Suburb report · NSW 2795
Kelso
Prepared by the property strategists at Chase Wealth Australia
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Population
11,018
Kelso suburb profile
Who lives in Kelso
At 157km from central Sydney, Kelso runs as its own regional market. With 11,018 residents, Kelso 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 53 by population. A median age of 36 places Kelso at the 23rd percentile of New South Wales suburbs, on the younger side. Of the 763 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD, 119 have a younger median age. That is 2 years younger than the average of 38 in the other suburb of the Bathurst-East statistical area.
Income and home ownership
Median household income is $97,700, close to the $104,500 of a typical New South Wales suburb. That is 2.7% below the average of $100,400 in the other suburb of the Bathurst-East statistical area. On household income it ranks 283 of 763 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD. 71.6% of households own their home and 28.4% rent, close to the 73.1% ownership of a typical New South Wales suburb. Among New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD, 296 have a lower share of owner-occupiers than Kelso. In the other suburb of the Bathurst-East statistical area the ownership share is 83.9%, 12.3 points higher than in Kelso.
Household mix
The 2021 Census counted 3,487 occupied private dwellings in Kelso, one of the larger housing stocks in New South Wales. Families with children are the largest household type at 49.4%, ahead of couples without children at 28% and people living alone at 20.5%. Of the 761 New South Wales suburbs and towns more than 40km from the Sydney CBD, 216 have a higher share of families with children and 541 a lower one. At 20.5%, people living alone are about as common here as in a typical New South Wales suburb, above 40% of them. At 28%, couples without children are more common here than in 61% of New South Wales suburbs. The rest of the Bathurst-East statistical area averages 49.3% families with children, 0.1 points below Kelso.
Housing supply
Approvals have fallen sharply: 46 new dwellings were approved across the Bathurst-East statistical area in the year to June 2025, against its 2020 to 2024 average of 125 a year. Supply figures here are for the Bathurst-East statistical area, home to 13,565 residents in 2025, which takes in Kelso and neighbouring suburbs. At 3.4 per 1,000 residents of that area, the pipeline sits mid-range for New South Wales, above 56% of areas. Over the 6 years to June 2025, annual approvals ranged from 40 in 2024 to 250 in 2021.
Population trend
The population of the Bathurst-East statistical area surged 11.5% from 2020 to 2025, against 5.9% for New South Wales as a whole. Over those 5 years a typical New South Wales statistical area added 2.5%, putting this area 9 points ahead. That rate is faster than 88% of New South Wales statistical areas. The fastest single year was to 2023, at 3%, and the slowest to 2021, at 1.6%.
Against its neighbours
Of the suburbs profiled in the region listed below, Parkes differs most on the share of people living alone: 30.5% there against 20.5% in Kelso. Mudgee matches Kelso on the median age, at 36. Orange, 49km away, has 43,028 residents and a median household income of $93,400.
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 Kelso data table is dated at its source. Supply and population change cover the Bathurst-East statistical area, whose boundary differs from Kelso'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.