The southern tablelands, which included Queanbeyan, the Monaro, Snowy Mountains and Goulburn areas, recorded growth in the major industries of agriculture and health care between 2012 and 2017, according to the State of the Regions Report.

Retail was still the biggest employer in the region, but the industry lost 372 jobs during the same period.

Agriculture gained an extra 956 jobs between 2012 and 2017.

Industry gross regional product pushed the region from the 15^th to the ninth best performing economy per capita in the country.

The report, commissioned by the Australian Local Government Association, was released on Sunday morning.

Report co-author, Dr Peter Brain from National Economics, said agriculture in particular benefited from the end of the mining boom and a lower exchange rate. "It's the end of the mining boom and the 'resource curse', and the beginning of the rest of non-mining Australia to get some of the growth action," he said.

"One thing we've noticed around Australia is the boost to the agricultural incomes."

A population increase of about 1000 was expected for the Southern Tablelands between 2016 and 2017, contributing to a modest 0.9 per cent growth rate between 2015 and this year.

The number of people in their 20s and over 55 would grow, but children and people aged between 30 and 54 would make up a lower percentage of the population.

The percentage of the population on welfare was below the national average, according to the report.