Dubbo Surrounds

Population growth drivers in Dubbo Surrounds are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Dubbo Surrounds' population is approximately 6,330 as of February 2026. This figure indicates a rise of 367 people, representing a 6.2% increase since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5,963. The change is estimated from the ABS's June 2024 ERP of 6,146 and an additional 123 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 1.5 persons per square kilometer. Dubbo Surrounds' growth of 6.2% since 2021 surpassed the SA4 region's 3.2%. Natural growth contributed approximately 56.1% to recent population gains, with all migration factors also being positive.

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 (base year 2021) are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for locations outside capital cities. By 2041, Dubbo Surrounds is expected to expand by 787 persons, reflecting a total gain of 9.5% over the 17 years based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Dubbo Surrounds recorded approximately 17 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 85 homes were approved, with a further 5 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling built over this period attracted an average of 2.8 new residents per year, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes was $273,000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options for purchasers. This financial year, $4.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Dubbo Surrounds has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 14th percentile nationally, suggesting limited housing choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New development consists predominantly of detached dwellings, with 90.0% of approved properties being so, while medium and high-density housing accounts for the remaining 10.0%, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes.

The estimated population density is 1404 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate Dubbo Surrounds to add 603 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development patterns continue, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Dubbo Surrounds has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 49 such projects that may affect the region. Notable ones include PCYC Western NSW Sports Hub, NSW SES Dubbo Unit Headquarters, Blueridge Business Park, and New Dubbo Bridge. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Dubbo Surrounds performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Dubbo Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 0.9% as of September 2025. It has 3,265 residents in work, with an unemployment rate 3.0% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is higher at 66.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%.

According to Census responses, 17.3% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries are agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Dubbo Surrounds specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 2.8 times the regional level, but accommodation & food is under-represented at 4.5% compared to Rest of NSW's 7.8%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population and resident population.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, Dubbo Surrounds' labour force decreased by 3.9%, while employment declined by 4.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Dubbo Surrounds' employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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 2023 shows that Dubbo Surrounds SA2 had a median income of $54,017 and an average income of $62,027. This is lower than the national averages of $58,922 (median) and $71,892 (average). For Rest of NSW, the median income was $52,390 with an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $58,803 (median) and $67,523 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Dubbo Surrounds' household, family, and personal incomes are at the 61st percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 35.1% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (2,221 individuals), similar to the broader regional trend of 29.9%. After housing costs, residents retain 89.2% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Dubbo Surrounds, as evaluated at the Census conducted on 28 August 2016, comprised 98.8% houses and 1.3% other dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dubbo Surrounds was 43.9%, with the rest either mortgaged (46.4%) or rented (9.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. Median weekly rent was $265, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Dubbo Surrounds' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Dubbo Surrounds features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 81.1% of all households, including 38.5% couples with children, 33.7% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 18.9%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 14.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 46.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 10.3% and certificates for 36.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.3% in primary education, 10.7% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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 Dubbo Surrounds indicates that there are currently 319 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops consist of a mix of train and bus services. There are 48 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 444 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 219 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The car remains the dominant mode of transport in the area at 96%.

Vehicle ownership averages 2.3 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 17.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect the conditions related to COVID-19. The service frequency across all routes averages 63 trips per day, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. A map accompanies this analysis and shows the locations of the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Dubbo Surrounds's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data for Dubbo Surrounds shows positive outcomes, with mortality rates and health conditions similar to national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 50% (~3,152 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (9.1%) and asthma (9.0%), with 66.7% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW. Working-age residents have an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. 19.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,257 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

The latest Census data sees Dubbo Surrounds placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Dubbo Surrounds was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 89.6% of its population being Australian citizens and 95.6% born in Australia. The majority, 99.1%, spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 71.8% of people in Dubbo Surrounds, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group at 37.2%, higher than the regional average of 30.0%. English followed at 30.7%, with Irish at 9.2%. Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 6.2% compared to 4.6% regionally, Maltese remained at 0.4%, and Scottish was slightly higher at 7.6% versus 8.0%.

Dubbo Surrounds's median age exceeds the national pattern

Dubbo Surrounds' median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43 but older than Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 55-64 are prominent at 14.6%, while those aged 25-34 comprise a smaller proportion at 9.3% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and the present, the population of individuals aged 15-24 has grown from 10.1% to 13.0%, while the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.2% to 6.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 age cohort has declined from 14.1% to 11.8%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 15.4% to 13.5%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Dubbo Surrounds. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow strongly by 26%, adding 153 residents to reach a total of 740. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 age cohorts.