Murrumbateman

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validations, Murrumbateman's population was estimated at 3825 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 218 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3607. The change is inferred from a resident population estimate of 3690 by AreaSearch, following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024, and an additional 194 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 27 persons per square kilometer. Murrumbateman's growth of 6% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area (3.5%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 46% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including overseas migration and interstate migration being positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project an above median growth of regional areas, with Murrumbateman expected to expand by 616 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 12.6% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Murrumbateman when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Murrumbateman has experienced around 29 dwellings receiving development approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 148 homes. So far in FY-26, 14 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 people move to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, suggesting balanced supply and demand with stable market conditions.

Developers target the premium segment, with new dwellings valued at an average of $720,000. This financial year has seen $538,000 in commercial development approvals, indicating minimal commercial activity compared to residential. Murrumbateman has 102.0% more new home approvals per person than the Rest of NSW, offering buyers ample choice. Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's low density character with a focus on family homes.

The location has approximately 119 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its low-density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Murrumbateman is expected to grow by 481 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Murrumbateman has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely impacting the region. Notable initiatives include Murrumbateman All-Abilities Playground, Barton Highway Upgrade, Sunningdale Estate, and The Fields Murrumbateman. Relevant projects are detailed below.

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 exceptional employment performance in Murrumbateman places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Murrumbateman has an educated workforce with a low unemployment rate of 0.9%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 2,165 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate at 3.0%, below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 75.1% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%.

Home-based work accounts for a moderate 16.6% of jobs, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment is concentrated in public administration & safety, construction, and professional & technical sectors. Murrumbateman has a strong specialization in public administration & safety with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level but is under-represented in health care & social assistance at 8.4% compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%. The area appears to have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population.

Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.5%, with employment decreasing by 4.3%, leading to a fall in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW where employment contracted by 1.2%, labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose 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, with varying rates across sectors. Applying these projections to Murrumbateman's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. In Murrumbateman, the median income among taxpayers was $76,067, with an average of $97,269. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Murrumbateman would be approximately $82,807 (median) and $105,887 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Murrumbateman rank highly nationally, between the 96th and 98th percentiles. The largest income segment comprises 38.0% earning $4000+ weekly (1,453 residents), unlike metropolitan trends where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A substantial proportion of high earners (56.8% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 87.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In Murrumbateman, as per the latest Census, 99.7% of dwellings were houses with 0.3% being other types such as semi-detached homes or apartments. This is in contrast to Regional NSW where 82.6% of dwellings are houses and 17.4% are other types. Home ownership in Murrumbateman stood at 29.4%, with mortgaged properties at 64.1% and rented ones at 6.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Murrumbateman was $528, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Murrumbateman's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,600 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Murrumbateman features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 89.6% of all households, including 47.8% couples with children, 33.8% couples without children, and 7.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 10.4%, consisting of 10.0% lone person households and 1.1% group households. The median household size is 3.1 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Murrumbateman shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Murrumbateman's educational attainment is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 36.8% have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 22.7% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 21.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.4%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 33.9% of residents holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 13.3% and certificates for 20.6%.

Educational participation is high in the area, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 10.5% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Murrumbateman has 91 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 28 routes providing 165 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is good, with residents located an average of 319 meters from the nearest stop. The area is primarily residential, with outward commuting being common. Cars remain the dominant transport mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 2.3 per dwelling, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 16.6% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 23 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per stop.

The level of general health in Murrumbateman is notably higher than the national average with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Murrumbateman shows better-than-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is quite low across both younger and older age cohorts. Approximately 65% of Murrumbateman's total population (2,496 people) has private health cover, compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and the national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 9.1 and 8.3% of residents respectively, while 69.5% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. Murrumbateman has 12.7% of residents aged 65 and over (485 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Murrumbateman is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Murrumbateman had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 85.6% of its residents born in Australia, 94.4% being citizens, and 95.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Murrumbateman, accounting for 50.2% of the population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented with 0.1% compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.7%), Australian (29.4%), and Irish (9.2%). There were also notable differences in other ethnic groups: Croatian at 1.1% vs regional 0.3%, Dutch at 1.8% vs regional 1.0%, and Polish at 0.9% vs regional 0.5%.

Murrumbateman's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Murrumbateman is 40 years, which is slightly below Regional NSW's average of 43 but above the Australian median of 38. The 45-54 age group comprises 16.1% of the population in Murrumbateman, higher than the regional average, while the 75-84 age group makes up only 3.2%, lower than the average. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 12.2% to 13.7% of the population, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 18.3% to 16.1%. By 2041, it is projected that the 25 to 34 age group will grow by 107 people, from 328 to 436.