East Tamworth

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of East Tamworth is around 5,776. This figure reflects an increase of 359 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,417. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,547 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 390 persons per square kilometer. East Tamworth's growth of 6.6% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (4.9%) and the Rest of NSW, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb of East Tamworth is projected to grow by 1,101 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 14.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

East Tamworth recorded approximately 22 residential properties granted approval per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 111 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 13 approved so far in FY-26. This results in an average of approximately 0.9 new residents per year per dwelling constructed during this period.

The average construction value for these properties is around $514,000. In terms of commercial approvals, East Tamworth has registered approximately $14.3 million so far this financial year. Compared to the Rest of NSW, East Tamworth has seen 13.0% less new development per person while ranking among the 52nd percentile nationally in terms of areas assessed. Recent construction comprises approximately 64.0% detached dwellings and 36.0% medium and high-density housing, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently around 82.0% houses.

The location has an approximate population density of 314 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market. Population forecasts suggest East Tamworth will gain approximately 856 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Construction is maintaining pace with projected growth, although increasing competition among buyers can be expected as population increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects expected to impact the region. Notable ones include Tamworth Regional Skywalk, Carthage Street Rehabilitation, East Tamworth Watermain Replacement, and Calala to CBD Recreational Path. The following details those likely 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 of employment trends sees East Tamworth performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

East Tamworth has an educated workforce with strong representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 1.9% as of September 2025, below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is high at 72.9%, compared to 61.5% in the Rest of NSW.

Around 17.7% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Health care & social assistance has notable concentration with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average, while construction shows lower representation at 6.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison of working population to resident population.

Over a 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 0.1% and labour force by 0.4%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, the Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to East Tamworth's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

East Tamworth's median income among taxpayers is $60,450 according to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023. The suburb's average income stands at $72,826 in the same period. This compares to Rest of NSW's median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. By September 2025, based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, estimated incomes would be approximately $65,806 (median) and $79,278 (average). According to the 2021 Census, East Tamworth's personal income ranks at the 69th percentile ($915 weekly), while household income sits at the 47th percentile. The largest segment comprises 34.0% of residents earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,963 residents). After housing costs, residents retain 87.2% of their income. East Tamworth's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

East Tamworth is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

East Tamworth's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.6% houses and 18.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Tamworth was 36.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.6% and rented ones at 35.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,616, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in East Tamworth was $325, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, East Tamworth's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,616 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 66.2% of all households, including 23.9% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 33.8%, with lone person households at 30.9% and group households making up 3.0% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational attainment in East Tamworth aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

East Tamworth's educational attainment is notably high, with 32.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to the broader SA3 area at 17.3% and the SA4 region at 19.5%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent (22.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 33.7% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas at 10.9% and certificates at 22.8%. Educational participation is high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 10.8% in primary, 7.8% in secondary, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 3.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

East Tamworth has 106 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 68 different routes that together facilitate 705 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents living an average of 107 meters from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most people commute outward using their cars, which remain the dominant mode of transport at 93%. Four percent of residents walk to their destinations. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling in East Tamworth, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 17.7% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 100 trips per day, equating to approximately six weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this analysis and shows the locations of the 100 nearest stops to the area's centerpoint.

East Tamworth's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

East Tamworth's health metrics are close to national benchmarks. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are fairly standard across both young and old age cohorts, with common health conditions seen at a similar level to national averages.

Private health cover is very high, with approximately 56% of the total population (~3,217 people) having it, compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 8.6 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 67.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical for the area. East Tamworth has 18.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,074 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. National rankings for health outcomes are broadly in line with the general population.

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

East Tamworth's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.9% of its population being citizens, 87.8% born in Australia, and 91.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in East Tamworth, making up 61.7% of people, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in East Tamworth are English (29.7%), Australian (29.4%), and Irish (11.0%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 4.9%, Scottish at 8.7%, and Lebanese at 0.4%.

East Tamworth's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in East Tamworth is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Relative to Rest of NSW, East Tamworth has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (14.8%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (9.8%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 35-44 grew from 11.7% to 13.5%, while the 15-24 age group increased from 10.8% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 12.0% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in East Tamworth's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 23%, reaching 1,049 people from the current 854. Meanwhile, the 55-64 cohort is expected to grow by a modest 1% (9 people).