Inverell Surrounds - East
Statistical Area - sa2

Inverell Surrounds - East is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Inverell Surrounds - East's population is approximately 5,254 as of August 2025. This figure shows an increase of 54 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,200. The change is inferred from ABS estimates of 5,233 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the census date. The population density is 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Inverell Surrounds - East's growth rate of 1.0% since the census is within 1.7 percentage points of its SA3 area, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.5% of overall population gains in recent periods.

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, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the median of regional areas nationally, with Inverell Surrounds - East expected to expand by 602 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, recording a gain of 11.1% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Inverell Surrounds - East is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Inverell Surrounds - East has seen approximately eight new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, with 42 homes approved between FY-21 and FY-25, and two so far in FY-26. The population has fallen during this period, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New dwellings are developed at an average cost of $315,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers.

Commercial approvals totaling $1.8 million have been granted this financial year, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Inverell Surrounds - East has around 57% of the construction activity per person and ranks in the 33rd percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer choices and supporting demand for existing homes. Recent construction activity has increased but remains below average nationally, possibly due to planning constraints. New building activity consists of 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density character focused on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 500 people, indicating a quiet development environment. Future projections estimate an increase of 581 residents by 2041. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Inverell Surrounds - East has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Lake Inverell Recreational Precinct Enhancement, Inverell Hospital Redevelopment, New Residential Areas Structure Plans, and Inverell Sports Complex Upgrade. The following list details those projects deemed most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Inverell Surrounds - East ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Inverell Surrounds - East has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.9%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year.

This is below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Inverell Surrounds - East is 49.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing (6.3 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training. In contrast, accommodation & food employs only 3.1% locally, below Rest of NSW's 7.8%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 4.5%, while labour force increased by 3.8%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections based on Inverell Surrounds - East's employment mix estimate growth of approximately 5.0%% over five years and 11.4% over ten years.

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

Inverell Surrounds - East's median income among taxpayers was $39,684 in financial year 2022, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $45,631 during this period. This compares with figures for Rest of NSW which were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $43,891 (median) and $50,468 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Inverell Surrounds - East all fall between the 3rd and 5th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 28.5% earning $800 - $1,499 weekly (1,497 residents). This differs from patterns across the metropolitan region where $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 29.9%. Housing costs are modest in Inverell Surrounds - East, with 90.3% of income retained. However, the total disposable income ranks at just the 11th percentile nationally.

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

Inverell Surrounds - East had 98.1% houses and 1.9% other dwellings at the latest Census, compared to Non-Metro NSW's 93.0% houses and 6.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Inverell Surrounds - East was 53.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented dwellings at 17.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,100. The median weekly rent in Inverell Surrounds - East was $200, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $240. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

Inverell Surrounds - East has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.4% of all households, including 24.6% couples with children, 34.4% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households making up 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Inverell Surrounds - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has lower university qualification rates at 12.0% compared to the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.6%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 41.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (30.8%).

Educational participation is high at 29.7%, including primary education (12.3%), secondary education (9.6%), and tertiary education (1.7%). Six schools operate within Inverell Surrounds - East, educating approximately 312 students, with a mix of four primary and two K-12 schools. However, limited local school capacity (5.9 places per 100 residents vs the regional average of 13.2) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Inverell Surrounds - East shows that there are 108 active transport stops operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 19 individual routes providing service to the area. The weekly passenger trips across all these routes amount to 227.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited, with residents on average located 7831 meters from their nearest transport stop. On a daily basis, there are an average of 32 trips across all routes, which equates to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Inverell Surrounds - East faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Notably, common health conditions are prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The area has a low private health cover rate of approximately 47%, covering around 2,448 people, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 12.3% and 8.0% of residents respectively. Conversely, 61.6% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 61.0%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 24.6% (1,294 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 27.4%. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Inverell Surrounds - East had a cultural diversity score below average, with 87.1% of its population being Australian citizens, 92.2% born in Australia, and 98.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Inverell Surrounds - East, comprising 66.0% of the population, compared to 64.8% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.2%), English (30.6%), and Irish (8.2%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 8.0%, compared to 6.4% regionally, while German was at 4.5% (vs 3.9%) and Scottish at 7.9% (vs 8.4%).

Inverell Surrounds - East hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Inverell Surrounds - East has a median age of 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent, making up 15.2% of the population, while the 15-24 age group is comparatively smaller at 9.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 5-14 age group has increased from 12.5% to 13.6%, while the 45-54 cohort has declined from 14.2% to 12.2% and the 15-24 group has dropped from 10.4% to 9.0%. By 2041, Inverell Surrounds - East is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 36 people, reaching 578 from 426, while the 15-24 cohort is expected to decline by 6 people.