Orange
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Orange's population was around 19,538 as of November 2025. This reflected an increase of 515 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,023 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,173 in June 2024 and an additional 330 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population resulted in a density ratio of 431 persons per square kilometer. Orange's growth rate of 2.7% since the census positioned it within 0.2 percentage points of its SA4 region, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 89.6% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted 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 utilized NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group were applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Projections indicated an overall population decline of 284 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts were anticipated to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group, projected to expand by 407 people.

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 between FY-21 and FY-26. Specifically, 271 homes were approved over the past five financial years, with an additional 20 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline in Orange, housing supply has been adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes was $315,000 during this period. In the current financial year, Orange recorded $67.6 million in commercial development approvals, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Comparatively, Orange records about 62% of building activity per person when measured against Rest of NSW. Nationally, it places among the 43rd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties.

New building activity in Orange consists of approximately 77.0% detached houses and 23.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated count of people per dwelling approval in Orange is 404, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, 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 has identified 18 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Orange FutureCity CBD Redevelopment, Alchemy Orange, Redmond Place Precinct, 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.

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 labor force with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 3.5%.

As of June 2025, there are 9,643 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 3.7% below Rest of NSW's rate and workforce participation similar to the region at 56.4%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training. Orange specializes in health care & social assistance, with a share 1.3 times higher than regional levels. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 2.3% of workers, lower than Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.9, indicating significant employment opportunities locally. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labor force decreased by 2.2%, employment by 3.4%, leading to a 1.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1% while the labor force grew by 0.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Orange's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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 the latest 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, household, family, and personal incomes in Orange rank modestly, between the 23rd and 37th percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 29.0% of locals (5,666 people) in the $1,500 - $2,999 category, consistent with broader metropolitan trends showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.2% of income remaining, 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), 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, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.2% and rented ones at 38.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,510, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,700. The median weekly rent figure in Orange was recorded at $300, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $315. Nationally, Orange's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were 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 the remaining 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 residents aged 15+ have 23.6% 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 held by 36.3%, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 26.2%. Current educational participation is high at 29.5%, including 10.4% in primary, 9.0% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

The area has 14 schools serving 7,191 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 957). It includes 7 primary, 4 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. Orange trail functions as an education hub with 36.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.9. 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, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 104 individual routes, providing a total of 2,324 weekly passenger trips. The city's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 113 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 332 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately five weekly trips per stop.

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, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 51% (~9,886 people) have private health cover, lower than the 53.9% rate in the rest of NSW.

Mental health issues affect 11.8% of residents, while arthritis impacts 9.9%. Around 60.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 65.4% in the rest of NSW. The area has 21.6% (4,224 people) aged 65 and over, higher than the 18.7% in the rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present challenges broadly consistent with the general population's health profile.

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

Orange's population, as of the 2016 Census, was predominantly Australian-born with 89.1% being citizens and 89.1% born in Australia. English was spoken exclusively at home by 93.3%. Christianity was the primary religion, practiced by 59.9%, compared to 63.1% across the Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (30.8%), English (29.9%), and Irish (9.7%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal people were more prevalent in Orange at 5.9% than regionally at 4.9%. Russian (0.3%) and Scottish (7.8%) ancestry also showed slight variations compared to regional figures of 0.2% and 7.6%, respectively.

Orange's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Orange is 39 years, which is significantly lower than the average for Rest of NSW at 43 years, but closely 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 grew from 11.5% to 12.7%, while the population aged 55-64 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 11%, adding 304 people and reaching a total of 3,040 from the current figure of 2,735. Conversely, the populations aged 5-14 and 15-24 are projected to decline.