Mudgee
Statistical Area - sa2

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 August 2025, is approximately 13,081 people. This figure represents a 4.1% increase from the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 12,563. The increase is inferred from an estimated resident population of 12,819 in June 2024 and an additional 631 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 198 persons per square kilometer. Mudgee's growth rate of 4.1% since the 2021 census exceeds both its SA4 region (2.7%) and SA3 area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 58.7% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses 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 where necessary, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. By 2041, based on the latest population numbers, Mudgee is projected to expand by 2,377 persons, reflecting a total increase of 16.0% over the 17 years.

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

Mudgee has seen approximately 9 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 48 homes over the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25 and 16 so far in FY26. On average, 0.5 people have moved to the area per dwelling built over these five financial years. New construction has been matching or outpacing demand, providing buyers with more options while enabling population growth that could exceed current expectations.

The average construction value of new properties is $418,000, aligning with regional trends. This financial year, $7.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Mudgee has 119% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers ample choice. New development consists of 72% detached dwellings and 28% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

The location has approximately 80 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. Looking ahead, Mudgee is expected to grow by 2,092 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Mudgee has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Eleven projects are identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area, notable among them being Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), Kandos to Gulgong Rail Line Reinstatement Study, Logan Estate, and Short Street Residential Development. The following list details those considered most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Mudgee well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Mudgee has a skilled workforce with strong manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 2.1% in June 2025.

There were 6,799 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6 percentage points lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation was higher at 62.4%, compared to 56.4% in the Rest of NSW. The leading employment industries were mining, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Mining had a notable concentration with employment levels at 7.4 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance had limited presence at 12.2%, compared to the regional average of 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the 12-month period ending in June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.3% and employment declined by 3.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, the 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 up to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind the national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to Mudgee's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.5%% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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's median income is $50,109 and average income is $66,284. This is higher than Rest of NSW's figures of a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $55,421 (median) and $73,310 (average). Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Mudgee rank modestly, between the 46th and 50th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 33.1% of residents earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. 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

Dwelling structure in Mudgee, as evaluated at the 2016 Census, comprised 85.7% houses and 14.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Mudgee was 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, while 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 account for 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 constitute the remaining 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 faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 18.4%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - 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%). Mudgee's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 3,110 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 2 primary schools, 2 secondary schools, and 1 K-12 school. The area functions as an education hub with 23.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 13.9, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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 Mudgee shows that there are 248 active transport stops in operation. These include a mix of train and bus services. The stops are serviced by 36 individual routes which collectively provide 378 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 134 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 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.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 52% of the total population, which is around 6,854 people. This is slightly higher than the average SA2 area. Mental health issues impact 9.0% of residents, while asthma affects 8.7%. Approximately 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, which is around 2,426 people. This figure is lower than the 23.1% in Rest of NSW. Overall, Mudgee's health profile is broadly in line with that 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 had a cultural diversity below average, with 90.7% citizens, 91.2% born in Australia, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 58.2%. This compared to 59.9% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.2%), English (32.2%), and Irish (9.4%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 5.0%, Maltese at 0.4%, and German at 3.1%.

Mudgee's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Mudgee is 36 years, which is significantly below 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 14.2% of the population compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 35-44 age group has grown from 12.4% to 14.3%, and the 45-54 cohort has declined from 11.7% to 10.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Mudgee, with the 35-44 age group projected to grow by 27% (507 people), reaching 2,374 from 1,866. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort shows minimal growth of just 1% (17 people).