Dorrigo
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Dorrigo's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 3,229 people. This figure represents a decrease of 21 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,250. The estimated resident population in June 2024 was 3,227, with an additional 42 validated new addresses added post-Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.6 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration predominantly drove the area's population growth 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 from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Dorrigo's population is projected to decrease by 124 persons overall, while the 35 to 44 age cohort is expected to grow by 88 individuals.

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

Dorrigo has approved approximately seven dwellings annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 37 homes received approval, with one more approved in FY26 so far. Despite population decline, housing supply has been adequate relative to demand, maintaining a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average value of new homes being built is $402,000, aligning with regional patterns. This financial year has seen $2.7 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to Rest of NSW, Dorrigo records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 36th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice that supports interest in existing dwellings. This level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, preserving Dorrigo's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With an estimated 470 people per dwelling approval, it reflects a quiet, low activity development environment. Population projections indicating stability or decline should reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers in the area.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region. Key projects are Waterfall Way Corridor Strategy, Doughboy Wind Farm, Pacific Highway Upgrade: Hexham To Brisbane, and Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements. Relevant details are listed below.

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

The labour market performance in Dorrigo lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Dorrigo has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate was 5.6% in the past year, showing an estimated growth of 0.9%.

As of June 2025, 1,308 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is 2.0% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Dorrigo lags at 47.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly notable, with employment levels at 4.6 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 11.9% of Dorrigo's workforce compared to 16.9% in Rest of NSW. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.9%, labour force increased by 3.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 2.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National unemployment rate is 4.5%, and national employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dorrigo's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.5% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022, Dorrigo had a median income among taxpayers of $37,073. The average income level stood at $47,870. This was lower than the national average and compared to levels of $49,459 and $62,998 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for median income in Dorrigo would be approximately $41,003 by March 2025. Average income is estimated to reach $52,944 by the same period. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Dorrigo all fall between the 2nd and 5th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows 30.1% of the population (971 individuals) fall within the $400 - 799 income range. In contrast, the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. With 42.4% earning under $800 per week, the area faces considerable income constraints affecting local spending patterns. While housing costs are modest with 87.2% of income retained, total disposable income ranks at just the 5th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Dorrigo, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 95.5% houses and 4.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dorrigo stood at 56.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.5% and rented dwellings at 19.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,200, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Dorrigo was $280, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $370. Nationally, Dorrigo's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.5% of all households, consisting of 17.8% couples with children, 33.5% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 38.5%, with lone person households at 35.7% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Dorrigo fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 20.1% significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.0%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (29.6%).

Educational participation is high at 25.9%, including primary education (10.2%), secondary education (7.0%), and tertiary education (2.3%). Dorrigo has a robust network of 8 schools educating approximately 306 students, with varied educational conditions across the area. The educational mix includes 6 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. School places per 100 residents are lower at 9.5 compared to the regional average of 15.6, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

The analysis of public transport in Dorrigo indicates that there are 159 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of buses, with a total of 10 individual routes providing service to the area. Collectively, these routes offer 110 weekly passenger trips.

The report rates transport accessibility as good, with residents on average located 201 meters from their nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 15 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Dorrigo is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data shows significant challenges in Dorrigo regarding common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally low at approximately 46%, affecting around 1,485 people, compared to 48% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (10.2%) and mental health concerns (8.8%).

About 62.9% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 63.9% in Rest of NSW. Dorrigo has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 33.2%, or around 1,073 people, compared to 23.9% in Rest of NSW. Notably, health outcomes among seniors in Dorrigo are robust, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Dorrigo, as per the data, shows a lower level of cultural diversity compared to averages. It has 87.9% citizens and 87.9% born in Australia, with 96.7% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 45.7%.

While Judaism is similarly represented at 0.1%, it is proportionally equal to the Rest of NSW region. The top three ancestry groups are English (32.5%), Australian (30.4%), and Irish (10.1%). Notably, Scottish ancestry is higher in Dorrigo at 9.5% compared to the regional average of 8.3%. Welsh ancestry also shows a slight increase at 0.8%, while Australian Aboriginal ancestry is lower than the region's average at 3.1% versus 4.0%.

Dorrigo ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Dorrigo is 54 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. The 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in Dorrigo at 19.2%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 15-24 are under-represented at 6.8%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the current period, the proportion of the population in the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 17.1% to 19.2%, while the 35 to 44 cohort has increased from 8.8% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 19.8% to 17.2% and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 12.4% to 10.3%. By 2041, Dorrigo is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 35 to 44 age cohort projected to grow steadily by 71 people (21%) from 337 to 409. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 25 to 34 and 5 to 14 years.