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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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Sales Activity
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Population
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 around 5,255 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 55 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,200 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,244 in June 2025 and an additional 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Inverell Surrounds - East's growth rate of 1.1% since the census positions it within 1.6 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.
AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of regional areas across the nation, with the area expected to expand by 578 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 10.8% in total over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Development
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 in the eastern region over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 42 homes were approved during this period, with an additional eight approved so far in FY26. Despite a decrease in population, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a well-balanced market with good buyer choice.
The average value of new dwellings developed is $306,000. In terms of commercial development approvals, $1.8 million has been recorded this financial year, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the rest of NSW, Inverell Surrounds - East has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person. Nationally, it ranks in the 32nd percentile among assessed areas, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options and strengthening demand for established homes.
However, development activity has picked up in recent periods. The majority of new building activity consists of detached houses (86.0%), with medium and high-density housing making up the remaining 14.0%. This maintains the area's traditional low-density character, appealing to those seeking space and family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 500 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, Inverell Surrounds - East is projected to grow by 567 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Inverell Surrounds - East
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
Infrastructure
Inverell Surrounds - East has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 0thth percentile nationally
Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include Lake Inverell Recreational Precinct Enhancement, Inverell Hospital Redevelopment, Inverell Sports Complex Upgrade, and Sapphire City Lifestyle Village. The following list details those most relevant.
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INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Inverell Hospital Redevelopment
The $60 million Inverell Hospital Redevelopment modernized local healthcare services through a two-stage process. Stage 1A delivered a new three-story acute services building featuring a state-of-the-art emergency department, inpatient unit, maternity ward, and expanded renal dialysis and day surgery units. Stage 1B involved the extensive refurbishment of the original 1930s hospital building to co-locate community health services, including oral health, ambulatory care, and pediatric zones, creating a unified health precinct.
Sapphire Wind Farm
NSW's largest operational wind farm with 75 Vestas V126 3.6MW turbines generating 270MW of renewable energy. Located between Glen Innes Severn and Inverell Shires in the New England region (18km west of Glen Innes, 28km east of Inverell). Fully operational since late 2018. Includes a co-located 30MW Sapphire Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) operational since 2024. Generates enough energy to power approximately 115,000-135,000 homes annually, offsetting over 700,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Major offtakers include ACT Government (100MW PPA helping achieve 100% renewables), Nestl‚, Fujitsu, Transurban, and others. Annual community benefit fund of $187,500 (primarily to Inverell Shire, minor portion to Glen Innes Severn).
Inverell Aquatic Centre Redevelopment
A complete replacement of the 70-year-old memorial swimming pool with a state-of-the-art $25 million aquatic centre featuring an 8-lane 50m outdoor/indoor pool, 20m warm water program pool with moveable floor, indoor splash park, toddlers pool, cafe, and comprehensive aquatic programs. The facility achieved World Aquatics (FINA) accreditation and opened in February 2025.
Inverell Town Centre Renewal Plan
A multi-stage upgrade of the Inverell CBD designed to improve streetscapes, pedestrian safety and overall amenity. Stage 1 along Otho Street was completed in 2018 and Stage 2 along Byron Street was completed in 2020, both featuring an at-grade central median and new Pin Oak street trees supported by a sub-surface root vault system. In December 2025, following the under-budget delivery of the Inverell Aquatic Centre Redevelopment, Council resolved to transfer 517,434 dollars of the surplus to the Economic Development and Growth Assets reserve specifically earmarked for Stage 3 of the Town Centre Renewal Plan. Stage 3 is in the planning phase and is expected to extend the Otho and Byron Street treatment to additional CBD blocks, with new street plantings, public art and improved pedestrian amenity.
Bunnings Warehouse Inverell
Development of a new Bunnings Warehouse store with a total floor area of 8,497 square metres, featuring a main warehouse retail area (3,770 square metres), outdoor nursery (621 square metres), timber trade sales area (1,697 square metres), and other specialized zones. The project includes sustainability features such as 1,400 square metres of solar panels, rainwater capture tanks for irrigation and toilet reuse, bio-retention areas for site runoff management, and 198 parking spaces. Expected to create 90 jobs, representing an increase of 40 jobs compared to the existing Bunnings location.
Sundown Solar Farm
A 360 MW (AC) solar photovoltaic farm with a 150 MW battery energy storage system (BESS, approximately 4-hour duration) located approximately 30 km east of Inverell in the New England Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). The project includes approximately 660,000 solar panels on single-axis trackers, an onsite 330 kV substation, grid connection infrastructure, access road upgrades, and supporting facilities. It is expected to generate enough renewable energy to power over 150,000 average NSW homes annually. As of November 2025, the project remains under assessment with additional information requested by the NSW Department of Planning.
Lake Inverell Recreational Precinct Enhancement
Enhancement of the Lake Inverell recreational precinct including improved walking and cycling paths, boat ramp upgrades, picnic facilities enhancement, playground improvements, and landscaping works. The project aims to create a premier regional recreational destination while preserving the natural environment and improving accessibility for all abilities.
Gwydir Highway Improvements, Inverell Town Centre
The Gwydir Highway Improvements project in the Inverell Town Centre is a strategic planning study focused on enhancing traffic flow, pedestrian safety, and intersection efficiency. Key features include proposed upgrades to major intersections, the installation of new pedestrian crossings, and general traffic flow enhancements to manage peak congestion. Transport for NSW is leading the planning in collaboration with Inverell Shire Council to ensure the highway safely supports both local and regional transit requirements.
Employment
Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.8%, Inverell Surrounds - East has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally
Inverell Surrounds - East has a balanced workforce with 2458 residents employed as of December 2025. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, 0.2% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is at 60.5%, matching Regional NSW's figure.
A moderate 24.0% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing (6.3 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Conversely, accommodation & food services show lower representation at 3.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population.
Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, labour force decreased by 0.7% while employment fell by 1.4%, increasing unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Inverell Surrounds - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.0% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Income
Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis
The Inverell Surrounds - East SA2's median income among taxpayers was $41,016 in financial year 2023. The average income stood at $46,342 during the same period. These figures are below those of Regional NSW, which had a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. By March 2026, estimates suggest the median income will be approximately $45,249 and the average income $51,124, based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Inverell Surrounds - East fall between the 3rd and 5th percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. The largest income bracket comprises 28.5% of residents earning $800-$1,499 weekly. Unlike broader trends where 29.9% fall within the $1,500-$2,999 range, housing costs are modest with 90.3% of income retained. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 11th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Housing
Inverell Surrounds - East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership
Inverell Surrounds - East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 98.1% houses and 1.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Inverell Surrounds - East was 53.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented ones at 17.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in the area was $200, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Inverell Surrounds - East's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Household Composition
Inverell Surrounds - East has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size
Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 29.6%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
Local Schools & Education
Inverell Surrounds - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally
The area has university qualification rates at 12.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common among qualifications, at 9.6%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (30.8%). Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 12.3% in primary, 9.6% in secondary, and 1.7% in tertiary education.
Educational participation is notably high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.3% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Nearby Services & Amenities
Transport
Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility
Inverell Surrounds - East has 256 active public transport stops. These are served by 37 routes, providing 501 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is good, with residents typically 223 meters from the nearest stop. Most commute outward, primarily by car (90%), with 7% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling. In 2021 Census data, 24.0% worked from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions.
Service frequency averages 71 trips daily across all routes, equating to about one weekly trip per stop. The map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
Health
Health performance in Inverell Surrounds - East is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts
Inverell Surrounds - East faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A variety of health conditions impact both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~2,433 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.
The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.3%) and asthma (8.0%), while 61.6% claim to have no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 25.0%, with 1,313 people, compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly in line with national rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cultural Diversity
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 below average, with 87.1% of its population being citizens, 92.2% born in Australia, and 98.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 66.0%. This compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW.
The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.2%), English (30.6%), and Irish (8.2%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 4.6%, German at 4.5% versus 3.1%, and Scottish at 7.9% compared to 8.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
Age
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 Regional NSW's 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 15.7% of the population, while the 15-24 group comprises only 9.2%, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average. Between 2021 and present, the 5 to 14 age group has increased from 12.5% to 13.5% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 14.2% to 11.1%, and the 15 to 24 group has dropped from 10.4% to 9.2%. By 2041, Inverell Surrounds - East is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 33%, adding 144 people and reaching a total of 581 from the previous 436. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort is anticipated to decline by 7 people.