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, according to AreaSearch's analysis, is 10,091 as of Aug 2025. This figure represents an increase of 346 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,745. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,095 in June 2024 and an additional 61 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a 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 overall population gains recently.

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. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Nationally, non-metropolitan areas are projected to have above median population growth, with Gunnedah expected to expand by 1,341 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 13.3% in total over the 17 years.

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

Gunnedah has seen approximately 35 new homes approved annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between fiscal years 2020 to 2025, around 176 homes were approved, with 5 approvals recorded in the current fiscal year 2026. Over these five years, an average of 1.5 new residents per dwelling was observed, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions. However, recent data shows this has increased to 5.0 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential supply constraints in the area.

New homes are constructed at an average cost of $576,000, reflecting quality-focused development. This fiscal year has seen $22.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Gunnedah maintains similar development levels per capita, contributing to market stability aligned with regional patterns.

New developments consist predominantly of detached dwellings (73.0%) and townhouses or apartments (27.0%), preserving the area's traditional low-density character favoring family homes. As of recent estimates, there are approximately 596 people in the area per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts project Gunnedah to gain around 1,345 residents by 2041, with development keeping pace with projected growth despite increasing buyer competition as population expands.

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

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 14 potential impact projects. Key initiatives include Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment, Whitehaven Coal Mornington Estate Development, Eucalypt Lifestyle and Retail Precinct, Cohens Bridge Rehabilitation. Below list details those likely most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Gunnedah performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Gunnedah has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Its manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented.

The unemployment rate is 1.7%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.0% in the past year as of June 2025. There are 5,579 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation is 59.3%, comparable to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. 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 based on Census data analysis. In the past year, employment increased by 4.0% while labour force grew by 3.6%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. Conversely, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% and a slight rise in unemployment. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Gunnedah's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.3% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $68,854 during this period. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 in the same year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest Gunnedah's median income would be approximately $59,170 and its average income around $76,153 by March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Gunnedah rank between the 38th and 47th percentiles nationally. The largest income bracket comprises 30.9% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with a total of 3,118 individuals falling into this category. After housing costs, 85.8% of income remains for other expenses in Gunnedah.

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 compared to Non-Metro NSW's 89.5% houses and 10.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gunnedah was 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. The median weekly rent was $300, the same as Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Gunnedah's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 Rest of NSW average.

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

Gunnedah faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 14.7%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This disparity 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%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (33.9%).

Educational participation is high at 31.8%, including primary education (13.6%), secondary education (8.0%), and tertiary education (2.6%). Seven schools operate within Gunnedah, educating approximately 2,204 students. The educational mix includes three primary, two secondary, and two K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs with 21.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 16.6, indicating Gunnedah serves as an educational center 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, providing a total of 803 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 198 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 114 trips per day across all routes, resulting in 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 (~5,418 people), compared to 50.0% across Rest of NSW.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (9.1%) and asthma (9.1%). A total of 65.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of NSW. The area has 19.0% of residents aged 65 and over (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 latest data from the 2016 Census, shows lower cultural diversity than average. The population is predominantly Australian citizens at 88.8%, with 93.7% born in Australia and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the major religion, comprising 62.1% of Gunnedah's population, compared to 63.6% across Rest of NSW.

Ancestry-wise, Australians make up 33.9%, followed by those of English descent at 28.1%, and Australian Aboriginals at 12.1%. Notably, Irish ancestry is slightly higher in Gunnedah at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 8.0%. South African (0.3%) and Filipino (0.8%) ancestries are also slightly more represented than regionally (0.2% and 0.7%, respectively).

Gunnedah's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

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