Moving to Bowral NSW 2576
What the official numbers say about living in Bowral — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $500 a week, against a median household income of $1,535 a week.
Who you'll be living with
Bowral grew 34% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (8,022 → 10,764 people).
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, South Africa; most spoken languages besides English: Nepali, Italian, Spanish.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Bowral sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 9 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (60% of workers), while 34% work from home.
Nearest train station: Bowral, 1.3 km north-west.
Nearest airport: Shellharbour Airport, 34.3 km east.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 99 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 12 schools · 35 cafes & restaurants · 5 supermarkets · 18 parks — see them all on the Bowral profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Bowral High School 550 m · Bowral Public School 850 m · Saint Thomas Aquinas 1.1 km · Aurora Southern Highlands Steiner School 1.8 km · Southern Highlands Christian School 2.4 km · Chevalier College 3.1 km · Gib Gate School 3.4 km · Oxley College 3.6 km
Groceries: Coles 900 m · Woolworths 950 m · ALDI 1.1 km · The Organic Store 1.1 km · Harris Farm Markets 1.2 km
Parks and reserves: Glebe Park 350 m · Loseby Park 450 m · Venables Park 600 m · Westwood Park 600 m · Stanley Park 650 m · Stephens Park 800 m · Maynard Park 950 m · Corbett Gardens 1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Bowral, most often seen first: Australian Wood Duck · Pacific Black Duck · South-eastern Crimson Rosella · Coastal New South Wales Australian Magpie · Australian Magpie · Crimson Rosella.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Bowral, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowral here | 10,764 | — | 9/10 | 24% |
| Burradoo | 2,879 | — | 10/10 | 22% |
| Mittagong | 6,090 | — | 7/10 | 46% |
| Renwick | 1,453 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
| Braemar | 966 | — | 7/10 | 13% |
| Moss Vale | 9,310 | — | 6/10 | 10% |
| Berrima | 813 | — | 10/10 | 30% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Wingecarribee — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Whitlam — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2576 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Bowral profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $500 a week.
The population grew 34% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 8,022 people to 10,764. It sits about 99 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line, and Bowral station is roughly 1.3 km away. Local government is Wingecarribee council, and the federal seat is Whitlam.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Bowral vs Mittagong · Bowral vs Moss Vale.
Nearby guides: Burradoo · Mittagong · Renwick · Braemar · Moss Vale · Berrima.
Keep an eye on Bowral
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