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 is approximately 5,422 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 112 people, a rise of 2.1% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,310. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,367 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 50 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.8 persons per square kilometer. Gloucester's growth rate of 2.1% since the census is within 1.7 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.8%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 74.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

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 utilizes 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of regional areas across Australia is expected. By 2041, the area's population is projected to expand by 423 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 6.8% over the 17-year period.

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. So far in FY26, 2 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents arrive per year for each new home built between FY21 and FY25. The average construction cost of new dwellings is $363,000.

This financial year has seen $2.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Gloucester shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice favouring existing homes. Recent construction comprises 94.0% detached houses and 6.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 357 people. Future projections estimate Gloucester will add 367 residents by 2041 based on current development patterns, suggesting new housing supply should readily meet demand and potentially facilitate population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include Mixed-Use Development Opportunity at 138 Church Street, Stratford Renewable Energy Hub, Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, and Pacific Highway Upgrade from Hexham to Brisbane. The following details those most relevant:.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Gloucester has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Gloucester has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.2% and estimated employment growth of 1.0% in the past year.

As of June 2025, 2,357 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is lower at 46.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs 3.2 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance employs 13.4% locally, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Employment opportunities appear limited locally, with Census data indicating fewer working residents than expected based on population. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 1.0%, labour force by 0.7%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. Conversely, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National unemployment is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth varies across sectors. 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.

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

Gloucester SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $37,917 and an average income of $47,072 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was below the national average for that period. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 during the same timeframe. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income in Gloucester would be approximately $42,698 and the average around $53,078 as of September 2025. Data from the 2021 Census indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Gloucester all fall within the 5th to 7th percentiles nationally. The distribution shows that the largest segment comprises 29.5% earning $400-$799 weekly, with 1,599 residents falling into this category. This differs from the surrounding region where the $1,500-$2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. Despite having modest housing costs that allow for 88.1% of income to be retained, Gloucester's total disposable income ranks 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.8% houses and 6.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 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, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Gloucester was $275, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Gloucester's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Gloucester 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 account for 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 constitute the remaining 33.1%, with lone person households at 30.5% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is 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 the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (32.0%).

A total of 24.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 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 offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 11 routes that facilitate 577 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents' access to these services is limited, with an average distance of 1215 meters to the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are approximately 82 daily trips, equating to around 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 high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 46% (~2,494 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (8.5%). About 60.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 57.7% in Rest of NSW. Around 35.3% (~1,914 people) are aged 65 and over, higher than the 30.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming the general population in health 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.2% of its population born in Australia, 92.1% being citizens, and 98.1% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Gloucester is Christianity, which accounts for 62.4% of the population, compared to 57.6% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups represented are Australian (34.0%), English (33.8%), and Scottish (9.6%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have different representations: Australian Aboriginal is higher at 5.0% in Gloucester compared to 5.8% regionally, Macedonian is present at 0.1% while it's not represented regionally, and Samoan is also present at 0.1% where there are none regionally.

Gloucester ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Gloucester's median age is 55 years, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and national norm of 38. The age profile shows 65-74 year-olds are prominent at 18.8%, while 25-34 year-olds make up 6.4%. This 65-74 concentration is above the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 10.5% to 12.4%, while the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 10.6% to 9.2% and the 45 to 54 group 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 by 67%, from 223 to 374 people. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 56% of anticipated growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 cohorts.