Dubbo - West
Statistical Area - sa2

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 is 11,071 as of Aug 2025. This figure shows an increase of 754 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 10,317. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 10,902 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 159 persons per square kilometer. Dubbo - West's growth rate of 7.3% since the 2021 census exceeds the SA4 region's 3.2%. Population growth was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 51.3% to overall gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Dubbo - West is forecasted to increase by 2,798 persons, recording a 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 recorded approximately 74 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 373 homes were approved, with an additional 50 approved so far in FY26. Each dwelling built attracted an average of 2.4 new residents per year over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes was $496,000. This year has seen $31.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Dubbo West had approximately 29.0% more development per person over the five-year period, maintaining good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. The new building activity shows 83.0% detached dwellings and 17.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. With around 232 people per dwelling approval, Dubbo West indicates a developing market. Population forecasts suggest Dubbo West will gain approximately 2,628 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Dubbo - West has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth 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 Dubbo Residential Rehabilitation Centre, Bunglegumbie Road Residential Estate, Dubbo Firming Power Station, and Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The employment landscape in Dubbo - West presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.6%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Dubbo-West has an unemployment rate of 3.6% as of June 2025. There are 5,047 residents employed, with a workforce participation rate of 60.5%.

Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training, while agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 2.4% compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Dubbo-West saw a labour force decrease of 1.8% and an employment decline of 3.1%, resulting in a 1.3 percentage point increase in unemployment rate. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years.

Applying these projections to Dubbo-West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.7% 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 - West has lower income compared to national averages. The median income is $52,660 and the average is $62,191. In contrast, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 are approximately $59,300 (median) and $70,033 (average). Census 2021 income data indicates personal income ranks at the 59th percentile ($850 weekly), with household income at the 43rd percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 33.2% of Dubbo - West's community (3,675 individuals). After housing expenses, 85.4% of income remains for other expenses. AreaSearch ranks Dubbo - West in the 4th decile based on SEIFA income data.

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 29.2%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (38.1%) or rented (32.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, above Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent figure 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 comprise 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, 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 in 2020 was 20.5%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 14.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials were prevalent, with 37.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them – advanced diplomas at 9.3% and certificates at 28.0%. Educational participation was high, with 32.7% of residents enrolled in formal education as of 2021: 12.6% in primary, 8.8% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

Seven schools operated within Dubbo - West in 2022, educating approximately 1,681 students. The educational mix included two primary, two secondary, and three K-12 schools.

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

Dubbo-West has 162 active public transport stops. All are bus stops serviced by 35 routes. These routes provide a total of 558 weekly passenger trips.

The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 146 meters. On average, there are 79 trips per day across all routes, equating to 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 shows significant health challenges in Dubbo - West compared to averages, with higher prevalence of common conditions, particularly among older residents.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51%, slightly lower than the average SA2 area. 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, compared to 64.1% in Rest of NSW. Dubbo - West has 16.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,859 people), lower than the 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention due to these challenges.

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 score below average, with 85.4% being Australian citizens, 89.0% born in Australia, and 91.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Dubbo-West, making up 62.5%, compared to 65.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (29.5%), English (28.1%), and Australian Aboriginal (14.1%).

Notably, Korean representation was higher at 0.2% in Dubbo-West versus 0.1% regionally, as was Lebanese at 0.2% versus 0.1%, while Irish representation was slightly lower at 7.7% compared to 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 lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and significantly lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Dubbo-West at 17.1%, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 7.8%. Between January 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 that Dubbo-West's age profile will evolve significantly by the year 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to expand notably, increasing by 591 people (31%) from 1,889 to 2,481. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 cohort grows by a modest 5% (69 people).