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, as of Aug 2025, is approximately 5,254. This figure represents a growth of 54 people from the 2021 Census total of 5,200, marking an increase of 1.0%. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,233 in June 2024 and an additional 37 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio stands at 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 the SA3 area's growth rate of 2.7%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.5% of overall population gains during 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 nationwide. By 2041, Inverell Surrounds - East's population is expected to expand by 602 persons, recording a gain of approximately 11.1% over the 17-year period based on the latest population numbers.

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 each year. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, showing 42 homes over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with one approval so far in FY-26. The area has experienced population decline, maintaining adequate housing supply relative to demand and creating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $315,000, below regional norms, reflecting more affordable housing options for purchasers.

This financial year, $1.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Inverell Surrounds - East has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 33rd percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. Building activity has accelerated in recent years, with 86.0% detached houses and 14.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes. The estimated population count of 500 people per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Looking ahead, Inverell Surrounds - East is projected to grow by 581 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Thirty-four projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence the local area significantly. Key projects include Lake Inverell Recreational Precinct Enhancement, Inverell Hospital Redevelopment, New Residential Areas Structure Plans, and Inverell Sports Complex Upgrade. The following details the projects likely to have the greatest impact on the area.

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 white and blue collar employment, diverse sector representation, an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of June 2025, and estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year. There are 2,534 residents in work, with an unemployment rate 0.8% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is significantly lower at 49.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment concentrations include agriculture, forestry & fishing (6.3 times the regional level), health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 4.5% while labour force grew by 3.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.7 percentage points.

This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5% and national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Inverell Surrounds - East's employment mix suggests local 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. The average income stood at $45,631 during the same period. For comparison, Rest of NSW had median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. By March 2025, estimated median and average incomes in Inverell Surrounds - East would be approximately $43,891 and $50,468 based on a 10.6% growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Inverell Surrounds - East all fell between the 3rd and 5th percentiles nationally. Income analysis showed that the largest segment comprised 28.5% earning $800-$1,499 weekly (1,497 residents), differing from metropolitan patterns where $1,500-$2,999 dominated with 29.9%. While housing costs were modest, with 90.3% of income retained, total disposable income ranked 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's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, was predominantly houses at 98.1%. Other dwellings, such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' types, made up 1.9% of the total. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW, where 93.0% of dwellings were houses and 6.9% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Inverell Surrounds - East stood at 53.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented ones 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 the area was $200, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $240. Nationally, Inverell Surrounds - East had significantly lower mortgage repayments at $1,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were 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 account for 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 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's university qualification rate is significantly lower than the NSW average, at 12.0% compared to 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with a rate of 9.6%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15+, with 41.2% holding such qualifications, 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.

Six schools operate within Inverell Surrounds - East, educating approximately 312 students, with a mix of four primary and two K-12 schools. School capacity is limited locally at 5.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.2, leading many families to seek schooling in nearby areas.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Inverell Surrounds - East shows that there are 108 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, totaling 19 individual routes. The combined weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 227.

The accessibility of transport is considered limited, with residents residing an average of 7831 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 32 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 2 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, with high prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47%, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.3%) and asthma (8%). Around 61.6% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Rest of NSW's 61.0%. The area has 24.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,294 people), lower than Rest of NSW's 27.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but generally align with the overall 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 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% of people, 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 were overrepresented at 8.0%, compared to the regional average of 6.4%. German ancestry was also overrepresented 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's median age in 2021 was 47 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age profile showed that those aged 55-64 were particularly prominent, making up 15.2% of the population, while those aged 15-24 were comparatively smaller at 9.0%. Between 2021 and the present day, the age group of 5 to 14 has grown from 12.5% to 13.6%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.2% to 12.2% and the 15 to 24 group dropped from 10.4% to 9.0%. 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 36 people, reaching 578 from a base of 426, while the 15 to 24 cohort is expected to decline by 6 people.