Rutherford (South) - Telarah
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Rutherford (South) - Telarah's population was around 9,457 as of August 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,481 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,976 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,065 in June 2024 and an additional 582 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 240 persons per square kilometer. Rutherford (South) - Telarah's growth rate of 18.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area's growth rate of 4.8%, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 66.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

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 for Rutherford (South) - Telarah, with an expected increase of 2,200 persons by 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 19.1% over the 17-year period.

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 had approximately 161 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years. This totals 807 homes from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, there have been 59 approvals recorded. On average, around two people move into the area each year per new home constructed during this period.

The average construction cost value for these homes is $315,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options. This financial year has seen $6.6 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting the predominantly residential nature of the area. Compared to the rest of NSW, Rutherford South - Telarah has 61.0% more building activity per capita as of FY-25. This indicates robust developer interest in the area and offers buyers greater choice. The new building activity consists of approximately 37.0% detached houses and 63.0% medium to high-density housing, showing a shift from the existing housing stock which is currently 89.0% houses. This trend suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles with increasing demand for diverse and affordable housing options. With around 54 people moving in per dwelling approval, Rutherford South - Telarah exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate that the area will gain approximately 1,808 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 24 projects potentially affecting this region. Notable initiatives include Truegain Site Remediation, Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline Project, Maitland Mental Health Rehabilitation Project, and Max McMahon Oval Amenities Redevelopment.

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

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, and unemployment stands at 6.3%.

As of June 2025, 4,028 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.7% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 60.7%. Key employment areas include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Mining is particularly specialized with an employment share 2.7 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio of 0.7 indicates above-average local employment opportunities. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.3% and employment fell by 5.1%, raising unemployment by 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw a 0.1% employment decline and 0.3% labour force growth, with a 0.4 percentage point unemployment rise. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.5% and employment growth is 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest Rutherford South - Telarah's employment could grow by approximately 6.0% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Rutherford (South) - Telarah is higher than average nationally. The median income is $53,675 and the average income stands at $67,952. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where the median income is $49,459 and the average income is $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $59,365 (median) and $75,155 (average) as of March 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 36.6% of the community earns $1,500 - 2,999 annually, which aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort also represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Rutherford (South) - Telarah, with only 82.1% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 32nd percentile.

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

In Rutherford (South) - Telarah, as evaluated in the latest Census, 88.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 11.1% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 87.1% houses and 13.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rutherford (South) - Telarah stood at 26.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 39.4% and rented ones at 34.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,647, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,862. The median weekly rent in the area was recorded as $330, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $375. Nationally, Rutherford (South) - Telarah had significantly lower mortgage repayments at $1,647 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and substantially lower rents at $330 compared to the national figure of $375.

Rutherford (South) - Telarah has a typical household mix, with a lower-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 account for the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 26.5% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 10.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 43.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 8.4% and certificates at 35.3%.

Educational participation is high at 29.7%, including primary education (10.0%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (3.7%). Rutherford (South) - Telarah's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,106 students as of the latest data. The area has typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 951). There are two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents stand at 11.7, below the regional average of 17.7, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Rutherford (South) - Telarah has 95 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 71 individual routes that collectively facilitate 889 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically residing 207 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 127 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 9 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Rutherford (South) - Telarah is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Rutherford (South) - Telarah faces significant health challenges.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 13.4% and 10.8% of residents respectively. Approximately 53% (~5,050 people) have private health cover, which is higher than the state average. However, 59.5% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in Rest of NSW. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 14.4% (1,361 people) compared to the rest of NSW at 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are similar to those of the general population.

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 score below average, with 91.7% of its population being Australian citizens, 92.5% born in Australia, and 95.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Rutherford (South) - Telarah, comprising 53.8% of the population, compared to 57.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.4%), English (30.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (8.1%).

Notably, Samoan representation was higher at 0.2%, Polish was similar at 0.7%, and Maltese was slightly higher at 0.4% compared to regional figures of 0.1%, 0.7%, and 0.3% 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, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and substantially below the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented locally at 19.0%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 65-74 are under-represented at 8.6%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the proportion of the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 17.0% to 19.0%, while the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 11.0% to 9.2% and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 13.1% to 11.9%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate significant demographic changes in Rutherford (South) - Telarah, with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 31%, reaching a total of 2,356 people from its current figure of 1,793. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 65-74 age groups are projected to have reduced numbers.