Gosford - Springfield
Statistical Area - sa2

Gosford - Springfield lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Gosford - Springfield's population is approximately 23,538 as of August 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 2,334 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,204. This increase was inferred from the estimated resident population of 23,033 in June 2024 and an additional 591 validated new addresses since the Census date. The resulting population density is 1,392 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Gosford - Springfield's growth rate of 11.0% since the 2021 census surpassed both the SA3 area (2.3%) and the SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is expected to increase by 8,634 persons, marking a total increase of 32.7% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Gosford - Springfield among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Gosford - Springfield recorded approximately 271 residential properties granted approval annually over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, totalling 1359 homes. As of FY-26 so far, 9 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.6 new residents arrive per year for each new home approved during this period. The average value of new dwellings developed is $382000, below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options.

Commercial development approvals totalled $105.6 million in FY-26, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Gosford - Springfield records 237.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers greater choice but with recent construction activity easing. This activity is substantially higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 5.0% standalone homes and 95.0% attached dwellings, focusing on higher-density living to create affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant change from the current housing mix, which is 40.0% houses, reflecting reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Gosford - Springfield reflects a transitioning market with approximately 232 people per approval. Future projections indicate an additional 7695 residents by 2041.

Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Gosford - Springfield has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 34 projects likely to impact the region. Major initiatives include The Archibald, Central Coast Quarter, Gosford Cultural Precinct (Gosford Regional Library), and Gosford Regional Library and Innovation Hub. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

The labour market in Gosford - Springfield demonstrates typical performance when compared to similar areas across Australia

Gosford - Springfield has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.9% as of a recent year, with estimated employment growth of 2.3%.

As of June 2025, 11,974 residents were employed, below Greater Sydney's unemployment rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation equaled Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for residents included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction, with healthcare notably concentrated at 1.6 times the regional average. Professional & technical jobs had limited presence at 7.7% compared to the regional 11.5%. The worker-to-resident ratio of 1.0 indicated substantial local employment opportunities.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.3%, labour force by 2.7%, raising unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% with a 0.3 point rise in unemployment. State-level data from Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracting by 0.41%, unemployment at 4.3%. National unemployment was 4.5%, with national employment growth at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts for Gosford - Springfield, based on May 2025 projections, estimated local employment growth of approximately 7.1% over five years and 14.6% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Gosford - Springfield's median income among taxpayers was $51,653 in financial year 2022, with an average income of $66,752. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $57,128 (median) and $73,828 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 49th percentile ($796 weekly), while household income sits at the 33rd percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 31.7% of the community (7,461 individuals). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 26th percentile. Gosford - Springfield's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Gosford - Springfield features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Gosford - Springfield, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, comprised 40.0% houses and 60.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 74.2% houses and 25.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gosford - Springfield was 23.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.5% and rented dwellings at 49.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,885, below Sydney metro's average of $2,150. Median weekly rent in Gosford - Springfield was $390, compared to Sydney metro's $400. Nationally, mortgage repayments averaged $1,863 and rents were $375.

Gosford - Springfield features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 59.1% of all households, consisting of 21.0% couples with children, 24.3% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.9%, with lone person households at 36.4% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Gosford - Springfield exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational qualification rates exceed the SA4 region average, with 29.9% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 36.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.8%) and certificates (23.5%).

Educational participation is high, at 27.7%, with 7.9% in primary education, 6.5% in secondary education, and 5.9% pursuing tertiary education. There are 13 schools serving 5,283 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1025) and balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 5 primary, 6 secondary, and 2 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 22.4 places per 100 residents versus the regional average of 15.9, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Gosford-Springfield has 191 active public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus stations. There are 165 individual routes serving these stops, collectively providing 5,685 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 149 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 812 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 29 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Gosford - Springfield is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Gosford - Springfield faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~12,333 people), compared to 54.7% across Greater Sydney.

Mental health issues impact 11.0% of residents, while arthritis affects 8.5%. A total of 64.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 64.8% rate in Greater Sydney. The area has 19.5% of residents aged 65 and over (4,601 people), which is lower than the 24.5% in Greater Sydney.

Gosford - Springfield was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Gosford-Springfield was found to have a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 25.9% of its population born overseas and 17.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Gosford-Springfield, comprising 49.3% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 0.2% of Gosford-Springfield's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (27.7%), Australian (24.7%), and Other (9.1%). Significant differences exist in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Korean is notably higher at 0.9%, Russian at 0.5%, and Spanish at 0.6% compared to regional percentages of 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.4% respectively.

Gosford - Springfield's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Gosford-Springfield is 39 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, the 65-74 age group is over-represented at 10.3% locally, while the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 9.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 5.5% to 6.5% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has decreased from 9.9% to 9.1%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Gosford-Springfield, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 89%, reaching 2,904 people from 1,539.