Oberon

An assessment of population growth drivers in Oberon reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Oberon's population is around 4,958 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 124 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,834 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,844 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 61 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1.7 persons per square kilometer. Oberon's growth rate of 2.6% since the census positions it within 0.6 percentage points of the SA4 region (3.2%). Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch is utilising NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is expected to grow by 248 persons based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 2.7% over the 17 years.

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

Oberon has seen approximately 20 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25102 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 0.4 people have moved to the area each year for every dwelling built during these years.

This indicates that new housing supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer options and allowing for population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings is $498,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market with high-end developments. In FY-26, approximately $4.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Oberon's primarily residential character.

Compared to the rest of NSW, Oberon maintains similar development levels per capita, indicating a balanced market consistent with the broader area. New development in Oberon consists of 89.0% detached dwellings and 11.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 258 people per dwelling approval, further indicating a low-density market. Looking ahead, Oberon is projected to grow by 134 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Oberon has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include Bracken Estate, Oberon, Yetholme Village Plan, Mount Lambie Wind Farm, and McKanes Bridge Upgrade. The following list 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Oberon well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Oberon, as of September 2025, has an unemployment rate of 1.6%. It has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The town has 2,580 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 2.3% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is at 64.8%, slightly higher than the regional average of 61.5%. According to Census responses, 13.1% of Oberon residents work from home. The leading employment industries are manufacturing, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and health care & social assistance. Manufacturing has a particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 3.4 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance has limited presence, with only 10.2% of residents employed in this sector compared to the regional average of 16.9%. Many Oberon residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparing working population to local population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, Oberon's labour force decreased by 3.7% and employment declined by 4.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. This mirrors the Rest of NSW trends, where employment fell by 0.5%, labour force contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Oberon's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.7% over five years and 11.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows that Oberon SA2 had a median income of $53,923 and an average income of $61,537. This is lower than the national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average) for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income in Oberon would be approximately $58,701 and average income $66,989 by that date. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Oberon rank modestly, between the 26th and 35th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 31.4% of residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which is reflective of the regional pattern where 29.9% fall within this range. Housing costs are manageable with 87.2% retained, but disposable income ranks below average at the 31st percentile.

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

In Oberon, as per the latest Census evaluation, 93.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 6.6% being other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This is in contrast to Non-Metro NSW where 82.6% of dwellings were houses and 17.4% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Oberon stood at 44.9%, with the rest either mortgaged (31.6%) or rented (23.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Oberon was $1,517, significantly lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Oberon was $280, substantially below Non-Metro NSW's $330 and the national figure of $375.

Oberon features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 67.0% of all households, including 21.9% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.0%, with lone person households at 30.7% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (33.6%). Educational participation is high at 30.4%, with 12.6% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.6% in primary education, 8.6% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Oberon has 173 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These are covered by 21 individual routes offering 243 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents typically 305 meters from the nearest stop. Most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 92%. Six percent walk to their destinations. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 34 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly one weekly trip per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Oberon is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Oberon faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence for common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,469 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW, which is lower than the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 10.6 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 62.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 26.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,332 people), higher than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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

Oberon had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 82.4% of its population being citizens, 87.4% born in Australia, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Oberon, accounting for 65.8% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (31.5%), Australian (30.4%), and Irish (11.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 3.5% in Oberon than the regional average of 4.6%, while Maltese and Hungarian representations were also slightly higher at 0.5% and 0.3% respectively, compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.2%.

Oberon hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Oberon's median age was 48 years as of a certain date, which is older than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 years. This makes Oberon significantly older than the Australian median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 75-84 were particularly prominent, making up 10.5% of the population, while those aged 15-24 made up a smaller proportion at 9.9%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 75 to 84 age group grew from 8.4% to 10.5%, and the 0 to 4 cohort increased from 4.6% to 5.7%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort declined from 15.7% to 13.4%, and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 12.0% to 10.8%. Demographic modeling suggests that Oberon's age profile will evolve significantly by the year 2041. The 85+ age cohort is projected to expand considerably, increasing by 92 people (62%) from 147 to 240. However, population declines are projected for the 75 to 84 and 15 to 24 cohorts.