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 107 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 86%, with 11% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 11.3% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 340 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Multiple health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (around 4,993 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common conditions, affecting 11.7% and 10.2% of residents respectively. About 58.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has 21.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,266 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but align with national rankings for the general population.

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 had a lower cultural diversity, with 80.6% citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 90.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 54.2%. Other religions were overrepresented at 1.7%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.8%.

The top ancestral groups were English (29.4%), Australian (27.8%), and Irish (11.6%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal were more prevalent at 4.7% (vs regional 4.6%), Lebanese at 0.4% (vs 0.2%), and Scottish at 8.2% (vs 8.0%).

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

Bathurst - South has a median age of 38, which is lower than Regional NSW's figure of 43 but equivalent to the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 17.2% of Bathurst - South's population, higher than Regional NSW's figure. Conversely, the 5-14 age group makes up 7.9%, which is lower compared to Regional NSW. Post the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has increased from 15.5% to 16.7%. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 11.4% to 10.3%, and the 85+ group has dropped from 4.4% to 3.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Bathurst - South's age profile. Notably, the 45-54 group is projected to grow by 50%, adding 526 people and reaching 1,584 from 1,057. The 65-74 group is expected to grow by 1%, with an increase of 15 residents.