Braidwood
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Braidwood's population was approximately 4,560 as of August 2025. This figure shows an increase of 217 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,343 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,488 in June 2024 and an additional 142 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.3 persons per square kilometer. Braidwood's growth rate of 5.0% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (4.7%) and the non-metro area, positioning it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 50.0% 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. Population projections indicate an above median growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Braidwood expected to increase by 1,041 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 21.2% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Braidwood recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Braidwood has seen approximately 26 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 130 homes received approval, with another 7 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling built over these years has attracted about two new residents yearly, indicating strong demand that may support property values.

The average expected construction cost for new homes is $432,000, aligning with regional trends. This financial year has seen around $14.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Braidwood experiences about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 58th percentile nationally when assessed areas are considered.

New developments primarily consist of detached houses (95%) with a smaller proportion of attached dwellings (5%), maintaining the area's low-density character and appealing to space-seeking buyers. With around 265 people per dwelling approval, Braidwood exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population projections indicate Braidwood will gain approximately 965 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with these growth projections, although increased competition among buyers may arise as the population expands.

Braidwood has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 25 projects likely to impact the area. Notable ones include Araluen Road Slope Stabilisation, Tarago Road Upgrade, Blind Creek Solar Farm, and Veolia Woodlawn Advanced Energy Recovery Centre. 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 Braidwood presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.5%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Braidwood's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 3.5% as of June 2025. There are 2,236 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.2% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Braidwood is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 2.6 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 7.9% compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Braidwood's labour force decreased by 3.6%, employment fell by 4.9%, leading to a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rising 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, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Braidwood's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6%% over five years and 11.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Braidwood's median income among taxpayers was $47,207 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $61,281 during the same period. For comparison, Rest of NSW had median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively in financial year 2022. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since then, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $53,160 (median) and $69,009 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Braidwood rank modestly, between the 31st and 40th percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 27.9% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (1,272 residents). Housing costs are manageable with 87.3% retained, but disposable income is below average at the 35th percentile. Braidwood's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Braidwood's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 94.0% houses and 6.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 74.5% houses and 25.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Braidwood stood at 52.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.0% and rented ones at 14.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,732, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Braidwood was $330, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $355. Nationally, Braidwood's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 67.5% of all households, including 22.3% couples with children, 37.8% couples without children, and 6.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 30.6% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

Braidwood performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's university qualification rate is 28.8% among residents aged 15+, exceeding the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region's rate of 24.1%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 17.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 27.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.0% in primary, 6.3% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education. The area has two schools serving 480 students: Braidwood Central School and St Bede's Primary School. These schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1010) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes one primary and one K-12 school.

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

Braidwood's public transport analysis shows 235 active stops operating, all of which are bus routes. These are serviced by 16 individual routes, offering a total of 179 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents located an average of 297 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 25 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Braidwood faces significant health challenges with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~2,307 people), compared to 61.0% across Rest of NSW.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.2% and 7.8% of residents respectively, while 63.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.7% across Rest of NSW. As of October 2021, the area has 26.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,220 people), which is higher than the 13.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Braidwood, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016 data, showed a lower than average cultural diversity level. It had 88.7% Australian citizens, with 86.5% born in Australia and 95.5% speaking English at home only. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 49.1%.

However, Judaism's representation stood out at 0.1%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 0.1%. In terms of ancestry, Braidwood had higher than regional averages for English (31.3% vs 26.0%), Australian (29.0%), and Irish (11.5%). Notably, Scottish (9.7% vs 7.6%), French (0.7% vs 0.4%), and Welsh (0.6% vs 0.5%) groups were also overrepresented.

Braidwood ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Braidwood's median age is 50, higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and above Australia's national average of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 16.8% of Braidwood's population, compared to 9.7% in Rest of NSW and 11.2% nationally. Meanwhile, the 15-24 cohort makes up 7.6%, lower than Rest of NSW's 10.3%. Post-2021 Census, the 35-44 age group grew from 10.5% to 12.7%, while the 45-54 group decreased from 14.7% to 12.3%, and the 55-64 group fell from 18.0% to 16.8%. By 2041, Braidwood's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 35-44 age cohort is expected to grow by 259 people (45%), from 580 to 840. Conversely, the 55-64 age range is forecasted to decrease by 25 people.