Broken Hill

Broken Hill has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Broken Hill's population is approximately 17,565 as of February 2026. This figure represents a decrease of 23 people from the 2021 Census total of 17,588, indicating a 0.1% reduction since that date. The change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,541 in June 2024 and an additional 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 103 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Broken Hill has exhibited resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of -0.6%, outperforming the SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are utilized, 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. Projections indicate an overall population decline over this period, with Broken Hill's population expected to decrease by 4,161 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 85 and over age group, projected to expand by 102 people.

The level of residential development activity in Broken Hill is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Broken Hill has averaged approximately six dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 33 homes have been approved, with an additional five approved in FY26 so far. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $316,000. In terms of commercial development, $24.7 million in approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating moderate levels when compared to other areas in NSW and nationally. Broken Hill records about three-quarters the building activity per person compared to Rest of NSW, placing it among the 7th percentile nationally, which results in relatively constrained buyer choice and supports interest in existing properties. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population-to-dwelling-approval ratio is 3814 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Broken Hill may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Broken Hill has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 15thth percentile nationally

Five projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Silver City Energy Storage Centre, Broken Hill Health Service Redevelopment - MHIPU (started 2017), ED Upgrade and Key Worker Accommodation (commenced June 2018), Broken Hill Community Health Centre (opened July 2019), Broken Hill Town Square Redevelopment (scheduled completion December 2020).

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Broken Hill shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Broken Hill has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. The city's employment figure stands at 7,253 residents, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% higher than Rest of NSW's 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Broken Hill lags behind Rest of NSW, at 52.3% compared to 61.5%. According to Census data, only 4.7% of residents work from home. The key industries are health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. Mining is particularly prominent, with an employment share 4.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, at 1.0% compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Some residents commute elsewhere for work. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Broken Hill's labour force decreased by 4.1%, with employment declining by 4.8%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Broken Hill's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows median income in Broken Hill SA2 is $55,659 and average income is $66,175. This compares to Rest of NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $60,590 (median) and $72,038 (average). Census 2021 income data indicates Broken Hill's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 11th and 18th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows 27.2% of locals earn between $400 - $799, unlike regional levels where 29.9% earn between $1,500 - $2,999. Broken Hill residents retain 90.0% of their income after housing costs, ranking at the 18th percentile nationally for disposable income.

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

In Broken Hill, as per the latest Census evaluation, 94.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 5.1% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Broken Hill stood at 43.9%, with mortgaged properties making up 31.3% and rented dwellings accounting for 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $867, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733, and the median weekly rent was recorded at $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Broken Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 60.6% of all households, including 19.3% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 39.4%, with lone person households at 37.1% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 7.9% while certificates make up 30.7%.

Educational participation is high at 27.9%, including 10.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Broken Hill has 111 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 18 routes, providing a total of 707 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to these stops, with an average distance of 231 meters to the nearest one. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 93% of residents, while walking accounts for 4%. On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, only 4.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 101 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 6 weekly trips per stop. A map accompanying this analysis shows the locations of the 100 nearest stops to the area's centrepoint.

Health performance in Broken Hill is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Broken Hill faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

A range of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is held by approximately 52% of the total population (~9,151 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.0%) and asthma (10.2%), with 56.6% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age adults face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Broken Hill has a high proportion of seniors at 24.0%, or 4,215 people. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Broken Hill, surveyed in 2016, showed low cultural diversity with 89.1% citizens, 94.3% born in Australia, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated Broken Hill's religion at 43.8%, compared to 55.9% regionally. Ancestry-wise, Australian (34.2%), English (29.9%), and Aboriginal Australian (7.3%) were the top groups.

Notably, Maltese (1.2%) was overrepresented compared to regional levels (0.4%). Similarly, German (3.6%) and Filipino (1.1%) were also higher than regional averages of 3.1% and 0.6%, respectively.

Broken Hill hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Broken Hill has a median age of 43, matching the Rest of NSW figure and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age distribution indicates that individuals aged 25-34 are notably prominent at 12.8%, while those aged 45-54 comprise a smaller proportion at 9.9% compared to the Rest of NSW figure. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 35-44 has increased from 10.7% to 12.1%. Conversely, the age groups of 55-64 have decreased from 14.6% to 12.7%, and those aged 45-54 have dropped from 11.4% to 9.9%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant changes in Broken Hill's age structure. The population aged 85+ is projected to grow by 25%, reaching 654 people from the current figure of 521. Notably, all population growth will be accounted for by individuals aged 65 and above, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. In contrast, the age groups of 75-84 and 0-4 are expected to experience population declines.