Finley

Finley has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Finley's estimated population is around 2,643 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 188 people (7.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,455 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 2,585 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 70 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4.9 persons per square kilometer. Finley's 7.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the non-metro area (5.1%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future population trends, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the suburb expected to increase by 182 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 1.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Finley's residential building approvals averaged around 14 annually. From the financial years FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 70 homes were approved. In FY-26 up until now, about 10 have been approved.

The population decline in recent years has not significantly impacted development activity, with an average dwelling value of $485,000. This year, Finley recorded $12.4 million in commercial approvals. Compared to the rest of NSW, Finley's construction rates per person are similar, maintaining market balance.

However, building activity has increased recently. Of new buildings, 89% are standalone homes and 11% attached dwellings, preserving Finley's low-density nature. There are approximately 142 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. By 2041, Finley is projected to add 30 residents. Current construction levels should meet housing demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth beyond current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects expected to affect the region: Burma Road Land-Lease Lifestyle Village Estate and Future Tocumwal - Town Centre Transformation. Other notable initiatives include Edward River Growth Strategy 2050 and VNI West (NSW section). The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Finley has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Finley's workforce spans diverse sectors and roles, with a balanced mix of white and blue-collar jobs. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 3.6%, showing an estimated growth of 4.2% over the past year.

This rate aligns with Rest of NSW's 3.7%. However, workforce participation lags at 50.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key sectors for Finley residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing stands out with employment levels at 4.6 times the regional average, while public administration & safety shows lower representation at 1.7% compared to the regional average of 7.5%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparisons. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.2%, labour force grew by 4.4%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Finley's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Income data from AreaSearch for financial year 2022 indicates that Finley's median income is $43,609 and average income is $53,322. Nationally, these figures are lower than the median of $49,459 and average of $62,998 in Rest of NSW. By September 2025, considering a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,108 (median) and $60,046 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Finley's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 5th and 16th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 30.8% of Finley residents earn between $400 - $799 annually (814 individuals), unlike metropolitan regions where 29.9% earn between $1,500 - $2,999. Housing costs are modest in Finley, with 90.0% of income retained after expenses, but total disposable income ranks at the 11th percentile nationally.

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

In Finley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 91.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 8.5% comprising semi-detached units, apartments, and other types. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Finley stood at 46.6%, similar to Non-Metro NSW, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.1% and rented ones at 23.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $953, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,285. The median weekly rent figure in Finley was recorded at $175, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $235. Nationally, Finley's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 62.9% of all households, including 19.8% couples with children, 32.9% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.1%, consisting of 34.6% lone person households and 2.3% group households. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 16.0%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 41.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.3%) and certificates (33.5%). Educational participation is high at 29.3%, comprising primary education (11.6%), secondary education (9.9%), and tertiary education (1.7%).

Finley's three schools have a combined enrollment of 526 students, serving distinct age groups with balanced educational opportunities (ICSEA: 971). The area functions as an education hub with 19.9 school places per 100 residents, attracting students from surrounding communities, compared to the regional average of 9.3.

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

Finley has 52 active public transport stops, a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 26 routes offering 224 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents' average proximity to the nearest stop is 348 meters.

Daily service frequency averages 32 trips across all routes, equating to about 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Finley is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Finley faces significant health challenges with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover is low at approximately 48% (~1,270 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 14.0%) and asthma (10.2%), while 54.2% report no medical ailments, lower than Rest of NSW's 60.6%. Finley has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 32.3% (~853 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 30.5%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Finley are better than the general population.

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

Finley's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.7% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (91.2%), and speaking English only at home (96.5%). Christianity is the predominant religion in Finley, making up 63.9% of people, compared to 58.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (33.2%), English (31.4%), and Irish (9.6%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 8.9%, compared to the regional average of 9.2%. Similarly, New Zealand (0.9%) and Sri Lankan (0.3%) ancestries are more prevalent in Finley than in the wider region (0.4% and 0.1% respectively).

Finley ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Finley's median age in 2021 was 51 years, significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and considerably older than the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Finley had a notably over-represented cohort aged 65-74 (16.2%), while those aged 35-44 were under-represented (8.3%). This concentration in the 65-74 age group was well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-Census data showed that by 2021, the 75 to 84 age group had grown from 10.2% to 11.8%, while the 5 to 14 cohort had declined from 11.7% to 10.9%. By 2041, Finley's demographic is expected to shift notably. The 85+ age group will grow by 46 people, reaching 166 from an initial 113, and those aged 65 and above will comprise 72% of the projected growth. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 45-54 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.