North Rothbury

North Rothbury lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of North Rothbury is estimated at around 4,663 people. This reflects a significant increase from the 2021 Census figure of 2,502 people. The growth of 2,161 people (86.4%) since the census is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population as 4,457 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 1,331 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 265 persons per square kilometer. North Rothbury's growth exceeded that of both Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the state, making it a notable growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 73.0% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 where necessary. Applying growth rates by age group from these aggregations predicts exceptional growth for North Rothbury over the period to 2041. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 5,133 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 105.7% in total population over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions North Rothbury among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

North Rothbury recorded approximately 274 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1373 homes. As of FY26152 approvals have been granted. On average, 0.5 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand. The average construction cost value of new homes was $462,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment.

In FY26, $33.4 million in commercial approvals were registered, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, North Rothbury has 952.0% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice. However, development activity has moderated in recent periods. This is substantially higher than the national average, indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 77.0% detached houses and 23.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature while providing some diversity in housing options. North Rothbury currently has 96.0% houses, suggesting decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles.

Population forecasts indicate North Rothbury will gain 4927 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

North Rothbury has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

The performance of a region can significantly be influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified nine projects that are expected to impact this area. Notable projects include Huntlee New Town, Woolworths Huntlee Retail Centre, Huntlee Local Water Centre 2, and Thomas St., North Rothbury - Road and Drainage Upgrades. The following list details those considered most 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.

Employment conditions in North Rothbury rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

North Rothbury has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.1%, with an estimated employment growth of 0.6% over the past year (AreaSearch data). As of December 2025, 1,664 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in North Rothbury is 52.4%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. According to Census responses, 16.8% of residents work from home. Key industries for employment among residents are mining, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Mining has particularly high concentration with employment levels at 6.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.6%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 0.6% alongside labour force increasing by 0.7%, leaving unemployment broadly flat (AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data). By comparison, Regional NSW recorded employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within North Rothbury. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to North Rothbury's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, North Rothbury had a median income among taxpayers of $66,467. The average income stood at $81,808 in this period. Nationally, these figures are extremely high compared to the median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively across Regional NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for North Rothbury's median income would be approximately $72,356 as of September 2025. The average income estimate for the same period is around $89,056. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes in North Rothbury rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 81st percentiles. Distribution data shows that 40.3% of the population (1,879 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, which is similar to patterns seen regionally where 29.9% occupy this range. In North Rothbury, high housing costs consume 17.4% of income. However, strong earnings place disposable income at the 76th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

North Rothbury is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

North Rothbury's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 96.5% houses and 3.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Rothbury was at 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.9% and rented ones at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in North Rothbury was recorded at $450, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, North Rothbury's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 81.6% of all households, including 38.9% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for 18.4%, with lone person households at 16.7% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational achievement in North Rothbury places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

The area's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 49.6% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 37.8%. Educational participation is high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.4% in primary, 7.0% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

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

North Rothbury has 27 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 23 routes providing a total of 533 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents usually located 189 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward, primarily using cars at a rate of 99%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.7, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 16.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 76 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in North Rothbury is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

North Rothbury faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are somewhat prevalent across all age cohorts but slightly higher among older ones.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (2,761 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 9.6 and 9.3% of residents respectively. 72.3% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 6.7% of residents aged 65 and over (312 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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

North Rothbury had a cultural diversity below average, with 89.9% of its population born in Australia, 92.3% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 52.2% of North Rothbury's population. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% across Regional NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.4%), English (30.0%), and Irish (7.6%). Hungarian (0.5%) was notably overrepresented, as were Australian Aboriginal (5.5%) and Polish (0.8%), compared to regional averages of 0.2%, 4.6%, and 0.5% respectively.

North Rothbury hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

North Rothbury's median age is 29 years, which is significantly younger than Regional NSW's median age of 43 and considerably younger than the national average of 38 years. The age group of 25-34 years has a strong representation in North Rothbury at 22.2%, compared to Regional NSW, while the 65-74 age cohort is less prevalent at 4.4%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and the present time, the population of North Rothbury in the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 20.3% to 22.2%, while the 35 to 44 age cohort has increased from 15.8% to 17.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age cohort has declined from 9.5% to 6.9%. Population forecasts for North Rothbury indicate substantial demographic changes by the year 2041. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow exceptionally, expanding by 1,171 people (113%) from 1,035 to 2,207.