Raymond Terrace

Raymond Terrace has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, the suburb of Raymond Terrace's population is estimated at around 14,142 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 689 people (5.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,453 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 13,910, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest Estimated Resident Population data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 126 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 349 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Raymond Terrace's 5.1% growth since census positions it within 0.2 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.3%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration that contributed approximately 45.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth of locations outside of capital cities is projected, with the area expected to increase by 2,422 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 16.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Raymond Terrace when compared nationally

Raymond Terrace averaged approximately 38 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), totalling an estimated 194 homes. As of FY-26, three approvals have been recorded. Each year, an average of 3.9 new residents is associated with every home built in the area during this period. This demand significantly exceeds new supply, which typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average construction value of new properties is $299,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms. In FY-26, commercial approvals valued at $13.6 million have been registered, indicating moderate levels of commercial development in the area. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Raymond Terrace has significantly less development activity, with 55.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. The area's development activity is also under the national average, suggesting its established nature and potential planning limitations.

New building activity consists of 74.0% standalone homes and 26.0% attached dwellings, preserving Raymond Terrace's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval in the area is 501 people. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Raymond Terrace is projected to add 2,369 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth in the area.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 13 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Raymond Terrace Indoor Sports Facility, Raymond Terrace Public Domain Plan, Tomago Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and Raymond Terrace Housing Delivery Program. 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 conditions in Raymond Terrace face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Raymond Terrace has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, particularly in manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 9.6% as of an unspecified date from AreaSearch data aggregation.

As of June 2025, 5704 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 5.9%, higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Key employment sectors included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Notably, transport, postal & warehousing had high representation, at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing showed lower representation at 0.8% compared to the regional average of 5.3%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population data. In a 12-month period ending in an unspecified date, labour force decreased by 4.3%, employment decreased by 5.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 1.1 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.1%, labour force expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Raymond Terrace's employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022 shows Raymond Terrace had a median taxpayer income of $45,993 and an average income of $55,866. Nationally, the median was $49,459 and the average was $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% from June 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes for Raymond Terrace are approximately $51,793 (median) and $62,911 (average). The 2021 Census reports that household, family, and personal incomes in Raymond Terrace fall between the 20th and 20th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 31.4% of the population, equating to 4,440 individuals, have incomes within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to the regional average of 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

Raymond Terrace's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 83.2% houses and 16.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 81.1% houses and 18.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Raymond Terrace stood at 26.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (32.8%) or rented (40.5%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was $325, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $360. Nationally, Raymond Terrace's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Raymond Terrace has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 68.6% of all households, including 25.5% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 18.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.4%, with lone person households making up 28.3% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 9.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 6.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 33.3%. Educational participation is high, with 29.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.3% in primary, 8.9% in secondary, and 2.9% in tertiary education. Raymond Terrace has a robust network of 6 schools educating approximately 2,114 students, with an ICSEA score of 916. The area provides balanced educational provision with 4 primary and 2 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (14.9 places per 100 residents vs 11.8 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

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

Raymond Terrace has 128 active public transport stops. These are served by a mix of buses operating along 97 different routes. The total weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 2,568.

Residents have excellent access to transport, with an average distance of 145 meters to the nearest stop. On average, services run 366 times daily across all routes, translating to about 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Raymond Terrace is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Raymond Terrace faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 49% (~6,939 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical issues are mental health problems (13.2%) and asthma (9.9%), while 58.2% claim to be free from any ailments, compared to 59.3% in the rest of NSW. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 16.6% (2,347 people), compared to 28.1% in the rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with those of the general population.

The latest Census data sees Raymond Terrace placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Raymond Terrace, as per the 2016 Census, had a population with 91.9% being Australian citizens, 91.8% born in Australia, and 96.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 53.2% of residents, compared to 57.4% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (31.9%), English (31.0%), and Australian Aboriginal (8.3%).

Notable differences existed in the representation of Welsh (0.6%, versus regional 0.7%), Samoan (0.2%, versus regional 0.1%), and Macedonian (0.1%, versus regional 0.1%) groups.

Raymond Terrace's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Raymond Terrace is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 14.8% of the population in Raymond Terrace, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.4%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 13.1% to 14.8%, and the 5-14 age group has decreased from 14.8% to 12.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Raymond Terrace, with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 39% (818 people), reaching 2,912 from 2,093. Conversely, the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.