Scone

Scone 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 estimated population of Scone is around 5,878 people. This figure reflects an increase of 54 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,824 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,818 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 35 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 54 persons per square kilometer. Scone's growth rate of 0.9% since the census places it within 2.4 percentage points of the SA3 area (3.3%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. The primary driver for this growth was overseas migration, contributing around 98.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to increase by 194 persons to reach a total population of approximately 6,072 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of about 2.3% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Scone according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Scone recorded approximately 18 residential properties approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 93 homes were approved, with an additional 10 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, 0.3 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these five years, indicating supply is meeting or exceeding demand and supporting potential population growth while offering greater buyer choice.

The average construction value of new homes was $487,000. This year has seen $8.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential character. Comparatively, Scone had 13.0% more development per person than the Rest of NSW over the five-year period, preserving reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. However, this activity is lower than the national average, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints.

New developments consisted of 82.0% detached houses and 18.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining Scone's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 271 people per dwelling approval, Scone exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Looking ahead, AreaSearch estimates Scone will grow by 133 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Scone 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 expected to affect the region: Upper Hunter Energy Park, Aberdeen Valley Fair Commercial Development, AGL Pumped Hydro Projects at Glenbawn and Glennies Creek, and Upper Hunter Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) are key initiatives. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

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Employment performance in Scone exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Scone has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, and an unemployment rate of 2.2% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in June 2025. In this month, 2,901 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation stood at 62.2%, exceeding Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key employment sectors include mining, manufacturing, and health care & social assistance. Notably, mining employs 5.0 times the regional average in Scone, while health care & social assistance employs 10.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population counts.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, Scone's labour force decreased by 4.3%, employment declined by 4.1%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Scone's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.1% over five years and 11.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Scone's median taxpayer income was $51,359 and average income was $96,728 in financial year 2022. This places Scone in the top percentile nationally, compared to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $57,835 and average income $108,925, based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data shows household incomes rank between the 36th and 49th percentiles in Scone. The majority of residents (29.0%, or 1,704 people) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, similar to metropolitan regions where this cohort represents 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.3% of income remains for other expenses.

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

In Scone, as per the latest Census evaluation, 84.7% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 15.2% consisting of semi-detached, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 89.7% houses and 10.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Scone was at 33.2%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (35.1%) or rented (31.7%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Scone was $1,603, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,538. The median weekly rent in Scone was recorded at $290, matching the Non-Metro NSW figure. Nationally, Scone's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were significantly below the national figure of $375.

Scone has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 67.4% of all households, including 28.1% couples with children, 27.4% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.6%, with lone person households at 29.1% and group households comprising 3.3%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

Educational outcomes in Scone fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has university qualification rates at 16.0%, which is substantially below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.4%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.0%) and certificates (31.4%).

Educational participation is high at 28.9%, including 11.3% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education. Scone's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,489 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 966) offering balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 2 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 25.3 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 15.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Scone has 133 active public transport stops. These include train and bus services. There are 23 routes operating in total, providing 872 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 168 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency is high, with 124 daily trips across all routes, equating to approximately 6 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Scone is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Scone faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (3824 people), compared to 57.5% across Rest of NSW, which is higher than the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 8.6% and 8.4% of residents respectively.

However, 67.2% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.4% across Rest of NSW. The area has 21.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1240 people), which is higher than the 18.9% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Scone's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.8% of its population being citizens and 87.7% born in Australia. A majority, 92.8%, spoke English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 65.5% of Scone's population, compared to 63.9% across the Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.3%), English (31.8%), and Irish (8.6%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher in Scone at 4.9%, compared to 6.6% regionally. Scottish representation was also slightly higher at 7.8%, versus 7.3%. Filipino representation stood out at 1.0%, while the regional figure was 0.7%.

Scone's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Scone is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but closely aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Scone has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (14.7%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (10.7%). According to the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group grew from 12.9% to 14.7%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 9.6% to 10.7%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 12.1% to 10.3%, and the 5-14 age group decreased from 14.3% to 13.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Scone's age structure. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 29%, reaching 547 people from the current 423. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 65% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 45-54 and 5-14 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.