Gunnedah
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Gunnedah's population was approximately 10,091 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 346 people from the 2021 Census count of 9,745. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 10,095 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since then. This results in a population density ratio of 111 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Gunnedah has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.8%, outperforming its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 54.1% to recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses 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 for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Future population trends project an above median growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally, with Gunnedah expected to expand by 1,341 persons by 2041, marking a total gain of 13.3% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Gunnedah according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Gunnedah has seen approximately 42 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25211 homes were approved, with an additional 6 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years accommodated about 1.5 new residents per year. However, this figure has increased to 5 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating a rise in demand and potential supply constraints.

The average construction value of development projects is $576,000, exceeding regional levels, suggesting a focus on quality construction. This fiscal year has seen $22.7 million in commercial approvals, reflecting moderate commercial development activity. Comparing Gunnedah's construction activity per person to the Rest of NSW reveals comparable figures, maintaining market balance with the broader area.

Recent construction comprises 73% detached houses and 27% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's traditional low-density character. The estimated population density stands at 596 people per dwelling approval, reflecting a quiet development environment. Future projections indicate Gunnedah will add 1,345 residents by 2041. Building activity is aligning with growth projections, though increasing competition among buyers can be expected as the population grows.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment, Whitehaven Coal Mornington Estate Development, Eucalypt Lifestyle and Retail Precinct, and Cohens Bridge Rehabilitation. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

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The exceptional employment performance in Gunnedah places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Gunnedah has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, an unemployment rate of 1.7%, and a 4.0% employment growth over the year ending June 2025. As of that month, 5,579 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Workforce participation is similar to the regional average at 59.3%. Employment is concentrated in mining (6.8 times the regional level), health care & social assistance (11.5%), and education & training. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 4.0% while labour force grew by 3.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points.

National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Gunnedah's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.3% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Gunnedah's median income among taxpayers was $53,499 in the financial year 2022, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $68,854 during this period. This compares to figures for Rest of NSW, which had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $60,245 and the average income around $77,536 as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Gunnedah rank modestly, between the 38th and 47th percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 30.9% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 3,118 residents falling into this category. This aligns with the broader area where this cohort also represents 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.8% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Gunnedah's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 89.5% houses and 10.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gunnedah stood at 32.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.2% and rented ones at 33.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,500, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average, while the median weekly rent was $300, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Gunnedah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 66.5% of all households, including 27.3% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.5%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

Gunnedah's educational landscape faces notable challenges, with its university qualification rate of 14.7% significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 8.0%, while certificates make up 33.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 31.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.6% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education. Gunnedah operates a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 2,204 students. The area demonstrates varied educational conditions across its schools, which include 3 primary, 2 secondary, and 2 K-12 institutions. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (21.8 places per 100 residents vs 16.5 regionally), indicating that the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

Gunnedah has 216 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 38 individual routes that collectively facilitate 803 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is considered excellent, with residents typically situated 198 meters from the nearest stop.

Services run an average of 114 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately three weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Gunnedah is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Gunnedah faces significant health challenges with notable prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (around 5,418 people), compared to 50.0% in the Rest of NSW.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.1% and 9.1% of residents respectively. About 65.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in the Rest of NSW. As of 2016 (the latest available data), 19.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (around 1,913 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Gunnedah, as per the 2016 Census, had low cultural diversity with 88.8% of its population being Australian citizens, 93.7% born in Australia, and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 62.1%, compared to 63.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.9%), English (28.1%), and Australian Aboriginal (12.1%).

Notably, Irish ancestry was overrepresented at 8.0% in Gunnedah versus 8.0% regionally, South African at 0.3% versus 0.2%, and Filipino at 0.8% versus 0.7%.

Gunnedah's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Gunnedah is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up 14.8% of the population in Gunnedah compared to Rest of NSW. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 9.1%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 11.6% to 12.9%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.0% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for Gunnedah indicate significant demographic changes by 2041. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 34%, reaching 1,315 people from the current 978. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort is expected to decline by 43 people.