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. Since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,448, there has been an increase of 274 people, representing a growth rate of 3.2%. This change can be 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 is around 3.5 persons per square kilometer. Lithgow Surrounds' growth rate of 3.2% exceeded both the SA4 region (2.7%) and the SA3 area, indicating it as a leading growth region during this period. Overseas migration contributed approximately 69.6% of overall population gains recently.

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 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. Considering projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to have above median population growth outside capital cities, increasing by 1,084 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, reflecting a total increase of 10.0% over these 17 years.

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

Lithgow Surrounds has seen approximately 38 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 193 homes. As of FY26, 7 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 people per year have moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $654,000, reflecting a focus on premium segment dwellings.

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

The estimated population count is 366 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate Lithgow Surrounds will gain approximately 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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 30 projects that could impact this region. Notable 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 most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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 strongly represented.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.3%. There are 4,424 residents in work, which is 1.4% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is lower at 54.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction.

Mining has particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 3.1 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance employs only 11.8% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.4%, while employment declined by 3.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%. 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 Lithgow Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Lithgow Surrounds' median income among taxpayers was $50,323 in financial year 2022, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $61,730 during this period. In comparison, Rest of NSW's median and average incomes were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on a 12.61% growth in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $56,669 (median) and $69,514 (average). The 2021 Census figures show that household, family, and personal incomes in Lithgow Surrounds rank modestly, between the 23rd and 28th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 29.3% of the community earns between $1,500 and $2,999 (2,555 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region where 29.9% fall into the same category. Housing costs are manageable, with 87.8% retained, but disposable income is below average, ranking at the 33rd percentile.

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

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

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

Family households constitute 70.8% of all households, including 27.1% couples with children, 32.4% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 27.4% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, 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 faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 15.7%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 34.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education. A network of 8 schools operates within Lithgow Surrounds, educating approximately 492 students as of the latest data. The educational mix includes 7 primary schools and 1 K-12 school. Limited local school capacity (5.6 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 13.9) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

Lithgow Surrounds has 263 operational public transport stops. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 57 unique routes serving these stops, facilitating 1,420 weekly passenger trips in total.

Residents' access to transport is limited, with an average distance of 1297 meters to the nearest stop. Across all routes, there are approximately 202 daily trips, equating to about five weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant challenges for Lithgow Surrounds, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51%, covering about 4,413 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.5% of residents) and mental health issues (8.1%). Notably, 62.9% of residents report 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's 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, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census 2016 data, showed lower cultural diversity with 89.3% citizens, 89.7% born in Australia, and 96.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 57.6%, compared to 59.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups were English (32.3%), Australian (30.6%), and Irish (9.3%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal (4.7%) and Scottish (8.5%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 4.9% and 7.9%, respectively, while Welsh was underrepresented at 0.6%.

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 indicates that individuals aged 55-64 are particularly prevalent, comprising 16.4% of the population, while those aged 25-34 make up only 9.2%. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 11.2%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of individuals aged 75 to 84 has increased from 6.7% to 8.3%, while the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 12.3% to 10.8%. Additionally, the share of individuals aged 45 to 54 has dropped from 13.4% to 12.3%. By 2041, Lithgow Surrounds is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. Notably, the number of individuals aged 75 to 84 is expected to grow by 39%, reaching 1,006 from 724. This growth is part of a broader aging population trend, with those aged 65 and above contributing to 58% of projected population growth. Conversely, population declines are anticipated for the 15-24 and 5-14 age cohorts.