New South Wales · Postcode 2870
Parkes postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 293 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Parkes at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Parkes ranks: SEIFA decile 2 places it in the bottom 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Parkes vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Parkes | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,401 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $260 -NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,300 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 39 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 2/10 -NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 4.9% ≈NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Parkes is a locality 293 km from Sydney in New South Wales, classified as outer regional by the ABS. The postcode is 2870. It falls within the Central West region. The local government area is Parkes.
According to the 2021 Census, Parkes has a population of 11,324 with a median age of 39. The median weekly household income is $1,401, below the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. The Indigenous population is 1,426 (12.6% of residents).
Housing in Parkes includes a median weekly rent of $260, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,300, with 4,278 total dwellings. Housing costs in the area sit below the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 69.6% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Parkes scores in decile 2 out of 10, which is well below the national average.
There are 6 schools in the Parkes area, including Parkes High School, Parkes Christian School, Parkes Public School and others.
Parkes is part of the Lachlan Valley statistical area in New South Wales.
Parkes details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2870 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 11,324 |
| Median Age | 39 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,401/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $731/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $260 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,300 |
| Average Household Size | 2.4 persons |
| Area | 983.1 km² |
| Population Density | 12/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 4,278 |
| Australian Citizens | 90.9% |
| Indigenous Population | 1,426 (12.6%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 2/10 (well below average) |
| Latitude | -33.1372943 |
| Longitude | 148.1747161 |
| Distance from Sydney | 293 km |
| Region (SA4) | Central West |
| Area (SA3) | Lachlan Valley |
| Local Government | Parkes |
| Federal Electorate | Riverina |
| State Electorate | Orange |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 2,340 (20.7%) |
| 15–24 years | 1,386 (12.2%) |
| 25–44 years | 2,604 (23.0%) |
| 45–64 years | 2,734 (24.1%) |
| 65+ years | 2,269 (20.0%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 1,234 (10.9%) |
| Asthma | 1,222 (10.8%) |
| Diabetes | 653 (5.8%) |
| Heart Disease | 545 (4.8%) |
| Cancer | 344 (3.0%) |
| Lung Condition | 257 (2.3%) |
| Dementia | 126 (1.1%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 278 (6.6%) |
| 1 vehicle | 1,533 (36.6%) |
| 2 vehicles | 1,556 (37.1%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 826 (19.7%) |
Schools in Parkes
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Parkes. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Parkes
Same Postcode (2870)
More Parkes Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.