Dubbo Surrounds

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

Dubbo Surrounds' population was around 6,291 as of November 2025. This showed an increase of 328 people (5.5%) since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,963 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,146 in June 2024 and an additional 110 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 1.5 persons per square kilometer. Dubbo Surrounds' growth of 5.5% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 3.0%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 56.1% to overall population gains during recent periods, with other drivers such as interstate and overseas migration also being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year are utilised. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median of national non-metropolitan areas, with the area expected to expand by 787 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 10.2% in total over the 17 years.

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

Dubbo Surrounds granted approximately 17 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, 85 homes were approved, with a further 5 approved in FY-26. Each dwelling built over these years attracted an average of 2.8 new residents yearly, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $273,000, below regional norms, offering more affordable housing options. This financial year saw $4.8 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to Rest of NSW, Dubbo Surrounds had roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranked among the 14th percentile nationally, suggesting limited choices for buyers but supporting demand for existing homes. New development primarily consisted of detached dwellings (90.0%) with a smaller proportion of medium and high-density housing (10.0%), maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval was 1404 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections estimate Dubbo Surrounds to add 642 residents by 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, providing 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 influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 49 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include PCYC Western NSW Sports Hub, NSW SES Dubbo Unit Headquarters, Blueridge Business Park, and New Dubbo Bridge. 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.

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 and an unemployment rate of 0.9% as of September 2025. It has 3,265 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. The workforce participation rate is 66.9%, higher than the 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 has a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 2.8 times the regional level. However, accommodation & food services is under-represented, with only 4.5% of the workforce compared to 7.8% in Rest of NSW.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. From September 2024 to September 2025, the labour force decreased by 3.9% and employment declined by 4.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5%, labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, issued in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dubbo Surrounds's employment mix suggests 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 localised population projections.

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 2023 shows median income in Dubbo Surrounds SA2 was $54,017 and average income was $62,027. This is lower than Rest of NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated median income as of September 2025 would be approximately $58,803 and average income $67,523. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Dubbo Surrounds cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Distribution data shows 35.1% (2,208 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band. After housing costs, residents retain 89.2% of income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

In Dubbo Surrounds, as per the latest Census evaluation, 98.8% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 1.3% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dubbo Surrounds stood at 43.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.4% and rented ones at 9.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average, while the median weekly rent was $265 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Dubbo Surrounds' median monthly mortgage repayments were lower at $1,733 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $265 against 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 comprise the remaining 18.9%, with lone person households at 17.1% and group households making up 1.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, 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 discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 14.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15 and above, with 46.9% holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (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 transportation in Dubbo Surrounds indicates that there are currently 319 active transport stops operating. These consist of a mix of train and bus services. A total of 48 individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 444 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility 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 dominant mode of transportation remains the car, used by 96% of residents.

Vehicle ownership averages 2.3 per dwelling in Dubbo Surrounds, which is above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 17.3% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages approximately 63 trips per day, equating to about one weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map displays 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 comparable to national benchmarks. The prevalence of common health conditions is low across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 50% (~3,132 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent 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. As of 2021, 19.6% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,236 people), lower than the 23.0% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning 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 had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 89.6% of its population being Australian citizens, 95.6% born in Australia, and 99.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Dubbo Surrounds, comprising 71.8% of people, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (37.2%), English (30.7%), and Irish (9.2%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 6.2%, Maltese was equally represented at 0.4%, and Scottish was slightly underrepresented at 7.6%.

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 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are prominent at 14.7%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 9.1% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 10.1% to 12.7%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 12.2%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 15.4% to 13.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Dubbo Surrounds. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 167 residents to reach 740. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts are projected to decline in population.