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

Mudgee's population, as of February 2026, is approximately 12,982. This figure represents an increase of 419 individuals, a growth rate of 3.3%, since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 12,563. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,796 in June 2024 and an additional 645 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 197 persons per square kilometer. Mudgee's growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (2.7%) and SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.7% to 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, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Demographic trends project an above median population growth for locations outside capital cities, with Mudgee expected to expand by 2,377 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 16.9% over the 17-year period.

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

Mudgee has seen around 122 new homes approved per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25613 homes were approved, with a further 53 approved so far in FY-26. On average, only 0.5 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these years, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand and offering ample buyer choice while creating capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average development value of new dwellings was $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 development consists of 72.0% detached dwellings and 28.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

With around 80 people per approval, Mudgee reflects a low density area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Mudgee is expected to grow by 2,191 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 emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified ten projects likely to impact the area. Notable projects include Kandos to Gulgong Rail Line Reinstatement, Logan Estate, Short Street Residential Development, and Mudgee Spring Lifestyle Estate. The following list details 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.

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

Mudgee has a skilled workforce with strong manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.5% as of September 2025. In this month, 6861 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.3% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Mudgee was higher at 70.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census responses, only 7.8% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors were mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Mining employed 7.4 times more residents than the regional average, while health care & social assistance employed 12.2% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Over the year to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.2%, alongside a 4.0% employment decline, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. This contrasted with Rest of NSW where employment fell by 0.5%, labour force contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest Mudgee's employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended 30 June 2023 shows median income in Mudgee SA2 was $53,432 and average income was $70,050. This compares to Rest of NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year ended 30 June 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income in Mudgee SA2 would be approximately $58,166 and average income would be around $76,256. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Mudgee rank modestly, between the 46th and 49th percentiles. The data indicates that 33.1% of individuals in Mudgee earn between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to metropolitan regions where 29.9% fall within this income band. After housing costs, 85.1% of income remains for other expenses. The area'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

In Mudgee, as per the latest Census evaluation, 85.7% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 14.3% being semi-detached, apartments, and other dwelling types. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% 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 in Mudgee was $1,733, aligning with the Non-Metro NSW average, while the median weekly rent figure was $363, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. 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 comprise the remaining 30.9%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households making up 3.4%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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 NSW's 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 prominent, with 42.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas (9.5%) and certificates (33.2%). Educational participation is high at 28.9%, including primary education (11.5%), secondary education (7.5%), and tertiary education (2.3%).

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 236 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 39 routes, providing 410 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 141 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward, predominantly by car (93%), with 5% walking. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.5. According to the 2021 Census, 7.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

On average, there are 58 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centerpoint.

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 based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts, with mental health issues impacting 9.0% and asthma affecting 8.7% of residents.

Approximately 54% of the total population (~6,997 people) has private health cover, compared to the average SA2 area's rate of 51.9%. Sixty-six point eight percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. Eighteen point six percent of residents are aged 65 and over (2,413 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. National rankings for health indicators are higher than those of the general population.

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, exhibited lower than average cultural diversity. The population was predominantly Australian citizens at 90.7%, with 91.2% being born in Australia and 95.4% speaking only English at home. Christianity stood out as the major religion in Mudgee, practiced by 58.2% of its residents, slightly higher than the 55.9% recorded across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.2%), English (32.2%), and Irish (9.4%). Notably, Australian Aboriginals were proportionally more represented in Mudgee at 5.0%, compared to the regional average of 4.6%. Maltese and German communities also maintained their proportional representation from the region-wide averages, at 0.4% and 3.1% respectively.

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 comprises 14.3% of the population in Mudgee, compared to a higher prevalence in Rest of NSW. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.1% of Mudgee's population. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 12.4% to 14.5% of the population in Mudgee, while the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 9.7%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest significant demographic changes for Mudgee. Notably, the 35 to 44 age group is projected to grow by 26%, adding 489 people and reaching a total of 2,374 from the current figure of 1,884. In contrast, the 15 to 24 cohort is expected to show minimal growth of just 2%, with an increase of 21 people by 2041.