Goonellabah · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A population increase of 4.2% since 2021 highlights the steady growth of Goonellabah. While the area is expanding, it generally has fewer financial and educational resources than most other parts of the country.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Goonellabah — lower than 71% of areas.
| Goonellabah | 3 |
|---|---|
| 2480, NSW | 4 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The typical resident here has less access to money and job skills than people in about 70% of similar areas. Overall, the area's advantage score of 940 is lower than the national figure.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the 10% most advantaged. IRSAD summarises both advantage and disadvantage, so a high score reflects relatively many high-income, well-educated households and few low-income, low-skill ones.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the least disadvantaged. IRSD focuses on disadvantage alone (low income, low education, unemployment, unskilled occupations), so a higher decile means relatively less disadvantage.
4
Lower than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Economic Resources, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for economic resources in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IER reflects the income, housing costs, dwelling size and assets of households, so a higher decile means relatively greater economic resources.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Education and Occupation, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for education and occupation in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IEO reflects residents' qualifications and the skill level of their jobs, so a higher decile means a more highly educated and skilled workforce.
940
Lower than 74% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a raw index score (standardised so the Australian average is about 1000). Higher scores indicate relatively greater advantage; lower scores greater disadvantage.
Annual population estimates and change since the census.
Goonellabah has grown by 4.2% since 2021, which is a little below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%. Its total population of 14,177 is larger than about 68% of similar areas.
14,177
Higher than 68% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
4.2%
Lower than 53% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 728 businesses operating in the area, which is a smaller number than about 61% of similar places.
728
Lower than 61% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Goonellabah [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/112021246/goonellabah/topic/economy-advantage
