Dubbo, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Dubbo NSW is 43,516 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Dubbo is $876 per week ($45,552 per year). Median rent in Dubbo is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Dubbo has a median age of 35 years, younger than the national median of 38. Dubbo has a population density of 44 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Dubbo is India. The most common religion is No religion (27.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Nepali. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dubbo is $1,582.

There were 1,719 recorded offences in Dubbo in 2025-26, a rate of 40 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (489 offences).

Population
43,516
Census 2021
Median income
$876/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$310/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.

Dubbo vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Dubbo is $876 a week, 15% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 680th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $310 a week, $75 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 18.3% 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.
MeasureDubboTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$876/wk$765/wk +15%$766/wk
Household income$1,690/wk$1,704/wk −1%$1,637/wk
Rent$310/wk$385/wk −19%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,582/mo$1,965/mo −19%$1,733/mo
Median age3543 −8 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.3%22.6% −4.2 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 Dubbo, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Dubbo Population

43,516 residents at the 2021 Census.

Dubbo Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$876/wk
$45,552 per year
Ranked 2,422 of 14,663
Median Rent
$310/wk
$1,343 per month
Ranked 4,328 of 14,663
Median Age
35years
3 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,582/mo
Avg household size: 2.5 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

Dubbo Rent Prices & Affordability

18% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,690/wk
Median rent $310/wk
Rent to income 18.3%

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

Median rent in Dubbo against your income

About $7,323 a month
Median rent $310/wk
Left after rent $1,380/wk
Rent share 18.3%

Dubbo Schools

8
schools nearby
6
government
884
avg ICSEA score
3,025
total students
Central West Leadership Academy Independent
Combined · K-12 · 158 students
1072
ICSEA
St Laurence's Catholic Primary School Dubbo Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 211 students
1043
ICSEA
Dubbo South Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 570 students
911
ICSEA
Orana Heights Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 614 students
900
ICSEA
Dubbo College South Campus Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 687 students
864
ICSEA
Dubbo College Delroy Campus Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 468 students
804
ICSEA
Dubbo West Public School Government
Primary · P-6 · 293 students
772
ICSEA
Mian School Government
Combined · U · 24 students
706
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 Dubbo, with a map

Dubbo Map

Dubbo, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Dubbo, New South Wales: 32.2814°S, 148.6043°E

Dubbo Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (8)

People in Dubbo

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.4% (21,044) Female 51.6% (22,470)

Population Density

44
people per km²
43,516 people · 990.7 km²

Households

2.5
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$2,047
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
1.7%
Nepal
1.6%
England
1.0%
Philippines
0.8%
New Zealand
0.7%
Sri Lanka
0.4%
Pakistan
0.4%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Nepali
1.7%
Punjabi
0.8%
Malayalam
0.5%
Urdu
0.4%
Mandarin
0.4%
Bengali
0.4%
Tagalog
0.3%

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

Ancestry

Australian
40.3%
English
36.2%
Australian Aboriginal
14.8%
Irish
10.8%
Scottish
8.3%
German
3.1%
Indian
1.7%
Italian
1.4%
Chinese
1.1%
Filipino
1.0%
Dutch
1.0%

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
27.2%
Catholic
26.4%
Anglican
17.7%
Not stated
9.5%
Uniting Church
3.7%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.2%
Hinduism
2.8%
Christian (other)
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

15.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.0% 15,378
Separated
3.6% 1,214
Divorced
8.4% 2,879
Widowed
5.8% 1,982
Never married
37.2% 12,716

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
43.8%
Couple: no children
27.0%
One parent: children under 15
11.8%
Couple: no children under 15
11.7%
One parent: no children under 15
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
26.9%
2 persons
32.9%
3 persons
15.7%
4 persons
13.9%
5 persons
7.0%
6+ persons
3.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Dubbo

Housing Tenure

Of the 15,498 occupied private dwellings in Dubbo at the 2021 Census, 33.7% were rented, 28.1% owned outright and 34.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.2% 348 dwellings
Owned outright
28.1% 4,355 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
34.3% 5,311 dwellings
Rented
33.7% 5,222 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.7% 265 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
90.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
9.3%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.3%
2 bedrooms
15.7%
3 bedrooms
36.7%
4 bedrooms
37.3%
5 bedrooms
5.9%
6+ bedrooms
1.2%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
3.1%
$300-$449/mo
1.4%
$450-$599/mo
1.9%
$600-$799/mo
3.6%
$800-$999/mo
6.9%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
23.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
25.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
22.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
8.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
4.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.5%
1 vehicle
35.4%
2 vehicles
38.9%
3 vehicles
13.2%
4+ vehicles
7.0%

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

Work, income and education in Dubbo

Employment

Employed full-time
45.3% 13,589 people
Employed part-time
20.2% 6,065 people
Unemployed
2.4% 718 people
Not in labour force
32.1% 9,619 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
27.1%
Community & Personal Service
16.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.8%
Clerical & Administrative
12.8%
Managers
12.0%
Labourers
6.2%
Sales Workers
5.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.2%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.5%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.1%
$300-$399/wk
2.2%
$400-$499/wk
6.2%
$500-$649/wk
4.3%
$650-$799/wk
6.4%
$800-$999/wk
6.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
8.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
6.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.0%
$4,000+/wk
9.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.7%
$1-$149/wk
3.7%
$150-$299/wk
5.3%
$300-$399/wk
3.7%
$400-$499/wk
3.7%
$500-$649/wk
3.2%
$650-$799/wk
9.5%
$800-$999/wk
12.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
14.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.5%
$3,500+/wk
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
77.4%
Did not go to work
10.2%
Car (passenger)
7.0%
Walked only
2.3%
Truck
1.0%
Other
0.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.4%
Bicycle
0.4%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Bus
0.4%
Ferry
0.0%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
53.6%
Year 10 or equivalent
32.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
6.8%

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
41.7%
Bachelor Degree
26.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.1%
Postgraduate Degree
8.6%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.9%
Certificate I/II
3.0%

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

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
23.1%
Engineering
14.8%
Health
14.6%
Society & Culture
13.6%
Education
10.8%
Architecture & Building
7.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.2%
Agriculture & Environment
4.5%
Information Technology
2.0%
Creative Arts
1.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
25.6%
Secondary: Government
16.0%
Vocational Education
13.3%
Pre-school
12.8%
Primary: Catholic
12.4%
Secondary: Catholic
8.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
5.2%

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
85.4%
Has need for assistance
5.9%
Need for assistance not stated
8.7%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
4,281
Asthma
1,933
Arthritis
1,578
Diabetes
1,215
Heart disease
1,084
Lung condition
912
Cancer
547
Kidney disease
451
Stroke
420
Dementia
152

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.9% 4,001
Did not provide
87.1% 26,975

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
15.5% 4,834
Not a volunteer
84.5% 26,274

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.0% 8
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 23
Previously served
2.4% 742
Never served
97.5% 30,414

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
30.1%
1 child
12.2%
2 children
27.1%
3 children
19.3%
4 children
8.8%
5+ children
2.5%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
60
1951: 1960
151
1961: 1970
262
1971: 1980
191
1981: 1990
218
1991: 2000
219
2001: 2010
866
2011: 2015
1,009
2016
321
2017
331
2018
324
2019
259
2020
105
2021
87

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

Population Mobility

16.6%
moved in the last year
45.7%
moved in the last 5 years
3.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
63.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
32,671
Moved from NSW
4,157
Moved: same area (SA2)
1,612
Moved from overseas
203
Moved from QLD
154
Moved from VIC
101
Moved from ACT
29
Moved from NT
28
Moved from WA
23
Moved from TAS
14
Moved from SA
11

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.8%
5: 14 hours
29.1%
15: 29 hours
12.7%
30+ hours
9.0%
Did not do domestic work
28.4%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
80.0%
Step family: no other children
12.6%
Blended family: no other children
5.0%
Intact family: other children present
1.1%
Other couple: children only
1.0%
Step family: other children present
0.2%
Blended family: other children present
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Dubbo Crime Statistics

1,719 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
489
Other Against Property
461
Other Against Person
198
Assault
193
Property Damage
150
Drug Offences
95
Sexual Offences
64
Weapons
60
Robbery
8
Traffic
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 $135/wk less rent
Bourke
Income: $860/wk Rent: $180/wk $130/wk less rent
Kooringal (NSW)
Income: $777/wk Rent: $270/wk $40/wk less rent
Cobar
Income: $937/wk Rent: $200/wk $110/wk less rent
Hillston
Income: $852/wk Rent: $220/wk $90/wk less rent
Armidale
Income: $730/wk Rent: $290/wk $20/wk less rent
Griffith (NSW)
Income: $831/wk Rent: $300/wk $10/wk less rent
Nowra Hill
Income: $838/wk Rent: $285/wk $25/wk less rent

Compare Dubbo

Frequently Asked Questions About Dubbo

What is the population of Dubbo NSW?

The population of Dubbo NSW is 43,516 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 44 people per km². Dubbo is ranked #11 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Dubbo?

The median personal income in Dubbo NSW is $876 per week, or $45,552 per year. The median household income is $1,690 per week. Family income is $2,047 per week. Dubbo is ranked #2,422 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Dubbo?

Median rent in Dubbo NSW is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Rent represents 18.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Dubbo ranks #4,328 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Dubbo?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Dubbo NSW is $1,582. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Dubbo?

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

Is Dubbo a good suburb to live in?

Dubbo is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 43,516. The median income is $876/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.3% 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: 11299. All dollar figures in AUD.