Tamworth Surrounds

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

Tamworth Surrounds' population is 20,305 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 1,267 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 19,038. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data: 19,833 in June 2024 and 474 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 2.3 persons per square kilometer. Tamworth Surrounds' 6.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's 4.4%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 66.4% of overall gains.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Tamworth Surrounds is projected to increase by 2,845 persons, reflecting an 11.7% total gain over the 17-year period.

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

Tamworth Surrounds averaged approximately 123 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 618 homes approved during this period. In FY-26, up until now, 87 dwellings have been approved. On average, each new home has resulted in about 1.2 new residents per year over the past five financial years, indicating balanced supply and demand dynamics.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $345,000. This financial year, commercial approvals worth $15.9 million have been registered, suggesting a balanced level of commercial development activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Tamworth Surrounds has shown moderately higher new home approvals over the past five years, with 37.0% more approvals per person than the regional average. This preserves reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand.

The current new development composition consists of 69.0% standalone homes and 31.0% attached dwellings, indicating an expanding range of medium-density housing options that cater to various price brackets. This shift in housing types represents a notable departure from the area's existing housing stock, which is currently composed of 97.0% houses. This change may reflect decreasing availability of developable sites and evolving lifestyles that necessitate more diverse and affordable housing alternatives. With approximately 139 people per dwelling approval, Tamworth Surrounds exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the region is projected to grow by around 2,373 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

Tamworth Surrounds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 54 projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Moore Creek Gardens, Oxley Vale Lifestyle Estate, Oxley Vale Neighbourhood Supermarket, and Eagle View Estate. The following list details projects expected to have the most relevance.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Tamworth Surrounds performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Tamworth Surrounds has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 1.4% and there was an estimated employment growth of 0.5% in the past year as of September 2025.

In this period, 11,344 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 60.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly specialized with an employment share of 2.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food shows lower representation at 5.1% versus the regional average of 7.8%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5%, labour force increased by 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that 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 projections to Tamworth Surrounds' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Tamworth Surrounds SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $47,363 and an average income of $56,155 in financial year 2022. 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. By September 2025, estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $53,335 and the average income $63,236, accounting for a 12.61% wage growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Tamworth Surrounds rank modestly, between the 30th and 31st percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The predominant income cohort is 29.5% of locals (5,989 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the broader area's pattern at 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 86.9% retained, but disposable income ranks below average at the 35th percentile, placing the area in the 4th decile for SEIFA income ranking.

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

Tamworth Surrounds' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.3% houses and 2.6% other dwellings (including semi-detached homes, apartments, and others). This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's 89.5% houses and 10.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Tamworth Surrounds stood at 44.5%, with mortgaged properties at 38.7% and rented ones at 16.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,590, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,500 but lower than the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Tamworth Surrounds was $275, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300 and Australia's average of $375.

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

Family households comprise 73.1 percent of all households, including 30.3 percent couples with children, 31.8 percent couples without children, and 10.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 26.9 percent, with lone person households at 24.6 percent and group households comprising 2.2 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of 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's university qualification rate is 16.5%, 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 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 9.9% and certificates for 32.2%.

Educational participation is 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 low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis shows 1,203 active transport stops in Tamworth Surrounds, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 110 individual routes, collectively facilitating 1,446 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 195 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 206 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per stop.

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

Tamworth Surrounds faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48% of the total population (~9,746 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.2%) and asthma (9.6%). A majority, 62.5%, report being free from medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 63.4%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (21.8% or 4,422 people) compared to the Rest of NSW (19.9%). Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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, as per the census data from June 2016, showed lower cultural diversity with 92.0% of its population being Australian citizens, 94.2% born in Australia, and 98.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 67.9% of people, compared to 63.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.1%), English (32.5%), and Scottish (8.5%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 6.4%, Irish at 8.4%, and German at 3.3%, compared to regional averages of 9.4%, 8.0%, and 2.9% respectively.

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

Tamworth Surrounds has a median age of 45 years, which is slightly higher than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 years and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Tamworth Surrounds has an over-representation of the 55-64 age cohort (14.0% locally) and an under-representation of the 25-34 age group (9.7%). Between 2021 and present, the proportion of the population in the 15 to 24 age range has increased from 10.2% to 11.0%. Conversely, the proportion of the population in the 45 to 54 age cohort has decreased from 13.7% to 12.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Tamworth Surrounds' age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 612 people (31%), from 1,967 to 2,580. Conversely, the numbers in the 15-24 age range are expected to fall by 64.