Bellingen

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 was around 6,289 as of Nov 2025. This reflected an increase of 121 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,168. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,154 in June 2024 and an additional 103 validated new addresses since the Census date. This levelled to a density ratio of 6.3 persons per square kilometer. Bellingen's 2.0% growth since census positioned it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA3 area (4.2%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch used NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group were applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth of non-metropolitan areas nationally was anticipated. Bellingen was expected to increase by 245 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total increase of 1.7% over the 17 years.

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 experienced approximately 26 dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25130 homes were approved, with a further 12 approved in FY-26 to date. On average, over these years, each new dwelling added around 0.8 new residents yearly.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more housing options and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost of new homes is $514,000. In FY-26, $3.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to the rest of NSW, Bellingen maintains similar construction rates per capita, preserving market equilibrium with surrounding areas.

New building activity comprises 59.0% detached houses and 41.0% attached dwellings, including townhouses and apartments, offering diverse housing options. This shift from the area's existing 95.0% houses indicates decreasing developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles. With around 191 people per dwelling approval, Bellingen exhibits low-density characteristics. Future projections estimate Bellingen adding 108 residents by 2041, with current development patterns suggesting that new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth.

Bellingen has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

Five projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include Retail & ShopTop Housing Development at Hyde Street in Bellingen, Taylors Rise Estate, Watson Place Affordable Housing, and Sewering Coastal Villages Project. The following details those considered most relevant.

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

Bellingen has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 5.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.4%.

As of June 2025, 2716 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.1% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%, and workforce participation is similar at 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. The area has a strong specialization in education & training with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety shows lower representation at 5.4% versus the regional average of 7.5%.

Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in June 2025, employment increased by 1.4% alongside labour force increasing by 3.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.3 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Bellingen's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 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 released for financial year 2022 shows Bellingen SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $41,196 and an average income of $52,917. Both figures are below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $46,391 (median) and $59,590 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Bellingen fall between the 18th and 21st percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that 30.4% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to regional levels at 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.5% of income remains, ranking at the 23rd percentile nationally. The area'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

Dwelling structure in Bellingen, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 95.4% houses and 4.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Bellingen was 46.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.4% and rented ones at 22.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Bellingen was $370, the same as Non-Metro NSW's figure. Nationally, Bellingen's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents were less than the national average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 30.3%, with lone person households at 26.2% and group households comprising 4.3%. 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 higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 33.3% of residents aged 15 years and above have university qualifications, compared to the SA4 region's 19.8% and Rest of NSW's 21.3%. This educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 22.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.4%).

Trade and technical skills are also prominent, with 37.1% of residents aged 15 years and above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas account for 12.9% while certificates make up 24.2%. Educational participation is particularly high in Bellingen, 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.

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

The analysis of public transport in Bellingen shows that there are 243 active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a variety of bus services. A total of 35 individual routes service these stops, collectively providing 383 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 183 meters from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 54 trips per day across all routes, which equates 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's health indicators show below-average results, with common health conditions slightly more prevalent than average across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~2,936 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues (affecting 9.6% of residents) and arthritis (8.6%), while 69.1% report no medical ailments, higher than the Rest of NSW's 63.9%. As of 2021, 23.3% of Bellingen's population is aged 65 and over (1,467 people). Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, outperforming 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. Christianity was the main religion in Bellingen, comprising 28.4% of people. However, Judaism was overrepresented, making up 0.5% of the population compared to 0.1% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.2%), Australian (26.8%), and Irish (10.4%). Notably, Welsh (0.8%) and Scottish (9.4%) ethnicities were overrepresented in Bellingen compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 8.3%, respectively. Hungarian ethnicity was also notably present at 0.4%, higher than the regional average of 0.2%.

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

Bellingen has a median age of 46, which is slightly higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 and significantly greater than Australia's national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group makes up 15.0% of Bellingen's population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 25-34 cohort comprises only 7.8%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75-84 age group has grown from 6.2% to 7.1% of the population. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 15.2% to 13.5%, and the 55-64 cohort has dropped from 15.9% to 14.6%. By 2041, Bellingen's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The 75-84 group is projected to grow by 40%, reaching 627 people from the current 447. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 53% of this growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 55-64 and 15-24 age groups.