Grenfell
Statistical Area - sa2

Grenfell has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Grenfell's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 3,612 people. This figure represents an increase of 15 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,597. The growth from June 2024 to August 2025 is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses. The population density stands at 1.1 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person. Grenfell's 0.4% growth since the Census exceeded the SA3 area's 0.3%, although overall growth remains modest. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.4% of recent population gains 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, Grenfell's population is expected to decline by 81 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow during this period, notably the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 63 people.

The level of residential development activity in Grenfell is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Grenfell has received approximately seven dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 35 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY26. The population decline in recent years has resulted in adequate development activity relative to other areas, which is positive for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $540,000.

In the current financial year, $1.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Grenfell shows around 69% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 22nd percentile nationally for buyer options, suggesting limited new property choices while demand for established properties strengthens. This level is below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. All new construction has been detached dwellings, preserving Grenfell's low density character and attracting space-seeking buyers.

There are estimated to be 748 people per dwelling approval in the area, reflecting its quiet development environment. With stable or declining population projections, housing demand pressures in Grenfell are expected to remain low, benefiting potential buyers.

Grenfell has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 30thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects expected to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Inland Rail between Stockinbingal and Parkes, another segment from Illabo to Stockinbingal, Olympic Highway Safety Improvements, and the Cowra Drought Resilience Plan. The following list details those most pertinent:.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Grenfell ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Grenfell has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with diverse industry representation. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.3%.

In June 2025, 1,758 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation in Grenfell is at 51.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs 6.4 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance employs 11.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.5%, employment declined by 3.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. Rest of NSW experienced employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point unemployment increase. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts, released in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Grenfell's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.0% over five years and 11.3% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Grenfell had a median taxpayer income of $43,603 and an average income of $52,244. Nationally, the averages were $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average). By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, Grenfell's estimated median income is approximately $49,101 and average income is $58,832. According to the 2021 Census, Grenfell incomes rank between the 5th and 9th percentiles nationally. The $800 - $1,499 earnings band accounts for 28.7% of Grenfell's population (1,036 individuals), differing from regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. Despite modest housing costs, with 90.9% of income retained, Grenfell ranks at the 11th percentile nationally for total disposable income.

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

The dwelling structure in Grenfell, as per the latest Census, was 93.7% houses and 6.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 92.0% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Grenfell stood at 55.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.9% and rented ones at 19.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $953, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,200. The median weekly rent in Grenfell was $198, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $220. Nationally, Grenfell's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $953 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 64.3% of all households, including 20.5% couples with children, 33.5% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 35.7%, with lone person households at 34.1% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Grenfell faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 14.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (29.1%).

Educational participation is high at 25.5%, including 9.1% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education. Six schools operate within Grenfell, educating approximately 459 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 966) and balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with five primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents are lower at 12.7 compared to the regional average of 16.0, suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Grenfell has 250 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are serviced by 22 routes providing 196 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is limited with residents located an average of 964 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 28 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately zero weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Grenfell is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Grenfell faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 46% (~1,668 people) have private health cover, compared to 48.3% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.8%) and asthma (9.2%), while 59.4% report no medical ailments, compared to 62.4% in Rest of NSW.

Grenfell has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 30.4% (1,097 people), compared to 23.8% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are better than the general population.

The latest Census data sees Grenfell placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Grenfell's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.3% of its population being citizens, 93.9% born in Australia, and 98.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Grenfell, making up 69.5% of people, compared to 70.4% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are English (35.0%), Australian (34.6%), and Irish (9.5%).

Notably, Scottish representation is higher at 8.4%, while Australian Aboriginal is lower at 3.3%.

Grenfell ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Grenfell is 52 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and also above the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Grenfell at 16.1%, while the 25-34 age group is under-represented at 8.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 8.7% to 10.6% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort has grown from 9.8% to 10.9%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has declined from 16.3% to 15.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Grenfell. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 46%, adding 68 residents to reach 217. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 70% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, both the 35 to 44 and 75 to 84 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.