Dubbo - East
Statistical Area - sa2

Dubbo - East is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Dubbo - East's population was around 10,815 as of Aug 2025, reflecting a 1.7% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 10,633 people. This growth is inferred from an estimated resident population of 10,802 in June 2024 and an additional 115 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 123 persons per square kilometer. Dubbo - East's growth rate of 1.7% since the census is within 1.5 percentage points of its SA4 region's growth rate of 3.2%. Natural growth contributed approximately 56.1% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections 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. Future population trends anticipate lower quartile growth for Australia's regional areas, with Dubbo - East expected to grow by 478 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 4.3% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Dubbo - East according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Dubbo - East recorded around 31 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25158 homes were approved, with a further 3 approved so far in FY-26. On average, over these years, 0.5 new residents arrived per new home built.

This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes was $586,000, slightly above the regional average. In FY-26, $106.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Dubbo - East shows approximately half the construction activity per person and places among the 43rd percentile nationally for areas assessed, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This lower level reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. In terms of new development, 45.0% consists of standalone homes while 55.0% are attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 83.0% houses. The estimated population density in Dubbo - East is 660 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Looking ahead to 2041, Dubbo - East is expected to grow by 462 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Dubbo - East has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include PCYC Western NSW Sports Hub, New Dubbo Bridge, No.1 Church Street, and NSW SES Dubbo Facility. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Dubbo - East has been broadly consistent with national averages

Dubbo - East has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.0%, as of June 2025.

In this period, 5,224 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.6% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. The workforce participation rate is 62.9%, higher than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, health care & social assistance employs 1.2 times the regional average.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 1.9% of local workers, lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The resident-to-worker ratio is 0.7, indicating ample employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.8%, while employment dropped by 3.0%, leading to a 1.2 percentage point increase in unemployment rate. Comparatively, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1% with a 0.3% labour force growth and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Statewide, NSW's employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) as of Sep-25, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, slightly lower than the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dubbo - East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows Dubbo - East had a median income of $52,660 and an average income of $62,191. This is lower than the national averages of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average) for Rest of NSW. By March 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.6%, median income in Dubbo - East is estimated at approximately $58,242 and average income at $68,783. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Dubbo - East are around the 52nd percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500-$2,999 captures 36.4% of individuals (3,936 people) in Dubbo - East, similar to the regional percentage of 29.9%. After housing expenses, 86.2% of income remains for other expenditures.

Dubbo - East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Dubbo - East, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 82.7% houses and 17.3% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings during the same period. In Dubbo - East, home ownership stood at 27.9%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 35.0% and rented properties comprising 37.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517 as of August 2016, exceeding the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,450. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Dubbo - East was recorded at $295, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280 during the same period. Nationally, Dubbo - East's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of August 2016, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 during that time.

Dubbo - East has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 71.8% of all households, including 29.2% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 13.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.2%, with lone person households at 25.1% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5 people.

Dubbo - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The qualification rate for university graduates in the area is 20.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 14.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.4% and graduate diplomas at 1.9%. Vocational credentials are common, with 39.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (30.5%). Educational participation is high, with 32.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 12.8% in primary, 8.5% in secondary, and 2.9% in tertiary education.

The five schools in Dubbo - East have a combined enrollment of 1,945 students. The educational mix includes three primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Dubbo - East has 310 active public transport stops. These are served by 82 routes offering a total of 1,319 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 142 meters.

On average, there are 188 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately four weekly trips per stop.

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

Dubbo - East faces significant health challenges, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% (around 5,526 people), slightly below the average SA2 area rate. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (10.5%) and mental health issues (10.2%). About 63.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.1% in Rest of NSW. Around 16.5% of residents are aged 65 or over (1,786 people), lower than the 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with the broader population's health profile.

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

Dubbo-East had a cultural diversity score below average, with 85.0% of its population being citizens, 90.3% born in Australia, and 91.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Dubbo-East, comprising 63.4%, compared to 65.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups were Australian (32.8%), English (26.8%), and Australian Aboriginal (13.3%).

Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Lebanese was overrepresented at 0.2% in Dubbo-East versus 0.1% regionally, Indian at 1.1% versus 0.8%, and Samoan at 0.1% versus 0%.

Dubbo - East's population is younger than the national pattern

Dubbo - East's median age is 35 years, significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.1% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 4.8%. As per the 2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 8.9% to 9.8% of the population, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 12.7% to 10.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Dubbo - East's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 50%, adding 258 residents to reach 777. Conversely, both the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.