Bellingen
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Bellingen reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Bellingen's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 6,279 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 111 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,168. The change can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,154 in June 2024 and an additional 99 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 6.3 persons per square kilometer. Bellingen's growth rate of 1.8% since the census is within 2.0 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, national lower quartile growth for non-metropolitan areas is anticipated, with Bellingen expected to increase by 245 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 1.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Bellingen recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Bellingen has received approximately 26 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) records show around 130 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with two more recorded in FY-26 so far. On average, 0.8 new residents per year per dwelling have been added during this period. This indicates that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering ample buyer choices and creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction cost of new homes is $514,000. In FY-26, there have been $3.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Bellingen maintains similar construction rates per person, supporting market stability in line with regional patterns. Recent construction comprises 59.0% detached houses and 41.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing stock which is predominantly houses (95.0%).

This change indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects evolving lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options. With around 191 people per approval, Bellingen remains a low-density area. Population forecasts project an increase of 118 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Bellingen has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 22ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified five projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include Taylors Rise Estate, Retail & ShopTop Housing Development, Hyde Street in Bellingen, Watson Place Affordable Housing, and the Sewering Coastal Villages Project. The following list outlines those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Bellingen faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Bellingen has an educated workforce with notable representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.8% as of June 2021, with estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the previous year.

As of June 2025, 2716 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 3.7%, which is 2.1% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate. Workforce participation in Bellingen is similar to that of the Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Major employment sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, education & training has an employment share 1.4 times higher than the regional level.

Conversely, public administration & safety is under-represented with only 5.4% of Bellingen's workforce compared to 7.5% in Rest of NSW. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4%, while the labour force grew by 3.9%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 2.3 percentage points. In contrast, the Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, and employment growth lagged at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, applying these projections to Bellingen's employment mix suggests local growth could be approximately 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Bellingen had a median taxpayer income of $41,196 and an average income of $52,917. These figures are below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively in Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated median and average incomes as of March 2025 would be approximately $45,563 and $58,526 respectively. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Bellingen fall between the 19th and 21st percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 30.4% of individuals (1,908 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, similar to the regional pattern where 29.9% fall within this range. After housing costs, 85.5% of income remains, ranking at the 24th percentile nationally. Bellingen's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Bellingen is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Bellingen, as recorded in the latest Census, 95.4% of dwellings were houses with 4.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Bellingen was 46.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.4% and rented ones at 22.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Bellingen was recorded at $370, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure and being less than the national average of $375. Nationally, Bellingen's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than Australia's average of $1,863.

Bellingen features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 69.7% of all households, including 26.5% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 14.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.3%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 4.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Bellingen exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Educational attainment in Bellingen is notably high, with 33.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 19.8% in the SA4 region and 21.3% in the Rest of NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 22.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 37.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 12.9% and certificates for 24.2%. Educational participation is high, with 33.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.4% in primary education, 10.4% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education. There are six schools operating within Bellingen, educating approximately 1,187 students. The ICSEA score for these schools is 1020, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. The schools include four primary, one secondary, and one K-12 institution. School capacity exceeds residential needs, with 18.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 15.6, suggesting Bellingen serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to their parent campus.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Bellingen has 243 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses across 35 individual routes, collectively providing 383 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 183 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 54 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Bellingen are marginally below the national average with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age cohorts

Bellingen shows below-average health outcomes with common conditions slightly more prevalent across both younger and older age groups compared to averages. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~2,932 people), lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 9.6% of residents, followed by arthritis impacting 8.6%. A larger proportion, 69.1%, declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to Rest of NSW's 63.9%. The area has 23.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,464 people). Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Bellingen ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Bellingen's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.6% of its population being citizens, 83.2% born in Australia, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Bellingen is Christianity, accounting for 28.4% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Bellingen, comprising 0.5% compared to 0.1% across the Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups based on parents' country of birth are English (31.2%), Australian (26.8%), and Irish (10.4%). There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Scottish is overrepresented at 9.4% compared to 8.3% regionally, Welsh at 0.8% compared to 0.5%, and Hungarian at 0.4% compared to 0.2%.

Bellingen hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Bellingen has a median age of 46, which is higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and significantly higher than the national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group represents 15.0% of Bellingen's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 7.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.2% to 7.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 15.2% to 13.5%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 15.9% to 14.6%. By 2041, Bellingen's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 75 to 84 group will grow by 40%, reaching 627 people from the previous 446. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 53% of population growth. Conversely, declines are projected for the 55 to 64 and 15 to 24 cohorts.