Mudgee

Population growth drivers in Mudgee are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Mudgee's population is around 13,084 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 521 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 12,563 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,822 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 631 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 198 persons per square kilometer. Mudgee's growth of 4.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (2.9%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 58.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and latest annual ERP population numbers, the area is projected to expand by 2,377 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 16.0% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Mudgee among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Mudgee has seen approximately 122 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 613 homes were approved. As of FY-26, 41 homes have been approved.

On average, 0.5 people moved to the area per dwelling built over these years, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction cost value for new dwellings in Mudgee is $380,000. This financial year has seen $7.1 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Mudgee shows 112.0% higher development activity per person.

New developments consist of 72.0% detached dwellings and 28.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low density character with a focus on family homes. With around 80 people per approval, Mudgee reflects this low density. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Mudgee is expected to grow by 2,089 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Mudgee has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects potentially impacting this region. Notable ones are Kandos to Gulgong Rail Line Reinstatement, Logan Estate, Short Street Residential Development, and Mudgee Spring Lifestyle Estate. The following list details those likely 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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Mudgee ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Mudgee has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate is 2.5%.

In this month, 6861 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Mudgee is 62.4%, higher than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade are dominant employment sectors among residents. Mudgee shows strong specialization in mining, with an employment share 7.4 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 12.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population to local population count. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.2%, employment declined by 4.0%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 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. To provide broader context, state-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Mudgee's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Mudgee SA2 has an income median of $50,109 and average income of $66,284. This is higher than Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $56,428 (median) and $74,642 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census data ranks Mudgee's household, family, and personal incomes modestly, between the 46th and 49th percentiles. Incomes of $1,500 - 2,999 capture 33.1% of Mudgee residents (4,330 individuals), similar to metropolitan regions at 29.9%. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remains for other expenses. Mudgee's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Mudgee is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Mudgee's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW which had 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mudgee stood at 31.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.5% and rented ones at 34.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,600. The median weekly rent in Mudgee was $363, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Mudgee's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Mudgee has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 69.1% of all households, including 28.6% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 11.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for 30.9%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in Mudgee fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 18.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (33.2%). Educational participation is high at 28.9%, with 11.5% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.5% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 2.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Mudgee has 248 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 36 different routes that collectively facilitate 378 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents on average being located 134 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 performance in Mudgee is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Mudgee faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population (~6,856 people), leading that of the average SA2 area. Mental health issues impact 9.0% of residents, while asthma affects 8.7%. A total of 66.8% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 62.9% across Rest of NSW. The area has 18.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,427 people), which is lower than the 23.1% in Rest of NSW. This figure is broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Mudgee, as per the census data from June 2016, had a cultural diversity index below average. The population was predominantly Australian citizens at 90.7%, with 91.2% born in Australia and 95.4% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 58.2% of Mudgee's population, compared to 59.9% across the Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.2%), English (32.2%), and Irish (9.4%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher in Mudgee at 5.0%, compared to 4.9% regionally. Maltese and German populations also showed variations, with 0.4% Maltese in Mudgee versus 0.5% regionally, and 3.1% German versus 2.8%.

Mudgee's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Mudgee is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 14.2% of the population in Mudgee, compared to Rest of NSW. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 12.4% to 14.3%, while the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 11.7% to 10.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Mudgee. The 35 to 44 age group is projected to grow by 27% (506 people), reaching 2,374 from 1,867. In contrast, the 55 to 64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 1% (17 people).