Dalmeny

Population growth drivers in Dalmeny are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of February 2026, the estimated population of Dalmeny is around 2,213. This figure represents an increase of 19 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,194 in the suburb. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,187 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional one validated new address since the Census date. The population density ratio is 309 persons per square kilometer, offering significant space per person and potential room for further development. Dalmeny's growth rate of 0.9% since the census positions it within 2.6 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration was the primary driver of population growth in the suburb, contributing approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Considering projected demographic shifts and growth rates by age group from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041, an above median population growth is projected for non-metropolitan areas. The suburb of Dalmeny is expected to grow by 295 persons to the year 2041, reflecting a total increase of 12.2% over the 17-year period.

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

Dalmeny has had minimal residential development activity over the past five years, with less than one dwelling approval annually. This totals four approvals between 2016 and 2020 inclusive. The low development levels in Dalmeny reflect its rural nature, where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand.

Notably, the small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics. Compared to Rest of NSW, Dalmeny has substantially lower development levels. Nationally, development activity is also higher than in Dalmeny.

Dalmeny has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 47thth percentile nationally

No infrastructure changes significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 0 projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include Princes Highway Safety And Capacity: Nowra NSW To Victorian Border, Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements, Corridor Preservation For East Coast High Speed Rail.

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The employment landscape in Dalmeny presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.0%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Dalmeny has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% as of AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025820 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.0% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Dalmeny lagged significantly at 44.8%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, only 13.4% of residents worked from home, possibly impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Dalmeny showed strong specialization in health care & social assistance, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented, at only 1.5% of Dalmeny's workforce compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force decreased by 4.0%, alongside a 3.2% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.8 percentage points. 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 suggested that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differed significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Dalmeny's employment mix indicated that local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The suburb of Dalmeny had a median taxpayer income of $36,584 and an average income of $49,808 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than the national average for both median and average incomes, which were $52,390 and $65,215 respectively in Regional NSW during the same period. By September 2025, estimates based on an 8.86% growth from the Wage Price Index suggest that Dalmeny's median income will be approximately $39,825 and average income around $54,221. The 2021 Census data shows that incomes in Dalmeny fall between the 7th and 7th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. In Dalmeny, 29.5% of locals (652 people) earn within the $400 - $799 category, which differs from metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.3% of income remains in Dalmeny, ranking at the 10th percentile nationally.

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

Dalmeny's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, were 90.9% houses and 9.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Dalmeny was 54.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.6% and rented ones at 19.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,408, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Dalmeny was $330, matching Regional NSW's figure but lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Dalmeny's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,408 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

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

Family households account for 67.1% of all households, including 18.3% couples with children, 39.7% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.9%, with lone person households at 29.9% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Dalmeny shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Dalmeny's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 22.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 32.2% in NSW as of the latest data available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2016. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.6%, followed by graduate diplomas (3.3%) and postgraduate qualifications (3.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.7%) and certificates (31.6%). A substantial 23.4% of the population is actively pursuing formal education as of the 2016 census data, including 9.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

A substantial 23.4% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 9.0% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Dalmeny has 33 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 9 different routes, offering a total of 81 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 174 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 94%, with walking at 4%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.3, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 13.4% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 11 trips daily across all routes, resulting in approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Dalmeny faces significant health challenges, as per AreaSearch's assessment conducted on 17th September 2021. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 47% of the total population (around 1,033 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 14.1% of residents) and mental health issues (impacting 9.7%), while 53.2% report no medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Working-age population health challenges are notable due to elevated chronic condition rates. Dalmeny has a higher proportion of seniors, with 38.4% aged 65 and over (849 people), compared to Regional NSW's 23.4%. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, generally in line with national rankings.

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

Dalmeny, as per the census conducted on 29 August 2016, showed a cultural diversity below average. The population was predominantly Australian citizens, with 87.9% holding citizenship, and 84.0% having been born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 94.6% of residents.

Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 49.5% of Dalmeny's population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.1%), Australian (28.9%), and Irish (10.4%). Notably, Polish residents made up 1.0%, Welsh residents 0.7%, and Spanish residents 0.5%, all of which were higher than the regional averages of 0.5%, 0.5%, and 0.3% respectively.

Dalmeny ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Dalmeny's median age is 58, which is notably higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The proportion of residents aged 85 and above is 8.6%, significantly higher than the regional figure but lower than the national average of 2.2%. Meanwhile, the 15-24 age group constitutes 6.6% of Dalmeny's population. Between 2021 and the present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 8.4% to 11.0%, while the 75-84 cohort has risen from 10.8% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group has decreased from 16.4% to 14.0%, and the 65-74 group has dropped from 19.4% to 17.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Dalmeny's age profile. Notably, the 85+ group is expected to grow by 52%, reaching 289 people from a current total of 190. Conversely, the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.