Bowral, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Bowral NSW is 10,764 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Bowral is $802 per week ($41,704 per year). Median rent in Bowral is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Bowral has a median age of 55 years, older than the national median of 38. Bowral has a population density of 289 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Bowral is England. The most common religion is No religion (33.5% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Nepali. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bowral is $2,167.

There were 80 recorded offences in Bowral in 2025-26, a rate of 7 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (27 offences).

Population
10,764
Census 2021
Median income
$802/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$500/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
55years
Census 2021

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

Bowral vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Bowral is $802 a week, 5% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 938th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $500 a week, $115 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 32.6% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 55, 12 years older 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.
MeasureBowralTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$802/wk$765/wk +5%$766/wk
Household income$1,535/wk$1,704/wk −10%$1,637/wk
Rent$500/wk$385/wk +30%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$1,965/mo +10%$1,733/mo
Median age5543 +12 yrs42
Rent share of household income32.6%22.6% +10.0 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 Bowral, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Bowral Population

10,764 residents at the 2021 Census.

Bowral Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$802/wk
$41,704 per year
Ranked 3,593 of 14,663
Median Rent
$500/wk
$2,167 per month
Ranked 576 of 14,663
Median Age
55years
17 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Bowral Rent Prices & Affordability

33% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,535/wk
Median rent $500/wk
Rent to income 32.6%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Bowral against your income

About $6,652 a month
Median rent $500/wk
Left after rent $1,035/wk
Rent share 32.6%

Bowral Schools

8
schools nearby
2
government
1081
avg ICSEA score
3,160
total students
Frensham Junior School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 103 students
1157
ICSEA
Frensham School Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 345 students
1137
ICSEA
St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 219 students
1103
ICSEA
Bowral Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 484 students
1090
ICSEA
Chevalier College Independent
Secondary · 7-12 · 951 students
1081
ICSEA
Southern Highlands Christian School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 363 students
1068
ICSEA
Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 131 students
1052
ICSEA
Bowral High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 564 students
956
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Bowral, with a map

Bowral Map

Bowral, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Bowral

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.0% (4,953) Female 54.0% (5,810)

Population Density

289
people per km²
10,764 people · 37.2 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,080
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

England
7.2%
New Zealand
1.7%
South Africa
1.0%
Nepal
1.0%
India
0.9%
Scotland
0.8%
United States of America
0.7%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Nepali
1.0%
Italian
0.6%
Spanish
0.5%
Mandarin
0.4%
German
0.4%
Greek
0.3%
Cantonese
0.3%

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

Ancestry

English
46.3%
Australian
34.0%
Irish
16.0%
Scottish
14.2%
German
3.9%
Italian
3.1%
Dutch
1.5%
Australian Aboriginal
1.2%
Chinese
1.2%
French
1.1%
Greek
1.1%

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

No religion
33.5%
Anglican
21.6%
Catholic
21.2%
Not stated
5.5%
Uniting Church
3.9%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.9%
Christian (other)
2.7%
Hinduism
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
54.8% 5,059
Separated
3.0% 275
Divorced
10.2% 941
Widowed
9.6% 889
Never married
22.4% 2,070

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
40.9%
Couple: children under 15
34.1%
Couple: no children under 15
13.3%
One parent: no children under 15
6.5%
One parent: children under 15
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.2%
2 persons
41.0%
3 persons
10.2%
4 persons
11.1%
5 persons
4.6%
6+ persons
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Bowral

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,523 occupied private dwellings in Bowral at the 2021 Census, 18.9% were rented, 51.0% owned outright and 24.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
4.2% 188 dwellings
Owned outright
51.0% 2,307 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
24.9% 1,125 dwellings
Rented
18.9% 853 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.3% 58 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
83.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
10.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.5%
2 bedrooms
15.3%
3 bedrooms
36.6%
4 bedrooms
36.0%
5 bedrooms
7.8%
6+ bedrooms
1.7%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.7%
$300-$449/mo
2.7%
$450-$599/mo
1.9%
$600-$799/mo
3.2%
$800-$999/mo
4.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
11.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
20.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
14.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
20.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.4%
1 vehicle
42.6%
2 vehicles
36.5%
3 vehicles
10.8%
4+ vehicles
5.7%

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

Work, income and education in Bowral

Employment

Employed full-time
26.9% 2,293 people
Employed part-time
20.9% 1,784 people
Unemployed
1.5% 128 people
Not in labour force
50.7% 4,327 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
36.1%
Managers
19.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.6%
Clerical & Administrative
10.8%
Community & Personal Service
9.0%
Sales Workers
6.4%
Labourers
3.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.3%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.0%
$1-$149/wk
1.2%
$150-$299/wk
1.3%
$300-$399/wk
2.1%
$400-$499/wk
6.8%
$500-$649/wk
4.8%
$650-$799/wk
7.4%
$800-$999/wk
7.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.7%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
5.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
3.2%
$4,000+/wk
15.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
8.8%
$1-$149/wk
4.8%
$150-$299/wk
5.6%
$300-$399/wk
4.1%
$400-$499/wk
3.9%
$500-$649/wk
3.9%
$650-$799/wk
9.5%
$800-$999/wk
10.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.7%
$3,500+/wk
6.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.2%
Did not go to work
16.5%
Car (passenger)
6.2%
Walked only
5.9%
Truck
1.4%
Train
0.5%
Bicycle
0.5%
Other
0.3%
Bus
0.3%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.2%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.1%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
67.2%
Year 10 or equivalent
22.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
5.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
4.9%

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

Bachelor Degree
33.7%
Certificate III/IV
22.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
21.8%
Postgraduate Degree
14.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.7%
Certificate I/II
1.9%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
24.2%
Society & Culture
15.0%
Health
13.4%
Engineering
10.5%
Education
10.0%
Architecture & Building
6.9%
Creative Arts
6.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
5.8%
Agriculture & Environment
3.0%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.9%
Information Technology
1.8%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
21.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
14.8%
Secondary: Catholic
13.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
12.1%
Vocational Education
11.4%
Pre-school
9.1%
Primary: Catholic
8.9%
Secondary: Government
8.5%

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
88.8%
Has need for assistance
6.8%
Need for assistance not stated
4.4%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
829
Arthritis
541
Heart disease
397
Asthma
320
Diabetes
308
Cancer
285
Lung condition
265
Stroke
157
Kidney disease
134
Dementia
62

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.5% 1,188
Did not provide
86.5% 7,600

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
20.9% 1,839
Not a volunteer
79.1% 6,959

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 9
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 12
Previously served
4.4% 388
Never served
95.4% 8,409

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
27.9%
1 child
11.9%
2 children
32.7%
3 children
19.8%
4 children
6.3%
5+ children
1.4%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
100
1951: 1960
217
1961: 1970
441
1971: 1980
358
1981: 1990
249
1991: 2000
173
2001: 2010
314
2011: 2015
161
2016
50
2017
39
2018
58
2019
47
2020
25
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

16.6%
moved in the last year
43.7%
moved in the last 5 years
2.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
48.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
8,476
Moved from NSW
1,044
Moved: same area (SA2)
496
Moved from overseas
50
Moved from VIC
27
Moved from ACT
22
Moved from QLD
20
Moved from WA
17
Moved from SA
11

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
19.2%
5: 14 hours
31.3%
15: 29 hours
17.2%
30+ hours
11.4%
Did not do domestic work
20.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
86.1%
Step family: no other children
8.8%
Blended family: no other children
3.4%
Other couple: children only
1.0%
Intact family: other children present
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Bowral Crime Statistics

80 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
27
Other Against Property
18
Property Damage
11
Other Against Person
7
Assault
6
Sexual Offences
5
Traffic
4
Drug Offences
1
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Bowral

The closest suburb to Bowral is Burradoo, 3.5 km away.

Burradoo
3.5 km away · income $950/wk · rent $550/wk
Mittagong
4.2 km away · income $751/wk · rent $400/wk
Renwick
5.5 km away · income $969/wk · rent $620/wk
Moss Vale
7.9 km away · income $766/wk · rent $400/wk
New Berrima
9.3 km away · income $757/wk · rent $400/wk
Colo Vale
12.6 km away · income $796/wk · rent $430/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Bowral

What is the population of Bowral NSW?

The population of Bowral NSW is 10,764 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 289 people per km². Bowral is ranked #560 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Bowral?

The median personal income in Bowral NSW is $802 per week, or $41,704 per year. The median household income is $1,535 per week. Family income is $2,080 per week. Bowral is ranked #3,593 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Bowral?

Median rent in Bowral NSW is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Rent represents 32.6% of household income, which is considered moderate. Bowral ranks #576 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Bowral?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bowral NSW is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Bowral?

The median age in Bowral NSW is 55 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Bowral a good suburb to live in?

Bowral is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 10,764. The median income is $802/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (32.6% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10534. All dollar figures in AUD.