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 represents an increase of 932 people, a 6.4% rise from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 14,588. The change 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 exceeded that of non-metro areas (5.1%) and its SA3 area, indicating significant growth. Interstate migration contributed approximately 45.2% to 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for the 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, reflecting a total increase of 15.2% over the 17-year period.

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. A total of 339 homes were approved during this period, with an additional 5 approved in FY-26 as of now. On average, around 2.4 people moved to the area per new home constructed annually over these past five financial years, indicating strong demand for housing that supports property values.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes was $299,000, 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 had about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person as of FY-25.

Nationally, it ranked at the 47th percentile among assessed areas for new dwelling approvals, indicating relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing dwellings. New building activity in Raymond Terrace consisted of 74.0% detached houses and 26.0% attached dwellings, maintaining its traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes that appeal to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 445 people as of FY-25, reflecting its quiet and low activity development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Raymond Terrace is projected to add approximately 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 to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones 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 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.

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. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 9.5% as of June 2025.

There are 6,215 employed residents, which is 5.8% higher than the Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to the regional average at 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a significant specialization in transport, postal & warehousing with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing have limited presence with only 1.2% employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. As at the Census, there are 0.8 workers for each resident, indicating a higher than normal level of local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.3%, while employment decreased by 5.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, the labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Raymond Terrace's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years.

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 of $55,440 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 in the same period. As of September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $51,397 (median) and $62,431 (average), based on a 12.61% increase since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Raymond Terrace falling between the 18th and 19th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that 30.4% of residents (4,718 people) earned between $1,500 - 2,999 annually, similar to broader regional trends at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.3% of income remaining, 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 structures, as per the latest Census evaluation, comprised 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 stood at 28.7%, with the rest either mortgaged (31.3%) or rented (40.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $320, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $360. Nationally, Raymond Terrace's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than 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 constitute 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 account for the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 29.3% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is 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 stands at 9.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent among qualifications, with a rate of 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 at 9.0% and certificates at 33.4%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.2%), secondary education (8.9%), and tertiary education (3.0%).

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 of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 103 different routes that together facilitate 2,598 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents on average located just 146 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 371 trips across all routes, which works out 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. The rate of private health cover is low at approximately 48%, covering around 7,387 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 13.1% and 9.8% of residents respectively. However, 58.0% of residents report having no medical ailments, slightly lower than the 59.3% reported across Rest of NSW. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.4%, with around 2,708 people falling into this age group 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 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity index of below average with 91.1% citizens, 91.4% born in Australia, and 95.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 53.6% of the population compared to 57.4% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups were Australian (31.9%), English (31.1%), and Australian Aboriginal (8.1%).

Notably, Welsh (0.6%) and Samoan (0.2%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7% and 0.1%, respectively, while Maori was slightly higher at 0.4% versus 0.3%.

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, higher than Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort comprises 9.9%, lower than Rest of NSW. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group grew from 12.9% to 14.6%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 12.6% to 13.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort decreased from 14.3% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Raymond Terrace's age profile. The 25-34 group is projected to grow by 38%, reaching 3,128 people from 2,270 currently. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts.