Gloucester

An assessment of population growth drivers in Gloucester reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Gloucester's population was 5,310 people according to the 2021 Census. By November 2025, it is estimated at around 5,422, reflecting an increase of 112 people (2.1%) since the Census. This growth can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,367 in June 2024 and an additional 50 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 1.8 persons per square kilometer. Since the 2021 Census, Gloucester's population has grown by 2.1%, positioning it within 1.7 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.8%). Interstate migration contributed around 74.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 uses 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, the population is expected to increase just below the median of regional areas nationally by 2041. The latest annual ERP population numbers project an increase of 423 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 6.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Gloucester according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Gloucester has recorded approximately 19 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 99 homes. In FY26 so far, 4 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents arrive per year per new home between FY21 and FY25. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $328,000.

This financial year has seen $2.2 million in commercial approvals. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Gloucester has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks around the 46th percentile for areas assessed, indicating somewhat limited buyer options and strengthening demand for established properties.

Recent construction comprises 94% detached houses and 6% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 357 people. Population forecasts indicate Gloucester will gain 367 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Gloucester has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Two projects identified by AreaSearch are likely to impact the area significantly. They include Mixed-Use Development Opportunity at 138 Church Street in Stratford and the Stratford Renewable Energy Hub. Additionally, the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone and the Pacific Highway Upgrade from Hexham to Brisbane are notable initiatives.

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.4%, Gloucester has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Gloucester has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, notably in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.4%.

Over the past year, employment has remained relatively stable. As of September 2025, 2,334 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Workforce participation in Gloucester lags at 46.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Gloucester specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.2 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance employs only 13.4% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 0.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.5% employment decline and a 0.1% labour force decline, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Gloucester's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

The median taxpayer income in Gloucester SA2 was $37,917 and the average was $47,072 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. This is below the national average of $58,657 (median) and $75,915 (average). In contrast, Rest of NSW had 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, current estimates would be approximately $42,698 (median) and $53,008 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes in Gloucester all fell between the 5th and 7th percentiles nationally. Distribution data showed that the largest segment comprised 29.5% earning $400 - $799 weekly (1,599 residents), differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 category predominated at 29.9%. While housing costs were modest with 88.1% of income retained, the total disposable income ranked at just the 10th percentile nationally.

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

Gloucester's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.8% houses and 6.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 87.7% houses and 12.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gloucester stood at 55.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.4% and rented ones at 21.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. Median weekly rent in Gloucester was $275, lower than Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Gloucester's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 66.9% of all households, including 18.9% couples with children, 37.3% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.1%, with lone person households at 30.5% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.9%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 32.0%.

A total of 24.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 9.4% in primary, 7.7% in secondary, and 2.1% in tertiary education.

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

Gloucester has 23 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. They are serviced by 11 routes in total.

These routes provide 577 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of these services is limited. Residents typically live 1215 meters away from the nearest stop. On average, there are 82 trips per day across all routes. This equates to approximately 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Gloucester faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 46%, covering around 2,494 people, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (8.5%). Around 60% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 57.7% in Rest of NSW. Over a third (35.3%, or 1,914 people) of Gloucester's population is aged 65 and over, higher than the 30.4% seen in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors exceed averages, outperforming general population metrics.

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

Gloucester had a cultural diversity level below the average, with 91.2% of its residents born in Australia, 92.1% being citizens, and 98.1% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gloucester, accounting for 62.4% of the population, compared to 57.6% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.0%), English (33.8%), and Scottish (9.6%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups had different representations: Australian Aboriginal was higher at 5.0% in Gloucester than regionally (5.8%), Macedonian was present at 0.1%, and Samoan also appeared at 0.1%.

Gloucester ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Gloucester's median age is 55 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and the national norm of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 18.8% of the population, while those aged 25-34 make up only 6.4%. This is higher than the national average of 9.4% for the 65-74 age group. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 10.5% to 12.4% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 10.6% to 9.2%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 11.9% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Gloucester's age structure. The 85+ age cohort is projected to rise substantially, increasing by 150 people (67%) from 223 to 374. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 56% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 5 to 14 and 15 to 24.