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 population of North Rothbury is estimated at around 4,663 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 2,502 people, indicating a growth rate of 86.4%. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 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 level of population results in a density ratio of 265 persons per square kilometer. North Rothbury's growth rate exceeds that of both Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 is expected to grow by 2,513 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 19.1% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, North Rothbury recorded around 275 residential properties granted approval per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1,377 homes. As of FY-26143 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years, an average of 0.5 people moved to the area for each dwelling built. 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.

The average construction cost value of new homes being built is $462,000, suggesting developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, $33.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating 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 891 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch 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 10% nationally

AreaSearch has identified nine projects that could impact the area, with key ones being 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 likely to be 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 well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% as of AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 1,657 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in North Rothbury was 52.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, 16.8% of residents worked from home. Key industries for employment among residents were mining, health care & social assistance, and accommodation & food. Mining had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 6.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.6% versus the regional average of 5.3%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population comparison. Over a 12-month period ending in May-25, labour force decreased by 0.5% and employment decreased by 0.5%, keeping unemployment rate relatively stable compared to Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.5%, labour force contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to North Rothbury's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, although this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did 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 ending June 2023, North Rothbury had a median income among taxpayers of $66,467 and an average income of $81,808. Nationally, these figures are high compared to the median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215 in Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ending June 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes for North Rothbury would be approximately $72,356 (median) and $89,056 (average). According to the Census conducted in August 2021, household, family, and personal incomes in North Rothbury rank highly nationally, between the 78th and 81st percentiles. Income distribution data shows that 40.3% of the population, equating to 1,879 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is similar to regional levels 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 82.6% houses and 17.4% 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 figure in North Rothbury was $450, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, North Rothbury's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and 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% couples with children, 27.5% couples without children, and 14.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 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 2.4.

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 NSW's 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: 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 serving a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 23 individual routes that collectively facilitate 533 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 189 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential zone, most commuting is outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 99%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, surpassing the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 16.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 76 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 19 weekly trips per 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, with slightly higher degrees among older adults.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (2,761 people), compared to 51.9% across Rest of NSW. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 9.6 and 9.3% of residents respectively. Conversely, 72.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 6.7% of residents aged 65 and over (312 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 89.9% of its population born in Australia, 92.3% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in North Rothbury, making up 52.2% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in North Rothbury compared to the rest of NSW, with 0.2% versus 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (31.4%), English (30.0%), and Irish (7.6%). Other ethnic groups show notable differences: Hungarian at 0.5% versus 0.2%, Australian Aboriginal at 5.5% versus 4.6%, and Polish at 0.8% versus 0.5%.

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 Rest of NSW's 43 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 21.7%, compared to Rest of NSW's percentage, while the 65-74 cohort represents 4.1%. This 25-34 concentration is higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group has increased from 20.3% to 21.7%, while the 35-44 cohort rose from 15.8% to 17.0%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 9.5% to 7.1%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 17.1% to 16.0%. Population forecasts for North Rothbury in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 250 people (25%), from 1,011 to 1,262. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort grows by a modest 6%, adding 11 people.