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 of 181 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,752 people. The change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 10,521 in June 2024 and an additional 42 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 282 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is projected for Australia's regional areas. Bathurst - South is expected to expand by 1,911 persons to 2041, reflecting a 17.3% increase in total 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 recorded approximately 29 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 149 homes. As of FY-26, 22 approvals have been granted. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average development value is $337,000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

This financial year saw $4.9 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bathurst South shows around 62% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 31st percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice favouring existing homes. New developments consist of 46.0% detached dwellings and 54.0% townhouses or apartments, catering to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. The area has an estimated 522 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Bathurst South will gain approximately 1,831 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects likely affecting this region. Notable initiatives include Bathurst Integrated Medical Centre, Bathurst Intermodal Transport Terminal, Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment, and Bathurst Industrial Park 4-Lot Subdivision. The following list details those expected to have the most relevance.

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.

The employment landscape in Bathurst - South presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.5%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Bathurst South has a skilled workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.5%.

As of June 2025, 5,313 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.2% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 52.2%, slightly below the Rest of NSW average of 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 compared to 5.3% in the Rest of NSW.

There are 1.1 jobs per resident, indicating that Bathurst South functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, with employment decreasing by 3.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, the Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, resulting in a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data from Nov-25 shows that NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. 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, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Bathurst - South SA2 is $46,782 and the average is $56,421 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. This is lower than the national averages of $49,459 median income and $62,998 average income in Rest of NSW. Using Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income for Bathurst - South SA2 as of September 2025 would be approximately $52,681 and the average would be around $63,536. In 2021 Census figures, personal income ranked at the 29th percentile ($704 weekly) and household income at the 13th percentile. The largest income segment consists of 28.8% earning between $800 and $1,499 weekly (3,044 residents), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 to $2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Bathurst - South SA2, 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 latest Census held on 9 August 2016, comprised 57.6% houses and 42.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bathurst - South was at 28.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 18.4% and rented dwellings at 53.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of June 2021, was $1,430, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $295. Nationally, Bathurst - South's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, as of December 2020, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375, as of June 2021.

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 account for the remaining 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 of 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 at 6.5% and graduate diplomas at 2.8%. Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 35.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 25.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.8% of residents 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, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 105 routes, facilitating 2,489 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance residents live from the nearest stop is 107 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 355 trips per day across all routes, equating to about 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 affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% (around 5,074 people), compared to 51.4% across Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions, impacting 11.7% and 10.2% of residents respectively.

However, 58.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.5% across Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.3% (2,250 people), compared to 19.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly in line 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 census conducted on 9 August 2016, had a cultural diversity index of below average. Its population was predominantly Australian-born citizens, with 80.6% being citizens, 84.8% born in Australia, and 90.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 54.2% of Bathurst-South's population.

The most significant deviation from regional averages was seen in the 'Other' religious category, which constituted 1.7% compared to the Rest of NSW's average of 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, English (29.4%), Australian (27.8%), and Irish (11.6%) were the top three groups represented in Bathurst-South. Notable differences existed in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal at 4.7% compared to the regional average of 4.6%, Lebanese at 0.4% versus 0.3%, and Scottish at 8.2% against a regional average of 7.8%.

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

Bathurst - South's median age is 38, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 17.6% of Bathurst - South's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 5-14 cohort makes up 7.8%. Post the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group has increased from 15.5% to 16.5%, and conversely, the 55-64 group has decreased from 11.4% to 10.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Bathurst - South's age profile. Notably, the 45-54 group is projected to grow by 46%, adding 494 people and reaching a total of 1,580 from its current figure of 1,085. The 65-74 group is expected to grow more modestly at 3%, with an increase of just 32 residents.