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 approximately 10,815 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 182 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 10,633. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,802 in June 2024 and an additional 115 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 123 persons per square kilometer. Dubbo - East's growth rate of 1.7% since the census is within 1.5 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 56.1% of overall 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, AreaSearch utilises 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 indicate lower quartile growth for Australia's regional areas, with Dubbo - East expected to grow by 478 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 4.3% over the 17-year period.

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

Dubbo - East recorded approximately 31 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 158 homes were approved, with a further 3 approved in FY26 so far. On average, about 0.5 new residents arrived per year for each new home during these five years, indicating that new supply has kept pace with or exceeded demand.

The average construction cost value of new homes was $586,000, slightly above the regional average, suggesting a focus on quality developments. This financial year, $106.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Dubbo - East shows approximately half the construction activity per person and ranks among the 43rd percentile nationally, indicating more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New development consists of 45% standalone homes and 55% attached dwellings, a shift from the area's current housing composition of 83% houses. This skew towards compact living offers affordable entry pathways, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The estimated population density is 660 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet 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 further 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 influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include New Dubbo Bridge, PCYC Western NSW Sports Hub, No.1 Church Street, and NSW SES Dubbo Unit Headquarters. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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

Dubbo East has a skilled workforce with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% as of June 2025.

The area had 5,224 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.6% below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Dubbo East was 62.9%, compared to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area had a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.2 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 1.9% of local workers, below the Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicated higher-than-average employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and July 2025, labour force decreased by 1.8%, while employment decreased by 3.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates varied significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Dubbo East's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Dubbo - East has lower than average national income. The median income is $52,660 and the average is $62,191. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Dubbo - East are approximately $59,300 (median) and $70,033 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that Dubbo - East's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally. Income brackets show that 36.4% of Dubbo - East residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (3,936 individuals), similar to the regional figure of 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.2% of income remains for other expenses.

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 2016 Census, comprised 82.7% houses and 17.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dubbo - East was 27.9%, with the remainder either mortgaged (35.0%) or rented (37.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent in Dubbo - East was $295, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Dubbo - East's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate in 2016 was 20.6%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 14.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials were prevalent, with 39.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 30.5%. Educational participation was high, with 32.3% of residents enrolled in formal education as of 2016.

This included 12.8% in primary, 8.5% in secondary, and 2.9% in tertiary education. As of 2017, Dubbo - East's five schools had a combined enrollment of 1,945 students. The area comprised varied educational conditions, featuring three primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school.

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

Transport analysis in Dubbo - East shows 310 active transport stops operating. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 82 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 1,319 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 142 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 188 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual 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, as indicated by health data.

Both younger and older age groups have high prevalence rates for common health conditions. Private health cover is lower than average at approximately 51% of the total population (~5,526 people). Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 10.5% and 10.2% of residents respectively. However, 63.8% of residents report having no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW average of 64.1%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.5%, compared to 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly similar to those of the general population.

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 Australian citizens, 90.3% born in Australia, and 91.9% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Dubbo-East was Christianity, comprising 63.4%, compared to 65.6% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.8%), English (26.8%), and Australian Aboriginal (13.3%).

Notably, Lebanese people were overrepresented at 0.2%, Indians at 1.1%, and Samoans at 0.1% compared to regional averages of 0.1%, 0.8%, and 0.0% respectively.

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

Dubbo - East's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. 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%. According to the 2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 8.9% to 9.8% of the population. Conversely, 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 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 50%, adding 258 residents to reach 777. Both the 5-14 and 15-24 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.