Tamworth Surrounds

Tamworth Surrounds has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Tamworth Surrounds's population is around 20,585 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,547 people (8.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 19,038 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 19,833 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 591 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2.3 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Tamworth Surrounds's 8.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.9%) and the Rest of NSW, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 66.4% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including overseas migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

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. Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above-median population growth for regional areas nationally is projected, with the area expected to increase by 2,845 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 10.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Tamworth Surrounds among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Tamworth Surrounds has averaged around 123 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 618 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26110 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 1.2 new residents arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions, while new homes are being built at an average value of $345,000. Additionally, $15.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

When measured against the Rest of NSW, Tamworth Surrounds records somewhat elevated construction (37.0% above the regional average per person over the 5 year period), preserving reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. Recent construction comprises 69.0% detached dwellings and 31.0% attached dwellings, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points, from family homes to more affordable compact living. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 97.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 139 people per dwelling approval, Tamworth Surrounds shows characteristics of a growth area.

Population forecasts indicate Tamworth Surrounds will gain 2,093 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.

Tamworth Surrounds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 54 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Moore Creek Gardens, Oxley Vale Lifestyle Estate, Oxley Vale Neighbourhood Supermarket, and Eagle View Estate, 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.

Tamworth Surrounds ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Tamworth Surrounds possesses a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of just 1.6%. As of December 2025, 11,239 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 2.4% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (71.2% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 20.0% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and education & training. The area shows particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 2.6 times the regional level. Meanwhile, accommodation & food has a limited presence with 5.1% employment compared to 7.8% 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 0.9% while employment declined by 1.2%, resulting in the unemployment rate rising by 0.3 percentage points. 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 Tamworth 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 Tamworth Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.6% 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Tamworth Surrounds SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $49,751 with the average level standing at $57,298. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $54,159 (median) and $62,375 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Tamworth Surrounds, between the 30th and 31st percentiles. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 29.5% of the community (6,072 individuals), reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 29.9% similarly occupy this range. Housing costs are manageable with 86.9% retained, though disposable income sits below average at the 35th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Tamworth Surrounds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 97.3% houses and 2.6% 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 Tamworth Surrounds was well beyond that of Regional NSW, at 44.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (38.7%) or rented (16.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional NSW average at $1,590, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $275, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Tamworth Surrounds's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Tamworth Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 73.1% of all households, comprising 30.3% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 10.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.9%, with lone person households at 24.6% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size of 2.5 people is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Tamworth 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 (16.5%) substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (32.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.3% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 2.0% 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 1,249 active transport stops operating within Tamworth Surrounds, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 109 individual routes, collectively providing 1,455 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 186 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 93%, with 5% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 20.0% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 207 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Tamworth Surrounds, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~9,798 people). This compares to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 10.2 and 9.6% of residents, respectively, while 62.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 21.9% of residents aged 65 and over (4,508 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Tamworth Surrounds was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 92.0% of its population being citizens, 94.2% born in Australia, and 98.0% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Tamworth Surrounds is Christianity, which makes up 67.9% of people in the area. This compares to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Tamworth Surrounds are Australian, comprising 34.1% of the population, English, comprising 32.5% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 8.5% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal is notably overrepresented at 6.4% of Tamworth Surrounds (vs 4.6% regionally), Irish at 8.4% (vs 8.8%) and German at 3.3% (vs 3.1%).

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

Tamworth Surrounds's median age of 45 years modestly exceeds Regional NSW's 43 and is considerably older than the national norm of 38. Compared to the Regional NSW average, the 45 - 54 cohort is notably over-represented (12.7% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (9.9%). In the period since 2021, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.2% to 11.1% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 12.7%. Demographic modeling suggests Tamworth Surrounds's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to see notable expansion, increasing by 540 people (26%) from 2,039 to 2,580. Conversely, numbers in the 15 to 24 age range are expected to fall by 113.