Goonellabah

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

Goonellabah's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 14,130. This figure reflects a growth of 539 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,591. The increase was inferred from ABS estimated resident population figures: 14,025 in June 2024 and an additional 261 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 560 persons per square kilometer. Goonellabah's growth rate of 4.0% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA3 area average of 0.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 43.8% to population gains recently, with all migration drivers being positive factors.

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 trends suggest an increase just below the median of national regional areas, with the area expected to expand by 928 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 5.8% over the 17-year period based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Goonellabah when compared nationally

Goonellabah has recorded approximately 74 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years, totalling 373 homes. As of FY26, 39 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.4 new residents arrive per year for each new home approved between FY21 and FY25, suggesting a balanced supply and demand dynamic. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $263,000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

In FY26, commercial approvals have totalled $5.8 million, reflecting limited commercial development focus compared to residential growth. Goonellabah shows 91.0% higher building activity per person than the Rest of NSW, offering buyers greater choice in housing options. Recent construction comprises 80.0% detached houses and 20.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character. The location has approximately 250 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Goonellabah is forecasted to gain 823 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Goonellabah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects likely to influence the region. Notable initiatives include Platypus Park Residential Development, Invercauld Road Subdivision at 226 Invercauld Road, Goonellabah Urban Release Area at 1055 Bruxner Highway, and Points North Estate. The following list 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.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.6%, Goonellabah has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Goonellabah has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.6%. As of September 2025, there are 6,455 residents employed, which is 0.2% below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Goonellabah is somewhat lower at 58.8%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, a low 12.4% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Goonellabah has particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.7% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, while employment declined by 1.2%, causing unemployment to fall by 1.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Goonellabah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Goonellabah SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $48,895 and an average income of $58,456 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average for Rest of NSW, which was $52,390 median and $65,215 average. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest the median income would be approximately $53,227 and the average income $63,635. The 2021 Census figures indicate that household, family, and personal incomes in Goonellabah ranked modestly, between the 21st and 29th percentiles. Income distribution data shows that the largest segment was 31.4% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 4,436 residents falling into this category. This is similar to surrounding regions where 29.9% occupy the same income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Goonellabah, with only 83.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 22nd percentile.

Goonellabah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Goonellabah, as per the latest Census, 78.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 21.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Goonellabah stood at 37.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.2% and rented ones at 29.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,560, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Goonellabah was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Goonellabah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,560 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Goonellabah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 65.5% of all households, including 24.4% couples with children, 25.7% couples without children, and 14.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.5%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 3.6%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

Educational outcomes in Goonellabah fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 21.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.9%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 38.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.0% and certificates at 28.0%. Educational participation is high, with 28.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 9.8% in primary, 7.6% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

Goonellabah has 353 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 45 different routes, providing a total of 751 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically located 111 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, with cars being the dominant mode of transport at 96%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 12.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 107 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 2 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Goonellabah faces substantial health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~6,810 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, impacting 11.1 and 9.9% of residents respectively. However, 59.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 22.0% of residents aged 65 and over (3,105 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Goonellabah is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Goonellabah, as per the census conducted on Tuesday 9 June 2020, exhibited lower cultural diversity with 89.7% of its residents born in Australia, 91.4% being citizens, and 93.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 55.5% of Goonellabah's population. Notably, the 'Other' category comprised 1.6%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 0.8%.

Regarding ancestry, Australian (30.1%), English (30.0%), and Irish (9.3%) were the top three represented groups in Goonellabah. Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 5.2% compared to the regional average of 4.6%, Scottish also stood at 8.0% matching the regional figure, while Italian was overrepresented at 3.2% versus the regional 2.1%.

Goonellabah's median age exceeds the national pattern

Goonellabah's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43 but older than Australia's average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 12.7%, while the 65-74 group is smaller at 11.2% compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and now, the 0-4 age group has grown from 5.8% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 12.4% to 11.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Goonellabah. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 62%, adding 284 residents to reach 742. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts.