Lithgow Surrounds

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, as of Nov 2025, is approximately 8,743, reflecting a growth of 295 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 3.5% rise from the previous population figure of 8,448. The change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,511 in June 2024 and the addition of 199 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3.5 persons per square kilometer. Lithgow Surrounds' growth rate of 3.5% since the 2021 census exceeds that of the SA4 region (2.9%) and the 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 is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts and latest annual ERP population numbers, the area is expected to increase by 1,084 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 9.7% over the 17-year period.

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, 11 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 people per year moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating that supply has met or exceeded demand while supporting potential population growth. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $654,000, reflecting a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY26, $5.4 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature compared to other NSW regions. Lithgow Surrounds maintains similar construction rates per person as the Rest of NSW, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area. Recent construction comprises 89.0% detached houses and 11.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

The estimated population count per dwelling approval is 366 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate that Lithgow Surrounds will gain approximately 852 residents by 2041 (based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). 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 45thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of thirty projects expected to impact the 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 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, with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.3%.

In this month, 4,424 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. The workforce participation rate is somewhat 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. Notably, mining employs 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, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the 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 experienced a 0.1% employment decline and 0.3% labour force growth, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data from Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Lithgow Surrounds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Lithgow Surrounds SA2 had a lower income level than the national average in financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The median income among taxpayers was $50,323 and the average income stood at $61,730. These figures compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998 respectively. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% suggest the median income would be approximately $56,669 and the average income around $69,514. Income data from the 2021 Census showed Lithgow Surrounds ranked modestly for household, family, and personal incomes, between the 22nd and 28th percentiles. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captured 29.3% of the community (2,561 individuals), similar to surrounding regions at 29.9%. Housing costs allowed for retention of 87.8%, but disposable income was 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), contrasting with 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. The 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% couples with children, 32.4% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 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's university qualification rate is 15.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common 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 (10.1%) and certificates (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.

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

Analysis of public transport in Lithgow Surrounds indicates 263 active transport stops, consisting of a mix of 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, with residents typically located 1297 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 202 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 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

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

Approximately 51% (~4,423 people) have private health cover, which is relatively low compared to other areas. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.5%) and mental health issues (8.1%). Notably, 62.9% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to the Rest of NSW figure (62.9%). The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over (25.0%, or 2,183 people) compared to the Rest of NSW (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 cultural diversity index below the average, 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 representation was higher at 4.7% in Lithgow Surrounds than the regional average of 4.9%. Scottish representation was also higher at 8.5%, compared to 7.9% regionally. Welsh representation was slightly higher at 0.6%, compared to 0.5% regionally.

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

Lithgow Surrounds has a median age of 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent, making up 16.4% of the population, while those aged 25-34 make up only 9.2%. This concentration of those aged 55-64 is well above the national average of 11.2%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of those aged 75 to 84 has grown from 6.7% to 8.3%, while the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 12.3% to 10.8% and the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has dropped from 13.4% to 12.3%. By 2041, Lithgow Surrounds is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. The number of people aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow by 38%, reaching 1,006 from 726. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 58% of the population growth. Conversely, declines are projected for those aged 15 to 24 and 5 to 14.