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 around 4,582 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 239 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,343 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,486 in June 2024 and an additional 153 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 1.3 persons per square kilometer. Braidwood's growth rate of 5.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (5.1%) and the non-metro area, indicating it was a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch used NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends projected an above median growth for national regional areas, with Braidwood expected to increase by 1,041 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 20.6% 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 received approximately 26 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling around 130 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 7 approvals recorded so far. On average, about 2 people move to the area annually for each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting strong demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value of new homes is around $365,000.

This year has seen approximately $14.5 million in commercial approvals, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to residential growth. Relative to the Rest of NSW, Braidwood experiences about three-quarters the building activity per person and falls within the 58th percentile nationally when assessed against other areas. New developments primarily consist of detached houses (95.0%) with a smaller proportion of medium and high-density housing (5.0%), maintaining the area's low density character and attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 265 people per dwelling approval, Braidwood exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. By 2041, it is projected that Braidwood will grow by approximately 943 residents. Construction pace has been steady with population growth projections, but increased competition among buyers can be expected as the population rises.

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

Twenty-five infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These include Araluen Road Slope Stabilisation, Tarago Road Upgrade, Blind Creek Solar Farm, and Veolia Woodlawn Advanced Energy Recovery Centre, with the following projects being particularly relevant.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, Braidwood has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Braidwood's workforce is skilled and diverse with an unemployment rate of 3.5% as of June 2025. It has 2,236 residents employed, with a rate 0.2% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Workforce participation is similar to the region's 56.4%. Dominant sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing shows strong specialization with an employment share 2.6 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 7.9% compared to the regional 16.9%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparison of working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Braidwood's labour force decreased by 3.6%, employment declined by 4.9%, leading to a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but sector-specific projections suggest Braidwood's growth might be approximately 5.6% over five years and 11.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Braidwood's median income among taxpayers was $47,207 and the average was $61,281. These figures are below the national averages of $53,900 (median) and $71,500 (average). In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes for Braidwood would be approximately $53,160 (median) and $69,009 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Braidwood rank modestly between the 31st and 40th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 27.9% of Braidwood's population (1,278 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to the broader area where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are manageable with 87.3% retained, but disposable income sits below average at the 35th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth 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, consisted of 94.0% houses and 6.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 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. The median weekly rent in Braidwood was $330, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $355. Nationally, Braidwood's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,732 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below 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, consisting of 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% of the total. 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 average of 24.1%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.3%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 11.4% and certificates make up 27.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 6.3% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education. The area's educational provision includes Braidwood Central School and St Bede's Primary School, collectively serving 480 students. These schools operate under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1010) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix consists of one primary school 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 has 235 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together offer 179 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically living just 297 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 25 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one trip per week for each 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 prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~2,318 people), compared to 61.0% across Rest of NSW.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 12.2 and 7.8% of residents respectively. 63.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.7% across Rest of NSW. As of 2016 data, 26.8% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,226 people), which is higher than the 13.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing 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 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity index below average. Its population was predominantly Australian-born citizens with English spoken exclusively at home: 88.7%, 86.5%, and 95.5% respectively. Christianity was the primary religion, accounting for 49.1%.

Judaism, although small at 0.1%, was proportionally higher than the Rest of NSW average. Ancestry-wise, English (31.3%) and Australian (29.0%) were the most common, significantly higher than regional averages of 26.0% and 27.5%. Scottish ancestry stood out at 9.7%, above the regional 7.6%. French and Welsh also showed notable proportions: 0.7% and 0.6% respectively, compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.5%.

Braidwood ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Braidwood's median age of 50 surpasses both Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38. The age group of 55-64 is particularly prominent in Braidwood at 16.8%, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 7.6%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group exceeds the national average of 11.2%. Post the 2021 Census, the population aged 35 to 44 has increased from 10.5% to 12.7%, while those aged 45 to 54 have decreased from 14.7% to 12.3%, and the 55 to 64 group has fallen from 18.0% to 16.8%. By 2041, Braidwood's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 35 to 44 age cohort is expected to grow by 257 people (44%), reaching a total of 840 from the current 582. Conversely, the number of individuals aged 55 to 64 is anticipated to decrease by 29.