Gloucester

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

Gloucester's population is estimated at around 3,155 as of May 2026, reflecting an increase of 22 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,133. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,147 in June 2025 and validation of 19 new addresses since the Census date. The suburb has a density ratio of 53 persons per square kilometer. Since the census, Gloucester's growth rate of 0.7% is within 2.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.6%. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 74.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses 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 necessary, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by 257 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a 7.9% increase over the 16-year period.

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

Gloucester recorded approximately 5 residential properties granted approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 28 homes were approved, with a further 4 approved in FY-26. On average, over the past 5 financial years, 2 new residents arrived per new home. However, this has moderated to 0.8 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years.

The average construction value of new homes was $363,000. In FY-26, $318,000 in commercial approvals were registered, indicating minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Gloucester shows substantially reduced construction, which is 66.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. Nationally, Gloucester's construction levels are also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints.

New development consists of 86.0% detached dwellings and 14.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 525 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Gloucester is expected to grow by 249 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to affect this region. Key projects include Mixed-Use Development Opportunity at 138 Church Street, Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone, Pacific Highway Upgrade from Hexham to Brisbane, and Hunter Regional Plan 2041. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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While Gloucester retains a healthy unemployment rate of 3.9%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Gloucester has a balanced workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.9% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in December 2025. There were 1,220 residents employed at this time, aligning with Regional NSW's unemployment rate of 3.9%, but workforce participation was lower at 46.6%.

Census responses showed that only 10.7% of residents worked from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, agriculture, forestry & fishing has high concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 14.7% compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%.

Limited local employment opportunities are suggested by the difference between Census working population and resident population counts. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.8%, while employment declined by 2.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW had an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific growth rates vary significantly. Applying these projections to Gloucester's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not consider localised population projections.

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

Gloucester suburb has a median taxpayer income of $37,177 and an average income of $46,153 based on latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average. Regional NSW's median income is $52,390 with an average income of $65,215. By March 2026, estimates suggest a median income of approximately $41,014 and an average income of $50,916, considering Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023. According to 2021 Census figures, incomes in Gloucester fall between the 3rd and 7th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income analysis shows that 32.8% of residents earn between $400 - 799 per week (1,034 individuals), differing from regional patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 band dominates at 29.9%. A significant proportion of residents (41.6%) have incomes below $800 per week, indicating constrained household budgets. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remains, ranking at the 5th percentile nationally.

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

Gloucester's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, was 91.1% houses and 8.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gloucester stood at 51.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 21.9% and rented ones at 26.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Gloucester was $275, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Gloucester's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 63.4% of all households, including 17.3% couples with children, 34.8% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.6%, with lone person households at 34.0% and group households making up 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 8.5% of residents holding such qualifications, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15 and above possessing vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 31.3%.

A notable 23.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, including 9.5% in primary education, 6.6% in secondary education, and 1.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Gloucester has 81 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 21 individual routes that collectively provide 662 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 117 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 89%, with 9% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 10.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 94 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Gloucester faces substantial health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is extremely low, at approximately 45% of the total population (~1,428 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis (12.1%) and mental health issues (8.8%). 58.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 37.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,186 people), higher than Regional NSW's 23.4%, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Gloucester had a cultural diversity level below average, with 91.7% of its population born in Australia, 93.4% being citizens, and 98.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gloucester, comprising 62.2% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.1%), Australian (33.8%), and Scottish (9.2%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 5.5% in Gloucester versus 4.6% regionally, while Macedonian and Samoan representations were lower at 0.1% each compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.1%, respectively.

Gloucester ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Gloucester's median age is 55 years, which is higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and the national norm of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent at 14.0%, while those aged 25-34 are comparatively smaller at 7.5%. This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is well above the national average of 6.1%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of 75 to 84-year-olds has grown from 11.1% to 14.0%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 10.4% to 9.2%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Gloucester's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to rise substantially by 67% from 182 to 306 people. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 62% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 5-14 and 15-24.