Blayney

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

Blayney's population is approximately 7,815 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 298 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,517. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,788 in June 2024 and an additional 135 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4.8 persons per square kilometer. Blayney's growth rate of 4.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 2.9%. Natural growth contributed approximately 62.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, with overseas migration and interstate migration also being positive factors.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, 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. By 2041, the area is projected to increase by 1,244 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 15.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Blayney when compared nationally

Blayney has recorded approximately 31 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 156 homes. In the current financial year FY-26, up to the present time, 28 approvals have been recorded. On average, around two people per year have moved to the area for each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $383,000.

This financial year has seen $1.5 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating a predominantly residential focus for development in the area. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Blayney maintains similar construction rates per person, contributing to market stability aligned with regional patterns. The new development consists of 93% standalone homes and 7% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The location has approximately 232 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Blayney is projected to gain 1,213 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with growth projections, although heightened competition among buyers may arise as the population grows.

Blayney has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified seven projects that may impact the area. Key projects include Blayney Multipurpose Service Redevelopment, Flyers Creek Wind Farm, Masterplan & Detailed Designs for Blayley Shire, and Evans Park Estate. 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Blayney ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Blayney has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors, and an unemployment rate of 2.4% as of September 2025. The area employs 4,228 residents with an unemployment rate 1.5% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.8%, and workforce participation is similar at 61.3%.

Key industries include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. Blayney specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 2.3 times the regional level, but accommodation & food services are under-represented at 4.6% compared to Rest of NSW's 7.8%. Local employment opportunities exist, though many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Blayney's labour force decreased by 3.3%, with a 4.3% employment decline leading to an unemployment increase of 0.9 percentage points.

In comparison, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-wide, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of 25-Nov-25, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Blayney's industry mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that median income in Blayney SA2 is $53,595 and average income is $66,003. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Blayney SA2 would be approximately $60,353 (median) and $74,326 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Blayney rank modestly, between the 38th and 41st percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 32.5% of locals (2,539 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 88.0% retained. Disposable income ranks below average at the 43rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Blayney is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Blayney, as recorded in the latest Census, 95.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 4.3% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 88.7% houses and 11.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Blayney stood at 41.8%, with mortgaged properties making up 35.7% and rented dwellings 22.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,700. Weekly rent in Blayney was $270, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $315. Nationally, Blayney's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,517 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Blayney has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 72.7% of all households, including 30.3% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.3%, with lone person households at 25.6% and group households comprising 1.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas account for 9.4% and certificates for 32.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.9% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Blayney has 339 active public transport stops, served by 45 routes offering 928 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop is 168 meters. Services run approximately 132 times daily, equating to about two weekly trips per stop.

Service frequency averages 132 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Blayney faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, impacting about 4,095 people. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.5% and 9.3% of residents respectively. However, 64.7% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.4% across Rest of NSW. The area has 20.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,610 people), higher than the 18.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Blayney placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Blayney's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.7% of its population being citizens, 93.3% born in Australia, and 98.3% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Blayney is Christianity, comprising 63.6% of the population, compared to 63.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (34.5%), English (32.6%), and Irish (10.4%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation is higher in Blayney at 4.2%, compared to 4.9% regionally, Scottish representation is also higher at 8.1% versus 7.6%, and Maltese representation is slightly higher at 0.4% compared to 0.3%.

Blayney's median age exceeds the national pattern

Blayney's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43 but considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The age profile shows that the 5-14 year-olds make up 13.6%, while the 75-84 group comprises 6.1%. Since 2021, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 10.3% to 11.8% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.4% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Blayney. The 35 to 44 age group is projected to grow by 49%, adding 453 residents to reach 1,377. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 15 to 24 and 55 to 64 cohorts.