Tumbarumba

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

Tumbarumba's population, as of May 2026, is approximately 3,590, marking a 1.9% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 3,522 people. This growth was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2025 and the Census date. The population density stands at 0.80 persons per square kilometer. Tumbarumba's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (0.5%). Interstate migration accounted for approximately 70.5% of recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024, with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data.

Projections indicate an overall population decline of 9 persons by 2041, but specific age cohorts like the 75 to 84 group are expected to expand by 62 people during this period.

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

Tumbarumba has approved approximately 12 dwellings annually. From FY-21 to FY-25, 63 homes were approved, with an additional 5 approved in FY-26. Over these years, each dwelling constructed attracted about 0.6 new residents on average.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and potentially boosting population growth. The average expected construction cost of these dwellings was $295,000. In FY-26, Tumbarumba recorded $7.0 million in commercial development approvals, indicating a primarily residential focus. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Tumbarumba has shown elevated construction activity, with 15.0% more approvals per person over the past five years.

However, this level is still below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. All approved developments in recent years have been detached houses, maintaining Tumbarumba's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. As of now, there are approximately 737 people per dwelling approval in Tumbarumba, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population projections indicate stability or decline, which may reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Batlow Water Security (Concept Design) Project, Talbingo Battery Energy Storage System, Snowy 2.0 Transmission Connection Project, and Tumut River Works Program. The following list details those most relevant:.

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.

While Tumbarumba retains a healthy unemployment rate of 2.9%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Tumbarumba's workforce is balanced across white and blue collar jobs with diverse sector representation, and an unemployment rate of 2.9% as of December 2025. There are 1,580 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.0% lower than Regional NSW's 3.9%. Workforce participation in Tumbarumba stands at 53.5%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%.

According to Census responses, 17.4% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, manufacturing, and public administration & safety. Tumbarumba has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share five times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 8.1% compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Tumbarumba's labour force decreased by 3.0%, employment declined by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment fell by 1.2%, labour force contracted by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years in national employment. Applying these projections to Tumbarumba's employment mix suggests local employment growth of 4.7% over five years and 10.8% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Tumbarumba SA2 had incomes below the national average. The median income was $51,115 and the average income stood at $59,428. This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Tumbarumba SA2 would be approximately $56,390 (median) and $65,561 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Tumbarumba SA2 all rank modestly, between the 22nd and 29th percentiles. The earnings profile reveals that the predominant cohort spans 30.0% of locals (1,077 people) with incomes in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with regional levels where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable with 91.4% retained, though disposable income sits below average at the 32nd percentile.

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

The dwelling structure in Tumbarumba, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.0% houses and 3.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Tumbarumba was 51.3%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (26.3%) or rented (22.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Tumbarumba was $1,127, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Tumbarumba was recorded at $208, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Tumbarumba's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Tumbarumba has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.5% of all households, including 23.1% couples with children, 36.4% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 27.8% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.2%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 31.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.0% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Tumbarumba has 197 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 17 routes, providing 1,301 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically located 204 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Cars remain the dominant mode at 88%, with 9% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 185 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health outcomes in Tumbarumba are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Health indicators suggest below-average outcomes for Tumbarumba based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is very low at approximately 49% of the total population (~1,755 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (11.2%) and asthma (8.9%). 62.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. Tumbarumba has 29.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,062 people), higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Tumbarumba had a cultural diversity level below average, with 85.8% of its population being citizens, 89.3% born in Australia, and 96.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 61.4% of Tumbarumba's population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.2%), English (31.4%), and Scottish (9.0%).

Notably, German ethnicity had a higher representation in Tumbarumba at 4.7%, compared to the regional average of 3.1%. Similarly, Australian Aboriginal ethnicity was slightly higher at 4.4% in Tumbarumba versus 4.6% regionally, while Maltese ethnicity was marginally higher at 0.5% compared to the regional average of 0.4%.

Tumbarumba hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Tumbarumba's median age is 47 years, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent, making up 16.7% of the population, while those aged 25-34 are comparatively smaller at 7.9%. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of the population aged 65 to 74 has grown from 13.9% to 16.7%, while those aged 15 to 24 increased from 8.8% to 10.5%. Conversely, the percentage of those aged 55 to 64 declined from 15.5% to 13.1%, and the 25 to 34 age group dropped from 9.7% to 7.9%. By 2041, Tumbarumba is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 14 people, reaching 387 from 339, leading the demographic shift. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 61% of the projected population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0 to 4 and 15 to 24.