Mount Hutton - Windale

Mount Hutton - Windale has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Mount Hutton-Windale's population is 9,707 as of May 2026. Since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,504, there has been an increase of 203 people (2.1%). This change is inferred from ABS data: an estimated resident population of 9,686 in June 2025 and 81 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 1,548 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. Mount Hutton-Windale's growth rate of 2.1% since the census is within 1.1 percentage points of its SA3 area (3.2%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 56.5% of overall population gains during 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Mount Hutton-Windale is expected to grow by 873 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall gain of 8.8% over the 16-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Mount Hutton - Windale according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Mount Hutton-Windale has seen approximately 35 dwellings granted development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25178 homes received approval, with a further 29 approved in FY26 as of current figures. On average, around 1.6 new residents have arrived per new home each year over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions that support stability.

The average construction cost value for new homes has been $227,000, which is below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. This financial year, commercial approvals totaling $3.9 million have been registered, reflecting the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Mount Hutton-Windale records 10.0% less building activity per capita, and it ranks among the 32nd percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas, implying somewhat limited buyer options while demand for established homes strengthens. Recent construction trends show 36.0% standalone homes and 64.0% medium to high-density housing, indicating a shift towards higher-density living that creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 76.0% houses.

This shift may be due to decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles that require diverse, affordable housing options. With approximately 522 people per approval, Mount Hutton-Windale indicates a mature market. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add 852 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Mount Hutton - Windale has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include The Summit, Ryhope Street Subdivision, Windale Area Plan, and Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion. Below is a list detailing those most relevant.

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.

Employment conditions in Mount Hutton - Windale face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Mount Hutton-Windale has a balanced workforce consisting of both white and blue collar jobs. Essential services sectors are well-represented in the area, with an unemployment rate of 9.4% as of December 2025. In this month, 4,018 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 5.5% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Mount Hutton-Windale is lower at 55.4%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 19.1% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors among Mount Hutton-Windale residents are health care and social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area has a notable concentration in health care and social assistance, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

In contrast, agriculture, forestry, and fishing employ only 0.3% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between the Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and November 2025, the labour force increased by 1.5%, while employment declined by 2.0%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 3.2 percentage points. This contrasts with Regional NSW, where employment contracted by 1.2%, the labour force fell by 0.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide insight into potential future demand within Mount Hutton-Windale. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Mount Hutton-Windale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Mount Hutton - Windale SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $52,544 and an average income of $63,357. These figures are below the national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively for Regional NSW. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% from financial year ended June 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $57,967 and average income is $69,895. Census data from 2021 shows household, family, and personal incomes in Mount Hutton - Windale are between the 13th and 14th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 28.2% of the population, equating to 2,737 individuals, earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, similar to Regional NSW where 29.9% fall into this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 12th percentile nationally.

Mount Hutton - Windale is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Mount Hutton-Windale's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 76.0% houses and 24.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mount Hutton-Windale stood at 25.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.9% and rented ones at 44.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,772, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in the area averaged $255, lower than Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Mount Hutton-Windale's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially lower at $375 compared to the national figure.

Mount Hutton - Windale features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 66.0% of all households, including 22.5% couples with children, 23.2% couples without children, and 18.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.0%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households comprising 3.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the Regional NSW average.

Mount Hutton - Windale faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 14.2%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are held by 39.9% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 30.3%. Educational participation is high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.6% in primary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Mount Hutton - Windale has 98 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 38 different routes, providing a total of 865 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 157 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to the predominantly residential nature of the area. Cars remain the dominant mode of transportation, used by 96% of residents. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 19.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 123 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 8 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Mount Hutton - Windale is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Mount Hutton-Windale faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Multiple health conditions affect both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% (~4,902 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 12.6% and 10.9% of residents respectively. However, 55.0% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 21.0% of residents aged 65 and over (2,034 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Mount Hutton - Windale is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Mount Hutton-Windale showed low cultural diversity, with 90.8% citizens, 90.6% born in Australia, and 94.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 51.9%, compared to 55.9% regionally. Top ancestry groups were Australian (33.0%), English (31.1%), and Scottish (7.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 6.5% (vs regional 4.6%), Welsh at 0.7% (vs 0.5%), and Macedonian at 0.3% (vs 0.4%).

Mount Hutton - Windale's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Mount Hutton - Windale is 40 years, which is slightly below Regional NSW's average of 43 but above Australia's median of 38. The 25-34 age group makes up 15.3% of the local population, higher than the Regional NSW average, while those aged 65-74 comprise 10.4%, lower than the regional norm. Between the 2021 Census and present, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 13.1% to 15.3%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has risen from 10.4% to 11.6%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has decreased from 13.1% to 11.8%, and the 45 to 54 group has fallen from 12.4% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Mount Hutton - Windale. The 25 to 34 age cohort is projected to grow by 245 people (17%), from 1,483 to 1,729. Meanwhile, the 5 to 14 and 55 to 64 age groups are expected to see population declines.