Sutton (NSW)

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

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of the suburb of Sutton (NSW) is around 1,531 people. This figure reflects a decrease of 25 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,556 people. The current resident population estimate of 1,477 by AreaSearch, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 8 validated new addresses since the Census date, indicates this decrease. This results in a density ratio of 10.6 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Sutton has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 1.6%, outpacing the SA4 region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 39.0% 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Future population trends forecast a significant increase in the top quartile of Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with the suburb expected to increase by 489 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 40.4% over the 17 years.

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

Sutton's development activity is limited with an average of two approvals per year over five years, totaling eleven approvals. This low level reflects the area's rural nature where housing needs drive development rather than market demand. Yearly growth figures can vary significantly due to individual projects with such low approval numbers.

Recent development consists solely of detached dwellings, typical in Sutton's rural setting which favors larger properties and space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1646 people, indicating quiet development activity.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Sutton's population is forecasted to grow by 619 residents by 2041. If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Sutton has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 95 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Throsby School, Throsby District Playing Fields, Harrison Local Centre Expansion (Harrison 5 Precinct), and Harrison Town Centre Development. The following list 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.

Employment performance in Sutton ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Sutton has an educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 0.5% as of June 2025.

This rate is 3.2% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Sutton stands at 64.7%, compared to the Rest of NSW average of 56.4%. Major employment industries among residents include public administration & safety, construction, and professional & technical services. Notably, public administration & safety has an employment share that is 2.7 times higher than the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance has a limited presence with only 6.3% of employment compared to the regional average of 16.9%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population figures. In the year up to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.1%, while employment declined by 3.2% in Sutton, leading to a slight increase in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. Comparing this with Rest of NSW's employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points highlights the unique dynamics at play in Sutton's job market. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insights into potential future demand within Sutton. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest that national employment could expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Sutton's current employment mix indicates a potential local employment increase of 6.1% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, though these estimates are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Sutton's median income among taxpayers is $64,808, with an average of $79,662. Nationally, this is extremely high compared to the Rest of NSW's median of $49,459 and average of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Sutton as of September 2025 would be approximately $72,980 (median) and $89,707 (average). According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Sutton rank highly nationally, between the 90th and 97th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Distribution data shows that 36.4% of locals (557 people) fall into the $4000+ income category, differing from the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 29.9%. Economic strength is evident with 50.9% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retain 90.5% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

As evaluated in the latest Census, Sutton's dwelling structure comprised 98.9% houses and 1.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 0% houses and 0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Sutton was at 49.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.1% and rented dwellings at 14.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Sutton was $2,668, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent figure in Sutton was $450, whereas Non-Metro NSW had no recorded data for rents. Nationally, Sutton's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Sutton features high concentrations of family households, with a median household size of 2.9 people

Family households comprise 83.4% of all households, including 42.4% couples with children, 34.3% couples without children, and 5.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 16.6%, with lone person households at 14.6% and group households making up 2.0%. The median household size is 2.9 people.

Educational achievement in Sutton places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Sutton is notably high. As of the latest data, 34.2% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, surpassing both the Rest of NSW (21.3%) and the SA4 region (24.1%). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.1% and graduate diplomas at 4.9%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 34.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (23.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 10.1% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education. Sutton Public School serves the local community, with an enrollment of 157 students as of a recent count. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. As of the latest Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA), the area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions, scoring 1093.

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

Transport analysis indicates 30 active stops in Sutton, offering mixed bus services. These stops are served by 12 routes, facilitating 105 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is moderate, with residents typically situated 439 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 15 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

Sutton's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low across both younger and older age cohorts

Sutton residents show relatively positive health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups.

Approximately 58% of Sutton's total population (893 people) have private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.4% and 7.2% of residents respectively. 67.8% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 0% in the Rest of NSW. Sutton has 19.4% of residents aged 65 and over (297 people). Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Sutton's population is predominantly culturally homogeneous, with 87.1% being Australian citizens, 84.3% born in Australia, and 90.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the primary religion, comprising 53.7% of Sutton's population, compared to None% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestral groups are Australian (28.2%), English (26.7%), and Irish (9.9%).

Notably, Croatian ancestry is overrepresented in Sutton at 2.0%, while Hungarian is 0.5% and Welsh is 0.8%, compared to None% regionally for these groups.

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

Sutton's median age is 44 years, similar to Rest of NSW's 43 and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Sutton has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.0%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (5.7%). In the 2021 Census, the percentage of residents aged 15-24 increased from 14.5% to 16.0%, while the percentage of those aged 45-54 decreased from 14.6% to 13.0%. By 2041, Sutton's age composition is expected to change significantly. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 56%, reaching 248 people from 159.