Parkes Surrounds

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

Parkes Surrounds' population was approximately 3,092 as of November 2025. This figure represents a decrease of 170 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,262. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,092 in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. The population density was 0.60 persons per square kilometer as of November 2025. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.8% 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 years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median for locations outside capital cities, with Parkes Surrounds expected to increase by 265 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 8.6% over the 17 years.

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

Parkes Surrounds has had minimal residential development activity with 2 dwelling approvals annually on average over the past five years (11 approvals total). This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It's important to note that with such small approval numbers, yearly growth figures can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Parkes Surrounds has shown significantly less construction activity than the Rest of NSW and its development levels are also below national averages. All new constructions in the area have been detached dwellings, aligning with rural living preferences for space and privacy. The estimated population density is 2326 people per dwelling approval, reflecting the quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Parkes Surrounds is expected to grow by 265 residents by 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep up with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Parkes Surrounds has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 26 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Ridgey Creek Battery Energy Storage System, Stevens Group BP Highway Service Centre - Northern Gateway, Parkes Hospital (Lachlan Health Service), and Parkes National Logistics Hub Infrastructure Extension. 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.

While Parkes Surrounds retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.9%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Parkes Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 3.9% as of June 2025. There are 1,560 residents in work, with the unemployment rate being 0.3% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is broadly similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area has a particularly notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 6.6 times the regional average. However, construction is under-represented, with only 3.7% of Parkes Surrounds's workforce compared to 9.7% in Rest of NSW.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. During the year to June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.6% and employment declined by 4.1%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parkes Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.9% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The Parkes Surrounds SA2's median income among taxpayers was $41,721 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $50,962 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of NSW which were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $46,982 (median) and $57,388 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Parkes Surrounds fell between the 13th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income distribution showed that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominated with 27.3% of residents (844 people), aligning with metropolitan regions where this cohort represented 29.9%. Housing costs were modest, with 91.1% of income retained, but total disposable income ranked at just the 21st percentile nationally.

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

Parkes Surrounds had 95.5% houses and 4.5% other dwellings in its dwelling structure as of the latest Census. This compared to Non-Metro NSW's 92.0% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parkes Surrounds was 50.7%, with mortgages at 26.9% and rentals at 22.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,200 and the national average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Parkes Surrounds was $180, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $220 and the national figure of $375.

Parkes Surrounds features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households compose 66.8% of all households, including 25.2% couples with children, 28.6% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 2.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 16.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.6%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 39.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (31.8%). Educational participation is high at 30.6%, with 13.1% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.1% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Parkes Surrounds has 309 active public transport stops operating. These are a mix of train and bus services. There are 34 different routes servicing these stops, providing a total of 342 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent accessibility to transport, with an average distance of 190 meters to the nearest stop. On average, there are 48 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Parkes Surrounds faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Only approximately 46% (~1,434 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.0% of residents) and asthma (9.3%). A total of 63.4% report being free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 62.4%. As of a certain date, 22.9% of residents are aged 65 or over (~708 people). Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but generally align with those of the broader population.

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

Parkes Surrounds had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 88.7% of its population being Australian citizens, 95.1% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 72.2% of Parkes Surrounds' population, compared to 70.4% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.2%), English (30.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.8%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 3.6%, while Lebanese was at 0.2%, and Irish was at 7.8%.

Parkes Surrounds hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Parkes Surrounds' median age of 44 years is similar to Rest of NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38. Compared to Rest of NSW, Parkes Surrounds has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (14.6%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (7.6%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 10.1% to 12.3%, while those aged 75-84 increased from 6.4% to 7.9%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 25-34 has declined from 9.4% to 7.6%, and those aged 65-74 dropped from 13.4% to 11.9%. By 2041, Parkes Surrounds' age composition is expected to change notably. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 29%, reaching 315 from 243. Meanwhile, the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.