Bourke

Bourke has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Bourke's population is estimated at around 1,728 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 29 people (1.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,699 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,716, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.40 persons per square kilometer. Bourke's 1.7% growth since census positions it within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area (2.5%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 68.0% 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 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with Bourke's population expected to reduce by 470 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 41 people.

The level of residential development activity in Bourke is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Bourke has seen minimal residential construction activity over the past five years, with less than one new dwelling approved annually on average. This totals to three approvals during this period. Such low development levels are typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

It should be noted that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics. Bourke's development levels are substantially lower than those seen in Rest of NSW and below national patterns.

Population projections indicate stability or decline in Bourke, which may lead to reduced housing demand pressures, potentially benefiting property buyers.

Bourke has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

No factors influence an area's performance more than changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include the NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program, Newell Highway Upgrade, NSW Heavy Vehicle Rest Stops Program (TfNSW), and NSW Inland Rail Interface Improvements. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

Employment conditions in Bourke face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Bourke's workforce is skilled with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 was 9.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregated statistical area data.

As of this date, 717 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 5.2% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Bourke was broadly similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents included public administration & safety, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Bourke showed strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 2.6 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction employed only 5.1% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 9.7%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force decreased by 4.1% and employment declined by 5.5%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 1.3 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.5%, labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 showed NSW employment had contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compared favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Bourke's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Bourke had a median taxpayer income of $57,631 and an average income of $67,541. These figures align with national averages, which were $52,390 and $65,215 respectively across Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated median income in Bourke as of September 2025 is approximately $62,737, with average income at around $73,525. The 2021 Census places Bourke's personal income at the 60th percentile ($860 weekly) and household income at the 38th percentile. Income analysis reveals that 32.6% of Bourke's population falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the broader area where 29.9% occupy this range. Housing costs allow for retention of 91.5% of income, but disposable income is below average at the 47th percentile.

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

In Bourke, as per the latest Census evaluation, 95.1% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 4.9% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figure of 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bourke stood at 31.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.1% and rented ones at 43.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $947, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,000. The median weekly rent in Bourke was $180, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure but significantly below the national average of $375. Nationally, Bourke's mortgage repayments were substantially lower at $947 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

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

Family households account for 66.1% of all households, including 27.3% couples with children, 20.5% couples without children, and 16.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.9%, with lone person households at 31.2% and group households comprising 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 22.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.2%) and certificates (23.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 36.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 16.2% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Bourke has 72 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 10 individual routes in total, providing 125 weekly passenger trips combined.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 139 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 17 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Bourke is lower than average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Bourke faces significant health challenges, with notable prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 54% of the total population (~926 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 49.5%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma, impacting 9.3% of residents, and arthritis, affecting 6.6%. A total of 68.6% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.9% across Rest of NSW. There are 15.8% of residents aged 65 and over (273 people), which is lower than the 20.2% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Bourke had a cultural diversity index below average, with 80.0% of its population being Australian citizens, 93.6% born in Australia, and 94.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Bourke, comprising 72.8%, compared to 67.2% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (27.1%), English (25.7%), and Australian Aboriginal (25.6%), significantly higher than the regional average of 18.4%.

Notably, French ancestry was overrepresented at 0.4%, compared to 0.2% regionally, while Lebanese and Welsh ancestries were also slightly overrepresented at 0.1% each.

Bourke's population is younger than the national pattern

Bourke has a median age of 34, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and significantly lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the 0-4 cohort is notably over-represented in Bourke at 8.8%, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 8.3%. From 2021 to present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 11.5% to 13.3% of the population, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 3.7% to 5.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.3% to 8.6%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 14.4% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Bourke's age profile will evolve significantly. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow significantly, expanding by 37 people (100%) from 38 to 76. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 100% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.