Bombala

Bombala is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Bombala's population is around 2,490 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 36 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,454 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,469 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 44 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of Australian non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to grow by 185 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 6.6% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Bombala according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Bombala has seen approximately 9 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, 48 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26. Over these years, an average of 0.4 people moved to the area for each dwelling built, indicating that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of new dwellings was $414,000, moderately above regional levels. In FY-26, $75,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bombala shows about 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 77th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 67.0% detached dwellings and 33.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a shift from the current housing mix of 96.0% houses.

With around 291 people per dwelling approval, Bombala is considered a low density area. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 164 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Bombala has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region. Key projects include Monaro Highway Safety Upgrades, Snowy 2.0 Pumped Hydro Project, Additional VLocity Trains, and Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy. 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.

The employment landscape in Bombala presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.2%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Bombala's workforce comprises both white and blue-collar jobs across various sectors, with an unemployment rate of 3.2%. As of September 2025, 1,219 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is similar to the regional average at 61.5%.

According to Census data, 14.7% of residents work from home. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, manufacturing, and health care & social assistance. Agriculture, forestry & fishing dominate with an employment share 5.8 times higher than the regional level. However, health care & social assistance employs only 9.8% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparisons. Between September 2024 and 2025, Bombala's labour force decreased by 5.6%, employment declined by 5.7%, leading to a 0.1 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced milder declines and a larger unemployment rate increase. National employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bombala's industry mix suggests local employment could increase by 4.6% in five years and 10.7% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Bombala SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $50,485. The average income stood at $57,527. This was below the national average. It compared to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $54,958 (median) and $62,624 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Bombala all fell between the 17th and 29th percentiles nationally. Distribution data showed that 27.3% of the population (679 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen in the metropolitan region where 29.9% similarly occupied this range. Housing costs were modest with 91.5% of income retained. However, the total disposable income ranked at just the 26th percentile nationally.

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

In Bombala, dwellings were predominantly houses at 96.4%, with other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others making up the remaining 3.5%. This is notably different from Non-Metro NSW's dwelling composition of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bombala stood at 53.4%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 27.0% and rented dwellings making up 19.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, significantly lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in Bombala was recorded at $200, compared to $330 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, Bombala's median monthly mortgage repayments were well below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

Bombala features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.2% of all households, including 20.2% couples with children, 33.7% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.8%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Bombala faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 16.9%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 37.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding them - advanced diplomas account for 8.5% while certificates make up 28.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bombala has 145 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 10 routes providing 76 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically living 186 meters from the nearest stop. In this residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars are the dominant mode at 90%, while 8% walk. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.7% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 10 trips daily across all routes, resulting in approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Bombala's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows positive outcomes for Bombala residents. Mortality rates and health conditions align with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover is low at 48% of the total population (~1,185 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (12.2%) and mental health issues (6.8%). 65.0% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Rest of NSW's 63.3%. Working-age residents have a higher prevalence of chronic health conditions. 28.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (703 people), higher than Rest of NSW's 23.0%. Health outcomes among seniors rank high nationally.

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

Bombala's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.5% of its population being citizens, 91.0% born in Australia, and 97.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Bombala, comprising 65.7%, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (34.4%), English (30.9%), and Scottish (9.7%).

Notably, Russian ancestry is overrepresented at 0.6% in Bombala versus the regional average of 0.2%. Similarly, German ancestry stands at 4.1%, higher than the regional average of 3.1%, and Irish ancestry is at 9.2%, slightly above the regional average of 8.8%.

Bombala hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bombala's median age is 48 years, which is notably older than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 and significantly higher than the Australian median age of 38. The age profile shows that individuals aged 65-74 make up a particularly prominent group at 15.2%, while those aged 15-24 are comparatively smaller at 9.8% compared to Rest of NSW. This concentration of individuals aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the age group of 25 to 34 has grown from 9.6% to 11.0% of the population, while those aged 75 to 84 increased from 8.1% to 9.5%. Conversely, the age group of 55 to 64 has declined from 16.1% to 13.9%, and individuals aged 5 to 14 have dropped from 12.3% to 10.6%. Demographic modeling suggests that Bombala's age profile will undergo significant changes by the year 2041. The age group of 25 to 34 is projected to grow steadily, with an increase of 93 people (34%) from 273 to 367 individuals. Senior residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 52% of population growth, highlighting the trend towards demographic aging. Meanwhile, both age groups of 45 to 54 and 5 to 14 are projected to see a reduction in numbers.