Crookwell

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Crookwell is around 2,887, reflecting a 7.5% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 2,686 people. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 2,827 based on ERP data released by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 105 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 13.9 persons per square kilometer. Crookwell's growth exceeded that of its SA4 region (4.5%) and Rest of NSW, making it a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed about 74% to overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses 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 released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former data.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is projected to expand by 573 persons, reflecting a total increase of 17.8% over the 16-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Crookwell shows approximately 16 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 83 homes. As of FY-26, 17 approvals have been recorded. The average number of people moving to the area per dwelling built over these five years is 0.6. New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations.

The average value of new homes being built is $566,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, $469,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Crookwell has 13.0% lower construction activity per person but ranks among the 80th percentile nationally.

New development consists of 94.0% detached dwellings and 6.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 139 people per approval, Crookwell reflects a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Crookwell is projected to add 513 residents by 2041. Construction maintains a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers may encounter growing competition as population increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects expected to impact the region. Key projects are Crookwell II Wind Farm, Limerick Wind Farm, Crookwell 3 Wind Farm, and HumeLink East. 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.

Employment performance in Crookwell has been broadly consistent with national averages

Crookwell has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate is 2.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 1,249 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.1% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

However, workforce participation lags at 53.0%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. Census data shows that only 9.3% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and public administration & safety. Crookwell has a significant specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 2.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food services are under-represented at 4.5%, compared to Regional NSW's 7.8%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population numbers. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.4% alongside a 4.4% employment decline, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that while national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Crookwell's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% 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 latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023 indicates Crookwell suburb had median taxpayer income of $43,162 and average income of $54,181. These figures are below national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 in Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $47,616 and $59,772 respectively. Census 2021 income data shows Crookwell's household, family, and personal incomes fall between 13th and 17th percentiles nationally. Income distribution in Crookwell is dominated by the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket, with 29.5% of residents (851 people). This mirrors broader area where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest, with 89.1% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just 18th percentile nationally.

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

Crookwell's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.3% houses and 5.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Crookwell was at 56.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.6% and rented ones at 17.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,356, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Crookwell was $280, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Crookwell's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 66.8% of all households, including 22.4% couples with children, 33.4% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.2%, with lone person households at 32.2% and group households comprising 0.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (30.7%). A total of 24.2% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, with 8.2% in primary, 8.1% in secondary, and 2.3% in tertiary education.

A substantial 24.2% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.2% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Crookwell has 90 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 13 different routes that together provide 276 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 172 meters. Most residents commute outside Crookwell. Cars are the primary mode of transportation, used by 91% of residents, with 7% walking. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 9.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 39 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Crookwell faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notably high across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~1,397 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 14.7% of residents) and asthma (8.5%), while 56.8% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 31.9%, compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the general population.

The latest Census data sees Crookwell placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Crookwell's population showed low cultural diversity, with 91.1% being citizens, 93.1% born in Australia, and 97.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 72.4%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top ancestral groups were English (34.4%), Australian (32.7%), and Irish (12.0%).

Welsh, Maltese, and Scottish groups showed slight overrepresentation in Crookwell compared to regional averages: Welsh at 0.6% vs 0.5%, Maltese at 0.5% vs 0.4%, and Scottish at 8.1% vs 8.0%.

Crookwell ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Crookwell is 52 years, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 and also above the national norm of 38. The 55-64 age cohort is notably over-represented in Crookwell at 16.0%, compared to the Regional NSW average, while the 25-34 year-olds are under-represented at 8.1%. Between 2021 and the present, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 10.2% to 11.6% of the population, and the 85+ cohort increased from 5.0% to 6.3%. Meanwhile, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.0% to 10.0%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate substantial changes for Crookwell's population. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 61%, adding 111 residents to reach a total of 293. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 51% of the population growth, highlighting the trend of demographic aging. Conversely, the 15 to 24 age group is forecasted to contract by 3 residents.