Inverell
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Inverell reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Inverell's population was approximately 12,339 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 282 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,057. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,280 in June 2024 and 92 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 59 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Inverell has shown resilient growth patterns with an average annual growth rate of 0.4%, exceeding that of its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed approximately 74.3% to recent population gains, although natural and interstate migration also played positive roles.

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 applied. Growth rates by age group are used for all areas from 2032 to 2041. Future trends suggest Inverell will grow by around 648 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 4.8% over the 17-year period.

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

Inverell has recorded approximately 35 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 176 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY20 to FY25, including two approvals so far in FY26. On average, 0.9 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built during this period. This suggests that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost value of new homes over these years was $509,000. Additionally, $27.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating balanced commercial development activity compared to the Rest of NSW. Inverell shows moderately higher development activity than the regional average, with 19.0% more approvals per person over the five-year period. This has maintained good buyer choice while supporting existing property values, although development activity has moderated in recent periods. Recent construction comprises 58.0% standalone homes and 42.0% medium to high-density housing, marking a significant shift from the current pattern of 88.0% houses.

This suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated population density per dwelling approval is 670 people in the area. Population forecasts indicate Inverell will gain 588 residents by 2041, suggesting that current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Inverell has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 13 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include New Residential Areas Structure Plans, Sapphire City Lifestyle Village, Inverell Town Centre Renewal Plan, and Bunnings Warehouse Inverell. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Inverell well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Inverell's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 2.5%, lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.2%. As of June 2025, 6,255 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below the rest of NSW. Workforce participation was somewhat lower than standard, at 52.7% compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade are dominant employment sectors among residents.

Manufacturing is particularly specialized, employing 2.4 times the regional level. Construction employs only 7.6% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts. Over a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while labour force grew by 3.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a rise in unemployment of 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%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Inverell's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2022 shows median income in Inverell is $45,263 and average income is $52,563. This is lower than national averages of median income at $57,089 and average income at $71,720. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since June 30, 2022, estimated median income for Inverell as of March 2025 is approximately $50,061 and estimated average income is $58,135. Census 2021 data reveals that incomes in Inverell fall between the 12th and 22nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 28.3% of individuals in Inverell earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually, similar to the regional figure of 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.2% of income remains, ranking at the 15th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Inverell, as per the latest Census, comprised 87.8% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 93.0% houses and 6.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Inverell stood at 37.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 33.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,250, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,100. The median weekly rent in Inverell was $270, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $240. Nationally, Inverell's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,250 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $270 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 66.5% of all households, including 22.4% couples with children, 29.0% couples without children, and 13.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.5%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which matches the Rest of NSW average.

Inverell 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 13.5%, substantially below 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 10.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 40.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 32.4%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.2% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education. Inverell's 5 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 2,520 students. The educational mix includes 2 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 20.4 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.2, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Inverell has 35 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 12 routes, resulting in 112 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 336 meters, indicating good accessibility.

On average, there are 16 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Inverell faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% (~5,762 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are arthritis (10.4%) and asthma (9.0%), while 63.6% report no medical ailments, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 61.0%. Inverell has 22.6% residents aged 65 and over (2,791 people), lower than Rest of NSW's 27.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors present challenges, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Inverell was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 88.1% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (91.9%), speaking English only at home (94.5%). The predominant religion in Inverell is Christianity, comprising 63.9%, compared to 64.8% across the Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (33.8%), English (31.0%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.9%).

Notably, Filipino representation is higher in Inverell at 0.9%, compared to the regional average of 0.4%. Similarly, German representation stands at 3.1% in Inverell versus 3.9% regionally, while Samoan representation remains similar at 0.1%.

Inverell's median age exceeds the national pattern

Inverell's median age is 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 15-24 age group constitutes 12.6% of Inverell's population, higher than the Rest of NSW percentage. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort makes up 11.4%, lower than the Rest of NSW figure. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 15 to 24 age group grew from 11.7% to 12.6%, while the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 13.7% to 12.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Inverell's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 17%, adding 251 residents to reach a total of 1,761. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 cohorts.