Orange

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

Orange's population was 19,184 as of May 2026, an increase of 161 people from the 2021 Census figure of 19,023. This growth reflects an estimated resident population of 19,154 in June 2025 and 358 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 424 persons per square kilometer. Orange's 0.8% growth since the census is within 1.4 percentage points of the SA4 region's 2.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration primarily drove this growth. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

These projections indicate a population decline to 18,833 by 2041, but growth is expected in specific age cohorts, particularly the 25 to 34 age group, which is projected to expand by 340 people over 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, there have been 55 dwelling approvals. The average construction cost value for these new dwellings is around $315,000.

Orange has experienced population decline, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a well-balanced market with good buyer choice. Additionally, $67.6 million worth of commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Orange records approximately 62% of building activity per person. Nationally, Orange places among the 42nd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting limited buyer choices and supporting demand for existing properties.

This lower-than-average national activity reflects the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. The dwelling approvals consist of 77.0% detached houses and 23.0%, indicating a focus on low-density family homes that appeal to those seeking space. With an estimated 404 people per dwelling approval, Orange maintains a quiet, low activity development environment. Given the expected stable or declining population, there should be reduced pressure on housing in Orange, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Orange has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to affect the area. Notable ones include Orange FutureCity CBD Redevelopment, Redmond Place Precinct, Alchemy Orange, and Ophir Car Park Redevelopment. 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 reveals Orange recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Orange's workforce comprises skilled individuals with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate stood at 4.6% as of the latest available data. By December 2025, 9,484 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.7% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation was relatively similar to Regional NSW's figure, at 63.8%. Census responses indicated that only 10.8% of residents worked from home. Leading employment industries included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Orange had a particular specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employed just 2.3% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. The ratio of 0.9 workers per resident indicated substantial local employment opportunities. Between May-24 and May-25, labour force decreased by 2.5%, employment fell by 3.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 1.4 percentage points. This contrasted with Regional NSW where employment contracted by 1.2%, labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Orange's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Orange SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $50,913 and an average of $64,768 in postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is lower than the national average, with Regional NSW reporting a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $56,167 (median) and $71,452 (average). According to 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 (5,563 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to broader metropolitan trends showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, 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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.5% houses and 18.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Orange was at 33.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.2% and rented ones at 38.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,510, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Orange's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 account for 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 make up the remaining 39.9%, consisting of 36.4% lone person households and 3.5% group households. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

Orange region's educational qualifications trail NSW averages. Among residents aged 15+, 23.6% hold university degrees, compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are 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 aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (26.2%).

Educational participation is high at 29.5%, with 10.4% in primary education, 9.0% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Orange has 444 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 105 individual routes, providing 2,036 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 112 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Orange's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 91%, while walking accounts for 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 10.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 290 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop. An accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Orange faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 51% of Orange's total population (~9,822 people) has private health cover, which is relatively low. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (11.8%) and arthritis (9.9%). Conversely, 60.7% of residents claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age individuals in Orange face notable health challenges with higher chronic condition rates. The area has 21.6% of residents aged 65 and over (4,153 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with 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 born in Australia who speak English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Orange, comprising 59.9% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Orange are Australian (30.8%), English (29.9%), and Irish (9.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal people are overrepresented in Orange at 5.9%, compared to 4.6% regionally. Russian (0.3%) and Scottish (7.8%) ancestry groups also have notable divergences from regional averages of 0.2% and 8.0%, respectively.

Orange's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Orange 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. Relative to Regional NSW, Orange has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (13.8%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (10.3%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 35-44 grew from 11.6% to 12.8%, while the 15-24 age group increased from 11.5% to 12.6%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group declined from 11.7% to 10.5% and the 65-74 age group dropped from 11.3% to 10.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Orange's age structure. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 10%, reaching 2,910 people from the current figure of 2,639. Conversely, the 5-14 and 15-24 age cohorts are projected to experience population declines.