Suburb report · NSW 2576
Bowral
Prepared by the property strategists at Chase Wealth Australia
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Population
10,649
Bowral suburb profile
Who lives in Bowral
Bowral is a regional centre 100km from the Sydney CBD. With 10,649 residents, Bowral is in the largest fifth of New South Wales suburbs, well above the 4,135 of the median suburb. Among the 763 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD, it ranks 57 by population. A median age of 56 puts Bowral in the oldest fifth of New South Wales suburbs, older than 96% of them. Of the 763 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD, 705 have a younger median age. That is 4 years younger than the average of 60 in the other suburb of the Bowral statistical area.
Income and home ownership
Households earn a median $88,600 a year, at the 38th percentile for New South Wales. That is 29.6% below the average of $125,900 in the other suburb of the Bowral statistical area. On household income it ranks 355 of 763 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD. 80.1% of households own their home, higher than 70% of New South Wales suburbs, and 19.9% rent. Among New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD, 519 have a lower share of owner-occupiers than Bowral. In the other suburb of the Bowral statistical area the ownership share is 91%, 10.9 points higher than in Bowral.
Household mix
The 2021 Census counted 4,523 occupied private dwellings in Bowral, one of the larger housing stocks in New South Wales. Couples without children are the largest household type at 36.1%, with families with children at 30.7% and people living alone at 31.2%. On the share of families with children it ranks 661 of 761 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD. Few New South Wales suburbs have fewer families with children: 30.7% of households, at the 13th percentile. The 36.1% share of couples without children is among the highest in New South Wales. The rest of the Bowral statistical area averages 33.3% families with children, 2.6 points above Bowral.
Housing supply
Approvals have fallen sharply: 74 new dwellings were approved across the Bowral statistical area in the year to June 2025, against its 2020 to 2024 average of 113 a year. Supply figures here are for the Bowral statistical area, home to 13,404 residents in 2025, which takes in Bowral and neighbouring suburbs. At 5.5 per 1,000 residents of that area, approvals run above the 3 of the median New South Wales area. Over the 6 years to June 2025, annual approvals ranged from 63 in 2024 to 228 in 2021.
Population trend
The population of the Bowral statistical area fell 1% from 2020 to 2025, against 5.9% for New South Wales as a whole. The median New South Wales statistical area grew 2.5% over the same 5 years, 3.5 points faster than this one. That rate is faster than 15% of New South Wales statistical areas. The fastest single year was to 2023, at 0.1%, and the slowest to 2025, at -0.5%.
Against its neighbours
Of the nearby suburbs listed below, Horsley differs most on the median age: 36 there against 56 in Bowral. Dapto is the closest match on the median household income, at $85,100 against $88,600. Albion Park, 34km away, has 17,105 residents and a median household income of $112,900.
Location
Demographics
ABS Data by Region to 2025, on ABS Census 2021 suburb baselineHousehold Mix Census 2021
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Reading this report
Every figure in the Bowral data table is dated at its source. Supply and population change cover the Bowral statistical area, whose boundary differs from Bowral's, and our guide to reading a suburb report explains how our buyers agents weigh them.
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This report is market intelligence prepared by Chase Wealth Australia for general information only. Figures are statistical estimates for the suburb, not valuations of any individual property, and do not constitute financial or credit advice. Consider your circumstances and seek professional advice before acting. Demographic figures are sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census 2021 (licensed CC BY 4.0) where available.