Mudgee Surrounds - East

Mudgee 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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Mudgee Surrounds - East's population is around 3,407 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 9 people (0.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,398 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,392 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 114 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1.2 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Mudgee Surrounds - East's 0.3% growth since the census positions it within 2.4 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 87.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 278 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 7.7% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Mudgee Surrounds - East is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Mudgee Surrounds - East has seen around 5 new homes approved annually, totalling 29 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 6 approvals have been recorded. With population declining over recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $405,000—moderately above regional levels—indicating an emphasis on quality construction. There have also been $1.1 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus.

Relative to the Rest of NSW, Mudgee Surrounds - East shows substantially reduced construction (63.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new homes typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. Further, recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature, with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated count of 549 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Looking ahead, Mudgee Surrounds - East is expected to grow by 263 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Mudgee Surrounds - East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 11 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Bowdens Silver Project, Crudine Ridge Wind Farm, Bylong Coal Mine Project, and Kandos to Gulgong Rail Line Reinstatement, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment conditions in Mudgee Surrounds - East face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Mudgee Surrounds - East features a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, and an unemployment rate of 6.4%. As of December 2025, 1,371 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.4% above Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation lags significantly (50.3% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 19.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 3.0 times the regional average. Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 12.3% versus the regional average of 16.9%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.5% combined with employment decreasing by 5.7%, causing unemployment to rise by 3.2 percentage points. This compares to Regional NSW, where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Mudgee Surrounds - East. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Mudgee Surrounds - East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Mudgee Surrounds - East SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $43,327 with the average level standing at $55,073. This is lower than average on a national basis and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $47,166 (median) and $59,952 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Mudgee Surrounds - East all fall between the 1st and 3rd percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals the $400 - 799 earnings band captures 33.6% of the community (1,144 individuals), contrasting with the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. The concentration of 46.6% in sub-$800 weekly brackets highlights economic challenges facing a significant portion of the community. While housing costs are modest with 87.9% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 4th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure within Mudgee Surrounds - East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 96.4% houses and 3.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Mudgee Surrounds - East was well beyond that of Regional NSW, at 55.1%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (22.3%) or rented (22.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional NSW average at $1,083, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $230, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Mudgee Surrounds - East's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Mudgee Surrounds - East features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 59.2% of all households, comprising 16.9% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.8%, with lone person households at 38.5% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.1 people is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Mudgee Surrounds - East 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 (13.1%) substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (32.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 151 active transport stops operating within Mudgee Surrounds - East, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 25 individual routes, collectively providing 152 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 145 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 90%, with 7% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.5 per dwelling. Some 19.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 21 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Mudgee Surrounds - East is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Critical health challenges are evident across Mudgee Surrounds - East, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A range of health conditions have marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~1,614 people). This compares to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 14.2% and 8.4% of residents, respectively, while 56.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 32.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,093 people), which is higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Mudgee Surrounds - East was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 87.8% of its population being citizens, 89.6% born in Australia, and 96.8% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Mudgee Surrounds - East is Christianity, which makes up 63.2% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Mudgee Surrounds - East are Australian, comprising 33.3% of the population, English, comprising 32.5% of the population, and Irish, comprising 8.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Maltese is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of Mudgee Surrounds - East (vs 0.4% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 4.8% (vs 4.6%), and Welsh at 0.6% (vs 0.5%).

Mudgee Surrounds - East ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 53, Mudgee Surrounds - East is considerably higher than the Regional NSW figure of 43 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Relative to Regional NSW, Mudgee Surrounds - East has a higher concentration of 55 - 64 residents (18.1%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (5.8%). This 55 - 64 concentration is well above the national 11.2%. Since the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 8.4% to 10.3% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 10.9% to 12.7%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.6% to 11.6% and the 65 to 74 group dropped from 17.5% to 16.1%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Mudgee Surrounds - East's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 78% (88 people), reaching 203 from 114. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 66% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 35 to 44 and 15 to 24 age groups will see reduced numbers.