Rutherford

Rutherford lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, Rutherford's population is estimated at around 14,181, reflecting an increase of 1,090 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 13,091. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 13,221 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 1,052 persons per square kilometer. Rutherford's 8.3% growth rate exceeded Rest of NSW (5.9%) and the state average. Interstate migration contributed about 68.0% to overall population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, or NSW State Government's SA2-level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by ABS data.

By 2041, Rutherford is projected to increase by 4,421 persons, reflecting a total increase of 24.4% over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Rutherford was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Rutherford experienced around 70 dwelling approvals annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 353 homes. By FY26, 57 approvals have been recorded. Over these 5 years (FY21 to FY25), an average of 5.8 people moved to Rutherford for each dwelling built, indicating demand significantly exceeds new supply. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $335,000.

This financial year has seen $1.5 million in commercial approvals, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the rest of NSW, Rutherford shows substantially reduced construction (57.0% below regional average per person), which usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. New development consists of 46.0% standalone homes and 54.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 87.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Rutherford shows characteristics of a growth area with around 174 people per dwelling approval. Future projections estimate Rutherford adding 3,461 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects are Truegain Site Remediation, Max McMahon Oval Amenities Redevelopment, Dalmore Park Employment Hub, and Melville Ford Bridge Replacement (Milton Morris Bridge). 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 performance in Rutherford has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Rutherford has a balanced workforce across white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. The unemployment rate is 5.5%. As of December 2025, 6,320 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 7.1% compared to Regional NSW's 3.9%.

Workforce participation stands at 64.1%, slightly higher than the regional average of 61.3%. Census data shows that 12.9% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Rutherford has a strong specialization in mining, with an employment share three times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 0.9%. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6%, alongside a 0.6% employment decline, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 7.1%. By comparison, Regional NSW saw an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising to 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rutherford's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Rutherford's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb's median income among taxpayers is $50,315 and the average income stands at $63,557. These figures compare to Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Rutherford would be approximately $54,773 (median) and $69,188 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Rutherford, between the 30th and 34th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 36.0% of the community earns between $1,500 - 2,999 (5,105 individuals), consistent with broader trends across the metropolitan region showing 29.9% in the same category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Rutherford, with only 80.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 30th percentile.

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

Rutherford's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.1% houses and 12.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rutherford was at 25.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.4% and rented ones at 36.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Regional NSW's average, while the median weekly rent was $360, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Rutherford's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 71.2% of all households, including 28.9% composed of couples with children, 25.6% consisting of couples without children, and 15.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 28.8%, with lone person households at 26.1% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 10.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 43.5% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (34.8%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.4% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rutherford has 155 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are covered by 78 individual routes, offering 1,703 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 192 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward, with cars being the predominant mode of transport at 94%. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 12.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 243 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this data, displaying the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Rutherford faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Multiple health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is lower than average at approximately 52% of Rutherford's total population (~7,385 people). Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, impacting 11.9% and 10.0% of residents respectively. Conversely, 59.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. Rutherford has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 17.7%, compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are generally comparable to national rankings.

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

Rutherford's population showed low cultural diversity, with 91.8% being Australian citizens, 90.9% born in Australia, and 94.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 56.7%, slightly higher than Regional NSW's 55.9%. Key ancestry groups were Australian (32.4%), English (30.8%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.3%).

Some ethnic groups had notable variations: Welsh at 0.6% compared to regional 0.5%, Samoan at 0.2% versus regional 0.1%, and Polish at 0.7% against regional 0.5%.

Rutherford's population is younger than the national pattern

Rutherford has a median age of 34, which is lower than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's figure of 38. Compared to the Regional NSW average, Rutherford has an over-representation of the 25-34 cohort at 17.5% locally, while the 55-64 age group is under-represented at 8.2%. Between 2021 and present, the 25-34 age group grew from 15.9% to 17.5%, the 55-64 cohort declined from 9.3% to 8.2%, and the 5-14 age group decreased from 14.4% to 13.3%. By 2041, Rutherford's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 25-34 age cohort is expected to expand by 814 people (33%), growing from 2,481 to 3,296. Meanwhile, the 15-24 age group is projected to grow by a modest 5% (83 people).