Raymond Terrace
Statistical Area - sa2

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 was approximately 15,520 as of November 2025. This figure represents a growth of 932 people, a 6.4% increase from the 2021 Census which recorded 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 population density ratio of 141 persons per square kilometer. Raymond Terrace's growth rate surpassed both the non-metro area (5.1%) and its SA3 region, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 45.2% to overall population gains, with natural growth and overseas migration also being positive factors.

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 the years 2032 to 2041. Nationally, regional areas are projected to have above median population growth. By 2041, Raymond Terrace is expected to expand by 2,619 persons, 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 averaged approximately 67 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 339 homes approved during this period and an additional 5 approved in FY-26. On average, around 2.4 people moved to the area per new home constructed each year between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating strong demand for housing. The average expected construction cost value of new homes was $236,000, which is lower than regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

In FY-26, there have been $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 ranks among the 48th percentile nationally, leading to relatively limited buyer choice and interest in existing dwellings. New building activity consists of 74.0% detached houses and 26.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes.

The estimated population density is 445 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections indicate Raymond Terrace will add approximately 2,354 residents by 2041. Building activity appears to be keeping pace with growth projections, though increased competition among buyers can be expected 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 may impact this region. Notable ones include Tomago Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), Raymond Terrace Public Domain Plan, Raymond Terrace Indoor Sports Facility, 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 workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 9.5%.

In this month, 6,215 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 5.8% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area specializes in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 1.2% compared to 5.3% regionally. There are 0.8 workers per resident, indicating local employment opportunities above average. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.3%, with employment decreasing by 5.4%, leading to a 1.1 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. 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 Raymond Terrace's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.1% over five years and 12.9% 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

Raymond Terrace had a median taxpayer income of $45,642 and an average income of $55,440 in financial year 2022. This was lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $51,397 and the average income around $62,431, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. Census data from 2021 placed household, family, and personal incomes in Raymond Terrace between the 18th and 19th percentiles nationally. Income analysis showed that 30.4% of residents (4,718 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, consistent with broader regional trends. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Raymond Terrace, with only 81.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.8% houses and 19.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 81.1% houses and 18.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Raymond Terrace was at 28.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.3% and rented ones at 40.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent was $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $360. Nationally, Raymond Terrace's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,517 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 make up 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 faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 9.7%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 7.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (33.4%).

Educational participation is high at 29.4%, including primary education (11.2%), secondary education (8.9%), and tertiary education (3.0%). A network of 7 schools operates in Raymond Terrace, educating approximately 2,887 students. There are 4 primary and 3 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. The area functions as an education hub with 18.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 11.8, attracting students from surrounding communities. 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

Raymond Terrace has 157 operational public transport stops. These are served by buses along 103 different routes, facilitating a total of 2,598 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents usually residing within 146 meters of the nearest stop.

On average, there are 371 daily trips across all routes, translating to about 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 are the most prevalent condition, impacting 13.1% of residents, followed by asthma at 9.8%. Around 58.0% claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 59.3% in Rest of NSW. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 17.4% (2,708 people), compared to the 28.1% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly similar to 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, as per the census conducted on Tuesday 9 June 2009, exhibited low cultural diversity. A majority of its residents were Australian citizens, with 91.1% holding citizenship, and 91.4% having been born in Australia. English was predominantly spoken at home, with 95.9% of the population reporting this language use.

Christianity was the most prevalent religion in Raymond Terrace, comprising 53.6% of its population, slightly lower than the regional average of 57.4%. In terms of ancestry, Australian heritage dominated at 31.9%, followed by English at 31.1%, and Australian Aboriginal at 8.1%. Notably, Welsh ancestry was overrepresented in Raymond Terrace compared to the region, with 0.6% versus 0.7%. Similarly, Samoan (0.2% vs 0.1%) and Maori (0.4% vs 0.3%) ancestry showed higher representation in Raymond Terrace than in the broader regional area.

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 comprises 14.6% of Raymond Terrace's population, higher than the Rest of NSW figure, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.9%, lower than the Rest of NSW figure. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 12.9% to 14.6%, and the 15-24 cohort has grown from 12.6% to 13.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 14.3% to 12.3%. Demographic modeling indicates significant changes in Raymond Terrace's age profile 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 forecast for the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts.