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's population is approximately 9,184 as of Nov 2025. This figure represents an increase of 253 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,931. The growth from Jun 2024 to Nov 2025 is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data and validated new addresses. The population density ratio is 1.7 persons per square kilometer. Glen Innes's growth rate of 2.8% since the Census is comparable to its SA3 area's growth rate of 2.9%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains in 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. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth in regional areas, with Glen Innes expected to increase by 61 persons to 2041 based on the latest numbers, resulting in a decrease of 1.6% 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 approximately 15 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 78 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY26. On average, over these five years, about 0.4 new residents arrived per new home built.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings during this period was $297,000. In the current financial year, $7.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Rest of NSW, Glen Innes records about 62% of building activity per person and ranks among the 28th percentile nationally for areas assessed, indicating more limited choices for buyers but supporting demand for existing homes. Recent construction comprises 83.0% standalone homes and 17.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining Glen Innes' traditional low density character with a focus on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is around 645 people in the area. 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

Twenty-one infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the Glen Innes Hospital Redevelopment, Glen Innes Battery Energy Storage System, New England Highway Safety Upgrades, 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.

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The employment environment in Glen Innes shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Glen Innes has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 2.9%.

Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 4.3%. As of June 2025, 4,353 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.7% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Glen Innes is 47.1%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly strong, with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level. Construction has limited presence at 6.2% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force increased by 3.3%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Glen Innes's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.6% over five years and 12.1% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Glen Innes had a median income among taxpayers of $37,391 and an average of $45,254. These figures are below the national averages. The Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for Glen Innes as of September 2025 would be approximately $42,106 (median) and $50,961 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Glen Innes all fall between the 2nd and 5th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 32.3% of Glen Innes' population (2,966 individuals) earn within the $400 - $799 range, differing from 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 with 87.0% of income retained, 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

Glen Innes had 92.6% houses and 7.4% other dwellings as per the latest Census data. Non-Metro NSW had 93.0% houses and 6.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Glen Innes was 48.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.7% and rented ones at 25.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Glen Innes was $1,083 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $1,100. Median weekly rent in Glen Innes was $220, while Non-Metro NSW had $240. Nationally, Glen Innes's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,083 versus Australia's average of $1,863. Rents in Glen Innes 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 comprise 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 account for the remaining 38.2%, with lone person households at 35.6% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is 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 below 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 (2.0%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (31.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education at 11.5%, secondary education at 8.8%, and tertiary education at 2.3%. A network of 8 schools operates within Glen Innes, educating approximately 1,134 students. The area has varied educational conditions, including 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 offering a mix of train and bus services. These are serviced by 27 routes providing 261 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents have good transport accessibility, with an average distance of 276 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 37 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 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 4,279 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.1%) and mental health issues (9.7%). However, 58.6% of residents report having no 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% (2,764 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 citizens, with 86.7% holding citizenship and 91.6% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 97.4%.

Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 64.4%, compared to 64.8% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (32.9%), Australian (31.9%), and Scottish (9.3%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher than regional averages at 5.2% versus 6.4%, while German and Irish representations matched regional levels at 3.9% and 9.1% respectively.

Glen Innes ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Glen Innes has a median age of 50, which is higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and well above Australia's national average of 38 years. The age group of 65-74 years shows strong representation in Glen Innes at 15.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's percentage and the national average of 9.4%. Conversely, the 35-44 age cohort is less prevalent in Glen Innes at 8.6%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 9.6% to 10.6% of the population in Glen Innes. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.0% to 10.8%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 15.9% to 14.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Glen Innes's age profile will change significantly. The 85+ age cohort is projected to increase markedly, expanding by 258 people (76%) from 337 to 596. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 88% of total population growth in Glen Innes, reflecting its aging demographic profile. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 45 to 54 age cohorts.