Tamworth - North
Statistical Area - sa2

Tamworth - North lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Tamworth - North's population was approximately 17,279 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 762 people, a 4.6% rise from the 2021 Census population of 16,517. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 16,955 in June 2024 and validated new addresses totalling 386 since the Census date. This results in a population density of 227 persons per square kilometer. Tamworth - North's growth rate exceeded that of its SA4 region (4%), indicating it as a leader in regional growth. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

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 where data is not available, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections show above median population growth for the area until 2041, with an expected increase of 3,587 persons, reflecting an 18.2% rise over the 17-year period.

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

Tamworth North has recorded approximately 93 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on a financial year basis, totalling 467 approvals over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 22 approvals in FY-26 so far. On average, around 0.7 new residents have been added per year per dwelling constructed over these five financial years. This suggests that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and supporting potential population growth beyond projections.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes being built is $514,000. In the current financial year, there have been $39.8 million in commercial approvals, indicating strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Tamworth North shows moderately higher new home approvals, with 20.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, maintaining reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand.

New building activity consists of 68.0% detached houses and 32.0% townhouses or apartments, providing a growing mix of housing types to cater to different price points and living preferences. The location has approximately 213 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts suggest Tamworth North will gain 3,143 residents by 2041. Construction activity is keeping pace with projected growth, but buyers may face growing competition as the population increases.

Tamworth - North has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Tamworth Regional Skywalk, East Tamworth Watermain Replacement, Carthage Street Rehabilitation, and Calala to CBD Recreational Path. The following details projects of particular relevance.

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

Employment conditions in Tamworth - North rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Tamworth - North has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 1.7% as of June 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.5%.

The area's unemployment rate is 2.0% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, and workforce participation is 59.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 2.0% compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

The worker-to-resident ratio indicates above-average local employment opportunities. Over June 2024 to June 2025, employment increased by 3.5%, labour force grew by 3.2%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.1% and a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%. National forecasts project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections based on Tamworth - North's industry mix suggest growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Tamworth - North has an income median of $54,571 and an average income of $65,743. This is higher than Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and 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 $60,356 median and $72,712 average. According to the 2021 Census, Tamworth - North's personal income ranks at the 54th percentile ($826 weekly) and household income at the 37th percentile. Distribution data indicates that 33.4% of residents (5,771 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, similar to metropolitan regions where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe with only 84.6% of income remaining, ranking at the 38th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

In Tamworth - North, as per the latest Census evaluation, 79.6% of dwellings were houses while 20.4% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's dwelling structure of 89.5% houses and 10.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tamworth - North stood at 30.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.4% and rented ones at 40.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,543, exceeding Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,500. Weekly rent in Tamworth - North averaged $320 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Tamworth - North's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Tamworth - North features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 63.9% of all households, including 25.2% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 32.9% and group households making up 3.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Tamworth - North shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

Tamworth - North has a notable educational profile with university qualification rates of 25.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 17.3%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 17.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 26.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.5% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education. Nine schools operate within Tamworth - North, educating approximately 4,979 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 986) with balanced educational opportunities, comprising four primary, four secondary, and one K-12 school. As an education hub, Tamworth - North offers 28.8 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 16.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transport in Tamworth - North shows that there are 334 active transport stops operating in the area. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. They are serviced by 104 individual routes, which collectively provide 1,350 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 120 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 192 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

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

Approximately 52% (~9,054 people) have private health cover, slightly higher than the average SA2 area rate of 50%. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues (affecting 9.4% of residents) and asthma (9.2%). About 64.1% report having no medical ailments, compared to 63.4% in the rest of NSW. Regarding age demographics, 19.4% (~3,355 people) are aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with the overall population's health profile.

Tamworth - North ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Tamworth North was found to have a lower level of cultural diversity, with 85.7% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (87.1%), and speaking English only at home (90.1%). Christianity is the predominant religion in Tamworth North, comprising 61.5%, slightly less than the 63.6% across the rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (31.1%), English (28.5%), and Irish (8.9%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal people are overrepresented in Tamworth North at 7.4%, compared to 9.4% regionally. Additionally, Vietnamese people make up 0.6% of the population, higher than the regional average of 0.3%, and Lebanese people comprise 0.3%, slightly above the regional average of 0.1%.

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

The median age in Tamworth - North is 37 years, which is lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and close to Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 25-34 year-olds make up 15.3% of the population, while the 65-74 year-olds account for 8.6%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 12.3% to 13.8%, while the 65 to 74 cohort has decreased from 9.4% to 8.6%. By 2041, projections indicate that the 25-34 age group will increase by 739 people (28%), reaching a total of 3,392 individuals. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort is projected to grow by 3%, adding 43 people.