Goulburn Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Goulburn Surrounds' population was 15,146 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,307 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,839. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,401 in June 2024 and an additional 387 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.7 persons per square kilometer. Goulburn Surrounds' population growth of 9.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (4.7%) and the non-metro area, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 73.7% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. According to population projections, the area is expected to increase by 2,841 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Goulburn Surrounds among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Goulburn Surrounds has received around 61 dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 307 homes approved over the past five financial years between FY20 and FY25, and 12 so far in FY26. On average, 2.0 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years. This suggests balanced supply and demand, creating stable market conditions.

The average construction cost of new properties is $566,000, which is moderately above regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. In FY26, $5.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to Rest of NSW, Goulburn Surrounds shows comparable construction activity per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns.

Recent construction comprises 97.0% detached houses and 3.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 177 people added per approval, Goulburn Surrounds reflects a developing area. Future projections indicate that Goulburn Surrounds will add 1,953 residents by 2041. Building activity is keeping pace with growth projections, though increased competition may arise as the population grows.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 59 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Crookwell 3 Wind Farm, Mary's Mount Residential Subdivision (Blakelys Run), Homes NSW Social Housing Development - Crestwood, and Mistful Park Estate. The following list outlines those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Goulburn Surrounds ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Goulburn Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 2.4% as of June 2025. There are 7,325 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share of 3.6 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance has limited presence with 11.5% compared to the regional 16.9%.

Labour force decreased by 3.6% over a 12-month period ending June 2025, while employment declined by 4.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, 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 Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggest Goulburn Surrounds may grow by approximately 5.6%% over five years and 12.0% over ten years based on its current industry mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest data for financial year 2022 shows Goulburn Surrounds had a median income of $49,647 and an average income of $62,322. This is slightly below the national average. The Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $54,910 (median) and $68,928 (average). According to Census 2021 data, household, family, and personal incomes in Goulburn Surrounds rank modestly, between the 35th and 37th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 30.2% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999, reflecting regional patterns where 29.9% fall within this range. Housing costs allow for retention of 88.0% of income, though disposable income ranks below average at the 41st percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

Goulburn Surrounds' housing structure, as per the latest Census, was 98.1% houses and 1.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 89.3% houses and 10.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Goulburn Surrounds was 51.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.3% and rented ones at 13.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $1,694 but lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Goulburn Surrounds was $300, lower than both Non-Metro NSW's $310 and the national figure of $375.

Goulburn Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.0% of all households, including 28.3% couples with children, 36.6% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.0%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (32.3%). Educational participation is high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 10.0% in primary, 8.6% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

There are 13 schools serving 831 students, with Goulburn Surrounds having typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 953) and balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 12 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. Local school capacity is limited at 5.5 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.3, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Goulburn Surrounds has 711 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 50 individual routes that collectively facilitate 858 weekly passenger trips. The report indicates good transport accessibility, with residents typically situated 254 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency reaches 122 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per stop.

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

Goulburn Surrounds faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% of the total population (~7,739 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (12.1%) and asthma (7.8%), while 62.8% report no medical ailments, compared to 61.3% across Rest of NSW. Residents aged 65 years and over comprise 23.8% (3,607 people) of the population, higher than the 21.7% in Rest of NSW.

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

Goulburn Surrounds, surveyed in 2016, had a low cultural diversity with 89.5% citizens, 89.8% born in Australia, and 96.1% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion (66.7%), slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 64.0%. Top ancestral groups were Australian (32.2%), English (31.5%), and Irish (11.0%).

Notably, Maltese were overrepresented (0.8% vs regional 0.5%), Scottish at 8.2% (vs 7.8%), and Lebanese at 0.3% (vs 0.2%).

Goulburn Surrounds hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Goulburn Surrounds' median age is 48 years, which is notably higher than Rest of NSW's 43 and significantly above Australia's median age of 38. The age profile indicates that individuals aged 55-64 make up a substantial portion at 16.9%, while those aged 25-34 are relatively smaller at 8.8% compared to the Rest of NSW. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 11.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 6.9% to 7.9% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age cohort has decreased from 13.6% to 12.6%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Goulburn Surrounds' age profile by 2041. The 35 to 44 age group is expected to grow steadily, with an increase of 330 people (20%) from 1,652 to 1,983. Conversely, the numbers in the 15 to 24 age range are projected to decrease by 74.