Dubbo - West

Dubbo - West lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Dubbo - West's population was around 11,076 as of November 2025, showing an increase of 759 people since the 2021 Census. The population in 2021 was reported to be 10,317 people. This growth is inferred from ABS data indicating an estimated resident population of 10,905 as of June 2024 and an additional 315 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 159 persons per square kilometer. Dubbo - West's population growth of 7.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (3.4%) and the SA3 area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 51.3% to overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration being positive factors.

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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Dubbo - West is forecasted to increase by 2,798 persons, reflecting a total gain of 23.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Dubbo - West among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Dubbo - West granted around 74 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25373 homes were approved, with a further 57 approved in FY26 so far. Each dwelling built resulted in an average of 2.4 new residents per year over these five years.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $324,000. This financial year has seen $31.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the rest of NSW, Dubbo - West had 29.0% more development per person over this five-year period, supporting property values while maintaining good buyer choice.

However, development activity has moderated recently. The area maintains its traditional low density character with 83.0% detached dwellings and 17.0% medium to high-density housing. With around 232 people per dwelling approval, Dubbo - West shows a developing market. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 2,623 residents by 2041, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections. However, buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Dubbo - West has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects that could affect the region. Notable projects include Dubbo Firming Power Station, Dubbo Residential Rehabilitation Centre, Bunglegumbie Road Residential Estate, and Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

The employment landscape in Dubbo - West presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.7%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Dubbo - West had an unemployment rate of 3.7% as of September 2025. It had a workforce of 5,101 residents with an unemployment rate of 0.2% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

The workforce participation was at 60.5%, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment industries were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training, while agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented at 2.4% compared to 5.3% in the Rest of NSW. In the year ending September 2025, Dubbo - West's labour force decreased by 3.8%, with employment declining by 4.7%.

This resulted in an unemployment rate increase of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, the Rest of NSW saw a 0.5% employment decline and a 0.1% labour force decrease, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Statewide, NSW's employment contracted by 0.03% between November 2024 and November 2025, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Dubbo - West's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 - West SA2 has a lower median income of $52,660 and an average income of $62,191 compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $59,300 (median) and $70,033 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. Census 2021 income data indicates that personal income ranks at the 59th percentile ($850 weekly) and household income at the 42nd percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.2% of Dubbo - West SA2's community (3,677 individuals), similar to regional levels where 29.9% fall within this bracket. After housing expenses, 85.4% of income remains for other expenses, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Dubbo - West, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.3% houses and 13.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dubbo - West was at 29.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.1% and rented ones at 32.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. Median weekly rent in Dubbo - West was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Dubbo - West's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 71.4% of all households, including 29.4% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 14.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.6%, with lone person households at 25.2% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 20.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (28.0%). Educational participation is high at 32.7%, comprising 12.6% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.6% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Dubbo-West has 162 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 35 different routes that together facilitate 558 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 146 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 79 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately three weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Dubbo - West is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Dubbo - West compared to average SA2 areas.

Prevalence of common conditions is substantially higher, particularly among older age cohorts. Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~5659 people), slightly lower than the average. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 9.8% and 9.1% of residents respectively. 64.8% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Rest of NSW at 64.1%. Dubbo - West has 16.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1860 people), lower than the 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to specific challenges faced by this cohort.

Dubbo - West ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Dubbo-West had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 85.4% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (89.0%), and speaking English only at home (91.5%). Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 62.5%, slightly lower than the 65.6% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (29.5%), English (28.1%), and Australian Aboriginal (14.1%).

Notably, Korean (0.2%) and Lebanese (0.2%) ethnicities were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.1% each. Irish ethnicity was slightly underrepresented at 7.7%, compared to the regional average of 8.2%.

Dubbo - West hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Dubbo - West has a median age of 34, which is significantly lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's median age of 38 years. Comparing Dubbo - West with the Rest of NSW average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 17.1%, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 15.2% to 17.1% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 12.3% to 13.5%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 15.2% to 13.3%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 10.8% to 9.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Dubbo - West's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 590 people (31%) from 1,890 to 2,481. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows modestly by 5% (68 people).