Pottsville
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Pottsville are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Pottsville's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 14,616. This figure represents a growth of 530 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 14,086. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 14,583 in June 2024 and an additional 128 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 77 persons per square kilometer. Pottsville's growth rate of 3.8% since the 2021 census exceeds both its SA4 region (3.2%) and SA3 area, indicating it is a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 38.8% to overall population gains, though all factors including interstate migration and natural growth were positive.

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 with a base year of 2021 are utilized. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on these trends, Pottsville is expected to grow by approximately 1,636 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of about 11.0% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Pottsville when compared nationally

Pottsville has averaged approximately 46 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 232 homes were approved, with a further seven approved in FY26 as of current data. Each dwelling built over these five years has resulted in an average increase of 2.8 new residents annually, indicating consistent demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes is $1,131,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year, $4.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Pottsville's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Pottsville maintains similar development levels per capita, preserving market balance consistent with the broader area, which is below average nationally and suggests possible planning constraints. Recent building activity shows 53% standalone homes and 47% medium to high-density housing, expanding medium-density options across various price brackets. This shift from the current 76% houses indicates decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyle preferences for more diverse, affordable housing alternatives.

Pottsville has around 334 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts estimate an increase of 1,603 residents by 2041, with development keeping pace with projected growth but potentially increasing buyer competition as the population expands.

Pottsville has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 33 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Solis Pottsville, Pottsville Marketplace, Pottsville High School, and Cabarita West - Tanglewood. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

AreaSearch assessment positions Pottsville ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Pottsville has a skilled workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate as of June 2025 was 2.2%.

At this time, 6,598 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.5% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among Pottsville residents included health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area had a particularly notable concentration in construction, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Public administration & safety had limited presence with 5.0% employment compared to 7.5% regionally. Analysis of SALM and ABS data for the 12 months prior showed labour force decreasing by 4.8% alongside a 4.5% employment decline, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 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 Sep-25 showed NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lagged the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 estimated national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Pottsville's employment mix suggested local growth of approximately 6.7%% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 shows Pottsville has lower incomes than the national average. The median income is $45,138 and the average is $59,198. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% by March 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $49,923 (median) and $65,473 (average). Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Pottsville rank between the 30th and 34th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 32.5% of residents earn between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, reflecting regional patterns where 29.9% fall within this range. Housing affordability is severe with only 80.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 30th percentile. Pottsville's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Pottsville is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The latest Census evaluation of Pottsville's dwelling structures showed 76.1% were houses and 23.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 66.3% houses and 33.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Pottsville was at 38.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.3% and rented ones at 24.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $1,872. The median weekly rent figure in Pottsville was $468, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Pottsville's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Pottsville has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 73.6% of all households, including 31.3% couples with children, 30.2% couples without children, and 11.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.4%, with lone person households at 23.5% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Pottsville exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational qualifications in Pottsville trail regional benchmarks, with 24.5% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees lead at 17.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 4.2% and graduate diplomas at 2.9%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 12.5% and certificates at 28.8%. Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.3% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. Six schools operate within Pottsville, educating approximately 1,431 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1039) with balanced educational opportunities. All six schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 9.8, below the regional average of 14.3, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Pottsville has 260 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 68 different routes that together facilitate 634 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents located an average of 125 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 90 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately two trips per week for each individual stop.

Pottsville's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Pottsville's health metrics closely match national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level.

Private health cover is relatively low, with approximately 49% of the total population (~7,176 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.9 and 7.6% of residents respectively. 69.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.2% across Rest of NSW. As of October 2021, 21.0% of Pottsville's residents are aged 65 and over (3,076 people), which is lower than the 26.1% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Pottsville's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with its population comprising 89.0% citizens, 85.3% born in Australia, and 95.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Pottsville, accounting for 44.0% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Pottsville compared to the rest of NSW, with 0.3% versus 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (32.5%), Australian (27.2%), and Irish (10.8%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Scottish at 8.9% in Pottsville compared to 8.7% regionally, Samoan at 0.2% versus 0.1%, and German at 3.8% versus 3.3%.

Pottsville hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Pottsville's median age is 43, matching Rest of NSW and exceeding Australia's national average of 38. The age distribution shows a prominent percentage (15.1%) of individuals aged 5-14 years, while the 25-34 year-olds comprise a smaller proportion (8.6%) compared to Rest of NSW. Between the 2021 Census and present day, Pottsville's population has seen an increase in the 15-24 age group from 8.5% to 9.9%. Conversely, the 55-64 age cohort has decreased from 14.3% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Pottsville's age structure. Notably, the 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 25%, adding 312 people and reaching a total of 1,569 from its current figure of 1,256. Conversely, numbers in the 55-64 age range are projected to decrease by 27%.