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 Nov 2025, Denman's population is estimated at around 1,892 people. This reflects an increase of 71 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,821. The current resident population estimate by AreaSearch is 1,849, following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024), with an additional 2 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this figure. This results in a density ratio of 16.2 persons per square kilometer. Denman's growth rate of 3.9% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area at 3.3%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 50.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with other factors such as overseas migration and natural growth also being positive contributors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for Denman, released in 2024 using a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to Denman for years 2032 to 2041. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 302 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 15.6% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Denman has had minimal residential development activity over the past five years, with an average of one dwelling approval per year (seven approvals in total). This low level of development is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It is important to note 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 this activity level also below national patterns. Recent building activity in Denman consists entirely of detached dwellings, aligning with rural living preferences for space and privacy. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Denman is expected to grow by 296 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep up 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 in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified four projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include West Denman Urban Release Area, Denman Park Estate, Denman Renewable Energy Park, and Denman to Sandy Hollow Pipeline along with Denman Water Treatment Plant upgrade. The following list outlines 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.

Employment performance in Denman exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Denman has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, heavily represented in manufacturing and industrial sectors. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.4%.

The AreaSearch aggregated data shows that 930 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.2% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, with workforce participation at 58.5%. Dominant employment sectors include mining, health care & social assistance, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Mining has a particularly strong presence with an employment share 9.0 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 8.4% compared to the regional 16.9%. The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population comparison.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 4.0% while employment declined by 4.1%, keeping unemployment rate relatively stable at 2.4%. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced employment decline of 0.1% with labour force growth of 0.3%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Denman's median taxpayer income was $47,150 and average income was $60,890 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is lower than national averages, compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth, current estimates suggest median income would be approximately $53,096 and average income $68,568 by September 2025. Census 2021 data shows Denman's household, family, and personal incomes rank modestly, between the 30th and 32nd percentiles. In Denman, 25.9% of individuals earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to regional levels where 29.9% fall into this bracket. After housing expenses, 84.9% of income remains for other expenses.

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

In Denman, as per the latest Census evaluation, dwelling structures consisted of 85.1% houses and 14.9% other dwellings including semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's structure of 89.7% houses and 10.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Denman stood at 36.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.6% and rented dwellings at 26.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,650, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,538. The median weekly rent figure in Denman was $280, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $290. Nationally, Denman's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,650 compared to 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 account for 67.8 percent of all households, including 27.4 percent couples with children, 27.2 percent couples without children, and 12.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 32.2 percent, with lone person households at 31.5 percent and group households comprising 0.6 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 9.2%, substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 6.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 44.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (35.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.6% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education. Educational provision includes Denman Public School and St Joseph's Primary School, collectively serving 193 students, while the area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 965) with balanced educational opportunities. The two schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents stand at 10.2, falling below the regional average of 15.9, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 62 active public transport stops in Denman. These stops offer a mix of bus services. They are served by 10 individual routes, providing a total of 96 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 139 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 13 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per stop.

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

Denman faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups have high prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Only approximately 51% (around 965 people) of Denman's total population has private health cover, compared to 57.5% in the rest of NSW. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 10.6% and 9.0% of residents respectively. However, 60.8% of residents claim to have no medical ailments at all, compared to 65.4% in the rest of NSW. Denman has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 22.2% (420 people) compared to 18.9% in the rest of NSW. The health outcomes among seniors are broadly similar to those of the general 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 population showed low cultural diversity, with 92.5% being citizens, 93.4% born in Australia, and 98.6% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 70.2%, compared to 63.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (36.3%), English (33.0%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal people were overrepresented at 5.5% in Denman versus 6.6% regionally, while Maltese and New Zealanders were also more prevalent than the regional averages at 0.7% each compared to 0.2% and 0.4%, respectively.

Denman hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Denman's median age is 43, matching Rest of NSW's figure and exceeding Australia's national average of 38 years. The age distribution reveals that those aged 55-64 (14.3%) are notably prominent while the 65-74 group (10.2%) is smaller compared to Rest of NSW. Between the 2021 Census and now, Denman's population has seen growth in the 15-24 age group from 11.0% to 12.1%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 7.0% to 8.1%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group declined from 13.0% to 11.5%, and the 45-54 group decreased from 13.4% to 12.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Denman's age structure. Notably, the 85+ population is projected to grow by 102%, reaching 149 people from its current figure of 73. Conversely, population declines are anticipated for the 5-14 and 15-24 age cohorts.