Far West
Statistical Area - sa2

Far West has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Far West's population is approximately 2,508 as of August 2025. This figure represents a growth of 220 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,288 people. The increase is inferred from an estimated resident population of 2,307 in June 2024 and an additional 193 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of approximately 0.00 persons per square kilometer. Far West's growth rate of 9.6% since the 2021 census surpassed that of the SA3 area (1.0%) and the SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 60.0% 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 the 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 years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, projections indicate an overall population decline of 396 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 85 and over age group, projected to expand by 48 people during this period.

The level of residential development activity in Far West is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Far West has had minimal residential development activity with 1 dwelling approval annually over the past five years, totalling 6. This low level of development is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that the small sample size can significantly impact annual growth and relative statistics.

Far West has considerably lower development activity compared to Rest of NSW and national averages. Recent building activity consists solely of standalone homes, reflecting rural living preferences for space and privacy. The population estimate per dwelling approval is 672 people, indicating a quiet, low-activity development environment. With stable or declining population forecasts, Far West may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Far West may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Far West has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 12thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly impact local performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects potentially influencing the area. Key projects include Broken Hill Health Service Redevelopment, Silver City Energy Storage Centre (Hydrostor A-CAES), Broken Hill Community Health Centre, and Broken Hill Town Square Redevelopment. The following list details those likely most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Far West face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Far West has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 7.6%.

The unemployment rate in Far West is 3.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation lags significantly at 46.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Far West shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 8.6 times the regional level.

In contrast, health care & social assistance employs just 7.6% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data. From Jun-24 to Jul-25, Far West experienced a 1.9% decrease in labour force and a 5.4% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 3.4 percentage points. Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Far West's employment could increase by approximately 4.5% over five years and 10.4% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections mapped against the local employment profile.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Far West was $49,913, lower than the national average of $62,238. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $55,204 (median) and $68,835 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data shows Far West incomes fall between the 7th and 10th percentiles nationally. In Far West, 26.6% earn $800 - 1,499, while in metropolitan regions, 29.9% earn $1,500 - 2,999. Housing costs allow for retention of 92.3% of income, but total disposable income ranks at the 15th percentile nationally.

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

Far West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 94.9% houses and 5.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Far West was 49.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 13.1% and rented ones at 37.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Far West was $932, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $867 but significantly lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Far West was $150, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $205 and substantially below the national figure of $375.

Far West features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.3% of all households, including 20.4% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 14.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 36.7% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.2.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 15.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (27.1%). Educational participation is high at 33.1%, comprising 14.7% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

There are six schools operating within Far West, educating approximately 220 students. The educational mix includes three primary and three K-12 schools. School places per 100 residents stand at 8.7, below the regional average of 13.8, with some students potentially attending schools in neighboring areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 16 active stops operating in Far West. These include a mix of train and bus services. They are served by 10 individual routes, providing a total of 1,079 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 21460 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 154 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 67 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Far West is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Far West faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 51% of the total population (~1,281 people), slightly lagging that of the average SA2 area. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.2 and 8.2% of residents respectively. 68.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 57.9% across Rest of NSW. As of 2016 (the latest available data), 21.1% of residents were aged 65 and over (528 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Far West's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 80.6% of its population being citizens, 95.1% born in Australia, and 98.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Far West as of 2016 census data, comprising 53.8% of people, compared to 44.9% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were Australian (27.0%), English (24.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (24.2%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 4.1%, compared to the regional average of 3.6%. Macedonian ancestry was also present at 0.1%, while it was not reported regionally.

Far West hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Far West has a median age of 43, matching Rest of NSW's figure and exceeding Australia's national average of 38 years. The age distribution shows that those aged 45-54 are notably prominent at 13.0%, while the 35-44 group is smaller at 10.1% compared to Rest of NSW. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 5.7% to 7.6%, while those aged 15 to 24 increased from 10.8% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 group declined from 11.4% to 10.1%, and the 65 to 74 group decreased from 12.9% to 11.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Far West's age structure. The 85+ population is expected to grow by 95% (from 44 to 87 people), with the combined 65+ age groups accounting for all total population growth. Conversely, those aged 25-34 and 0-4 are projected to experience population declines.