Finley

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Finley is around 2,627. This reflects an increase of 172 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,455. The current resident population estimate by AreaSearch is 2,571, following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and validation of an additional 70 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4.9 persons per square kilometer. Finley's growth rate of 7.0% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the Rest of NSW (5.9%) and its SA3 area, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where ABS data is not available, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections indicate that the suburb of Finley is expected to increase by 173 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 1.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Finley, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Finley has recorded around 14 residential properties granted approval annually. Approximately 70 homes have been approved over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25.

As of FY-26, 13 homes have already received approval. The population decline in recent years has not significantly impacted development activity, which remains adequate relative to the population size. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $485,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

Compared to the Rest of NSW, Finley maintains similar construction rates per person, contributing to a balanced market consistent with the broader area. Recent building activity consists entirely of standalone homes, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 332 people per dwelling approval, suggesting room for growth. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Finley is forecasted to gain 39 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Finley has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

AreaSearch has identified two projects that could impact the area significantly due to changes in local infrastructure. Key projects include Burma Road Land-Lease Lifestyle Village Estate, Future Tocumwal - Town Centre Transformation, Edward River Growth Strategy 2050, and VNI West (NSW section). The following details those 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.

Finley shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Finley's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 3.8% as of September 2025, matching Rest of NSW's rate. Workforce participation stood at 64.7%, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 61.5%.

A low 12.6% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. Key employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Finley shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 4.6 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety has lower representation at 1.7% versus the regional average of 7.5%.

Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 0.3%, while labour force rose by 0.9%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

As per AreaSearch's latest data released on 28 February 2023 for financial year 2023, the suburb of Finley in NSW has a median income among taxpayers of $43,609 and an average income of $53,322. This is lower than the national average. The Rest of NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, the estimated median income for Finley as of September 2025 would be approximately $47,473, and the average income would be around $58,046. The 2021 Census data shows that incomes in Finley fall between the 5th and 16th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. In Finley, 30.8% of the population (809 individuals) have incomes within the $400 - $799 range, unlike surrounding regions where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 range. Housing costs are modest in Finley, with 90.0% of income retained after housing expenses. However, total disposable income ranks at just the 11th percentile nationally.

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

In Finley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 91.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 8.5% being other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Finley stood at 46.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.1% and rented ones at 23.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $953, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Finley was $175, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. 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 constitute 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 account for the remaining 37.1%, with lone person households at 34.6% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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 the NSW 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 prevalent, 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%, with 11.6% in primary education, 9.9% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.6% in primary education, 9.9% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Finley indicates that there are currently 50 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 23 individual routes providing service. Together, these routes facilitate 206 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically situated approximately 348 meters from their nearest transport stop. As Finley is predominantly residential, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 87% of residents, while walking accounts for 10%.

On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census data (which may reflect conditions influenced by COVID-19), only 12.6% of Finley's residents work from home. The service frequency averages approximately 29 trips per day across all routes, resulting in about 4 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Finley faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both younger and older age groups show high prevalence of common health conditions. Only approximately 48% (~1,263 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.9% in the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 14.0% of residents) and asthma (10.2%), while 54.2% claim to have no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in the rest of NSW. Working-age population health challenges are notable due to high chronic condition rates. Finley has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 32.3% (848 people), compared to 23.4% in the rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the overall 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 population was found to be relatively homogeneous culturally, with 83.7% being Australian citizens, 91.2% born in Australia, and 96.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Finley, making up 63.9% of its population, compared to 55.9% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.2%), English (31.4%), and Irish (9.6%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry was overrepresented at 8.9%, compared to 8.0% regionally, while New Zealand and Sri Lankan ancestries were also higher than the regional averages at 0.9% and 0.3% respectively.

Finley ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Finley's median age at 51 years is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Finley has a notably over-represented cohort of 65-74 year-olds (16.1%) while those aged 35-44 are under-represented (8.6%). The 65-74 age group in Finley is well above the national average of 9.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group grew from 10.2% to 11.8%, while the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 11.7% to 10.6%. By 2041, Finley's population is expected to shift significantly in terms of age composition. Leading this demographic change, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 17%, reaching 362 people from the current 309. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 74% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 5 to 14 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to decrease in number.