Raymond Terrace

Raymond Terrace has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Raymond Terrace's population is approximately 15,520 as of November 2025. This figure shows an increase of 932 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,588. The growth is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,255 in June 2024 and an additional 251 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 141 persons per square kilometer. Raymond Terrace's growth rate of 6.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the non-metro area (5.1%) and its SA3 region, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 45.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch bases its projections on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth for regional areas nationally, with Raymond Terrace expected to expand by 2,619 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 15.2% over the 17 years.

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

Raymond Terrace has averaged approximately 67 new dwelling approvals each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 339 homes were approved, with an additional 5 approved so far in FY26. On average, around 2.4 people have moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years, indicating strong demand which supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value for new homes is $236,000, which is lower than regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. This financial year has seen $37.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Raymond Terrace has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, and it ranks among the 47th percentile nationally, leading to relatively limited buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings.

New building activity consists of approximately 74% detached houses and 26% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 445 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Raymond Terrace is projected to add 2,354 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with these growth projections, though buyers may face increased competition as the population grows.

Raymond Terrace has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects that could impact the region. Notable projects include the Raymond Terrace Indoor Sports Facility, Tomago Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Raymond Terrace Public Domain Plan, and Raymond Terrace Housing Delivery Program. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Raymond Terrace face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Raymond Terrace has a balanced mix of white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. The unemployment rate was 9.1% as of September 2025.

There were 6,290 residents employed at that time, an unemployment rate 5.3% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The leading employment industries for residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area had a notable specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing had limited presence, with only 1.2% of employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. There were 0.8 workers for each resident at the Census, indicating a higher than usual level of local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.6%, while employment decreased by 2.3% in Raymond Terrace, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5%, with a slight decrease in labour force and an increase in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 showed that NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimated a growth in national employment by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Raymond Terrace's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

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

Raymond Terrace SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $45,642 and an average income of $55,440 in financial year 2022, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages; Rest of NSW's median income was $49,459 with an average income of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $51,397 (median) and $62,431 (average). The 2021 Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Raymond Terrace fell between the 18th and 19th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.4% of residents (4,718 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually, consistent with broader regional trends at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Raymond Terrace, with only 81.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 16th percentile nationally.

Raymond Terrace is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Raymond Terrace's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 80.8% houses and 19.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 80.8% houses and 19.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Raymond Terrace stood at 28.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 40.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733, while the median weekly rent figure was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $360. Nationally, Raymond Terrace's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 67.4% of all households, including 24.7% couples with children, 23.3% couples without children, and 18.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 29.3% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 9.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 7.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (33.4%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.2% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Raymond Terrace has 157 active public transport stops, all served by buses. These stops are covered by 103 different routes, which together facilitate 2,598 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average being just 146 meters away from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 371 trips per day, equating to approximately 16 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Raymond Terrace is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Raymond Terrace faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 48% (~7,387 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 13.1% and 9.8% of residents respectively. Around 58.0% declare themselves free from medical ailments, compared to 59.3% in Rest of NSW. As of June 20XX (exact year not specified), 17.4% (2,708 people) are aged 65 and over, lower than the 28.1% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors largely mirror those of the general population.

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

Raymond Terrace had a cultural diversity index below average, with its population being predominantly Australian citizens born in Australia speaking English at home: 91.1%, 91.4%, and 95.9% respectively. Christianity was the predominant religion in Raymond Terrace at 53.6%, compared to 57.4% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.9%), English (31.1%), and Australian Aboriginal (8.1%).

Notably, Welsh (0.6%) and Samoan (0.2%) populations were higher than regional averages of 0.7% and 0.1%, respectively, while Maori population was slightly higher at 0.4%.

Raymond Terrace's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Raymond Terrace has a median age of 38, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 but equivalent to the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 14.6% of Raymond Terrace's population, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 9.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 12.9% to 14.6%, and the 15-24 cohort has risen from 12.6% to 13.6%. However, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 14.3% to 12.3%. Demographic modeling indicates that Raymond Terrace's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 25-34 group is projected to grow by 38%, reaching 3,128 people from the current 2,270. Meanwhile, population declines are anticipated for the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts.