Robertson (NSW)

An assessment of population growth drivers in Robertson reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the estimated population of Robertson NSW as of Feb 2026 is around 1,988. This reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census figure of 2,017 people, a drop of 29 individuals (1.4%). AreaSearch's estimate of 1,981 residents, combined with 8 validated new addresses since the Census date, supports this estimation. The population density is approximately 22 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed around 51.0% of overall population gains in recent periods, with all migration drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area (released in 2024, base year 2022) and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data (released in 2022, base year 2021). These projections indicate a population decline of 165 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like the 85 and over group are projected to grow by 30 people during this period.

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

Robertson has had limited development activity over the past five years, with an average of 3 approvals per year totalling 17. This low level is typical of rural areas with modest housing needs and construction activity constrained by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Robertson has less construction activity than the Rest of NSW, with development levels also below national averages. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, reflecting Robertson's rural character where larger properties are typical. There are an estimated 671 people per dwelling approval in the area, indicating its quiet development environment. Population projections show stability or decline, which should reduce housing demand pressures and benefit potential buyers.

With population projections showing stability or decline, Robertson should see reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

Robertson has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified one major project likely affecting the region. Notable projects include Calderwood Valley Master-Planned Community, West Dapto Urban Release Area Water & Wastewater Servicing, Kiama to Bomaderry Rail Improvements, and Illawarra-Shoalhaven Regional Transport Plan 2041. The following 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.

The exceptional employment performance in Robertson places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Robertson has an educated workforce with 0.9% unemployment in construction sector. Past year saw estimated employment growth of 2.3%. As of December 2025, 1,016 residents are employed with unemployment rate at 3.1%, below Regional NSW's 3.9%.

Workforce participation is similar to Regional NSW's 61.3%. High home work rate noted, 29.3% according to Census responses. Employment concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, education & training. Professional & technical jobs are specialized with an employment share of 1.8 times regional level.

Health care & social assistance employs 11.9%, below Regional NSW's 16.9%. Limited local employment opportunities indicated by Census working population vs resident population comparison. Employment increased by 2.3% over a year, labour force by 2.7%, raising unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Regional NSW saw employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Robertson's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Robertson has an income level above the national average, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Robertson is $46,646, with an average income of $71,568. These figures compare to Regional NSW's median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $50,779 (median) and $77,909 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Robertson rank modestly, between the 49th and 50th percentiles. Income distribution data indicates that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 32.3% of residents (642 people), similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% occupy this bracket. After housing expenses, 86.1% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Robertson's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 99.3% houses and 0.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Robertson was at 47.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.5% and rented ones at 14.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Robertson was recorded at $443, compared to Regional NSW's $330 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Robertson's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 75.5% of all households, including 29.6% couples with children, 35.1% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 24.5%, with lone person households at 22.1% and group households at 2.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Robertson exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 29.3%, higher than the Rest of NSW average of 21.3% and the SA4 region's rate of 22.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 19.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Vocational credentials are held by 42.8% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 13.8% and certificates at 29.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Robertson has 70 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 18 different routes that collectively facilitate 217 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 142 meters from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential zone, most commuters travel outward, primarily by car (91%), with walking accounting for 6%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, exceeding the regional norm. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home (29.3%), which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 31 trips per day, equating to approximately three weekly trips per stop.

Robertson's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Robertson. AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence indicates very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 55% of the total population, which totals around 1,097 people. This compares to a rate of 51.9% across Regional NSW. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 9.8 and 8.6% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 66.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population are broadly typical. The area has 24.9% of residents aged 65 and over, totaling 495 people, which is higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Robertson is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Robertson's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 83.3% born in Australia. Citizenship was also high, at 90.2%, and English was spoken exclusively at home by 96.3%. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 58.1% of Robertson's population, slightly higher than the Regional NSW average of 55.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.2%), Australian (29.9%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, Hungarian ancestry was overrepresented at 0.5%, compared to 0.2% regionally. Scottish ancestry was also higher than average, at 9.0% versus 8.0%. Macedonian ancestry was present in both Robertson and Regional NSW at 0.4%.

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

Robertson's median age in 2021 was 47 years, significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 and substantially exceeding the national average of 38. The age profile showed that those aged 55-64 were particularly prominent, comprising 16.0% of the population, while those aged 25-34 were comparatively smaller at 8.1%. Between 2021 and the present day, the percentage of those aged 75 to 84 has grown from 5.9% to 7.9%, and the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 9.7% to 11.5%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 15.6% to 12.7%. By the year 2041, Robertson is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The 85+ group is projected to grow by 82%, reaching 58 people from the current 31. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising all of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 25-34 and 35-44.