Mudgee Surrounds - East
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Mudgee Surrounds - East's population was around 3,465 as of Aug 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents a growth of 67 people (2.0%) since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,398. The increase is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 3,394 in June 2024 and an additional 104 validated new addresses after the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1.2 persons per square kilometer. Mudgee Surrounds - East's growth rate since the census is within 0.7 percentage points of its SA4 region (2.7%), indicating strong fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.5% 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. By 2041, the population is projected to increase by 278 persons, representing a total growth of 5.9% over the 17-year period. This expected growth is just below the median rate for Australia's non-metropolitan areas.

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 had minimal residential development activity with 3 dwelling approvals annually over the past five years, totalling 19. These low development levels reflect its rural nature where development is driven by specific local housing needs rather than broad market demand. Given the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Compared to Rest of NSW and national averages, Mudgee Surrounds - East has substantially lower development levels. All new construction in the area has been detached houses, reflecting its rural character where larger properties are typical. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 549 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Future projections show an increase of 205 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Mudgee Surrounds - East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 13 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Bowdens Silver Project, Crudine Ridge Wind Farm, Bylong Coal Mine Project, and Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ). The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment drivers in Mudgee Surrounds - East are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Mudgee Surrounds - East has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent.

As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 4.2%. There are 1,404 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 0.5% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 43.1%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly strong with an employment share three times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 12.3% compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data analysis showing a decrease in labour force and employment from June 2024 to June 2025, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 1.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local growth may differ due to varying industry-specific projections when applied to Mudgee Surrounds - East's employment mix.

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

Mudgee Surrounds - East had a median taxpayer income of $40,123 and an average of $53,158 in financial year 2022. This was lower than the national averages of $57,071 (median) and $69,117 (average). The Rest of NSW had higher incomes with a median of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 in the same year. By March 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 10.6%, the estimated median income was approximately $44,376 and the average was $58,793. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Mudgee Surrounds - East were among the lowest nationally, with household, family, and personal incomes all falling between the 1st and 3rd percentiles. The largest income segment was those earning $400-$799 weekly (1,164 residents), unlike surrounding regions where earnings of $1,500-$2,999 were most common at 29.9%. A notable proportion, 46.6%, earned below $800 weekly, suggesting affordability pressures for many residents. Despite modest housing costs with 87.9% of income retained, disposable income ranked low nationally at the 4th percentile.

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

In Mudgee Surrounds - East, evaluated at the latest Census, 96.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 3.6% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's distribution of 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mudgee Surrounds - East stood at 55.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 22.3% and rented ones at 22.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,600. The median weekly rent in the area was $230, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Mudgee Surrounds - East had significantly lower mortgage repayments at $1,083 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and substantially lower rents at $230 compared to 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 comprise 59.2% of all households, including 16.9% composed of couples with children, 30.8% consisting of couples without children, and 10.7% headed by single parents. Non-family households account for the remaining 40.8%, with lone person households making up 38.5% and group households representing 2.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 13.1%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.8%) and certificates (32.6%).

Educational participation is high at 26.6%, comprising 10.9% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education. The four schools in Mudgee Surrounds - East have a combined enrollment of 396 students, serving distinct age groups with three primary and one secondary school.

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

Mudgee Surrounds - East has 95 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 25 individual routes, collectively facilitating 140 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically residing 188 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 20 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately one weekly trip per stop.

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

Mudgee Surrounds - East faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 47% (~1,618 people) have private health cover, lower than Rest of NSW's 50.8% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (14.2%) and mental health issues (8.4%).

Conversely, 56.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 62.9% in Rest of NSW. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 31.9% (1,103 people), higher than the 23.1% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors perform better 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 had a cultural diversity below average, with 87.8% citizens, 89.6% born in Australia, and 96.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 63.2%, compared to 59.9% across Rest of NSW. The top ancestry groups were Australian (33.3%), English (32.5%), and Irish (8.1%).

Notably, Maltese were overrepresented at 1.1% (vs regional 0.5%), Australian Aboriginal at 4.8% (vs 4.9%), and Welsh at 0.6% (vs 0.5%).

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

The median age in Mudgee Surrounds - East is 53, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and also substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Mudgee Surrounds - East has a higher concentration of residents aged 55-64 (17.5%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (6.2%). This concentration of residents aged 55-64 is well above the national figure of 11.2%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 10.9% to 12.7%, while the 15 to 24 age group has risen from 8.4% to 10.2%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 age group has decreased from 17.5% to 16.0%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 13.6% to 12.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Mudgee Surrounds - East's age structure. The most notable shift will be an 84% increase (92 people) in the population aged 85 and above, reaching 203 from 110. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 70% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 age groups are expected to decrease in number.