Gilgandra
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Gilgandra's population was approximately 4,450 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 52 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 4,398. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: Gilgandra had an estimated resident population of 4,411 in June 2024 and gained 58 validated new addresses after the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 0.80 persons per square kilometer. Gilgandra's 1.2% growth since census is within 2.0 percentage points of its SA4 region (3.2%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.6% 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, 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. Projections indicate an overall population decline over this period, with Gilgandra's population expected to reduce by 455 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group projected to expand by 27 people.

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

Gilgandra has averaged approximately six new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 31 homes were approved. As of FY26, there have been zero approvals so far.

Despite population decline in the area, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average value of new homes being built is $510,000. In terms of commercial development, $1.6 million worth of approvals have been recorded in FY26, indicating minimal activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Gilgandra records significantly lower building activity, at 75.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

Nationally, this activity is also below average, which reflects the area's maturity and may indicate possible planning constraints. All recent development has comprised detached dwellings, maintaining Gilgandra's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 809 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, Gilgandra should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Gilgandra has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan, Aero Park Residential Estate, Gilgandra Solar Farm, and Inland Rail - Narromine to Narrabri. 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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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.3%, Gilgandra has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Gilgandra has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, well-represented essential services sectors, and an unemployment rate of 3.3% as of June 2025. The town's employment rate is 0.4% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Gilgandra is somewhat below standard at 54.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Gilgandra shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 5.6 times the regional level. Conversely, construction is under-represented at 5.3% compared to Rest of NSW's 9.7%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited, indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, Gilgandra's labour force decreased by 1.8%, employment decreased by 2.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Gilgandra's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.3% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

Income in Gilgandra was lower than average nationally during financial year 2022. The median income was $44,194 and the average was $50,243. This contrasted with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,767 (median) and $56,579 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Gilgandra all fell between the 10th and 16th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile showed that 28.8% of Gilgandra's population (1,281 individuals) had incomes within the $800 - $1,499 range, unlike regional trends where 29.9% fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Housing costs were modest in Gilgandra, with 89.4% of income retained. However, total disposable income ranked at just the 16th percentile nationally.

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

In Gilgandra, as per the latest Census, 92.9% of dwellings were houses while 7.1% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gilgandra stood at 45.7%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 27.8% and rented dwellings making up 26.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent in Gilgandra was $200 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Gilgandra's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Gilgandra has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.1% of all households, including 22.8% couples with children, 31.4% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.9%, with lone person households at 29.7% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 15.1%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (31.3%).

Educational participation is high at 29.8%, including 12.9% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 1.2% pursuing tertiary education. Gilgandra's four schools have a combined enrollment of 559 students as of the latest data. The area has varied educational conditions across Gilgandra, with three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents are at 12.6, below the regional average of 16.2, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Gilgandra has 209 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 22 individual routes, collectively providing 184 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 239 meters, indicating good transport accessibility.

On average, there are 26 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Gilgandra is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Gilgandra faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering around 2,055 people, compared to 49.7% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (11.2%) and asthma (8.7%).

About 62.7% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.1% in Rest of NSW. Gilgandra has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 24.9%, or around 1,107 people, than the 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Gilgandra's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.3% of its population being Australian citizens, 96.2% born in Australia, and 98.3% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Gilgandra is Christianity, making up 70.8% of the population, compared to 65.6% across the Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups represented are Australian (34.9%), English (30.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.3%).

Notably, Irish ethnicity is overrepresented in Gilgandra at 8.5%, compared to 8.2% regionally, and Scottish ethnicity is also higher at 7.5%, compared to the regional average of 6.6%.

Gilgandra hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Gilgandra has a median age of 46, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and significantly higher than the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group makes up 15.1% of Gilgandra's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 8.9%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 0-4 age group has increased from 6.2% to 7.3%, but the 25-34 cohort has declined from 10.4% to 8.9%. By 2041, Gilgandra's age composition is expected to change notably. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 9 people, reaching 395 from 361. This growth will be led by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 25-34 age cohorts.