Taree

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

The population of the Taree statistical area (Lv2) is estimated to be around 17,074 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 359 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,715 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 16,975 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS and an additional 111 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 356 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 57% 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 are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the Taree (SA2) is expected to expand by 983 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 5% in total over the 17-year period. This growth rate is just below the median for Australian non-metropolitan areas.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Taree averaged around 47 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 237 homes were approved, with a further 50 approved in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 0.8 people moved to Taree for each dwelling built.

New construction is meeting or exceeding demand, offering buyers more options and enabling population growth that could surpass current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $452,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This financial year has seen $34.3 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Rest of NSW, Taree records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 35th percentile nationally, resulting in relatively constrained buyer choice and supporting interest in existing homes. This level reflects market maturity and possible development constraints.

New building activity comprises 62.0% standalone homes and 38.0% attached dwellings, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to compact options. This shift indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring diverse, affordable housing options. The area has an estimated 469 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections show Taree adding 842 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds forecasts.

Taree has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure projects and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 15 such projects that are expected to influence the area. Notable projects include the Manning Base Hospital Redevelopment Stage 2, Manning Health and Taree CBD Precinct Plan, Taree Station Rail Infrastructure Upgrades, and Figtrees on the Manning. The following list provides details of those most likely to be 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 conditions in Taree face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Taree has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 9.1% as per AreaSearch's statistical aggregation.

As of September 2025, 6395 residents were employed while the unemployment rate stood at 5.3%, which is 1.5 percentage points higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Taree was 44.2%, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries employing residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food services. Health care & social assistance had notably high employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing was underrepresented with only 1.6% of Taree's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appeared limited as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, labour force decreased by 0.3% while employment fell by 2.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 2.2 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.5%, labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 showed NSW employment had contracted by 0.03% (losing 2260 jobs) with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Taree's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Taree is $40,229, with average income at $49,014. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from June 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes in Taree would be approximately $43,793 (median) and $53,357 (average). Census data from 2021 shows household, family, and personal incomes in Taree fall between the 2nd and 6th percentiles nationally. Incomes of $400 to $799 capture 32.3% of individuals (5,514), differing from surrounding regions where incomes of $1,500 to $2,999 dominate at 29.9%. Lower income households are prevalent, with 42.1% earning below $800 weekly. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 4th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Taree, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 78.3% houses and 21.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 87.7% houses and 12.3% other dwellings during the same period. Home ownership in Taree was at 38.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.0% and rented dwellings at 38.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Taree was $1,300 as of August 2016, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $289. Nationally, Taree's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 reported in June 2021, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 as of March 2021.

Taree features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 61.3% of all households, including 17.8% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 16.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 35.7% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.5%, 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 most common at 8.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 31.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.0% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Taree has 340 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 60 different routes, collectively facilitating 976 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 126 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 139 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately two weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Taree faces significant health challenges, with a variety of conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low, at approximately 46% (around 7,920 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.2%) and mental health issues (11.6%). Conversely, 54.4% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 57.7%. Taree has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 26.1% (4,456 people), compared to the Rest of NSW average of 30.4%. The health outcomes among seniors are broadly in line with those of the general population.

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

Taree, as per the census data from June 2016, had a cultural diversity profile that was below average. The population breakdown showed that 88.6% were Australian citizens, with 90.2% having been born in Australia and 94.9% speaking only English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 57.6% of Taree's residents, which is similar to the 57.6% figure for the Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.2%), English (31.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.0%). Some ethnic groups had notable variations in representation: Lebanese at 0.2% in Taree compared to 0.1% regionally, Filipino at 0.9% versus 0.5%, and Korean at 0.1% compared to 0%.

Taree hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Taree's median age is 44 years, similar to Rest of NSW's 43 years and above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Taree has a higher proportion of residents aged 75-84, at 10.2%, but fewer residents aged 35-44, at 10.6%. Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the proportion of Taree's population aged 15-24 increased from 10.9% to 12.0%, while the proportion aged 65-74 decreased from 12.8% to 11.7%. By 2041, Taree is projected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The 25-34 age group is expected to grow by 17%, reaching 2,212 people from 1,895. Conversely, the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts are projected to decrease in population.