Gunnedah

Population growth drivers in Gunnedah are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Gunnedah's population was around 10,162 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 417 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,745. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,095 in June 2024 and an additional 91 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 112 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Gunnedah had a compound annual growth rate of 0.8%, outperforming its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 54.1% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch adopted 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 were applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Future population trends projected an above median growth for non-metropolitan areas nationally, with Gunnedah expected to expand by 1,341 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 12.5% 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 42 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 211 homes were approved. In FY-26, up to July, 17 homes have been approved. On average, over these five years, around 1.5 new residents per year were associated with each dwelling constructed.

However, this figure has increased to 5 people per dwelling in the past two financial years. The average construction value of development projects is $284,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals have reached $22.7 million.

Compared to the Rest of NSW, Gunnedah's construction activity per person is comparable, maintaining market balance with the broader area. Recent construction comprises 73.0% detached houses and 27.0% medium and high-density housing. The estimated population density based on dwelling approvals is 596 people per dwelling. Future projections indicate an addition of 1,274 residents by 2041, with current construction rates appearing balanced with future demand.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Whitehaven Coal Mornington Estate Development, Eucalypt Lifestyle and Retail Precinct, Cohens Bridge Rehabilitation, and Gunnedah Sports Precinct Master Plans. 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 analysis reveals Gunnedah significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Gunnedah has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 2.1% and estimated employment growth of 0.6% in the past year as of September 2025.

There are 5,521 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is at 59.3%, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in mining, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Mining has a significant presence with an employment share 6.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 11.5% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 0.6%, labour force by 0.9%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. Rest of NSW experienced employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Gunnedah's employment mix, local employment is estimated to increase by 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 SA2's median income among taxpayers was $53,499 in 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 were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $60,245 (median) and $77,536 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Gunnedah ranked at the 40th percentile, family incomes at the 46th percentile, and personal incomes at the 37th percentile. The largest income bracket comprised 30.9% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, with a total of 3,140 individuals in this category. After housing expenses, 85.8% of income remained for other expenses.

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

In Gunnedah, as per the latest Census evaluation, 87.6% of dwellings were houses while 12.5% were other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 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 figure was $300, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Gunnedah's mortgage repayments were 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 make up the remaining 33.5%, consisting of 30.3% lone person households and 3.3% group households. 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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common among qualifications, at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (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.

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, collectively providing 803 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, typically living within 198 meters of the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 114 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 3 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 (~5,456 people), compared to 50.0% across Rest of NSW.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.1 and 9.1% of residents respectively. A total of 65.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of NSW. As of the latest data (2016), 19.0% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,926 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 a cultural diversity below average. Its population comprised 88.8% citizens, with 93.7% born in Australia and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 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%). Notable differences existed in Irish representation at 8.0% (vs regional 8.0%), South African at 0.3% (vs 0.2%), and Filipino at 0.8% (vs 0.7%).

Gunnedah's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Gunnedah as of 2021 was 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 age group of 25-34 years had a strong representation at 14.8% in Gunnedah compared to Rest of NSW. Conversely, the age group of 65-74 years was less prevalent at 9.1%. Post-2021 Census data showed that the 35 to 44 age group grew from 11.6% to 12.9% of Gunnedah's population. Meanwhile, the 55 to 64 age group declined from 11.0% to 9.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Gunnedah. Leading this shift, the 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 33%, adding 329 people and reaching a total of 1,315 from its previous count of 985. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group is projected to decline by 49 people.