Culcairn

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Culcairn is around 1,589. This reflects an increase of 106 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,483. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,484 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional five validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4.9 persons per square kilometer. Culcairn's growth rate of 7.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the Rest of NSW's rate of 5.9%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of locations outside capital cities, with Culcairn expected to increase by 361 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 16.1% over the 17 years.

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

Culcairn had 3 dwelling approvals annually from 2016 to 2020, totalling 16 dwellings. This low development level reflects its rural nature and specific local housing needs rather than broad market demand. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics.

Culcairn has less construction activity than Rest of NSW and is below national averages. Recent development comprised entirely detached houses, maintaining the area's rural nature. There were an estimated 388 people per dwelling approval in Culcairn, indicating its quiet development environment. By 2041, Culcairn is expected to grow by 256 residents according to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Culcairn has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely affecting the region. Key projects are Kinvara Residential Estate, Culcairn Heights Stage 1 Residential Subdivision, Culcairn Solar Farm, and Walla Walla Solar Farm. 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.

The employment landscape in Culcairn presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.5%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Culcairn has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well represented in the town. The unemployment rate is 3.5%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025709 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Culcairn is similar to Regional NSW's 61.3%. A moderate 13.8% of residents work from home, as reported in the Census. Employment among residents is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing employment levels are particularly high at 3.6 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 13.9% employment compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the ratio of working population to resident population according to Census data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.8%, and employment fell by 3.7% in Culcairn, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.9 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force contract by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Culcairn's employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 11.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections applied to Culcairn's current employment mix.

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 ended June 2023 shows Culcairn had a median taxpayer income of $40,863 and an average of $50,830. Nationally, the averages were $52,390 and $65,215 in Regional NSW respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $44,483 (median) and $55,334 (average), based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year ended June 2023. Census 2021 data places Culcairn's household, family, and personal incomes between the 11th and 14th percentiles nationally. The $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket captures 27.9% of Culcairn residents (443 individuals), similar to surrounding regions at 29.9%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 89.5% income retention, total disposable income ranks at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Culcairn, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.1% houses and 2.9% other dwellings. This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Culcairn stood at 45.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.3% and rented ones at 17.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Culcairn was $220, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Culcairn's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Culcairn has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.8% of all households, including 28.6% couples with children, 26.8% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.2%, with lone person households at 29.5% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.2%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 41.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 31.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.6% in primary education, 10.9% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Culcairn has 65 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 28 routes, facilitating 701 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is considered good with an average distance of 279 meters to the nearest stop for residents. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 91%, while walking accounts for 8%. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 13.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 100 trips per day, resulting in approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Culcairn is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Culcairn faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high among younger and older age cohorts alike. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% of the total population (~748 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.4% of residents) and asthma (9.0%). However, 61.9% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Culcairn has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over (26.8%, or 425 people) than Regional NSW (23.4%). National rankings for this age group are even higher than the general population.

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

Culcairn's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.0% of its population being citizens, 90.2% born in Australia, and 96.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Culcairn, comprising 65.1% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.8%), English (29.1%), and Scottish (9.8%).

Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 7.1%, compared to 3.1% regionally, while Australian Aboriginal was underrepresented at 3.6% (vs 4.6%) and Spanish was similarly low at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

Culcairn hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Culcairn's median age of 44 years is similar to Regional NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Culcairn has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (8.3%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the age group of 25 to 34 years has grown from 6.9% to 8.3%. Conversely, the age groups of 45 to 54 have declined from 10.9% to 9.8%, and those aged 55 to 64 have dropped from 11.9% to 10.8%. By 2041, Culcairn's population is expected to experience notable changes in age composition. The group aged 75 to 84 is projected to grow by 30%, reaching 203 from 155, while the group aged 15 to 24 is projected to decline by 5 people.