Gilgandra

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Gilgandra is around 2,946, a decrease of 37 people since the 2021 Census which reported 2,983 residents. This decline is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 2,918 residents based on ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and validation of five new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 4.5 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed around 53% to recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for Gilgandra, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by ABS data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

These projections indicate an overall population decline of 291 persons by 2041, but an increase of 22 people in the 75 to 84 age group during this period.

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

Gilgandra has seen minimal development activity, averaging less than one approval per year over the past five years, with a total of two approvals in that period. This low level of development is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is constrained 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.

Gilgandra's development levels are substantially lower than those in the Rest of NSW and also fall below national averages. With a projected stable or declining population, Gilgandra may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Gilgandra should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Gilgandra has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified three projects that could impact this area's performance. These include Aero Park Residential Estate, Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan, Gilgandra Solar Farm, and Inland Rail - Narromine to Narrabri. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment drivers in Gilgandra are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Gilgandra has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs, well-represented essential services sectors, and an unemployment rate of 4.6%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of June 2025, 1,204 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% higher than Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Gilgandra lags at 49.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. The area specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 2.2 times the regional level. Manufacturing employs only 2.1% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.8%.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.2%, while employment declined by 3.3%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points in Gilgandra. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Gilgandra. Applying these projections to Gilgandra's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% 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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Gilgandra's median income among taxpayers is $42,308. The average income in Gilgandra during this period was $48,099. Nationally, these figures are lower than the average. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Gilgandra's median income would be approximately $47,643 as of September 2025, with the average being around $54,164 during this period. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in Gilgandra all fall between the 6th and 12th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 29.8% of locals (877 people) with incomes ranging from $800 to $1,499. This differs from regional trends where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 range. Housing costs in Gilgandra are modest, allowing for 88.4% of income to be retained as disposable income. However, this ranks at just the 11th percentile nationally.

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

In Gilgandra, as per the latest Census, 91.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 8.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gilgandra stood at 42.8%, with mortgaged properties at 26.1% and rented ones at 31.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,062, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent in Gilgandra was $200, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Gilgandra's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,062 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 65.5% of all households, including 19.0% couples with children, 28.9% couples without children, and 15.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.5%, with lone person households at 32.6% and group households making up 2.0%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate stands at 12.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common (9.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (31.7%). Current educational participation is high at 28.8%, comprising primary education (12.6%), secondary education (9.0%), and tertiary education (0.7%).

Gilgandra's three schools have a combined enrollment of 541 students, serving distinct age groups with two primary and one secondary school. The area's educational conditions are varied, indicated by an ICSEA score of 886.

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

Gilgandra has 96 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 17 routes that collectively facilitate 124 weekly passenger trips. The town's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents located an average of 214 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 17 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Gilgandra faces significant health challenges, with a variety of conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering around 1,356 people, compared to 49.7% across the rest of NSW and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.0% of residents) and asthma (8.8%), while 59.3% claim to have no medical ailments, compared to 64.1% in the rest of NSW.

Gilgandra has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 27.0% or 795 people, than the rest of NSW at 19.5%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Gilgandra was found to have a cultural diversity below average, with 87.9% of its population being Australian citizens, 95.9% born in Australia, and 97.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Gilgandra, accounting for 69.1% of the population, compared to 65.6% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Gilgandra are Australian (33.9%), English (30.0%), and Australian Aboriginal (13.1%).

Notably, Maori (0.4%) and Lebanese (0.2%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively.

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

Gilgandra's median age at 47 years is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent, making up 14.4% of the population, while the 25-34 age group is comparatively smaller at 8.9%. Between 2021 and now, the 0 to 4 age group has grown from 5.1% to 6.2%, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 10.6% to 8.9% and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 12.4% to 11.2%. By 2041, Gilgandra is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 75 to 84 age group is projected to grow by 12 people, reaching 301 from 268, leading the demographic shift. Meanwhile, those aged 65 and above will comprise all of the projected population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45 to 54 and 0 to 4 age cohorts.