Rutherford (South) - Telarah

Rutherford (South) - Telarah lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Rutherford (South) - Telarah's population is around 9527 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1551 people (19.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7976 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9065 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 615 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 242 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Rutherford (South) - Telarah's growth exceeded that of Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the state since the 2021 census, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 66.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, a significant population increase is forecast in the top quartile of non-metropolitan areas nationally, with Rutherford (South) - Telarah expected to increase by 2200 persons to 2041 based on latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 18.2% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Rutherford (South) - Telarah was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Rutherford South-Telarah has seen approximately 161 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 807 homes. As of FY26, 86 approvals have been recorded. On average, 2 people per year move to the area per new home constructed between FY21 and FY25, indicating strong demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $230,000, which is below the regional average, offering more affordable housing options for buyers.

In FY26, $6.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the rest of NSW, Rutherford South-Telarah has 61.0% more building activity per person, indicating robust developer interest. The new building activity shows 37.0% detached houses and 63.0% medium and high-density housing, offering affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 54 people per dwelling approval, Rutherford South-Telarah exhibits growth area characteristics. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 1,738 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting further population growth beyond current projections.

Population forecasts indicate Rutherford (South) - Telarah will gain 1,738 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly affect local performance. AreaSearch identified 24 potential impact projects. Notable ones include Truegain Site Remediation, Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation Project, Max McMahon Oval Amenities Redevelopment, and Dalmore Park Employment Hub.

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

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AreaSearch assessment indicates Rutherford (South) - Telarah faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Rutherford South - Telarah has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 6.1% as of September 2025. There are 4,155 employed residents, an unemployment rate of 2.3% higher than the Rest of NSW's 3.8%, and workforce participation is similar at 61.5%.

According to Census data, 13.9% work from home. Employment concentrates in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Mining has a significant presence with an employment share 2.7 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing is lower at 1.3%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.7, indicating ample local employment opportunities.

Between September 2024 and 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.1% alongside a 2.2% employment decline, keeping unemployment stable. In contrast, Rest of NSW had an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rutherford South - Telarah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Rutherford (South) - Telarah SA2 is higher than average nationally. The median income is $57,766 and the average income stands at $72,137. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where the median income is $52,390 and the average income is $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $62,884 (median) and $78,528 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Rutherford (South) - Telarah, between the 33rd and 34th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 36.6% of the community, which aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Rutherford (South) - Telarah, with only 82.1% of income remaining, ranking at the 31st percentile.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rutherford (South) - Telarah dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, had 88.9% houses and 11.1% other dwellings. Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rutherford (South) - Telarah was 26.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.4% and rented ones at 34.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in the area was $330, equal to Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were substantially lower at $375.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.8% of all households, including 26.8% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 16.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 26.5% and group households at 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates of 10.7%, 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 the most common at 8.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (35.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rutherford (South) - Telarah has 99 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a total of 69 individual bus routes, providing 829 weekly passenger trips combined. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents located an average of 207 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using private vehicles, which remain the dominant mode of transport at 94%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census, 13.9% of residents work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 118 trips per day, equating to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Rutherford (South) - Telarah is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a considerably higher degree among older age cohorts

Rutherford South - Telarah faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but more so among older cohorts.

Private health cover is fairly high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 5,230 people), compared to 51.9% in the rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 13.4 and 10.8% of residents respectively. About 59.5% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in the rest of NSW. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over (1,383 people), lower than the 23.4% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally compared to broader population figures.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Rutherford (South) - Telarah had a cultural diversity index below average, with 91.7% of its residents being citizens, 92.5% born in Australia, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Rutherford (South) - Telarah, accounting for 53.8% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.4%), English (30.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (8.1%).

Notably, Samoan ethnicity was overrepresented at 0.2%, Polish at 0.7%, and Maltese at 0.4%, compared to regional averages of 0.1%, 0.5%, and 0.4% respectively.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

The median age in Rutherford (South) - Telarah is 33 years, which is considerably lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and substantially under the national average of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 19.2% locally, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 8.6%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 17.0% to 19.2%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.0% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.0% to 8.9%, and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 13.1% to 11.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Rutherford (South) - Telarah, with the 25 to 34 group projected to grow by 29% (528 people), reaching 2,356 from 1,827. Meanwhile, the 65 to 74 group is forecasted to contract by 63 residents.