Bombala
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Bombala's population, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 2,515 people. This figure represents an increase of 61 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,454 people. The change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 2,469 in June 2024 and the addition of 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Bombala's growth rate of 2.5% since the census is within 1.9 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.4%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains 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, 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. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of regional areas across the nation, with Bombala expected to expand by 185 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, recording a gain of 5.5% 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 had minimal construction activity with 3 new dwellings approved annually on average between January 2015 and December 2019. This low development level is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest, and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It's important to note that the small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Bombala had substantially lower development levels compared to Rest of NSW during this period. The new developments consisted of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating an increasing blend of attached housing types offering choices across price ranges. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 96.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location had approximately 291 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Population forecasts indicate Bombala will gain 139 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Bombala has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects that could affect this region: Monaro Highway Safety Upgrades (NSW), scheduled for completion in 2025, and Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station, expected to be operational by 2024-25. Additional VLocity Trains are also planned but have not been detailed further.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.6%, Bombala has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Bombala's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with varied industry representation. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 3.6%.

There were 1,238 residents employed at this time, with the unemployment rate aligning with Rest of NSW's 3.7%, and workforce participation matching Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, manufacturing, and health care & social assistance. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly prominent, with an employment share 5.8 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance has a smaller presence at 9.8% compared to the regional figure of 16.9%.

Some residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparisons. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.6%, and employment fell by 4.8%, raising the unemployment rate by 1.2 percentage points. Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% during this period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National comparisons show NSW lagging behind national employment growth of 0.26% and having a slightly lower unemployment rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's projections forecast national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Bombala's industry mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.6% over five years and 10.7% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

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

Bombala's median taxpayer income was $48,015 and average was $59,312 in financial year 2022. This is lower than the national average of $67,059 and Rest of NSW's average of $62,998. By March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $53,105 and average $65,599 based on a 10.6% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Bombala fall between the 17th and 29th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis shows that 27.3% of Bombala's community earns $1,500 - 2,999, similar to the broader area at 29.9%. Despite modest housing costs allowing 91.5% income retention, total disposable income ranks at just the 26th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Bombala, as per the latest Census, was 96.4% houses and 3.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 87.0% houses and 13.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bombala stood at 53.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.0% and rented ones at 19.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,408. Median weekly rent in Bombala was $200, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Bombala's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 36.8%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 16.9%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.1%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 8.5% and certificates at 28.6%.

Educational participation is notably 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. Bombala's 4 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 351 students while Bombala demonstrates varied educational conditions across its schools. Education provision is balanced with 3 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Bombala has 119 active public transport stops. These include both train and bus services. There are 11 routes that operate in total, providing 77 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 186 meters. On average, there are 11 trips per day across all routes. This equates to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Bombala faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~1,234 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.2 and 6.8% of residents respectively, while 65.0% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.2% across Rest of NSW. The area has 28.3% of residents aged 65 and over (710 people), which is higher than the 20.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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. The predominant religion in Bombala is Christianity, making up 65.7% of the population, compared to 51.3% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (34.4%), English (30.9%), and Scottish (9.7%).

Notably, Russian ethnicity is overrepresented at 0.6%, compared to 0.3% regionally, German at 4.1% vs 4.0%, and Irish at 9.2% vs 9.5%.

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

Bombala's median age is 48 years, which is higher than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 and significantly higher than the Australian median age of 38. The age profile in Bombala shows that individuals aged 65-74 make up 15.2% of the population, a figure notably higher than the national average of 9.4%. Conversely, those aged 15-24 constitute only 9.8%, which is smaller compared to Rest of NSW's percentage. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 25-34 age group grew from 9.6% to 11.0%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 8.1% to 9.5%. However, the 55-64 age group decreased from 16.1% to 13.9%, and the 5-14 age group dropped from 12.3% to 10.6%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Bombala's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, adding 90 people (a 33% increase) from 276 to 367. Senior residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 53% of population growth, indicating a continued aging trend in the demographic. Meanwhile, both the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups are projected to decrease in number.