Bourke, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Bourke NSW is 1,699 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Bourke is $860 per week ($44,720 per year). Median rent in Bourke is $180 per week ($780 per month). Bourke has a median age of 35 years, younger than the national median of 38. Bourke has a population density of 0.4 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Bourke is India. The most common religion is Catholic (37.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bourke is $947.

There were 263 recorded offences in Bourke in 2025-26, a rate of 155 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (94 offences).

Population
1,699
Census 2021
Median income
$860/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$180/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
35years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Bourke vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Bourke is $860 a week, 12% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 719th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $180 a week, $205 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 11.5% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 35, 8 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBourkeTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$860/wk$765/wk +12%$766/wk
Household income$1,560/wk$1,704/wk −8%$1,637/wk
Rent$180/wk$385/wk −53%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$947/mo$1,965/mo −52%$1,733/mo
Median age3543 −8 yrs42
Rent share of household income11.5%22.6% −11.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Bourke, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Bourke Population

1,699 residents at the 2021 Census.

Bourke Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$860/wk
$44,720 per year
Ranked 2,627 of 14,663
Median Rent
$180/wk
$780 per month
Ranked 7,868 of 14,663
Median Age
35years
3 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$947/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.8 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Bourke Rent Prices & Affordability

12% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,560/wk
Median rent $180/wk
Rent to income 11.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Bourke against your income

About $6,760 a month
Median rent $180/wk
Left after rent $1,380/wk
Rent share 11.5%

Bourke Map

Bourke, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Bourke, New South Wales: 30.1922°S, 145.9928°E

Bourke Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents

People in Bourke

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.1% (813) Female 51.9% (878)

Population Density

0.4
people per km²
1,699 people · 3882.8 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,898
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

India
1.1%
Nepal
0.9%
Pakistan
0.6%
Philippines
0.4%
England
0.3%
Indonesia
0.2%
Ireland
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous Languages
0.9%
Nepali
0.9%
Malayalam
0.5%
Greek
0.2%
Tagalog
0.2%
Mandarin
0.2%
Urdu
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
32.1%
English
30.5%
Australian Aboriginal
30.4%
Irish
8.5%
Scottish
6.2%
German
1.5%
Indian
1.0%
Chinese
0.9%
Italian
0.7%
French
0.5%
Welsh
0.5%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Catholic
37.6%
No religion
20.0%
Not stated
17.0%
Anglican
12.7%
Christian (other)
2.3%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.2%
Uniting Church
1.7%
Baptist
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

34.0%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
35.8% 468
Separated
4.2% 55
Divorced
6.3% 82
Widowed
6.3% 83
Never married
47.4% 621

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
43.3%
Couple: no children
22.3%
One parent: children under 15
16.4%
Couple: no children under 15
9.0%
One parent: no children under 15
8.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.8%
2 persons
26.7%
3 persons
18.5%
4 persons
11.5%
5 persons
7.1%
6+ persons
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Bourke

Housing Tenure

Of the 554 occupied private dwellings in Bourke at the 2021 Census, 39.2% were rented, 28.3% owned outright and 22.7% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
4.7% 26 dwellings
Owned outright
28.3% 157 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.7% 126 dwellings
Rented
39.2% 217 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.6% 20 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
6.0%
2 bedrooms
16.0%
3 bedrooms
45.2%
4 bedrooms
27.1%
5 bedrooms
4.0%
6+ bedrooms
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
6.8%
$300-$449/mo
9.3%
$450-$599/mo
5.1%
$600-$799/mo
14.4%
$800-$999/mo
18.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
17.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
16.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
9.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
12.0%
1 vehicle
40.7%
2 vehicles
32.1%
3 vehicles
9.3%
4+ vehicles
5.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Bourke

Employment

Employed full-time
47.2% 496 people
Employed part-time
13.9% 146 people
Unemployed
2.3% 24 people
Not in labour force
36.6% 385 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
29.0%
Community & Personal Service
20.2%
Managers
15.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.9%
Clerical & Administrative
9.0%
Labourers
5.5%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.8%
Sales Workers
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.6%
$1-$149/wk
1.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.8%
$300-$399/wk
1.2%
$400-$499/wk
7.1%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
8.8%
$800-$999/wk
6.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.7%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.5%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.9%
$4,000+/wk
7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.9%
$1-$149/wk
3.5%
$150-$299/wk
6.2%
$300-$399/wk
4.3%
$400-$499/wk
3.7%
$500-$649/wk
2.2%
$650-$799/wk
8.6%
$800-$999/wk
11.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
8.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.5%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
8.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500+/wk
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
62.6%
Walked only
15.5%
Did not go to work
8.8%
Car (passenger)
8.2%
Truck
2.0%
Other
1.1%
Bicycle
0.9%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
48.5%
Year 10 or equivalent
30.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
11.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
9.6%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
35.2%
Bachelor Degree
28.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
22.0%
Postgraduate Degree
6.4%
Certificate I/II
4.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
19.0%
Education
18.3%
Health
16.5%
Management & Commerce
13.3%
Engineering
13.0%
Architecture & Building
6.5%
Agriculture & Environment
5.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
4.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.5%
Creative Arts
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Catholic
25.2%
Primary: Government
21.4%
Secondary: Government
17.6%
Pre-school
12.4%
Vocational Education
11.4%
Secondary: Catholic
6.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
76.9%
Has need for assistance
5.4%
Need for assistance not stated
17.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
110
Asthma
72
Diabetes
54
Heart disease
47
Arthritis
38
Lung condition
38
Kidney disease
32
Cancer
20
Stroke
18
Dementia
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.1% 130
Did not provide
87.9% 947

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.8% 170
Not a volunteer
84.2% 903

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
1.9% 21
Never served
98.1% 1,064

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
31.8%
1 child
12.8%
2 children
23.7%
3 children
19.8%
4 children
9.9%
5+ children
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
5
1961: 1970
3
1981: 1990
11
1991: 2000
12
2001: 2010
18
2011: 2015
11
2016
3
2018
5
2019
8
2020
3
2021
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

15.6%
moved in the last year
34.0%
moved in the last 5 years
3.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
54.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,156
Moved: same area (SA2)
95
Moved from NSW
79
Moved from VIC
10
Moved from QLD
6
Moved from WA
6
Moved from overseas
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
18.3%
5: 14 hours
25.5%
15: 29 hours
10.4%
30+ hours
7.7%
Did not do domestic work
38.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
81.5%
Step family: no other children
12.3%
Blended family: no other children
2.1%
Intact family: other children present
2.1%
Other couple: children only
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Bourke Crime Statistics

263 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
94
Theft
56
Assault
37
Other Against Person
34
Property Damage
16
Sexual Offences
12
Weapons
7
Drug Offences
6
Robbery
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Walgett
Income: $823/wk Rent: $175/wk $5/wk less rent
Hamilton South
Income: $770/wk Rent: $162/wk $18/wk less rent
Malabar
Income: $820/wk Rent: $150/wk $30/wk less rent

Compare Bourke

Frequently Asked Questions About Bourke

What is the population of Bourke NSW?

The population of Bourke NSW is 1,699 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 0.4 people per km². Bourke is ranked #3,240 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Bourke?

The median personal income in Bourke NSW is $860 per week, or $44,720 per year. The median household income is $1,560 per week. Family income is $1,898 per week. Bourke is ranked #2,627 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Bourke?

Median rent in Bourke NSW is $180 per week ($780 per month). Rent represents 11.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Bourke ranks #7,868 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Bourke?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bourke NSW is $947. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Bourke?

The median age in Bourke NSW is 35 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Bourke a good suburb to live in?

Bourke is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,699. The median income is $860/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (11.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10520. All dollar figures in AUD.