Muswellbrook
Statistical Area - sa2

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 was 12,615 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This showed an increase of 343 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,272. The change is inferred from ABS's estimated resident population of 12,613 in June 2024 and 188 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 48 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Muswellbrook had a compound annual growth rate of 0.2%, outperforming its SA3 area. Natural growth contributed approximately 65.5% to overall population gains during recent periods.

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. Future population projections anticipate lower quartile growth in regional areas, with Muswellbrook expected to grow by 596 persons to 2041, a gain of 4.7% over the 17-year period.

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

Muswellbrook has experienced approximately 30 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25154 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approved in FY26 as of now. On average, 0.8 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during this period, indicating that new supply has been keeping pace with or exceeding demand.

The average construction cost value of new homes is $472,000. In the current financial year, $22.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting steady investment activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Muswellbrook shows 13.0% lower construction activity per person but ranks at the 45th percentile nationally for buyer options, indicating somewhat limited choices while strengthening demand for established dwellings. This level reflects market maturity and potential development constraints.

New developments consist of 96.0% detached dwellings and 4.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 396 people, reflecting a quiet development environment. Future projections anticipate Muswellbrook adding 592 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

Muswellbrook has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile 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, and Muswellbrook Hospital Redevelopment - Stage 3. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Muswellbrook face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Muswellbrook has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominently featuring manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate as of June 2025 is 7.5%.

Of its residents, 5,504 are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.8% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation stands at 58.9%, slightly above Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Mining particularly dominates with employment levels at 9.2 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has a limited presence, with only 10.4% of employment compared to the regional average of 16.9%. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates ample local employment opportunities. Over the year ending June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.4%, and employment dropped by 4.2%, resulting in a slight fall in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. State-wide data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 4.5%, with national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's projections from May 2025 forecast national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these forecasts to Muswellbrook's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.2% over five years and 11.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data, released for the financial year ending June 2022, shows Muswellbrook had a median taxpayer income of $54,689 and an average of $70,561. This is higher than national averages. The Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since June 2022, estimated incomes for March 2025 would be approximately $60,486 (median) and $78,040 (average). The 2021 Census indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Muswellbrook rank modestly, between the 40th and 42nd percentiles. Income brackets show that 32.6% of residents (4,112 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, similar to the metropolitan region's 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remains for other expenses.

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

The latest Census evaluated Muswellbrook's dwelling structure with 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 89.7% houses and 10.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Muswellbrook was 27.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented dwellings at 39.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,538. The median weekly rent in Muswellbrook was $310, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $290. Nationally, Muswellbrook's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 account for 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 constitute 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, which is larger than the Rest of 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%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (36.5%).

Educational participation is 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. Muswellbrook operates a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 2,090 students, with varied educational conditions across the area. The educational mix includes 5 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

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

Muswellbrook has 362 operational public transport stops, including both train and bus services. These stops are served by 35 unique routes, offering a total of 1,193 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 116 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

Across all routes, an average of 170 trips per day is maintained, translating to about three weekly trips per individual stop.

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 indicated by health data. Both younger and older age groups have a high prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 55% (6,938 people) of Muswellbrook's total population has private health cover, compared to 57.5% across the Rest of NSW. 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 having no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 65.4% reported in the Rest of NSW. Muswellbrook has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (15.1%, or 1,906 people) compared to the Rest of NSW (18.9%). The health outcomes among seniors are broadly aligned with those of 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, as per the census data from June 2016, showed lower than average cultural diversity. The population was predominantly Australian-born citizens with English spoken exclusively at home: 88.3%, 90.5%, and 94.7% respectively. Christianity was the dominant religion in Muswellbrook, accounting for 58.0% of the population, compared to 63.9% across the Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.0%), English (29.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.2%). Notable differences existed in the representation of Maori (0.5% vs regional 0.4%), Filipino (1.0% vs regional 0.7%), and Lebanese (0.2% vs regional 0.1%) groups.

Muswellbrook's population is younger than the national pattern

Muswellbrook's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 15.2% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 8.5%. Following the Census conducted on 28 August 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.2% to 5.0% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 15.3% to 14.2%. Demographic modeling suggests Muswellbrook's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 66%, adding 416 residents to reach 1,043. Demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 56% of anticipated growth. Population declines are projected for the 65 to 74 and 45 to 54 cohorts.