Narrabri

Narrabri has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Narrabri's population was around 6,942 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 44 people from the 2021 Census figure of 6,898. The growth was inferred from ABS estimated resident population data for June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 38 persons per square kilometer. Narrabri's 0.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's growth rate of 0.5%. Natural growth contributed approximately 55.0% of 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, AreaSearch utilises 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. Future population dynamics anticipate lower quartile growth for regional areas like Narrabri, with an expected increase of 23 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 0.3% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Narrabri is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Narrabri has approved approximately 10 dwellings annually. Between financial years FY21 and FY25, 50 homes were approved, with an additional 5 approved in FY26 to date. Despite a declining population during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost of new properties is $358,000. This year, commercial approvals totaling $15.1 million have been registered, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Narrabri has 82.0% higher new home approvals per person, offering greater choice for buyers. However, building activity has slowed in recent years, reflecting market maturity and potential development constraints. Recent construction comprises 75.0% detached houses and 25.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1045 people, indicating a quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Narrabri is projected to add 23 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Narrabri has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects are: Narrabri Place Strategy, Newell Highway Upgrade - Heavy Duty Pavement Upgrades (Narrabri to Moree), Stoney Creek Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and Narrabri Solar Farm and BESS. The following details those 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.

Employment conditions in Narrabri demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Narrabri has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs across various sectors. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.6%. In this month, 4,002 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Narrabri is 72.9%, surpassing Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, only 8.6% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and mining. Mining is particularly strong with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 13.0%, compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%. Many Narrabri residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.8% while employment declined by 1.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.4 percentage points. These changes mirror Regional NSW's trends. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Narrabri's employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

The Narrabri SA2's income level aligns with national averages, per latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Narrabri is $55,981, with an average income of $67,264. These figures compare to Regional NSW's median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $61,758 (median) and $74,206 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Narrabri rank modestly between the 38th and 52nd percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 31.5% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999, consistent with metropolitan trends showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing costs allow for 87.5% retention, but disposable income ranks below average at the 43rd percentile.

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

Narrabri's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.7% houses and 13.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Narrabri stood at 34.0%, with the rest either mortgaged (32.3%) or rented (33.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,443, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $260, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Narrabri's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Narrabri has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 67.3 percent of all households, including 25.6 percent couples with children, 28.8 percent couples without children, and 11.8 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.7 percent, with lone person households at 29.8 percent and group households comprising 2.8 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 15.2%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (31.0%). Educational participation is high at 29.8%, comprising 13.0% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Narrabri has 142 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 33 different routes, providing a total of 362 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 237 meters, indicating good accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward using private vehicles, which are owned at an average rate of 1.5 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 8.6% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 51 trips daily across all routes, resulting in approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Narrabri faces notable health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are significant, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is higher than average at approximately 53% of the total population (~3,651 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (9.8%) and arthritis (9.5%). Notably, 63.3% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Regional NSW's rate. Working-age residents have an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. Narrabri has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over compared to Regional NSW (21.4% vs 23.4%). Health outcomes among seniors are generally in line with national rankings.

The latest Census data sees Narrabri placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Narrabri's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population comprised 90.1% citizens, with 94.5% born in Australia and 96.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 64.7%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry, Australians made up 37.8% of Narrabri's population, significantly higher than the regional average of 30.0%. English ancestry followed at 28.4%, and Australian Aboriginal ancestry was 10.6%, also notably higher than the regional average of 4.6%. Samoan ethnicity was overrepresented in Narrabri at 0.1% compared to the regional figure of 0.1%.

Narrabri's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Narrabri is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Narrabri has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (14.2%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (11.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 75 to 84 grew from 6.4% to 7.7%, while the 5 to 14 age group declined from 14.5% to 12.1% and the 55 to 64 age group decreased from 13.4% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Narrabri's age structure. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 30%, reaching 696 people from the previous count of 536. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 59% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 age groups are projected to decrease in number.