Lithgow Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Lithgow Surrounds' population is approximately 8,722 as of August 2025. From the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,448 people, there has been an increase of 274 individuals (3.2%). This growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,511 in June 2024 and an additional 190 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 3.5 persons per square kilometer. Lithgow Surrounds' growth of 3.2% since the 2021 census exceeded that of both its SA4 region (2.7%) and SA3 area, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 are used, 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected for locations outside capital cities. Lithgow Surrounds is projected to increase by 1,084 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 10.0% over the 17 years.

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

Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, Lithgow Surrounds has seen around 38 new homes approved annually, totalling 193 homes. In the current financial year, FY-26, 7 approvals have been recorded so far. On average, only 0.2 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand and providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction value of new properties in the area is $654,000, demonstrating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $5.4 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Lithgow Surrounds maintains similar construction rates per person, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area. Recent construction comprises 89% detached houses and 11% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population count of 366 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Lithgow Surrounds will gain 873 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Lithgow Surrounds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Twenty-six infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the Wallerawang 9 Battery Energy Storage System, Great Western Battery, Former Wallerawang Power Station Redevelopment, and Sidey Place, Wallerawang. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

AreaSearch assessment positions Lithgow Surrounds ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Lithgow Surrounds has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 2.3%.

As of June 2025, there are 4,424 residents employed, with the unemployment rate at 1.4% below Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation is lower than the state average (54.4%). Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction. Mining has notably high employment levels, 3.1 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 11.8% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities. From Jun-24 to Jul-25, labour force decreased by 2.4%, while employment declined by 3.3%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point unemployment rise. In contrast, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lithgow Surrounds's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.7%% over five years and 12.4% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Lithgow Surrounds' income level is lower than average nationally, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Lithgow Surrounds' median income among taxpayers is $50,323, with an average income of $61,730. This compares to Rest of NSW's figures of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on a 10.6% growth in Wage Price Index since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $55,657 (median) and $68,273 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Lithgow Surrounds rank modestly, between the 23rd and 28th percentiles. Income brackets show that 29.3% of the community (2,555 individuals) earn $1,500 - 2,999, consistent with surrounding regions at 29.9%. Housing costs allow for 87.8% retention, but disposable income is below average at the 33rd percentile.

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

Lithgow Surrounds' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.1% houses and 2.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Lithgow Surrounds stood at 47.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.7% and rented ones at 15.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,600. Median weekly rent in Lithgow Surrounds was $270, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Lithgow Surrounds' mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,517 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 70.8% of all households, including 27.1% that are couples with children, 32.4% that are couples without children, and 10.4% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 27.4% and group households comprising 1.8% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area has university qualification rates at 15.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (34.5%).

Educational participation is high at 27.7%, comprising primary education (10.5%), secondary education (8.4%), and tertiary education (2.6%). There are eight schools operating within Lithgow Surrounds, educating approximately 492 students. The school mix includes seven primary schools and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited at 5.6 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.9, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Analysis reveals 263 active transport stops within Lithgow Surrounds, consisting of both train and bus services. These stops are served by 57 individual routes, collectively facilitating 1,420 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited; residents typically reside 1,297 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 202 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately five weekly trips per stop.

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

Lithgow Surrounds faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups.

Only about 51% (~4,413 people) have private health cover, which is relatively low. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (11.5%) and mental health concerns (8.1%). Around 62.9% of residents reported no medical ailments, similar to the Rest of NSW figure. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, at 25.0% (2,177 people), compared to the Rest of NSW average of 23.1%.

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

Lithgow Surrounds had a lower cultural diversity, with 89.3% of its population being citizens, 89.7% born in Australia, and 96.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Lithgow Surrounds, comprising 57.6%, compared to 59.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.3%), Australian (30.6%), and Irish (9.3%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal were overrepresented at 4.7% in Lithgow Surrounds versus 4.9% regionally, Scottish at 8.5% compared to 7.9%, and Welsh at 0.6% compared to 0.5%.

Lithgow Surrounds hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Lithgow Surrounds has a median age of 47 years, which is notably higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and significantly exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile reveals that individuals aged 55-64 years are particularly prominent, making up 16.4% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years comprise only 9.2%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group is substantially higher than the national average of 11.2%. Between 2021 and the present, the proportion of individuals aged 75-84 has increased from 6.7% to 8.3%, while the 5-14 age cohort has decreased from 12.3% to 10.8%, and the 45-54 age group has fallen from 13.4% to 12.3%. By the year 2041, Lithgow Surrounds is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 39%, adding 281 people and reaching a total of 1,006 individuals. This demographic shift underscores the aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 58% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 5-14 age cohorts.