Broken Hill
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Broken Hill's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 17,563 people. This figure represents a decrease of 25 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 17,588. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 17,541 in June 2024 and an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 103 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Broken Hill has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of -0.6%. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projections indicate an overall population decline of 4,161 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected 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 received approximately six dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 33 homes were approved. As of now, two dwellings have been approved in FY26.

Given population decline, new supply has likely met demand, providing good choice for buyers. The average expected construction cost value for new properties is $434,000, aligning with regional trends. In FY26, commercial approvals totalled $24.7 million, indicating steady investment activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Broken Hill records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 8th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties.

This activity is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. All new construction has been detached dwellings, preserving low density and attracting space-seeking buyers. With an estimated 3814 people per dwelling approval, Broken Hill maintains a quiet development environment. Given expected population stability or decline, housing pressure is likely to remain reduced, potentially creating buying opportunities.

Broken Hill has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 12thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact the region. Key initiatives include the Broken Hill Health Service Redevelopment, Silver City Energy Storage Centre (Hydrostor A-CAES), Silver City Energy Storage Centre, and Broken Hill Town Square Redevelopment. The following details those most relevant:.

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

Employment performance in Broken Hill has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Broken Hill has a diverse workforce consisting of both white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 4.4%.

In comparison to the Rest of NSW, Broken Hill had an unemployment rate that was 0.7% higher, at 3.7%, and a workforce participation rate that was lower, at 52.0% compared to 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents include health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. Notably, Broken Hill has a strong specialization in mining, with an employment share 4.6 times higher than the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is underrepresented, with only 1.0% of Broken Hill's workforce compared to 5.3% in Rest of NSW.

While there are local employment opportunities, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.8%, while employment declined by 3.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 1.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.1% fall in employment, a 0.3% increase in labour force, and an unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. State-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, with national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Broken Hill's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Broken Hill is below the national average. The median assessed income is $51,977 and the average income stands at $62,526. In contrast, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Broken Hill would be approximately $57,487 (median) and $69,154 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Broken Hill fall between the 11th and 19th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 27.2% of locals (4,777 people) have incomes in the $400 - $799 category, unlike regional trends where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Housing costs are modest with 90.0% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 18th percentile nationally.

Broken Hill is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Broken Hill's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings. This distribution mirrors Non-Metro NSW's figures at 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Broken Hill stood at 43.9%, comparable to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged properties at 31.3% and rented ones at 24.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $867, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average. Weekly rent in Broken Hill was $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $205. Nationally, Broken Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Broken Hill features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 60.6% of all households, including 19.3% that are couples with children, 26.0% that are couples without children, and 14.2% that are 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, matching the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

Broken Hill faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 13.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives in the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 9.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (30.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 2.7% pursuing tertiary education. A network of 10 schools operates within Broken Hill, educating approximately 2,551 students. Education provision is balanced with 8 primary and 2 secondary schools serving distinct age groups.

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

Broken Hill has 92 active public transport stops, including train and bus services. These stops are served by 18 routes that facilitate a total of 1,046 weekly passenger trips. The city's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents usually residing within 226 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 149 daily trips across all routes, resulting in approximately 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

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 issues, affecting both younger and older age groups.

Its private health cover rate is approximately 51%, slightly lower than the average SA2 area, covering around 8,974 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.0% of residents) and asthma (impacting 10.2%). Comparatively, 56.6% of residents claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 57.9% in the Rest of NSW. In Broken Hill, 23.7% of residents are aged 65 or above, totaling approximately 4,167 people. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges largely consistent with those of 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.1% of its population being Australian citizens, 94.3% born in Australia, and 96.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Broken Hill, comprising 43.8% of its population, compared to 44.9% across Rest of NSW. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (34.2%), English (29.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.3%).

Notably, Maltese were overrepresented at 1.2%, German at 3.6%, and Filipino at 1.1%.

Broken Hill hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Broken Hill's median age is 44 years, similar to the Rest of NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Broken Hill has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (12.9%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.2%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35-44 has increased from 10.7% to 11.8%, while the 55-64 age group has decreased from 14.6% to 13.0% and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 11.4% to 10.2%. By 2041, Broken Hill's population is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 22%, reaching 654 people from the current 535. This demographic aging will be led by residents aged 65 and older, who represent all of the anticipated growth. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 45-54 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.