Goulburn

Population growth drivers in Goulburn are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Goulburn's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 26,264. This figure represents a growth of 1,699 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 24,565. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. This results in a population density of 405 persons per square kilometer. Goulburn's growth rate of 6.9% since the 2021 census exceeds the SA4 region (5.1%) and the non-metro area, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.6% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest ERP population numbers, Goulburn is projected to increase by 5,661 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 17.9% over the 17 years.

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

Goulburn averaged approximately 182 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25912 homes were approved, with a further 92 approved in FY-26 to date. Over these five financial years, an average of 1.1 people moved to the area per dwelling built, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $401,000, aligning with regional patterns. This year, $190.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Goulburn shows comparable building activity per person, supporting market stability, although recent construction activity has eased slightly. Current development comprises 61.0% detached dwellings and 39.0% medium and high-density housing, offering choices across price ranges.

This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 85.0% houses) suggests decreasing developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles' need for diverse, affordable housing options. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 348 people, reflecting a quiet development environment. By 2041, Goulburn is projected to grow by 4,701 residents. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects likely impacting this region. Notable ones are Goulburn Water and Sewer Infrastructure Upgrades, Waterway Improvement Strategy and River Walkway Development, Goulburn Rail Trail, and CBD & Surrounds Transformation Project. 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Goulburn faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Goulburn has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.6% as of June 2025.

During this period, 11,827 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Goulburn was on par with Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and retail trade. Notably, public administration & safety had an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 1.8% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, Goulburn's labour force decreased by 3.6% while employment declined by 5.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.4 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. State-level data from Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Goulburn. National employment is forecast 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 Goulburn's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Goulburn SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $52,173 and an average income of $63,157 in financial year 2022. This was slightly lower than the national average. Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 during the same period. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $58,752 (median) and $71,121 (average), based on a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to Census 2021 income data, Goulburn's household, family, and personal incomes all ranked modestly, between the 30th and 38th percentiles. The $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket dominated with 31.5% of residents (8,273 people), similar to broader trends in the area showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 83.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 30th percentile.

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

Goulburn's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.6% houses and 15.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 89.3% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Goulburn stood at 34.1%, with the rest being mortgaged (31.5%) or rented (34.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,636, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,694. The median weekly rent figure in Goulburn was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $310. Nationally, Goulburn's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 64.6% of all households, including 24.7% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.4%, with lone person households at 32.7% and group households comprising 2.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.5%, 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 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 30.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Goulburn's public transport system has 291 active stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 96 individual routes, collectively facilitating 1,635 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 152 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 233 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately five weekly trips per stop.

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

Goulburn faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data.

Both younger and older age groups experience high prevalence rates of common health conditions. The area has private health cover at approximately 51% of its total population (~13,447 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's rate. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.1% of residents) and mental health issues (9.6%). Conversely, 60.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 61.3% in Rest of NSW. Goulburn has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.4%, with 5,368 people, than Rest of NSW's 21.7%. The health outcomes among seniors in Goulburn present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

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

Goulburn's population, as per the 2016 Census, showed low cultural diversity. 87.9% were Australian citizens, 88.5% were born in Australia, and 92.7% spoke English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, with 62.5%, compared to 64.0% regionally.

Ancestry-wise, Australians made up 31.7%, followed by English (31.5%) and Irish (10.0%). Notably, Australian Aboriginals were slightly overrepresented at 3.5% (vs 3.2%), Maltese at 0.4% (vs 0.5%), and Koreans at 0.2% (vs 0.1%).

Goulburn's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Goulburn is 40 years, which is slightly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 but above the Australian median of 38. In comparison to the Rest of NSW average, the 25-34 age cohort makes up 14.8% of Goulburn's population, a notable over-representation, while the 65-74 age group constitutes 10.6%, indicating under-representation. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of people aged 25 to 34 has increased from 13.8% to 14.8%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 11.8% to 11.1%. By 2041, population forecasts suggest significant demographic shifts in Goulburn. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 1,049 people (27%), rising from 3,887 to 4,937 residents. The 15-24 age group is expected to see more modest growth of 4%, adding only 129 residents.