Bathurst - West
Statistical Area - sa2

Bathurst - West lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bathurst - West's population is around 14,984 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 671 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,313 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,818 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 250 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 182 persons per square kilometer. Bathurst - West's growth rate of 4.7% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (2.7%) and the SA3 area, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 72.5% of overall population gains 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 by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in Bathurst - West's top quartile of national regional areas, with an expected increase of 3,744 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 23.9% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Bathurst - West when compared nationally

Bathurst - West has received approximately 32 dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) records this data on a financial year basis, totalling 161 approvals between the financial years ending June 2021 and June 2025, with an additional 11 approved so far in the current financial year ending June 2026. On average, about 5 new residents have arrived annually per dwelling constructed over these past five financial years. This significant demand outpaces supply, which typically exerts upward pressure on prices and intensifies competition among buyers.

The average construction cost of new dwellings is around $450,000. In the current financial year, $320,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating the area's residential focus. Compared to the Rest of NSW and nationally, Bathurst - West experiences roughly half the building activity per person and ranks in the 28th percentile of areas assessed, resulting in relatively limited buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. This lower-than-average activity suggests an established area with potential planning limitations.

The development consists mainly of standalone homes (85.0%) and a smaller proportion of medium to high-density housing (15.0%), preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With approximately 614 people estimated per dwelling approval, it maintains a quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections indicate Bathurst - West will add around 3,577 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Bathurst - West has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Windradyne 1100 Subdivision, Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment, 56 Colville Street Residential Development, and Charles Sturt University Campus Master Plan. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Bathurst - West ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Bathurst - West has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 1.7% as of June 2025. It has 8,303 residents employed and its unemployment rate is 1.9% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Bathurst - West stands at 64.9%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and public administration & safety. The area has a strong specialization in education & training with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 1.5% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

AreaSearch analysis from Jun-24 to Jun-25 shows Bathurst - West's labour force decreased by 2.2%, employment declined by 2.7%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% with a job growth lag of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bathurst - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2%% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 30, 2022, Bathurst - West had a median income among taxpayers of $58,145 and an average income level of $70,126. These figures are higher than the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $64,308 (median) and $77,559 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Bathurst - West cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 35.6% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, with 5,334 residents falling into this range. This pattern is similar to the broader area where 29.9% occupy the same income range. After housing expenses, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

Bathurst - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Bathurst - West, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 95.3% houses and 4.8% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bathurst - West was 35.2%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (38.6%) or rented (26.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average. The median weekly rent was $350, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $315. Nationally, Bathurst - West's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Bathurst - West has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.8% of all households, including 31.6% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.2%, with lone person households at 23.2% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Bathurst - West fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Bathurst West has 23.1% of residents aged 15+ with university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are held by 40.0% of residents aged 15+, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (30.0%). Current educational participation is high at 31.2%, with 11.1% in primary, 9.6% in secondary, and 3.7% in tertiary education.

The three schools in Bathurst West have a combined enrollment of 978 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 958). There are two primary and one K-12 school. School capacity is limited at 6.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.8, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note that 'n/a' in school enrolments refers to parent campus data.

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

Transport analysis in Bathurst-West shows 210 active transport stops operating. These are a mix of bus stops, serviced by 53 individual routes. Together, they provide 985 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 139 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 140 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bathurst - West is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Bathurst West faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 54% of the total population, which comprises around 8,151 people.

This compares to a rate of 51.4% across the Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 10.4% and 9.8% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 64.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.5% across the Rest of NSW. The population aged 65 and over comprises 16.9%, or approximately 2,535 people, which is lower than the 19.4% in the Rest of NSW.

Bathurst - West is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Bathurst-West had below average cultural diversity, with 90.6% of its population born in Australia, 92.1% being citizens, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 61.8%, similar to the rest of NSW at 61.6%. Ancestry-wise, Australian (31.5%), English (30.1%), and Irish (10.6%) were the top groups.

Notably, Bathurst-West had higher proportions of Australian Aboriginal (4.7% vs regional 4.6%), Welsh (0.6% vs 0.4%), and Maltese (0.5% vs 0.4%) residents.

Bathurst - West's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Bathurst-West is 37 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 15-24 are prominent at 13.6%, while those aged 75-84 are smaller at 5.3%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 12.6% to 13.6%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.6% to 11.5% and the 5-14 group has dropped from 14.9% to 13.9%. By 2041, projections show that the 35-44 age cohort will rise significantly, increasing by 1,296 people (66%) from 1,959 to 3,256. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 45-54 age groups are projected to decrease in number.