Russell Vale

Russell Vale 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 Nov 2025, the Russell Vale statistical area's population is estimated at around 1,600. This reflects an increase of 7 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,593. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,586 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 33 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 724 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections 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. By 2041, the Russell Vale (SA2) is expected to increase by 100 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 5.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Russell Vale has averaged around 5 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 27 homes were approved, with another 3 approved in FY-26 so far.

Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes. The average construction cost value for new homes is $682,000, indicating a focus on the premium market and high-end developments. Compared to Rest of NSW, Russell Vale has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 74th percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 43.0% standalone homes and 57.0% medium and high-density housing, reflecting a shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 79.0% houses). Russell Vale has around 167 people per approval, indicating low density. Future projections estimate an addition of 91 residents by 2041 based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate.

Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Woonona Place, The Plaza Woonona Specialist Retail and Recreational Centre, Russell Vale Underground Expansion Project, and Bulli Hospital Site Redevelopment. These are detailed below for relevance.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Russell Vale significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Russell Vale has a skilled workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 1.9% as of September 2025, which is below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

The area has seen an estimated employment growth of 1.2% over the past year. Out of 818 residents in work, employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Notably, construction employs 1.2 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs none of local workers, compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work. In the past year, employment increased by 1.2%, while labour force also rose by 1.2%, keeping unemployment stable. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's employment decline of 0.5% and unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. State-wide, NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of 25-Nov, with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts suggest total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Russell Vale's current employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for local population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Russell Vale had a median income among taxpayers of $54,009. The average income stood at $74,323 in this period. This was higher than the national average and compared to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Russell Vale would be approximately $58,794 (median) and $80,908 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank at the 42nd percentile, family incomes at the 46th percentile, and personal incomes at the 47th percentile in Russell Vale. Income analysis shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 30.7% of residents (491 people). This pattern is similar to the region where 29.9% occupy this income range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Russell Vale, with only 82.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 47th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

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

Russell Vale's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 79.4% houses and 20.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 58.9% houses and 41.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Russell Vale stood at 36.8%, with mortgaged properties at 42.9% and rented dwellings at 20.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $2,189. The median weekly rent in Russell Vale was $400, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Russell Vale's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $400 versus the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 75.3% of all households, including 35.8% couples with children, 24.9% couples without children, and 13.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.7%, with lone person households at 21.7% and group households comprising 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.9%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 33.6%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.8% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (32.4%). Educational participation is high at 31.9%, with 12.1% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.1% in primary education, 9.2% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis shows seven active public transport stops in Russell Vale, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 17 different routes that together facilitate 543 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically living just 271 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 77 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 77 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Russell Vale is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Russell Vale faces significant health challenges with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across all age groups, but slightly higher among older cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population, which numbers around 900 people. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.2% and 7.9% of residents respectively. A total of 66.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 68.6% across the Rest of NSW. The population aged 65 and over stands at 17.7%, comprising approximately 283 people. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those of the broader population due to certain challenges they face.

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

Russell Vale's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 89.9% having been born in Australia and 93.5% being citizens as of the 2016 Census. The majority of residents, 95.0%, spoke English only at home. Christianity was the most prevalent religion, making up 50.6% of people in Russell Vale, compared to 51.0% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.7%), Australian (31.3%), and Scottish (9.7%). Notably, Welsh was overrepresented at 1.1%, French at 0.6%, and Macedonian was underrepresented at 0.3% compared to regional averages.

Russell Vale's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Russell Vale is 39 years, which is significantly lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but nearly equal to Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Russell Vale has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 (15.8%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (9.5%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 grew from 10.6% to 13.0%, while the 5-14 age group decreased from 17.1% to 15.8%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Russell Vale's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 24%, reaching 194 people from 156. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 55-64 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.