Booragul

Booragul lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the suburb of Booragul's population is estimated at around 1,640 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 17 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,623 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,630, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 3 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,322 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Booragul has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.7%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 85.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. As we examine future population trends, a significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian non-metropolitan areas is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 425 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 26.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Booragul has had minimal construction activity with two new dwellings approved annually on average over the past five years, totalling twelve. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs typically drive development rather than broad market demand. It's important to note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Booragul has shown less construction activity compared to Rest of NSW and national patterns. Recent development in Booragul has been entirely standalone homes, maintaining its rural nature with emphasis on space. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (85.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 413 people per approval, Booragul indicates a mature market.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Booragul is expected to grow by 440 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Booragul has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. A single project has been identified by AreaSearch as likely impacting the area. Key projects include Lake Macquarie High School HPGE Upgrades, Speers Point Transport Improvements, Costco Lake Macquarie Warehouse, and Mount Hutton Precinct Area Plan. 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.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Booragul recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Booragul has a skilled workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.1% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.5%. The area's unemployment rate is 0.4% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, and workforce participation is lower at 41.3% compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Health care & social assistance shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employs none of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.5% while labour force grew by 2.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.1% employment decline and 0.3% labour force growth with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Booragul. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Booragul's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Booragul had a median taxpayer income of $44,314 and an average income of $57,696. Nationally, the median was $49,459 and the average was $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,902 (median) and $64,971 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census data places Booragul's household, family, and personal incomes between the 8th and 13th percentiles nationally. The $800 - $1,499 income bracket dominates in Booragul with 29.1% of residents (477 people), unlike the broader area where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is predominant at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 78.7% of income remaining, ranking at the 6th percentile nationally.

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

In Booragul, as per the latest Census evaluation, 84.8% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 15.2% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 89.7% houses and 10.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Booragul stood at 30.6%, with mortgaged properties at 27.6% and rented dwellings at 41.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,636, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,900. Weekly rent in Booragul was recorded at $320 compared to Non-Metro NSW's $380. Nationally, Booragul's median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,636 is significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents of $320 are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 65.4% of all households, including 21.1% couples with children, 25.6% couples without children, and 17.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.6%, with lone person households at 31.6% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Educational outcomes in Booragul fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 16.9%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 43.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (34.4%). Educational participation is high at 34.8%, comprising primary education (12.0%), secondary education (10.5%), and tertiary education (5.7%).

Booragul's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,335 students, with varied educational conditions (ICSEA: 946). The area functions as an education hub with 81.4 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.3, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Booragul has 24 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 60 individual routes that collectively facilitate 1,203 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing 133 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 171 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 50 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Booragul is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Booragul faces significant health challenges, with various conditions impacting both younger and older residents. Approximately half of Booragul's population (~816 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.6% of residents) and mental health issues (11.6%). Conversely, 54.6% of Booragul residents report being free from medical ailments, compared to 60.3% in the Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 33.9% (555 people), compared to 21.9% in the Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with those of the broader population.

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

Booragul's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.6% of its population being citizens, 89.7% born in Australia, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. The dominant religion in Booragul is Christianity, comprising 56.6% of the population, compared to 54.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Booragul are English (34.3%), Australian (32.0%), and Irish (6.8%).

Notably, Polish (1.1%) and Hungarian (0.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to the regional averages of 0.6% and 0.1%, respectively, while Samoan ethnicity is also higher at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.3%.

Booragul ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Booragul has a median age of 50, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and also above the national average of 38. The percentage of residents aged 85 and over is 8.7%, compared to 2.6% in the Rest of NSW and 2.2% nationally. The 55-64 age group, however, makes up 9.7% of Booragul's population, lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 10.3%. According to the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group increased from 7.3% to 9.7%, while the 15-24 cohort rose from 10.6% to 12.1%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group decreased from 11.2% to 9.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Booragul's age profile. The 85+ cohort is expected to increase by 93 people (65%), from 142 to 236. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort will grow by just 1%, adding no new members.