Muswellbrook

Muswellbrook is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Muswellbrook's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 12,605. This figure represents a 333-person increase from the 2021 Census total of 12,272, indicating a growth rate of 2.7%. The population estimate for June 2025 was 12,595, with an additional 286 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density of 48 persons per square kilometer. Muswellbrook's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.4%), positioning it as a regional growth leader. Natural growth accounted for approximately 58.5% of recent overall population gains.

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 from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Muswellbrook is projected to grow by 523 persons, reflecting an overall gain of 4.1% over the 16-year period.

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

Muswellbrook has received approximately 30 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25154 homes were approved, with a further 42 approved in FY-26. On average, 0.8 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built over these years.

The average construction value of new homes is $384,000. This financial year has seen $22.2 million in commercial development approvals. Compared to Rest of NSW, Muswellbrook shows 13.0% lower construction activity per person and ranks at the 44th percentile nationally for buyer options. New developments consist of 96.0% detached dwellings and 4.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's low density character.

There are estimated to be 396 people in the area per dwelling approval. By 2041, Muswellbrook is projected to add 513 residents. Current construction levels should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Muswellbrook 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 19 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Eastbrook Links Estate, Muswellbrook Solar Farm, Muswellbrook Clean Industries Precinct (MCIP), and Muswellbrook Marketplace Redevelopment.

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

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The labour market performance in Muswellbrook lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Muswellbrook's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 7.3% as of December 2025. Employment grew by 0.5% in the past year.

There are 5,512 employed residents, with a participation rate matching Regional NSW's 60.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.3% higher than Regional NSW's 3.9%, indicating room for improvement. Only 9.1% of residents work from home, though COVID-19 impacts may have influenced this figure. Key industries are mining (9.2 times the regional level), health care & social assistance (10.4%), and retail trade.

Employment increased by 0.5% while labour force decreased by 0.8% in the year to December 2025, reducing unemployment by 1.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Muswellbrook's mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.2% in five years and 11.8% in ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

The Muswellbrook SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $59,014 and an average income of $73,960 in the financial year 2023, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data. This was higher than the national average. Regional NSW, meanwhile, had a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $65,104 (median) and $81,593 (average). Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Muswellbrook ranked modestly, between the 40th and 41st percentiles. Income distribution showed that 32.6% of the population, equating to 4,109 individuals, fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range. This was consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region, where 29.9% of the population also fell within this category. After accounting for housing costs, 85.1% of income remained for other expenses.

Muswellbrook is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Muswellbrook, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings. Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings during this period. Home ownership in Muswellbrook was at 27.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented ones at 39.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Muswellbrook was $310, while for Regional NSW it was $330. Nationally, Muswellbrook's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 67.5% of all households, including 27.7% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.5%, with lone person households at 29.6% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Muswellbrook faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (36.5%). Educational participation is high at 32.6%, with 13.2% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.2% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Muswellbrook has 377 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 46 individual routes, providing 1,454 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 116 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with car being the dominant mode at 95%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 9.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 207 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 3 weekly trips per stop. The provided map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Muswellbrook faces significant health challenges, as per AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is notably high at approximately 56% of Muswellbrook's total population (~7,071 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 10.3% and 10.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 64.0% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than Regional NSW's 63.3%. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. Muswellbrook has 15.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,933 people), lower than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Muswellbrook's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.3% of its population being Australian citizens, 90.5% born in Australia, and 94.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Muswellbrook, accounting for 58.0% of the population, which is slightly higher than the Regional NSW average of 55.9%. The top three ancestry groups in Muswellbrook are Australian (34.0%), English (29.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.2%).

Notably, Maori (0.5%) and Filipino (1.0%) populations are higher in Muswellbrook compared to Regional NSW averages of 0.3% and 0.6%, respectively. The Lebanese population is similar between Muswellbrook and the region at 0.2%.

Muswellbrook's population is younger than the national pattern

Muswellbrook's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below Regional NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Muswellbrook has a notably higher proportion of 25-34 year-olds at 15.2%, while the proportion of 65-74 year-olds is lower at 8.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of 75 to 84 year-olds grew from 4.2% to 5.3%, while the proportion of 5 to 14 year-olds declined from 15.3% to 14.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Muswellbrook's age profile will change significantly. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 55%, adding 365 residents to reach 1,034. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 59% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45 to 54 year-old and 65 to 74 year-old cohorts.