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 Nov 2025, the estimated population for the North Rothbury statistical area (Lv2) is around 4,650. This figure reflects an increase of 2,148 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,502. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 4,457 as of June 2024, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 1,319 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 264 persons per square kilometer for North Rothbury (SA2). The area's population growth of 85.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the non-metro area (5.7%) and state averages, marking it as a significant growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods for North Rothbury (SA2).

AreaSearch is adopting 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, North Rothbury (SA2) is predicted to grow exceptionally over the period, adding 2,527 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 19.7%.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows North Rothbury recorded approximately 275 residential properties approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1,377 homes. As of FY-26143 approvals have been recorded. The average population increase per dwelling built in the area between FY-21 and FY-25 was 0.5 people per year. This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choice and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $462,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $33.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, North Rothbury records 938.0% 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, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 78.0% detached houses and 22.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature while attracting space-seeking buyers.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 96.0% houses. North Rothbury reflects a developing area with around 13 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate North Rothbury will gain approximately 918 residents by 2041 (based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate). 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 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects likely affecting the region. 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 most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in North Rothbury ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

North Rothbury has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.0%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of September 2025, 1,659 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% compared to Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Workforce participation in North Rothbury stands at 74.5%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents include mining, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food services. Notably, mining employment is 6.8 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.6% compared to the regional average of 5.3%.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the Census working population versus resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.6%, and employment fell by 0.6% in North Rothbury, keeping unemployment relatively stable compared to Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.5%. From November 2024 to November 2025, NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National unemployment rate during this period was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to North Rothbury's employment mix indicates local employment growth of 5.6% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch aggregated the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023. North Rothbury's median taxpayer income was $66,467 and average income stood at $81,808. Nationally, these figures are high, compared to Rest of NSW's $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $72,356 and $89,056 based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, North Rothbury's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 81st percentiles. Income distribution shows 40.3% of the population (1,873 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, reflecting regional patterns where 29.9% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 17.4% of income in North Rothbury, but 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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.5% houses and 3.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 90.9% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Rothbury stood at 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.9% and rented ones at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in North Rothbury was recorded at $450, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $340. 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 account for 81.6% of all households, including 38.9% that are couples with children, 27.5% that are couples without children, and 14.1% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 18.4%, with lone person households at 16.7% and group households comprising 1.9% of the total. The median household size is 2.9 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

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 has university qualification rates of 17.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 49.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.8% and certificates at 37.8%. Educational participation is high, with 32.7% currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.4% in primary, 7.0% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.4% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing 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 operating within its boundaries. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 23 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 533 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in North Rothbury is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 189 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 76 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

North Rothbury's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout North Rothbury. Younger cohorts saw very low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (2,753 people), compared to 53.7% across Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions were 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 62.6% across Rest of NSW. The area has 6.8% of residents aged 65 and over (316 people), which is lower than the 16.9% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, requiring more attention 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. The predominant religion was Christianity, comprising 52.2% of the population. Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.2% compared to 0.0% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group at 31.4%, followed by English at 30.0% and Irish at 7.6%. Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.1%), Australian Aboriginal (5.5% vs 6.3%), and Polish (0.8% vs 0.5%) were notably divergent in their representation compared to regional averages.

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 younger than Rest of NSW's median age of 43 and considerably younger than Australia's national average of 38 years. The age group of 25-34 years makes up 21.6% of North Rothbury's population, higher than Rest of NSW's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. In contrast, the 65-74 age cohort constitutes only 4.2% of North Rothbury's population. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 25 to 34 has increased from 20.3% to 21.6%, while those aged 35 to 44 have risen from 15.8% to 16.9%. However, the proportion of individuals aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 9.5% to 7.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant changes in North Rothbury's demographics. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to grow by 260 people (an increase of 26%) from 1,004 to 1,265. Meanwhile, the 65-74 age cohort is expected to grow modestly by 9 people (a 5% increase).