Orange
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Orange's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 19,465. This figure represents an increase of 442 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,023. The growth was inferred from ABS estimates of 19,166 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since then. The population density is about 430 persons per square kilometer. Orange's growth rate of 2.3% since the census is within 0.4 percentage points of its SA4 region (2.7%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.6% of overall population gains recently.

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 from 2022 using a 2021 base year are applied. These projections indicate a population decline of 284 persons by 2041. However, the 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 407 people during this period.

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

Orange averaged approximately 54 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with a total of 271 homes approved during this period. In FY26, up until now, 18 dwellings have been approved. The area has maintained an adequate housing supply relative to demand despite experiencing population decline, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $540,000. In the current financial year, Orange has recorded $67.6 million in commercial development approvals, indicating strong momentum in commercial development. Compared to Rest of NSW, Orange records around 62% of building activity per person. Nationally, it ranks at the 43rd percentile among assessed areas, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties.

This level of activity is below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and potentially indicating planning constraints. New building activity in Orange comprises approximately 77.0% detached houses and 23.0% attached dwellings, maintaining its traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is around 404 people, reflecting the area's quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline in the future, Orange should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Orange has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 18 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Orange FutureCity CBD Redevelopment, Alchemy Orange, Redmond Place Precinct, and Ophir Car Park Redevelopment. The following list details those expected to be 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 employment landscape in Orange presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.5%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Orange has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 3.5%.

As of June 2025, there are 9,643 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.2% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Orange has a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.3% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicates substantial local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.2%, while employment decreased by 3.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Orange's employment could grow by approximately 6.6% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against the local employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Orange's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $48,926, with an average of $61,423 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is below the national average, contrasting with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Orange would be approximately $55,096 (median) and $69,168 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Orange rank modestly, between the 23rd and 37th percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 29.0% of locals (5,644 people) with earnings in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader metropolitan trends showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Orange, with only 84.2% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 24th percentile.

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

Orange's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.5% houses and 18.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 88.7% houses and 11.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Orange was at 33.8%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 28.2%, while rented dwellings made up 38.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Orange was $1,510, lower than the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,700 and significantly below the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Orange was $300, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $315 and substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 60.1% of all households, including 21.8% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 12.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for 39.9%, with lone person households at 36.4% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Orange fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Orange trail's educational qualifications lag behind regional averages. Among residents aged 15+, 23.6% have university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.3% of residents holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 26.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.5% currently enrolled in formal education: 10.4% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education. Fourteen schools serve 7,191 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 957) offering balanced educational opportunities. The area functions as an education hub with 36.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.9, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Orange has 416 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 104 individual routes in total, providing 2,324 weekly passenger trips collectively.

The accessibility of these services is rated excellent, with residents typically located just 113 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 332 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately five weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant challenges for Orange, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~9,849 people), compared to 53.9% in Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 11.8% and 9.9% of residents respectively. 60.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.4% across Rest of NSW. Orange has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.6%, with 4,208 people in this age group, compared to 18.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present similar challenges to those faced by the general population.

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

Orange's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.1% of its population being citizens, 89.1% born in Australia, and 93.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Orange, comprising 59.9% of people, compared to 63.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Orange are Australian (30.8%), English (29.9%), and Irish (9.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation is higher at 5.9%, compared to the regional average of 4.9%. Russian representation is also slightly higher at 0.3% versus 0.2%, and Scottish representation is 7.8% compared to the regional average of 7.6%.

Orange's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Orange is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Orange has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (14.0%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (10.7%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 increased from 11.5% to 12.7%, while the 55-64 age group decreased from 11.7% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Orange's age structure. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 12% (314 people), reaching a population of 3,040 from the current 2,725. Conversely, the 5-14 and 15-24 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.