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

The estimated population of North Rothbury, as of November 2025, is around 5,303 people. This figure reflects a significant increase from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,502 people in the suburb. The growth of 2,801 people (112.0%) since the census was inferred from AreaSearch's estimated resident population of 4,928 and an additional 1,319 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 301 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space for further development. North Rothbury's growth rate of 112.0% since the 2021 census outperformed both the non-metro area (5.1%) and the state average, positioning it as one of the region's fastest-growing suburbs. Interstate migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with natural growth and overseas migration also playing positive roles.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in June 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, demographic trends suggest exceptional growth for North Rothbury over the next decade and a half. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 2,374 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 2.1% in total population over this period.

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

North Rothbury recorded approximately 283 residential properties with building approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1416 homes. In FY-26 so far, there have been 116 approvals. On average, 0.5 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. This indicates that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand.

The average construction value of new homes was $462,000. In this financial year, $35.0 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, North Rothbury has 965.0% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice nationally. New building activity comprises 78.0% standalone homes and 22.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The location currently has approximately 12 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts suggest North Rothbury will gain 112 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate.

Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

North Rothbury 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 nine projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Huntlee New Town, Woolworths Huntlee Retail Centre, Huntlee Local Water Centre 2, and Anvil Creek Urban Release Area. The following list details those 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.

AreaSearch analysis places North Rothbury well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

North Rothbury has a skilled workforce with strong representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.2%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of June 2025, 1,544 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in North Rothbury stands at 74.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents include mining, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Mining has a notably high concentration with employment levels at 6.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, 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 Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, North Rothbury's labour force decreased by 3.4%, alongside a 3.9% employment decline, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand in North Rothbury. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these 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 these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

North Rothbury had a median taxpayer income of $66,467 and an average income of $81,808 in financial year 2022. These figures are significantly higher than the national averages of $49,459 for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimates suggest median incomes will reach approximately $74,848 and averages will be around $92,124, based on a 12.61% increase since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, North Rothbury's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 78th and 81st percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 40.3% of the population falls within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, which is similar to regional levels at 29.9%. 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

In North Rothbury, as per the latest Census, 96.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 3.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 90.9% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in North Rothbury was 15.9%, with mortgages at 47.9% and rentals 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 $450, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $340. Nationally, North Rothbury's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially higher at $450 compared to 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% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 14.1% 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%. 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's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 13.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are common, with 49.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (37.8%). Educational participation is high at 32.7%, comprising primary education (12.4%), secondary education (7.0%), and tertiary education (3.9%).

School facilities seem to be outside the immediate catchment area, requiring residents to access schools in neighboring regions.

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

Transport analysis shows 25 active stops operating in North Rothbury. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 22 individual routes serving these stops, providing a total of 548 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 189 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 78 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 21 weekly trips per 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 (3,140 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 9.6 and 9.3% of residents respectively. Seventy-two point three percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.6% across Rest of NSW. Six point eight percent of residents were aged 65 and over (360 people), 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 index 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 predominant religion, comprising 52.2% of North Rothbury's population. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.0% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (31.4%), English (30.0%), and Irish (7.6%) were the top three groups represented. There were also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Hungarian at 0.5% (vs regional 0.1%), Australian Aboriginal at 5.5% (vs regional 6.3%), and Polish at 0.8% (vs regional 0.5%).

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

North Rothbury's median age of 29 years is significantly younger than Rest of NSW's 43 years and considerably younger than Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises a strong 21.6% in North Rothbury, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 4.2%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present day, the population 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%. Conversely, the population aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 9.5% to 7.3%. Population projections for North Rothbury in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 83 people (7%), from 1,145 to 1,229. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.