Balgownie

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025 the estimated population of Balgownie is around 5,809. This reflects an increase of 87 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,722. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 5,797 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 53 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,574 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Balgownie's growth rate of 1.5% since census positions it within 2.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.0%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipating future population dynamics, an above median population growth is projected for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with the suburb expected to increase by 1,043 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 16.4% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Balgownie recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Balgownie experienced approximately 49 dwelling approvals per year. Between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, around 248 homes were approved, with an additional 8 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 0.2 new residents arrived per new home over the past five financial years, indicating supply meeting or surpassing demand.

The average construction value of new homes was $555,000. In FY-26, $30.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Rest of NSW, Balgownie had 52.0% more development activity per person as of recent data. Recent construction comprised 40.0% standalone homes and 60.0% medium and high-density housing. This shift from the area's existing 72.0% houses reflects decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles. Balgownie has a density of around 158 people per approval, classified as low density.

Future projections estimate Balgownie adding 954 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting new housing supply should readily meet demand.

Balgownie has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects potentially impacting the region. Notable projects include Mount Ousley Interchange, Sylvan Ridge, Balgownie Mountain Bike Trail Infrastructure, and 68-74 Princes Highway Mixed-Use Development. The following 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.

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

Balgownie has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.2% as of the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1%.

As of June 2025, 2,838 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 0.5% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was 58.6%, similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, professional & technical employment is concentrated at 1.7 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs none of local workers, compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 1% and labour force grew by 0.8%, reducing unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Balgownie's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022, Balgownie had a median income among taxpayers of $58,855. The average income was $79,105. Nationally, the median and average incomes were $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $66,277 (median) and $89,080 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Balgownie cluster around the 55th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 27.5% of residents (1,597 people). After housing costs, 85.9% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

The dwelling structure in Balgownie, as per the latest Census, consisted of 71.7% houses and 28.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. Balgownie's home ownership rate was higher than that of Non-Metro NSW at 47.0%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (30.7%) or rented (22.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,383, exceeding the Non-Metro NSW average of $2,189. The median weekly rent figure stood at $450, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Balgownie's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 75.1% of all households, including 34.1% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 24.9%, with lone person households at 22.3% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Balgownie shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's educational profile is notable within the region, with university qualification rates at 31.3% among residents aged 15+, surpassing both the Rest of NSW average (21.3%) and the SA4 region average (25.2%). Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 34.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 11.2% while certificates make up 23.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary education, 7.2% in secondary education, and 5.8% pursuing tertiary education. Balgownie Public School serves the local area with an enrollment of 318 students as of the latest data. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1081). However, there are fewer educational places per resident locally compared to the regional average (5.4 vs 14.9), leading many families to seek schooling in neighboring areas.

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

Balgownie has 53 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 22 different routes that together provide 426 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 151 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 60 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Balgownie's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Balgownie's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks, reflecting a typical range of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 58% (3,379 people) of Balgownie residents have private health cover, which is notably high compared to the national average. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 9.1 and 6.9% of residents respectively. Conversely, 69.2% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the 68.6% reported across Rest of NSW. Balgownie has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 20.9% (1,214 people) compared to the 17.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors in Balgownie are above average, outperforming the general population in overall health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Balgownie was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Balgownie had a cultural diversity index above the average, with 20.4% of its population born overseas and 16.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Balgownie, accounting for 57.3% of people, compared to 51.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (25.1%), Australian (24.0%), and Italian (10.0%), which was notably higher than the regional average of 4.5%.

There were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups, such as Welsh at 0.9% compared to 0.8% regionally, Macedonian at 1.3% versus 1.5%, and Serbian at 0.6% compared to 0.8%.

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

Balgownie's median age is 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but higher than the national average of 38. The percentage of residents aged 15-24 in Balgownie is 14.0%, compared to the Rest of NSW figure. For the 65-74 age group, Balgownie has a lower prevalence at 10.7%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the percentage of residents aged 15-24 increased from 11.1% to 14.0%, while those aged 25-34 rose from 10.5% to 12.6%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 45-54 decreased from 12.7% to 11.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Balgownie's age profile. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 46%, adding 338 residents and reaching a total of 1,070. However, the number of residents aged 55-64 is projected to decrease by 102.