Bowral

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

By Nov 2025, Bowral's population is estimated at around 10,719, a decrease of 45 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population estimate by AreaSearch following examination of ABS ERP data (June 2024) was 10,703, with an additional 173 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this figure. This results in a density ratio of 288 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, accounting for approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered SA2 areas and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041, projecting an above median population growth for locations outside capital cities. Based on these aggregations, Bowral's population is expected to expand by 1,411 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.3% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Bowral when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Bowral has had around 104 dwelling approvals per year on average over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 524 homes. As of FY-26, which began July 2021, 30 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has remained adequate relative to population size, benefiting buyers.

The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $673,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, commercial development approvals have totalled $29.3 million, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Bowral has 50% more development activity per person as of June 2021. This increased activity provides greater choice for buyers but building activity has slowed in recent years. New development consists of 62% detached dwellings and 38% medium and high-density housing, expanding the range of medium-density options to cater to various price brackets.

Bowral's current housing mix is 81% houses, which is expected to shift with around 158 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density area. Looking ahead, Bowral is projected to grow by 1,324 residents by 2041 according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate (as of June 2021). At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eleven projects that may affect the region. Notable ones include the Bowral and District Hospital Redevelopment - Stage 2, Bowral Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, Bowral South New Living Area (NLA), and Retford Farm Stormwater Detention Basin. 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.

The labour market strength in Bowral positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Bowral's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 0.8% as of June 2025.

Over the past year, employment grew by an estimated 2.9%. Residents' unemployment rate was 2.9% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, but workforce participation lagged at 48.6%. The dominant sectors were health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Notably, employment in professional & technical services was twice the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employed only 1.6% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.9%, labour force grew by 2.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1% while unemployment rose by 0.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Bowral's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, assuming population projections remain constant for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch reports that Bowral had a median income among taxpayers of $48,684 and an average income of $92,945 in the financial year 2022. Nationally, these figures are high compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $54,823 (median) and $104,665 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Bowral rank modestly, between the 37th and 49th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 26.9% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, which mirrors regional levels at 29.9%. After housing costs, 84.9% of income remains for other expenses, and Bowral's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Bowral, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 80.7% houses and 19.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 90.6% houses and 9.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bowral was 53.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.3% and rented ones at 19.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bowral was $2,167, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average. Median weekly rent in Bowral was $500, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $430. Nationally, Bowral's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 66.8% of all households, including 21.9% couples with children, 36.1% couples without children, and 8.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 31.2% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Bowral exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Bowral's educational attainment is notably higher than regional averages. 35.4% of its residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 22.4% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 22.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.4%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 33.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 14.4% and certificates at 19.3%.

A significant 23.9% of Bowral's population is actively pursuing formal education, including 8.4% in primary, 7.4% in secondary, and 3.5% in tertiary education. There are six schools operating within Bowral, educating approximately 1,847 students, with above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1056). The educational mix includes two primary, two secondary, and two K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 17.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.3, indicating Bowral serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

Bowral has 189 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 61 routes, offering 3,020 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 156 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 431 trips per day across all routes, which translates to about 15 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Bowral faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. The private health cover rate is notably high at approximately 64% (6,815 people), compared to 66.3% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (12.7%) and mental health issues (6.6%).

Conversely, 62.3% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 64.8%. Bowral has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 37.2% (3,987 people), compared to 27.7% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong, outperforming the general population in various health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Bowral records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bowral's cultural diversity aligns with the broader region, as shown by its population born in Australia (77.3%), citizens (89.8%), and English speakers at home (91.9%). Christianity is the predominant religion in Bowral, accounting for 60.6% of residents. Notably, Judaism is slightly overrepresented compared to Rest of NSW, with 0.5% versus 0.3%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (32.7%), Australian (24.0%), and Irish (11.3%). Other ethnicities with notable differences include Scottish (10.0% in Bowral vs regional 9.6%), French (0.8% vs 0.6%), and Welsh (0.7% vs 0.6%).

Bowral ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Bowral's median age is 55 years, which is higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and older than the national norm of 38 years. The age profile shows that 15.9% of Bowral's population falls within the 75-84 year-old range, while only 6.1% are between 25-34 years old. This is higher than the Rest of NSW average and significantly above the national average of 6%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 8.2% to 9.1%, while those aged 65 to 74 have declined from 16.9% to 15.2%. By 2041, projections indicate that Bowral's age structure will shift significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to rise by 445 people (68%), from 653 to 1,099, while the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts are projected to decrease in population.