Oberon

Oberon is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Oberon's population is estimated at around 3,298, a decrease of 21 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,319. This decrease is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,246 based on ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 53 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 17.6 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Based on these aggregations, Oberon is expected to expand by 208 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 7.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Oberon, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Oberon has recorded around 11 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years. This totals an estimated 55 homes. So far in FY-26, 5 approvals have been recorded. Over these five years (FY-21 to FY-25), an average of 0.6 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

New construction has matched or outpaced demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations. The average value of new homes being built is $601,000, somewhat higher than regional norms, reflecting quality-focused development. This financial year, $2.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's residential nature. When measured against Rest of NSW, Oberon shows approximately 75% of the construction activity per person.

Nationally, it places among the 49th percentile of areas assessed, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing properties. This activity is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 92.0% detached dwellings and 8.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. At around 334 people per approval, Oberon reflects a low density area. Future projections show Oberon adding 248 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Oberon has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting this region: Bracken Estate, Oberon, Paling Yards Wind Farm, Regional NSW Road Network Safety Improvements, and Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy are key projects, with the following list detailing those most relevant.

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Employment conditions in Oberon demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Oberon has a balanced workforce with representation from both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented in the town's employment scene.

As of June 2025, Oberon's unemployment rate is 1.7%. This is below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In June 2025, 1,728 residents are employed in Oberon, with an unemployment rate of 1.9% and workforce participation at 53.7%. The dominant employment sectors include manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and agriculture, forestry & fishing.

Manufacturing is particularly specialized in Oberon, with an employment share 4.1 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 11.1% of Oberon's workforce compared to 16.9% in Rest of NSW. Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.7% and employment declined by 3.1% in Oberon, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Oberon's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.7% over five years and 11.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Oberon had a median income among taxpayers of $49,055 and an average level of $58,114. These figures are below the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW has levels of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Oberon would be approximately $55,241 (median) and $65,442 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Oberon rank modestly, between the 21st and 30th percentiles. Income distribution reveals that 31.2% of residents (1,028 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, mirroring the broader area where 29.9% occupy this bracket. After housing costs, 86.0% of income remains, ranking at the 24th percentile nationally.

Oberon is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Oberon, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 90.8% houses and 9.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 86.1% houses and 13.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Oberon was 41.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.2% and rented dwellings at 28.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Oberon was $280, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $315. Nationally, Oberon's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,517 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were lower at $280 than the national figure of $375.

Oberon features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.2% of all households, consisting of 20.7% couples with children, 30.9% couples without children, and 13.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 34.8%, with lone person households at 31.8% and group households making up 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Oberon faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates of 13.8%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.5%) and certificates (32.2%).

Educational participation is high at 28.1%, including primary education (12.0%), secondary education (8.2%), and tertiary education (2.0%). Oberon's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 523 students, serving distinct age groups with 2 primary and 1 secondary school. The area has varied educational conditions, indicated by an ICSEA score of 944.

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

Oberon has 86 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 15 different routes that together facilitate 190 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents on average located 217 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 27 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Oberon is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant challenges for Oberon, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 50% (~1,647 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and asthma (8.6%). Sixty-one point nine percent declare no medical ailments, compared to 63.5% in Rest of NSW. Twenty-six point five percent of residents are aged 65 and over (873 people), higher than the 19.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors exceed average levels, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

Oberon ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Oberon had a cultural diversity below average, with 84.4% citizens, 87.0% born in Australia, and 93.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 66.8%, compared to 61.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.2%), English (30.9%), and Irish (10.6%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher in Oberon at 4.1% (vs regional 4.6%), Maori at 0.6% (vs 0.3%), and South African at 0.5% (vs 0.2%).

Oberon hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Oberon's median age is 47 years, significantly higher than Rest of NSW's average of 43 and substantially exceeding Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that the 75-84 year-olds comprise 10.2%, while the 35-44 group constitutes 10.4%. From 2021 to present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 8.9% to 10.2%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 14.6% to 12.7%, and the 5-14 group has dropped from 12.7% to 11.3%. By 2041, Oberon's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 64%, reaching 195 people from 118. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.