Gulgong

Population growth drivers in Gulgong are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Gulgong is around 2,739 people. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 2,680 people, a change inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 2,676 based on ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 26 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Gulgong has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.0%, outperforming its SA3 area. Interstate migration contributed around 47.0% to overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, Gulgong is expected to have an above median population growth for national regional areas, increasing by 598 persons to reach a total of 3,337 people by 2041, reflecting a gain of 23.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Gulgong had an average of 3 dwelling approvals per year over the five-year period from 2017 to 2021, totalling 18 dwellings. This low development activity is typical of rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small sample size means individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Gulgong's development levels are substantially lower than those in the Rest of NSW and below national averages. Recent developments have been exclusively detached dwellings, reflecting the rural character of the area. As of 2021, there were an estimated 1111 people per dwelling approval in Gulgong, indicating a quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Gulgong is projected to gain 645 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Gulgong 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 five projects that could affect this region. Notable projects include enhancing water security for Mudgee and Gulgong, a proposed subdivision into six lots at Flirtation Hill Lane, Millennium Estate development, and the Bellambi Heights Battery Energy Storage System. The following details those most likely to be 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.

The employment environment in Gulgong shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Gulgong has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominently featuring manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.1%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data as of June 2025.

In this month, 1,379 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.6% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Gulgong is similar to that of Rest of NSW at 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents include mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Mining stands out with employment levels being 8.1 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 11.2% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, labour force decreased by 2.0% and employment declined by 2.9%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, labour force grew by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Gulgong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.2% over five years and 11.7% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Gulgong's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $46,646. The average income stood at $60,696 during the same period. For comparison, Rest of NSW had median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. According to Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $52,528 (median) and $68,350 (average). Census 2021 income data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Gulgong fall between the 19th and 25th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 30.9% of residents (846 people), similar to regional levels where 29.9% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, 85.7% of income remains, ranking at the 28th percentile nationally.

Gulgong is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Gulgong's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.5% houses and 5.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Gulgong stood at 39.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.7% and rented ones at 24.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,495, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,600. Median weekly rent in Gulgong was $300, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure but significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Gulgong's mortgage repayments were notably lower at $1,495 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

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

Family households account for 67.4% of all households, including 26.3% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 12.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 30.2% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 10.4%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 45.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.2%) and certificates (37.1%).

Educational participation is high at 31.4%, including primary education (13.1%), secondary education (8.7%), and tertiary education (1.6%). Gulgong's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 655 students, with varied educational conditions (ICSEA: 918). The educational mix includes 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 23.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.8, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments please refer to parent campus.

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

Gulgong has 79 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along 23 individual routes, collectively offering 133 weekly passenger trips. The transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 245 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 19 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Gulgong faces significant health challenges, as indicated by data showing high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 51% (around 1,395 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis, affecting 10.2% of residents, and asthma, impacting 9.4%. Notably, 64.3% of Gulgong residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 62.9% in the Rest of NSW. As of 2021, 21.6% (591 people) of Gulgong's population is aged 65 and over, slightly lower than the 23.1% in the Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, largely mirroring those of the general population.

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

Gulgong had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 90.1% of its population being Australian citizens, 92.7% born in Australia, and 97.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Gulgong, comprising 60.4% of the population, slightly higher than the 59.9% regional average. The top three ancestral groups were English (34.1%), Australian (33.3%), and Irish (8.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal, Maltese, and German ethnicities had higher representations in Gulgong compared to the regional averages: 5.7% vs 4.9%, 1.0% vs 0.5%, and 3.4% vs 2.8%, respectively.

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

The median age in Gulgong is 40 years, which is slightly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 but above the Australian median of 38. The proportion of individuals aged 5-14 years old in Gulgong is notably higher at 15.2% compared to the Rest of NSW average, while those aged 45-54 years are under-represented at 10.2%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 9.3% to 10.9%, while the 45-54 age group has decreased from 11.6% to 10.2% and the 55-64 age group has dropped from 12.9% to 11.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Gulgong, with the 35-44 age cohort projected to expand by 97 people (27%), growing from 367 to 465 individuals.