Scone Surrounds

Scone Surrounds is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Scone Surrounds's population is around 8,515 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 321 people (3.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,194 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,376 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 192 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1.1 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Scone Surrounds's 3.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (3.0%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, which contributed approximately 50.9% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Regarding demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of Australia's regional areas is expected, with the area expected to grow by 754 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 7.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Scone Surrounds, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Scone Surrounds has seen around 18 new homes approved each year, totalling 93 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 7 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of only 1 new resident per year per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is meeting or surpassing demand, providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential for population growth above projections, while new homes are being built at an average value of $396,000—somewhat higher than regional norms—reflecting quality-focused development. Additionally, $24.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, suggesting balanced commercial development activity.

When measured against the Rest of NSW, Scone Surrounds shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person while it places among the 32nd percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties. This activity is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. Meanwhile, recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated count of 517 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Scone Surrounds will gain 615 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

Scone Surrounds has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 42 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Upper Hunter Energy Park, Aberdeen Valley Fair Commercial Development, Upper Hunter Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and AGL Pumped Hydro Projects (Glenbawn and Glennies Creek), with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.4%, Scone Surrounds has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Scone Surrounds possesses a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, and an unemployment rate of only 3.4%. As of December 2025, 4,108 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.5% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is on par with Regional NSW's 61.3%. Based on Census responses, a moderate 16.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, mining, and health care & social assistance. The area shows particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 4.7 times the regional level. Meanwhile, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 8.8% employment compared to 16.9% regionally. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 0.7% while employment declined by 0.8%, leaving unemployment broadly flat. By comparison, Regional NSW recorded an employment decline of 1.2%, a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Scone Surrounds. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Scone Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.9% over five years and 11.2% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Scone Surrounds SA2's income level is higher than the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Scone Surrounds SA2's median income among taxpayers is $51,082 and the average income stands at $72,012, compared to figures for Regional NSW of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $55,608 (median) and $78,392 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Scone Surrounds, between the 25th and 29th percentiles. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 29.5% of the community (2,511 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 29.9% in the same category. While housing costs are modest with 87.5% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 30th percentile nationally.

Scone Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Scone Surrounds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 95.5% houses and 4.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Scone Surrounds was well beyond that of Regional NSW, at 44.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (33.5%) or rented (22.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional NSW average at $1,500, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $250, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Scone Surrounds's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Scone Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 68.8% of all households, comprising 26.4% couples with children, 33.9% couples without children, and 8.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.2%, with lone person households at 28.7% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people matches the Regional NSW average.

Scone Surrounds 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 (13.9%) substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 11.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (33.8%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 376 active transport stops operating within Scone Surrounds, comprising a mix of train and buses. These stops are serviced by 47 individual routes, collectively providing 1,554 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 301 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 89%, with 8% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 16.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 222 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Scone Surrounds is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Scone Surrounds faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is fairly high at approximately 55% of the total population (~4,674 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.9% and 9.3% of residents, respectively, while 65.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents show an above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 23.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,033 people), with national rankings even higher than the general population.

The latest Census data sees Scone Surrounds placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Scone Surrounds was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 90.2% of its population being citizens, 91.8% born in Australia, and 97.6% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Scone Surrounds is Christianity, which makes up 68.2% of people in Scone Surrounds. This compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Scone Surrounds are Australian, comprising 35.8% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 30.0%, English, comprising 32.5% of the population, and Irish, comprising 9.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is notably overrepresented at 4.8% of Scone Surrounds (vs 4.6% regionally) and Scottish at 8.0% (vs 8.0%).

Scone Surrounds hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Scone Surrounds's median age of 44 years is similar to Regional NSW's 43 and well above the 38-year national average. Relative to Regional NSW, Scone Surrounds has a higher concentration of 65 - 74 residents (13.9%) but fewer 25 - 34 year-olds (10.1%). Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.5% to 7.7% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 12.5% to 11.1% and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 14.9% to 13.6%. By 2041, Scone Surrounds is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 38% (249 people), reaching 902 from 652. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 58% of anticipated growth. Conversely, both 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age groups will see reduced numbers.