Narromine
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Narromine's population was approximately 6,596 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 138 people, a 2.1% rise from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 6,458. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates: Narromine had an estimated resident population of 6,501 as of June 2024 and there were 52 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.1 persons per square kilometer. Narromine's growth rate of 2.1% since the census is within 1.1 percentage points of the SA4 region's 3.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 74.5% 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, 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 the years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate an overall population decline over this period. Narromine's population is expected to decrease by 845 persons by 2041, according to these projections. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 85 and over age group which is projected to increase by 69 people.

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

Narromine has had approximately 12 dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 62 homes. As of FY-26, there have been 5 recorded approvals. The population decline in recent years has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $589,000, higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development.

This financial year, $3.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Narromine shows significantly reduced construction (67.0% below regional average per person), supporting stronger demand and values for established homes. New development consists of 67.0% detached houses and 33.0% medium and high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 577 people, reflecting Narromine's quiet, low activity development environment. With the population expected to remain stable or decline, there should be reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Narromine should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Narromine has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 21 projects likely to impact this area. Notable ones include Macquarie Estate, Narromine Water Treatment Plant, Rail Corridor Program - Narromine To Gowrie, and Narromine Industrial Precinct. The following list details those most relevant.

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

While Narromine retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.0%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Narromine's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with diverse sector representation. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate was 3.0%.

In that month, 2,960 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.6% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors included agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area had a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 4.8 times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance showed lower representation at 13.0% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. The area offered limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. From Jun-25 to Jul-25, labour force decreased by 1.9%, employment declined by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, lagging behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 estimated national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Narromine's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 5.5% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Narromine's median income is $47,075 and average income stands at $55,784. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Narromine would be approximately $52,065 (median) and $61,697 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Narromine rank modestly, between the 21st and 33rd percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 30.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (1,985 individuals), aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing costs are modest in Narromine, with 89.1% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 28th percentile nationally.

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

Narromine's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Narromine stood at 44.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.1% and rented ones at 25.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,200, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent in Narromine was $240, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Narromine's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,200 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 68.5% of all households, including 26.4% couples with children, 28.2% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.5%, with lone person households at 29.1% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

The area has lower university qualification rates at 15.7% compared to the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common among qualifications, at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are held by 39.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 30.8%. Educational participation is high, with 33.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 14.2% in primary, 10.4% in secondary, and 2.0% in tertiary education.

Narromine has a network of six schools educating approximately 926 students, comprising four primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school.

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

Narromine has 338 active public transport stops, consisting of a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 40 different routes that offer a total of 396 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 188 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 56 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Narromine faces significant health challenges, with common conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48%, covering about 3,139 people, compared to 49.7% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.1%) and asthma (9.4%).

A total of 64.3% reported no medical ailments, similar to the 64.1% in Rest of NSW. Narromine has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 21.4%, with approximately 1,410 people, compared to 19.5% in Rest of NSW.

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

Narromine's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.6% of its population being citizens, 95.4% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Narromine, comprising 73.3% of people, compared to 65.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Narromine are Australian (33.1%), English (28.8%), and Australian Aboriginal (14.5%).

Notable differences exist in the representation of Irish (7.9%, vs regional 8.2%) and Scottish (7.3%, vs regional 6.6%) ethnicities.

Narromine's median age exceeds the national pattern

At age 41, Narromine's median age is lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but higher than Australia's national average of 38. The 0-4 age group comprises 7.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's figure. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort makes up 10.7%. Post-Census data from 2021 shows the 15 to 24 age group grew from 10.6% to 11.8%, while the 5 to 14 group declined from 14.9% to 13.6%. The 65 to 74 cohort also dropped from 11.8% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Narromine's age profile. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 36%, adding 61 residents to reach 232. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 81% of population growth. Conversely, population declines are expected for the 25 to 34 and 75 to 84 age groups.