Tamworth - East
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Tamworth - East reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Tamworth - East's population is around 22,917 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,360 people. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 22,608 in June 2024 and an additional 250 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 224 persons per square kilometer. Tamworth - East's growth rate of 7.3% since the 2021 census exceeded regional averages, including SA4 regions (4.1%) and non-metro areas. Natural growth contributed approximately 44.1% of 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. 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 years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest population numbers, Tamworth - East is expected to increase by approximately 2,690 persons to reach around 25,607 by 2041, reflecting a total increase of about 10.4% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Tamworth - East when compared nationally

Tamworth - East has seen approximately 85 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, showing 426 homes over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 7 so far in FY-26. Each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25 has resulted in an average of 2.9 new residents per year, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $514,000.

This financial year has seen $13.0 million in commercial approvals registered, indicating moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Rest of NSW, Tamworth - East has 16.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 38th percentile nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. New development consists of 63.0% detached dwellings and 37.0% attached dwellings, expanding medium-density options across various price brackets. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, marking a considerable change from the current housing mix of 86.0% houses.

The area's quiet, low activity development environment is reflected in an estimated 456 people per dwelling approval. Looking ahead, Tamworth - East is projected to grow by 2,374 residents through to 2041. Current development appears well-matched to future needs, supporting steady market conditions without extreme price pressure.

Tamworth - East has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Local infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects potentially affecting this region. Notable ones include the Goonoo Goonoo Commercial Precinct, Tamworth Sports and Entertainment Precinct, Goonoo Goonoo Commercial Precinct, and Goonoo Goonoo Road Upgrade, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Tamworth - East demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Tamworth - East has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 2.2% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year is estimated at 4.1%. There are 12,779 residents employed in June 2025, with an unemployment rate of 1.4%, below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is 60.0% compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and education & training.

Manufacturing has a notable concentration with levels at 1.8 times the regional average. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 2.3%, compared to the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census working population vs resident population data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1% while labour force increased by 3.4%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 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 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Tamworth - East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.0%% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Tamworth - East had a median taxpayer income of $50,607 and an average income of $60,968 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $55,971 (median) and $67,431 (average). The 2021 Census ranked household, family, and personal incomes in Tamworth - East between the 27th and 42nd percentiles. Income distribution data showed that 31.7% of locals (7,264 people) fell into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% occupied this bracket. Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 84.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 28th percentile.

Tamworth - East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Tamworth - East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 86.2% houses and 13.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 89.5% houses and 10.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tamworth - East was at 33.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.0% and rented ones at 35.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,452, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,500. The median weekly rent figure for Tamworth - East was recorded as $300, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Tamworth - East's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,452 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Tamworth - East has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 66.9 percent of all households, including 24.3 percent couples with children, 27.4 percent couples without children, and 13.9 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.1 percent, with lone person households at 29.6 percent and group households comprising 3.5 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

Tamworth - East faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 16.0%, 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 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (31.0%).

Educational participation is high at 29.8%, including primary education (10.7%), secondary education (9.9%), and tertiary education (2.5%). Twelve schools serve 4,172 students in Tamworth - East, with varied educational conditions across the area. These include seven primary, three secondary, and two K-12 schools. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Analysis reveals 471 active transport stops operating within Tamworth - East. These stops are serviced by 80 individual routes, collectively providing 830 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 113 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 118 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Tamworth - East is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Tamworth - East faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data. Both younger and older age groups have a notable prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 50% of the total population (~11,458 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are asthma (affecting 10.5% of residents) and mental health issues (impacting 10.0%). A total of 62.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.4% across Rest of NSW. As of 2021, 19.6% of residents are aged 65 and over (4,484 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally in line with the overall population's health profile.

Tamworth - East is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Tamworth-East showed cultural diversity below average, with 88.6% citizens, 91.3% born in Australia, and 93.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, at 62.7%, compared to 63.6% regionally. Top ancestry groups were Australian (33.1%), English (29.5%), and Aboriginal Australian (9.6%).

Vietnamese were notably overrepresented at 0.5% (vs 0.3% regionally), Irish at 7.9% (vs 8.0%), and German at 3.0% (vs 2.9%).

Tamworth - East's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Tamworth - East has a median age of 38, which is less than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 but equal to the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 14.7% of its population, higher than the Rest of NSW figure, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 10.2%, lower than the Rest of NSW figure. According to the 2021 Census, Tamworth - East's 25-34 age group has increased from 13.4% to 14.7% of its population, while its 45-54 age group has decreased from 11.4% to 9.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Tamworth - East's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 25%, reaching 4,199 people from the current figure of 3,368. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts.