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 November 2025, is approximately 12,617. This figure shows an increase of 345 people, a 2.8% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,272. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,612 in June 2024 and an additional 189 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 48 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Muswellbrook has shown steady growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.2%, outperforming its SA3 area. Natural growth contributed approximately 65.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections 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. According to population projections, regional areas nationwide are expected to have lower quartile growth, with Muswellbrook projected to grow by 596 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 4.7% over the 17 years.

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

Muswellbrook has seen approximately 30 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25154 homes were approved, with a further 34 approved in FY26 so far. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years was 0.8 people annually.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and allowing for potential population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new homes is $384,000. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $22.2 million, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Comparatively, Muswellbrook shows 13.0% lower construction activity per person than the Rest of NSW and ranks at the 44th percentile nationally for areas assessed, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established dwellings.

This level reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. New developments consist of 96.0% detached dwellings and 4.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 396 people, reflecting Muswellbrook's quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, future projections show Muswellbrook adding 590 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds 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 that may impact the region. Key projects include Eastbrook Links Estate, Muswellbrook Solar Farm, Muswellbrook Marketplace Redevelopment, and Muswellbrook Clean Industries Precinct (MCIP). The following list details those likely most relevant.

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.

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

Muswellbrook has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, and an unemployment rate of 7.2% as of September 2025. There are 5,492 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 3.3% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is at 58.9%, slightly above the regional average of 56.4%. Key industries include mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Mining has a notable concentration with employment levels at 9.2 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance has limited presence at 10.4% compared to the regional average of 16.9%.

The ratio of workers per resident is 0.7, indicating above-average local employment opportunities. Over the year ending September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.9%, and employment decreased by 1.5%, leading to a drop in unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.5% and a slight increase in unemployment. As of 25-November, NSW's employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, employment is forecast to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Muswellbrook's employment mix suggests local employment growth of 5.2% over five years and 11.8% over ten years.

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

In AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for the financial year ended June 2022, Muswellbrook SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $54,689 and an average of $70,561. This was higher than the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year ended June 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $61,585 as the median income and $79,459 as the average income by September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family, and personal incomes in Muswellbrook rank modestly, between the 40th and 41st percentiles. Income brackets indicate that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 32.6% of residents (4,113 people), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort also represents 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

Muswellbrook's dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 87.6% houses and 12.5% other types (semi-detached, apartments, others). Non-Metro NSW had 89.7% houses and 10.3% others. Home ownership in Muswellbrook was 27.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.9% and rented ones at 39.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro NSW's $1,538. Median weekly rent in Muswellbrook was $310, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $290. Nationally, Muswellbrook's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were lower at $310 against the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 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%. Bachelor degrees are most common among residents with university qualifications at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 44.5% of residents aged 15+, including 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.

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

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

Across all routes, there are an average of 170 trips per day, which translates to approximately three weekly trips per 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 its health data. Both younger and older age groups have a notable prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is high at approximately 55% (around 6,939 people), compared to 57.5% across the rest of NSW. Asthma and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 10.3% and 10.3% of residents respectively. However, 64.0% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 65.4% across the rest of NSW. Muswellbrook has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.1% (around 1,906 people), compared to 18.9% in the rest of NSW. The health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

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, comprising 58.0% of people, compared to 63.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups are Australian (34.0%), English (29.4%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.2%).

Notably, Maori (0.5%) and Filipino (1.0%) populations are higher than regional averages of 0.4% and 0.7%, respectively.

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 years, and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Muswellbrook at 15.2%, compared to the Rest of NSW average. Meanwhile, the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented locally at 8.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 4.2% to 5.0% of Muswellbrook's population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 15.3% to 14.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Muswellbrook's age profile will evolve significantly. The 75 to 84 cohort is projected to grow by 66%, adding 415 residents to reach 1,043. This growth is part of an overall demographic aging trend, with residents aged 65 and older representing 56% of anticipated population growth. However, population declines are projected for the 65 to 74 and 45 to 54 cohorts.