Denman

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of Denman is around 1,813 people. This figure reflects a decrease of 8 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,821 residents. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 3 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 15.5 persons per square kilometer. While Denman experienced a 0.4% decline since the census, the surrounding SA3 area achieved 2.4% growth, indicating divergent population trends. Interstate migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and natural growth being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, 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. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Denman is expected to increase its population by 264 persons to reach a total of 2,077 residents by the year 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 14.0% over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Denman is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Denman has had minimal residential development activity in recent years, with an average of one dwelling approval annually over the past five years (a total of five approvals). This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Denman has shown significantly less construction activity than the Rest of NSW, with activity levels also below national patterns. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Denman is expected to grow by 254 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially leading to increased buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified four projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable among these are the West Denman Urban Release Area, Denman Park Estate, Denman Renewable Energy Park, and the Denman to Sandy Hollow Pipeline project along with the upgrade of the Denman Water Treatment Plant. The following details those projects likely to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Denman well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Denman has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.5%.

This rate is lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, which was current in that month. In Denman, 871 residents are employed. The workforce participation rate is 58.5%, slightly below Regional NSW's 60.5%. In terms of work arrangements, a low 8.5% of residents work from home, as per Census responses.

However, the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on this statistic should be considered. The key industries employing Denman residents are mining, health care & social assistance, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. The area specializes in mining, with an employment share 9.0 times higher than the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 8.4% of Denman's workforce compared to 16.9% in Regional NSW. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by a lower working population count compared to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.1%, while employment declined by 1.8%. This led to a fall in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8% over the same period, with a rise in unemployment of 0.4 percentage points. For future insights into potential job demand, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can be considered. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Denman's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.9% over five years and 11.3% over ten years. These figures are based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Denman's income level is lower than average nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Denman is $47,150 and the average income stands at $60,890. These figures compare to Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Denman would be approximately $52,016 (median) and $67,174 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Denman, between the 30th and 32nd percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 25.9% of locals (469 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the metropolitan region where 29.9% occupy this bracket. After housing expenses, 84.9% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Denman's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Denman stood at 36.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.6% and rented at 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,650, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Denman was $280, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Denman's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,650 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Denman features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 67.8% of all households, including 27.4% couples with children, 27.2% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.2%, with lone person households at 31.5% and group households comprising 0.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.

Denman faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates of 9.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 6.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 44.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (35.9%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.6%), secondary education (8.2%), and tertiary education (2.2%).

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

Denman has 68 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 11 different routes that together provide 398 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 130 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most people commute outwards. Cars are the dominant mode of transport, used by 91% of residents, while 7% walk. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 8.5% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 56 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Denman, as assessed by AreaSearch.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notably high across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population, which totals around 925 people. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 10.6% and 9.0% of residents respectively. Conversely, 60.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents face considerable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 23.2% of residents aged 65 and over, numbering approximately 420 people. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings generally aligned with the broader population.

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

Denman's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 92.5% of its population being citizens, 93.4% born in Australia, and 98.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Denman, comprising 70.2% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (36.3%), English (33.0%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 5.5% in Denman versus the regional average of 4.6%. Maltese and New Zealand groups also showed notable divergences with 0.7% each compared to 0.4% regionally for both.

Denman hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Denman has a median age of 43, matching Regional NSW's figure and exceeding the national average of 38 years. The age distribution shows that those aged 55-64 make up 14.5% of the population, while those aged 65-74 constitute 10.3%. Since the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has risen from 7.0% to 8.3%, and the 85+ cohort has increased from 3.3% to 4.6%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 13.0% to 11.2%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 13.4% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Denman's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 92 people, reaching 160 from its current figure of 83. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 52% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 5 to 14 and 15 to 24 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.