Moama
Statistical Area - sa2

Moama lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Moama's population was around 8,654 as of August 2025. This reflected an increase of 1,724 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,930 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,596 in June 2024 and an additional 418 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 51 persons per square kilometer. Moama's growth of 24.9% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (4.8%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 89.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to demographic trends, exceptional growth was predicted over the period, with the area expected to grow by 3,804 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, recording a gain of 31.7% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Moama was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Moama has averaged approximately 85 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is produced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, totalling 427 approvals across the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25, with 29 approvals so far in FY26. On average, 1.9 new residents have been added per year per dwelling constructed over these five years. This balance between supply and demand has maintained stable market conditions, while new homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $513,000.

Commercial approvals this financial year amount to $6.7 million, reflecting Moama's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Moama has 223.0% more construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers and indicating robust developer interest in the area. New building activity comprises 99.0% detached dwellings and 1.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 59 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Future projections show Moama adding around 2,746 residents by 2041.

Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.

Moama has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Perricota Parklands Estate, Moama Preschool Development, Lakeview Estate, and The Vines Estate. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Moama demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Moama has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar jobs. Key sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and accommodation & food.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.8% over the past year. The area's unemployment rate is 1.5% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Moama is 54.1%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment in accommodation & food is particularly strong, with a share 1.6 times the regional level.

Mining has limited presence, with only 0.5% employment compared to the regional average of 2.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities. Over the past year, employment increased by 3.8%, while labour force grew by 4.4%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National unemployment is at 4.5%, with national employment growth at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Moama's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.2% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Moama's median income is $48,732 and average income is $63,500. In contrast, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for Moama as of March 2025 are approximately $53,898 (median) and $70,231 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Moama rank modestly, between the 24th and 26th percentiles. Income brackets show that 27.6% of Moama's population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, similar to metropolitan regions where this cohort represents 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.8% of income remains, ranking at the 27th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Moama is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Moama, as evaluated at the Census conducted on 27 June 2016, consisted of 86.6% houses and 13.5% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings during the same period. In terms of home ownership, Moama had a rate of 46.2%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (33.2%) or rented (20.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Moama was $1,638, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,285 recorded in 2017-18. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure for Moama was $322 as of 2017-18, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $235 during the same period. Nationally, Moama's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863 in 2017-18, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 recorded in 2017-18.

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

Family households constitute 73.0% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 37.7% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.0%, with lone person households at 25.2% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in Moama fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates of 17.5%, 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 12.7%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (27.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 25.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education. Moama's three schools have a combined enrollment of 801 students as of the latest data available. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities, having an ICSEA score of 990. The educational mix includes two primary schools and one K-12 school.

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

Moama has 50 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 23 individual routes, providing a total of 340 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 184 meters from the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 48 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per stop.

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

Health data for Moama shows significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent among both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is held by approximately 51% of the total population (~4,430 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area's rate of 47.7%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.2% of residents) and asthma (7.8%), while 64.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 60.6% in Rest of NSW. Moama has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 30.8% (2,667 people).

The latest Census data sees Moama placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Moama has a cultural diversity index below the average, with 90.8% of its population being Australian citizens, 91.4% born in Australia, and 96.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Moama, accounting for 56.0% of the population, slightly lower than the 58.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Moama are English (33.6%), Australian (32.6%), and Irish (9.1%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 8.8%, compared to 9.2% regionally; Italian ancestry is also higher at 3.2%, versus 2.3%; Dutch ancestry, however, stands at 1.3%, slightly above the regional average of 1.0%.

Moama hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age of Moama is 49, which exceeds the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and is above Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented in Moama at 16.3%, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 8.0%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national figure of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 10.4% to 11.3% of Moama's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.5% to 10.2%, and the 25 to 34 year-olds have dropped from 9.1% to 8.0%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Moama's age structure, with the 65 to 74 age cohort projected to grow by 485 people (35%), increasing from 1,407 to 1,893.