Glen Innes
Statistical Area - sa2

Glen Innes is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Glen Innes' population is approximately 9,178 as of Aug 2025. This figure represents an increase of 247 people, a growth rate of 2.8%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 8,931. The change was inferred from ABS estimates: Glen Innes' population reached 8,987 by June 2024, with an additional 51 validated new addresses recorded since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1.7 persons per square kilometer. Glen Innes' growth exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.7%), positioning it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 66.0% to recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022; for uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 (base year: 2021) are applied. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are used for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends suggest lower quartile growth in regional areas nationwide; Glen Innes is expected to increase by 61 persons to 2041, marking a decrease of 1.5% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Glen Innes, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Glen Innes has recorded around 15 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data from the ABS is on a financial year basis, with 75 homes approved over the past five years (FY-20 to FY-25), and no approvals yet in FY-26. On average, 0.4 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY-20 and FY-25, indicating new construction matches or exceeds demand. The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $422,000, aligning with regional trends.

This financial year has seen $7.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Glen Innes has approximately two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 28th percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer options but strong demand for established properties. New building activity consists of 83.0% detached houses and 17.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining Glen Innes's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 645 people, reflecting its quiet development environment.

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

Glen Innes has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

A total of 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the Glen Innes Battery Energy Storage System, New England Highway Safety Upgrades, Glen Innes Hospital Redevelopment, and St Joseph's Convent Function Centre (Glen Innes). The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment performance in Glen Innes exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Glen Innes has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented.

The unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.3%. As of June 2025, there are 4,353 residents employed and the workforce participation rate is 47.1%, significantly lower than the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Glen Innes has a particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level. However, construction employment is limited at 6.2%, compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force grew by 3.3%, leading to a decrease in unemployment of 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data for NSW up to Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, with a higher employment growth rate of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Glen Innes' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's data for Glen Innes in financial year 2022 shows a median taxpayer income of $37,391 and an average of $45,254. This is below the national average. The Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Glen Innes would be approximately $41,354 (median) and $50,051 (average) as of March 2025. Census data indicates that incomes in Glen Innes fall between the 2nd and 5th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 32.3% of Glen Innes' population earns within the $400 - $799 range, unlike metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. The concentration of 43.7% in sub-$800 weekly brackets suggests economic challenges for a significant portion of Glen Innes' community. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 87.0% income retention, total disposable income ranks at just the 4th percentile nationally.

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

The structure of dwellings in Glen Innes, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 93.0% houses and 6.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Innes was at 48.5%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (25.7%) or rented (25.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Glen Innes was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,100. The median weekly rent figure for Glen Innes was recorded at $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $240. Nationally, Glen Innes's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Glen Innes features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 61.8% of all households, including 18.2% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.2%, with lone person households at 35.6% and group households making up 2.7%. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Glen Innes 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 15.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.3%, followed by graduate diplomas at 2.0% and postgraduate qualifications at 1.9%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 31.7%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.5% in primary, 8.8% in secondary, and 2.3% in tertiary education. Glen Innes has a robust network of 8 schools serving approximately 1,134 students, comprising 6 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school.

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

Glen Innes has 431 active public transport stops, operating a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 27 different routes, offering a total of 261 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 276 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 37 trips per day across all routes, resulting in roughly 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Glen Innes is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Glen Innes faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% (around 4,276 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis, impacting 12.1%, and mental health issues, affecting 9.7% of residents. However, 58.6% reported being free from medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 61.0%. Glen Innes has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 30.1% (2,762 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 27.4%.

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

Glen Innes, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity index below average. Its population was predominantly Australian-born citizens with English spoken primarily at home: 86.7%, 91.6%, and 97.4% respectively. Christianity was the dominant religion in Glen Innes, comprising 64.4% of its population, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 64.8%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.9%), Australian (31.9%), and Scottish (9.3%). Notably, Australian Aboriginals were overrepresented in Glen Innes at 5.2%, compared to the regional average of 6.4%. German and Irish ancestry also showed notable representation: 3.9% each for both Glen Innes and its region.

Glen Innes ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Glen Innes has a median age of 50, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and well above the national average of 38. The percentage of people aged 65-74 in Glen Innes is 15.8%, compared to 9.4% nationally and 12.7% in the Rest of NSW. The 35-44 age group, however, makes up only 8.6% of Glen Innes's population, lower than both the national figure of 10.5% and the Rest of NSW figure of 10.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the percentage of people aged 75-84 in Glen Innes has increased from 9.6% to 10.6%, while the percentages for the 45-54 age group have decreased from 12.0% to 10.8% and the 55-64 age group have dropped from 15.9% to 14.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Glen Innes's population aged 85 and above will increase significantly, growing by 258 people (76%) from 337 to 596. The combined age groups of 65 and above are projected to account for 88% of total population growth in Glen Innes. Conversely, the populations aged 5-14 and 45-54 are projected to decline.