Harden

Harden is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of Harden is around 1,862, reflecting a decrease of 38 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,900. This decrease is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 1,829 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 130 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 51.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Harden. AreaSearch adopts 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 for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Considering these projections, Harden is expected to expand by 241 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 17.5% over the 17 years.

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

Harden has experienced limited development activity with an average of two approvals per year over five years (10 approvals total). This low level of development is typical in 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 statistics.

Harden has shown significantly less construction activity than the Rest of NSW, with its development pattern also below national averages. All new constructions in Harden have been standalone homes, primarily family homes suited for those seeking a rural lifestyle and space. As of 2021, there are an estimated 647 people per dwelling approval in Harden, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Harden is projected to add 326 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely impacting the region. Key projects include Harden Sewage Treatment Plant Upgrade, Smart Water Meter Replacement Program, Coppabella Wind Farm, and Harden to Boorowa Pipeline. Below is a list of those most relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Harden presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.9%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Harden has a diverse workforce with both white and blue-collar jobs, particularly in essential services. Its unemployment rate is 3.9%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, Harden has 764 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is 0.2% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. The workforce participation rate in Harden is 46.2%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Transport, postal & warehousing stands out with an employment share 2.3 times the regional level, while manufacturing employs only 3.0% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.8%.

The area may have limited local job opportunities, indicated by a lower Census working population compared to resident population. Between Jun-24 and Jul-25, Harden's labour force decreased by 4.0%, employment fell by 4.1%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's Sep-22 national employment forecasts project overall job growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Harden's current employment mix suggests local jobs could increase by 5.9% in five years and 12.7% in ten years.

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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022. Harden's median income among taxpayers was $39,472, with an average of $48,071. This is lower than the national average and compares to $49,459 (Rest of NSW median) and $62,998 (Rest of NSW average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Harden are approximately $44,449 (median) and $54,133 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census showed household, family, and personal incomes in Harden between the 2nd and 6th percentiles nationally. Income analysis revealed that 32.0% of residents earned between $400 - $799 weekly (595 individuals), contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 29.9%. The prevalence of lower-income residents (42.0% earning under $800/week) indicated constrained household budgets across much of the locality. Housing costs were modest, with 89.1% of income retained, but total disposable income ranked at just the 6th percentile nationally.

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

Harden's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.6% houses and 6.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 93.2% houses and 6.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Harden stood at 50.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.4% and rented ones at 18.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $910, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,699. Median weekly rent in Harden was $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $270. Nationally, Harden's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.4% of all households, including 18.4% couples with children, 30.6% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.6%, with lone person households at 36.2% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.4%, substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 8.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (29.0%).

A substantial 24.1% of the population is actively pursuing formal education, including 10.8% in primary, 6.1% in secondary, and 1.5% in tertiary education. Harden's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 385 students as of the latest available data. The area has varied educational conditions with an ICSEA index of 946. Education provision is balanced with 2 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. As of the current academic year, the area functions as an education hub with 20.7 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 12.4 – attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Harden has 12 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 31 routes in total, providing 371 weekly passenger trips combined. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents located an average of 264 meters from the nearest stop.

Services run at an average frequency of 53 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 30 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Harden faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. As of 2021, approximately 46% (~856 people) have private health cover, compared to Rest of NSW's 53.6% and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (13.0%) and asthma (10.4%), with 58.0% reporting no medical ailments, compared to Rest of NSW's 63.6%.

Harden has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 32.7% (608 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 21.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Harden are better than the general population.

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

Harden's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 91.5% of its population being citizens and 96.5% speaking English only at home. Most residents were born in Australia, accounting for 91.5%. Christianity is the predominant religion in Harden, comprising 72.2%, compared to 61.3% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups are English (33.6%), Australian (33.3%), and Irish (9.6%). Notably, certain ethnic groups have different representations: Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 6.0% in Harden versus the regional average of 2.9%, Serbian at 0.4% compared to 0.2%, and Polish at 0.7% versus 0.4%.

Harden ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Harden's median age is 51 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Harden has an over-representation of the 65-74 cohort at 17.3% locally, while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 8.3%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 8.9% to 9.8% of Harden's population, while the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 18.8% to 17.3%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 14.5% to 13.3%. By 2041, Harden is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition, with the 75 to 84 group growing by 26% (56 people) to reach 276 from 219, and the 55 to 64 cohort growing by a modest 3% (8 people).