Parkes Surrounds

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

Parkes Surrounds' population is approximately 3,114 as of November 2025. This represents a decrease of 148 people since the 2021 Census, which reported 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 is 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.8% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics suggest an increase just below the median for locations outside capital cities, with an expected growth of 265 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 7.8% over 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 an average of 2 dwelling approvals per year over the past five years (11 approvals in total). This low level of development is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities 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 per dwelling approval is 2326 people, reflecting the quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Parkes Surrounds is expected to grow by 243 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Parkes Surrounds has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 26 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are 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.

The labour market performance in Parkes Surrounds lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Parkes Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 4.9% as of September 2025. The area's unemployment rate is 1.1% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%, while workforce participation stands at 66.2%, compared to 61.5% in the Rest of NSW. According to Census responses, 22.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing (6.6 times the regional average), health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction employment is under-represented at 3.7%, compared to 9.7% in the Rest of NSW. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on Census data comparing working population to local population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.0% and employment declined by 5.6%, leading to a 1.7 percentage point rise in unemployment rate.

In contrast, the Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May-25) project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Parkes Surrounds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.9% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 in financial year 2023 was $45,200. The average income stood at $49,246 during the same period. This compares to figures for Rest of NSW which were $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated median income as of September 2025 would be approximately $49,205, while average income is projected to reach around $53,609. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Parkes Surrounds fell between the 13th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income distribution showed that 27.3% of residents earned between $1,500 and $2,999, which is similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represented 29.9%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for retention of 91.1% of income, 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' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.5% houses and 4.5% other dwellings (including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Parkes Surrounds stood at 50.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.9% and rented ones at 22.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Parkes Surrounds was $180, compared to $330 in Non-Metro NSW. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,083 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Parkes Surrounds features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 31.0% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the average in the Rest of NSW.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 12.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.6% and graduate diplomas at 0.9%. Vocational credentials are common, with 39.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (31.8%). Educational participation is high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 13.1% in primary, 9.4% in secondary, and 2.1% in 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 307 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 34 individual routes, providing 397 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 194 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, primarily using cars (88%), while 10% walk. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 22.9% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 56 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. An accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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 substantial health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (around 1,432 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 11.0% and 9.3% of residents respectively. However, 63.4% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 63.3% in Rest of NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 22.9% of residents aged 65 and over (713 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but generally align with national rankings for the general 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 has a cultural diversity level below average, with 88.7% of its population being citizens, 95.1% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 72.2%, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (34.2%), English (30.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.8%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 4.6%.

Notably, German ancestry is overrepresented at 3.6%, compared to 3.1% regionally, while Lebanese and Irish ancestries are underrepresented at 0.2% each versus their respective regional averages of 0.2% and 8.8%.

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 years and above the national average of 38 years. 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 increased from 10.1% to 12.3%, while the 75-84 age group has grown from 6.4% to 7.9%. Conversely, the 25-34 age group has declined from 9.4% to 7.6%, and the 65-74 age group has dropped from 13.4% to 11.9%. By 2041, Parkes Surrounds is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition, with the 75-84 age group projected to grow by 29%, reaching 315 people from 245. Meanwhile, the 65-74 and 55-64 age groups are expected to experience population declines.