Broken Hill

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

Broken Hill's population was approximately 17,563 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a decrease of 25 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,588. The change is inferred from an 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 ratio of 103 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Broken Hill has shown resilient growth patterns with a -0.6% compound annual growth rate, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration was primarily responsible for 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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. By 2041, the area's population is projected to decline by 4,161 persons according to this methodology. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 85 and over age group, which is 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. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, 33 homes were approved, with four more approved in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average value of new homes being built is $316,000. In terms of commercial development, $24.7 million worth of approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating moderate levels of activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Broken Hill records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 7th percentile nationally, leading to relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties. This lower-than-average activity suggests the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

All recent development has consisted of detached houses, preserving the area's low density character and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are estimated to be 3814 people per dwelling approval in the area, reflecting its quiet development environment. With stable or declining population forecasts, Broken Hill may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Broken Hill has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly: Silver City Energy Storage Centre (Hydrostor A-CAES), Broken Hill Health Service Redevelopment - MHIPU, ED Upgrade and Key Worker Accommodation, Broken Hill Community Health Centre, and Broken Hill Town Square Redevelopment.

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

Broken Hill's workforce comprises an equal mix of white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services well-represented. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.3%.

The city has 7,253 employed residents, with a 0.4% higher unemployment rate than Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Workforce participation stands at 52.0%, below Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries are health care & social assistance, mining, and retail trade. Mining is particularly strong, 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 based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Broken Hill's labour force decreased by 4.1%, employment fell by 4.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw a 0.5% employment decline and a 0.1% labour force contraction, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Statewide in NSW, employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of 25-Nov, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Broken Hill's employment mix suggests local employment should rise by 6.5% in five years and 13.9% in ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes, not accounting 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 median income in Broken Hill SA2 is $51,977 and average income stands at $62,526. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where median income is $49,459 and average income is $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $58,531 (median) and $70,411 (average). Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Broken Hill fall between the 11th and 18th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 27.2% of locals (4,777 people) predominantly earn within the $400 - $799 range, 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 dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consists of 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is comparable to Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure, which also stands at 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Broken Hill aligns with that of Non-Metro NSW, at 43.9%. The remaining dwellings are either mortgaged (31.3%) or rented (24.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Broken Hill is $867, mirroring the Non-Metro NSW average. However, the median weekly rent figure in Broken Hill is $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $205. Nationally, Broken Hill's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, reported as of 2021. Meanwhile, rents in Broken Hill are substantially below the national figure of $375, also reported for the year 2021.

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% couples with children, 26.0% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 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, which aligns with 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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. 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.

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 operating within its area. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 18 individual routes in total that collectively provide 1,046 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located 226 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 149 trips per day across all routes, which equates to 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 challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is held by approximately 51% of the total population (~8,974 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.0%) and asthma (10.2%). Conversely, 56.6% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 57.9% in Rest of NSW. Broken Hill has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.7% (4,167 people). The health outcomes among seniors largely mirror 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. The dominant religion in Broken Hill is Christianity, making up 43.8% of the population, compared to 44.9% across the rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (34.2%), English (29.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.3%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have different representations: Maltese at 1.2% in Broken Hill versus 1.1% regionally, German at 3.6% versus 3.6%, and Filipino at 1.1% versus 1.0%.

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

Broken Hill's median age is 44 years, similar to Rest of NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Broken Hill has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (12.9%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.2%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 10.7% to 11.8%, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 14.6% to 13.0% and the 45-54 group has dropped from 11.4% to 10.2%. By 2041, Broken Hill's age composition is expected to change significantly. The number of residents aged 85 and above will grow by 22%, reaching 654 from 535. This demographic aging trend continues as residents aged 65 and older represent all anticipated growth. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 45-54 age groups are expected to decrease in number.