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 November 2025, reflecting a growth of 121 people since the 2021 Census. The population in June 2024 was estimated at 6,154 by the ABS, with an additional 103 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 6.3 persons per square kilometer. Bellingen's growth rate of 2.0% since the census is within 2.2 percentage points of the SA3 area's 4.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains in recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 using a 2021 base year are utilized. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, the area is expected to increase by 245 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 1.7% 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 seen approximately 26 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25130 homes have been approved, with an additional 14 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, each dwelling constructed over these five years has resulted in 0.8 new residents per year.

This pace of construction is matching or exceeding demand, providing more buying options and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $333,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $3.8 million 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 consistent with surrounding areas.

Building activity shows 59.0% detached houses and 41.0% attached dwellings, with an increasing mix of townhouses and apartments offering options across different price points. This shift from the area's existing housing stock (currently 95.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles and demand for more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 191 people per dwelling approval, Bellingen exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Bellingen is projected to add 108 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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, Bellingen; Taylors Rise Estate; Watson Place Affordable Housing; and Sewering Coastal Villages Project.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Bellingen recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Bellingen has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 5.5% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 1.5% over the past year.

As of that date, 2722 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.7% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Bellingen is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. Notably, there is 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% compared to the regional average of 7.5%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the period from September 2024 to September 2025, employment increased by 1.5% while labour force increased by 3.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.5%, labour force contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying 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, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

In financial year 2022, Bellingen SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $41,196 and an average level of $52,917. These figures are below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, based on a 12.61% increase since financial year 2022, estimated median income would be approximately $46,391 and average income $59,590. Census 2021 data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Bellingen fall between the 18th and 21st percentiles nationally. The $1,500 - $2,999 earnings band captures 30.4% of the community (1,911 individuals), similar to regional levels where 29.9% occupy this range. 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 Census conducted in 2016, comprised 95.4% houses and 4.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 78.4% houses and 21.6% other dwellings at the same time. Home ownership in Bellingen was 46.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 31.4% and rented dwellings at 22.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Bellingen was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733 recorded in the same year. The median weekly rent figure in Bellingen was $370, matching Non-Metro NSW's figure for that year. Nationally, Bellingen's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 reported in 2016, while rents were slightly less than the national figure of $375 for the same year.

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

Family households account for 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%. The median household size is 2.5 people, 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 notable 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 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 (12.9%) and certificates (24.2%). Educational participation is high at 33.0%, including primary education (12.4%), secondary education (10.4%), and tertiary education (3.7%).

Educational participation is notably 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.

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

The analysis shows that as of April 2023, there are 243 active public transport stops in Bellingen. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 35 individual routes operating weekly. The combined passenger trips across these routes amount to 383 per week.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 183 meters from their homes to the nearest stop. On average, there are 54 trips daily across all routes, which translates 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 across both younger and older age groups compared to average figures. Private health cover is very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~2,936 people), while the national average stands at 55.3%.

Mental health issues impact 9.6% of residents, with arthritis affecting 8.6%. A total of 69.1% report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.9% across Rest of NSW. The area has 23.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,467 people). 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, as per the data, showed lower cultural diversity with 87.6% citizens, 83.2% born in Australia, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 28.4%. Judaism, though small at 0.5%, was overrepresented compared to Rest of NSW's 0.1%.

In terms of ancestry, top groups were English (31.2%), Australian (26.8%), and Irish (10.4%). Notable divergences included Welsh at 0.8% (vs regional 0.5%), Scottish at 9.4% (vs 8.3%), and Hungarian at 0.4% (vs 0.2%).

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

Bellingen's median age in 2021 was 46, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's figure of 43, and significantly higher than Australia's national norm of 38. The 45-54 age group constituted 15.0%, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 25-34 cohort was less prevalent at 7.8%. Post-Census data shows the 75-84 age group grew from 6.2% to 7.1% between 2016 and 2021. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 15.2% to 13.5%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 15.9% to 14.6%. By 2041, Bellingen's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 75-84 group will grow by 40%, reaching 627 people from 447. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 53% of the population growth, while the 55-64 and 15-24 cohorts are expected to decline in population.