Tumut

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

Tumut's population was around 6,774 as of November 2025, an increase of 107 people from the 2021 Census figure of 6,667. This growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data of 6,634 in June 2024 and validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 168 persons per square kilometer by November 2025. Over the past decade, Tumut's compound annual growth rate was 0.3%, outpacing its SA3 area. Overseas migration primarily drove this growth. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a 2022 base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a 2021 base year.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Tumut is expected to expand by 269 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 1.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Tumut according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Tumut has seen approximately 22 new homes approved annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 111 homes were approved, with an additional 12 approved in FY-26 as of now. On average, about 0.3 people moved to the area per dwelling built over those five years.

This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and potential for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $446,000. In FY-26, Tumut has recorded $42.3 million in commercial development approvals, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Tumut's development activity per person is comparable, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area.

This level is below average nationally, suggesting possible planning constraints. New development consists predominantly of detached dwellings (94%), maintaining Tumut's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 347 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Tumut is expected to grow by around 122 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Tumut has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may impact this region: Tumut Hospital Redevelopment, Tumut Aerodrome Infrastructure Upgrade Stage 2, Tumut River Works Program, and HumeLink. The following details these projects, focusing on those most relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Tumut shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Tumut has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 4.1%.

Over the past year, employment grew by 7.8%. As of June 2025, there are 3,057 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Key sectors include manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Manufacturing has a notable concentration, being 2.7 times the regional average.

Professional & technical services have limited presence at 2.2% compared to the regional 5.1%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between Jun-24 and Jul-25, employment increased by 7.8%, labour force grew by 8.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, lower than the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Tumut's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 12.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Tumut SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $51,849 and an average income of $63,847 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is slightly lower than the national average, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. As of September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% suggest the median income would be approximately $58,387 and the average income around $71,898. The 2021 Census shows household, family, and personal incomes in Tumut fall between the 16th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income distribution data indicates that 28.5% of locals (1,930 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% fall into this bracket. After housing expenses, 86.4% of income remains, ranking at the 19th percentile nationally.

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

In Tumut, as per the latest Census evaluation, 85.7% of dwellings were houses while 14.2% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW where 92.0% were houses and 8.0% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Tumut stood at 37.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 32.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average, while median weekly rent was $245 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $1,300 and $230 respectively. Nationally, Tumut's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households compose 66.5% of all households, including 24.5% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.5%, with lone person households at 31.7% and group households comprising 1.8%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 14.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.9%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.0%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 38.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.0%) and certificates (30.7%). Educational participation is high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.9% in primary, 8.0% in secondary, and 2.0% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 8.0% 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

Tumut's public transport system operates 140 active stops, served by a mix of bus routes totaling 18. These routes facilitate 151 weekly passenger trips in aggregate. Residents enjoy excellent accessibility, with an average distance of 142 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at approximately 21 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Tumut faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data.

Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence of common health conditions. The area has approximately 51% private health cover, slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.0% of residents) and asthma (10.0%). About 61.4% of Tumut's population reports no medical ailments, compared to 62.9% in Rest of NSW. As of 2018-2020, approximately 22.2% of Tumut's residents are aged 65 and over (1,502 people), lower than the 24.8% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

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

Tumut's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population comprised 89.0% citizens, 89.8% born in Australia, and 94.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Tumut, with 66.2%, compared to 65.3% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.9%), English (31.3%), and Irish (8.5%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 5.9% in Tumut versus 4.8% regionally, South African at 0.7% versus 0.5%, and Maori at 0.6% versus 0.4%.

Tumut's median age exceeds the national pattern

Tumut's median age is 42 years, similar to Rest of NSW's average of 43 but older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile shows that individuals aged 25-34 are particularly prominent, comprising 12.4% of the population. Conversely, those aged 65-74 make up a smaller proportion at 11.1%, compared to Rest of NSW. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of individuals aged 25-34 has increased from 11.4% to 12.4%. Meanwhile, the percentage of those aged 55-64 has decreased from 13.1% to 11.9%. Population forecasts for Tumut in the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes. The cohort aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 70%, adding 132 residents, reaching a total of 321 individuals. However, population declines are projected for those aged 75-84 and 5-14 years old.