Bourkelands

Population growth drivers in Bourkelands are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

By November 2025, the estimated population of Bourkelands is around 3,175. This shows an increase of 62 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,113. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,146 in June 2024, based on ABS ERP data, and three additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1,511 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Bourkelands has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outperforming the SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 186 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 6.2% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Bourkelands experienced very limited development activity, averaging less than one approval per year over the five-year period from 2015 to 2019. This period saw a total of two dwellings approved for construction. The low levels of development reflect the rural nature of Bourkelands, where housing needs are typically addressed on a local basis rather than being driven by broader market demands.

It is important to note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics in this area. Bourkelands had much lower development activity compared to the Rest of NSW during this time. The development pattern in Bourkelands was also well below national averages for the same period.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two major projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include Rowan Village, Lake Albert Water Sports and Event Precinct, Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct, and Active Travel Plan - Plumpton Road Section. The following list outlines 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Bourkelands performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Bourkelands has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.2%.

Over the past year, employment grew by an estimated 8.1%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of June 2025, 1,738 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is high at 72.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Bourkelands shows strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has lower representation at 1.7% versus the regional average of 5.3%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 8.1%, labour force grew by 9.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. 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 Bourkelands' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Bourkelands' median taxpayer income was $67,728 with an average of $82,615 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This is notably higher than the national figures, contrasting with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, estimated incomes would be approximately $76,269 (median) and $93,033 (average). Census data from 2021 places Bourkelands' household, family, and personal incomes between the 78th to 78th percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that the predominant cohort in Bourkelands is 37.7% of locals (1,196 people) earning between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, mirroring the regional trend where 29.9% fall into this bracket. After housing costs, residents retain 87.9% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Bourkelands is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Bourkelands, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 94.3% houses and 5.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 88.4% houses and 11.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bourkelands was at 30.7%, with the rest of dwellings either mortgaged (44.1%) or rented (25.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,733, which is higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent figure in Bourkelands was recorded at $360, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Bourkelands's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are less than the national figure of $375.

Bourkelands features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households compose 79.5% of all households, including 39.7% couples with children, 28.6% couples without children, and 9.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 20.5%, with lone person households at 18.8% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Bourkelands demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 26.8% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA4 region average of 18.7% and the SA3 area's rate of 20.4%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 18.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 5.0% and graduate diplomas at 3.2%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 25.6%.

Educational participation is high, with 33.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.2% in primary education, 9.4% in secondary education, and 4.6% pursuing tertiary education. Educational facilities appear to be situated outside the immediate catchment boundaries, requiring families to access schools in neighboring areas.

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

Bourkelands has ten active public transport stops, all serving buses. Seventeen different routes operate through these stops, offering a combined total of 195 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents usually located 274 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, services run 27 times daily across all routes, translating to about 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Bourkelands's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Bourkelands' health data shows a relatively positive picture, with low prevalence of common health conditions among its general population, although this is higher than the national average for older and at-risk cohorts. Approximately 60% of Bourkelands residents have private health cover, compared to 51.4% in the rest of NSW.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 9.4% and 7.6% of residents respectively. Conversely, 70.3% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 64.5% in the rest of NSW. Bourkelands has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.1%, compared to 19.6% in the rest of NSW. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those for the broader population.

Bourkelands ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bourkelands was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 84.6% of its population born in Australia, 90.7% being citizens, and 86.6% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Bourkelands is Christianity, accounting for 68.3% of the population, compared to 64.3% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (29.2%), Australian (28.7%), and Irish (9.1%).

Notably, Indian ethnicity is overrepresented at 4.0%, compared to 0.9% regionally, South African at 0.6% (vs 0.2%), and Russian at 0.3% (vs 0.1%).

Bourkelands's population is younger than the national pattern

Bourkelands's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. The 5-14 cohort is notably over-represented in Bourkelands at 15.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 75-84 year-olds are under-represented at 3.3%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 13.5% to 14.6% of Bourkelands's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 13.4% to 12.4%. Demographic modeling suggests that Bourkelands's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort is projected to grow by 22%, adding 103 residents to reach 567. Meanwhile, both the 65 to 74 and the 55 to 64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.