Bowral
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Bowral are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Bowral's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 13,482. This figure represents a decrease from the 2021 Census count of 13,626 people, indicating a drop of 144 individuals (1.1%). The change was inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 13,464 in June 2024 and an additional 172 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 242 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove population growth, contributing approximately 79.1% 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 employs 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 the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is projected to grow by 1,773 persons based on the latest population numbers, reflecting an increase of 12.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Bowral averaged approximately 106 new dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25531 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved so far in FY26. Despite population decline, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers.

The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is $673,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. In FY26, $30.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bowral has recorded somewhat elevated construction activity, measuring 20.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This has maintained good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, although building activity has slowed in recent years.

New building activity consists of 62.0% detached houses and 38.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points. This marks a significant shift from the current housing pattern of 84.0% houses, potentially due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Bowral has approximately 201 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Future projections estimate an addition of 1,746 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.

Bowral has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 15 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable among these are Bowral and District Hospital Redevelopment - Stage 2, Bowral Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, Waterbrook Bowral Lifestyle Resort, and Bowral South New Living Area (NLA). The following list provides more details about those considered 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 labour market strength in Bowral positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Bowral has a highly educated workforce with professional services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 0.8% in June 2025, which is 2.9% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.8%. As of June 2025, 5,558 residents are employed. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 2.2 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 1.6% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 2.8%, labour force grew by 2.6%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bowral's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Bowral had a median taxpayer income of $50,183 and an average income of $95,720 in financial year 2022, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This places Bowral in the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $56,511 (median) and $107,790 (average). The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Bowral ranked modestly, between the 45th and 54th percentiles. Income analysis revealed that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominated with 26.7% of residents (3,599 people), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 29.9% in the same category. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remained for other expenses, and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 8th decile.

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

In Bowral, as per the latest Census evaluation, 83.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 16.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's 90.6% houses and 9.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bowral stood at 55.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.5% and rented ones at 17.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, exceeding Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Bowral was $500, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $430. Nationally, Bowral's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,300 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Bowral has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.9% of all households, including 22.7% couples with children, 38.0% couples without children, and 7.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.1%, with lone person households at 29.3% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Bowral shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Bowral is significantly higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 36.3% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 22.4% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 23.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 14.2% and certificates for 18.9%.

A substantial 24.8% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.8% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education. There are eight schools operating within Bowral, educating approximately 3,602 students as of the latest count. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 1072. The educational mix includes two primary, three secondary, and three K-12 schools. Bowral functions as an education hub, with 26.7 school places per 100 residents – significantly higher than the regional average of 13.3 – attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Bowral has 234 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 61 individual routes, facilitating 3,035 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 183 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 433 daily trips across all routes, which translates to about 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Bowral is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Bowral faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across all age groups. Private health cover is notably high at approximately 69%, compared to 66.3% in the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (12.6%) and asthma (6.3%).

A total of 62.9% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 64.8% in the rest of NSW. Bowral has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 38.4%, compared to 27.7% in the rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong, even better than the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Bowral records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bowral's cultural diversity aligns with the wider region, with 77.5% born in Australia, 89.4% being citizens, and 92.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the primary religion, comprising 61.2%. Judaism is overrepresented at 0.5%, compared to 0.3% regionally.

Top ancestry groups are English (33.0%), Australian (23.8%), and Irish (11.3%). Scottish (10.3%) and French (0.8%) show notable overrepresentation, while Welsh (0.7%) is slightly higher than regional averages.

Bowral ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Bowral is 56 years, which is notably higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and significantly exceeds Australia's average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group constitutes 16.1% of the population in Bowral, compared to Rest of NSW's percentage, while the 25-34 cohort makes up only 5.5%. This concentration of the 75-84 age group is well above the national average of 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 15.0% to 16.1% of Bowral's population, while the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 17.5% to 15.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Bowral's age structure. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 69%, adding 606 residents to reach a total of 1,487. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.