Wellington

Wellington is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

According to the analysis conducted by AreaSearch, the population of Wellington is estimated at approximately 9,185 as of May 2026. This represents a growth of 416 residents (4.7%) from the 2021 Census, which documented 8,769 people. This population adjustment is calculated using the ABS estimated resident population of 9,159 recorded in June 2025 alongside 59 validated new addresses registered since the Census. The resulting population density stands at 2.5 persons per square kilometer, indicating a spacious residential environment. With a 4.7% expansion rate since the 2021 census, Wellington outperformed the broader SA4 region (2.8%) as well as the SA3 area, establishing itself as a regional growth leader. The primary driver of this demographic expansion was interstate migration, which accounted for roughly 47.1% of the total population increase, though positive contributions were also observed from overseas migration and natural population growth.

Projections from the ABS and Geoscience Australia, published in 2024 using 2022 as a baseline, are utilized for each SA2 area. In instances where these datasets are unavailable, projections at the SA2 level from the NSW State Government, released in 2022 with a 2021 baseline, are applied. Growth velocities across different age brackets derived from these sources are extended to project figures for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on these anticipated demographic trends, population growth is projected to remain slightly below the median observed in non-metropolitan Australian localities, with the area forecast to add 605 residents by 2041 compared to the latest annual ERP figures, translating to an overall growth rate of 6.3% over the 16 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Wellington, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Residential building approvals in Wellington average approximately 18 per year, totaling 92 residential approvals over the preceding 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 22 recorded during FY-26 so far. An average ratio of 1.9 individuals moving to the locality for every new home constructed during the prior 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) suggests balanced supply and demand conditions, supporting market stability, although this metric has risen to 5.3 people per dwelling over the past 2 financial years, pointing to tightening supply and rising demand. The average construction cost for new properties is $329,000. Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $5.8 million this financial year, highlighting that local development is predominantly residential.

Compared with Rest of NSW, Wellington exhibits a low volume of building activity, sitting 63.0% below regional average per person. This limited construction pace typically bolsters demand and supports valuations for established properties. This trend is also subdued relative to national levels, indicating a mature market or potential local development constraints. Detached houses constitute 83.0% of new projects, while medium and high-density options account for 17.0%, sustaining a low-density urban footprint that appeals to buyers seeking space. The ratio of 1079 people in the area per dwelling approval highlights a quiet development sector with low construction volumes.

Looking forward, the population of Wellington is projected to increase by 579 residents by 2041, based on the latest quarterly calculations from AreaSearch. If current building trends persist, the volume of new housing should comfortably accommodate this demand, maintaining favorable conditions for prospective purchasers and potentially supporting growth beyond initial projections.

Wellington has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Local performance is heavily shaped by developments in regional infrastructure, primary construction projects, and zoning strategies. AreaSearch has tracked 35 projects that are expected to impact the local area. Prominent works include the Wellington Roads To Home Project Nanima Village, the Wellington Battery Energy Storage System, the Orana Battery Energy Storage System, and the Wellington North Solar Farm, with details on the most significant initiatives provided below.

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.

The employment landscape in Wellington presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.1%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Wellington is characterized by a workforce divided between vocational and professional roles, with significant representation in essential service industries, a low unemployment rate of 3.1%, and stable employment patterns over the previous year. As of March 2026, employed residents numbered 3,411, with the local unemployment rate sitting 1.0% below the Regional NSW average of 4.1%, while the participation rate is notably lower at 47.1% compared to Regional NSW's 60.6%. Census data indicates that a modest 13.1% of the workforce worked from home, though this figure may have been influenced by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The major employment sectors for residents are agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. The region demonstrates a high concentration of jobs in agriculture, forestry & fishing, employing a share of the workforce that is 2.9 times the regional average. Conversely, manufacturing accounts for only 2.7% of local employment, which is lower than the Regional NSW benchmark of 5.8%. Comparing the local working population from the Census against resident data suggests a shortage of local employment opportunities.

An analysis of SALM and ABS statistics by AreaSearch indicates that over the 12-month period, the local labor force contracted by 2.2% and total employment fell by 0.2%, leading to a decline in the unemployment rate by 2.0 percentage points. This diverges from Regional NSW, where employment fell by 0.9%, the labor force decreased by 0.4%, and the unemployment rate climbed by 0.5 percentage points. Broader national labor market forecasts from May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide context for potential employment shifts in Wellington. These projections, spanning five and ten-year horizons, have been applied to the local workforce structure to model future employment trends. Although national employment is projected to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, the rates of change differ across industries. Integrating these sector-level trends with Wellington's current workforce composition yields an estimated local employment increase of 5.9% over five years and 12.5% over ten years, representing a simple weighted extrapolation that does not account for specific local population dynamics.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The most recent ATO postcode data for financial year 2023 indicates that individual earnings in the Wellington SA2 are lower than national levels, with a median income of $45,471 and an average income of $50,941. These figures are below the Regional NSW median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Incorporating a Wage Price Index growth rate of 10.32% since financial year 2023, updated estimates suggest earnings of approximately $50,164 (median) and $56,198 (average) as of March 2026. Census data from 2021 places household, family, and personal incomes in Wellington within the 10th to 13th percentiles nationwide. The largest earnings segment consists of 27.3% of local residents (2,507 people) earning between $800 - 1,499, which contrasts with metropolitan areas where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is the largest at 29.9%. Although housing costs are relatively low, leaving residents with 87.9% of their income, total disposable income sits at the 14th percentile nationally.

Wellington is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

According to the latest Census data, the housing stock in Wellington consisted of 93.5% detached houses and 6.5% other housing types, such as townhouses, apartments, or alternative dwellings, compared to Regional NSW where detached houses represent 82.6% and other dwellings make up 17.4%. The home ownership rate in Wellington was higher than the regional average at 42.7%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 30.1% and rental properties making up 27.2%. The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,100 was significantly below the Regional NSW average, and the median weekly rent of $230 was also lower than the regional figures of $1,733 and $330. When compared nationally, Wellington's median mortgage costs are well below the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents remain substantially lower than the national benchmark of $375.

Wellington features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute the majority of homes at 65.2%, which is broken down into couples with children at 22.1%, couples without children at 27.8%, and single parent households at 13.8%. The remaining 34.8% consists of non-family households, with single person dwellings making up 31.7% and group homes accounting for 3.1%. The area's median household size of 2.4 residents is identical to the Regional NSW average.

Wellington faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

Educational attainment levels present challenges in the area, with the university qualification rate of 15.4% falling well below the NSW average of 32.2%. This discrepancy highlights an opportunity for targeted educational investment. Among university graduates, Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.7%, followed by postgraduate degrees (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational and technical training is widely held, with 44.8% of residents aged 15+ possessing vocational qualifications, consisting of advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificate level credentials (34.6%).

Enrolment rates in education are high, with 37.2% of the local population engaged in structured study. This cohort includes 15.1% in primary school, 10.8% in high school, and 2.8% undertaking tertiary studies.

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

Public transport networks in Wellington feature 323 active train and bus stops. These transit points are serviced by 36 distinct routes, which coordinate 1,038 passenger trips on a weekly basis. Accessibility is high, with an average distance of 177 meters from residents to the nearest stop. The suburb is primarily residential, resulting in outbound commuting patterns where private vehicles are the main transport mode at 90%, and walking accounts for 7%. Average car ownership is 1.4 vehicles per household. A lower rate of 13.1% of residents worked from home, according to 2021 Census data, which may reflect pandemic-era arrangements.

Service intervals average 148 daily trips across all routes, which translates to roughly 3 passenger trips per week at each stop. The provided map details the 100 closest transit stops to the central point of the area.

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

Analysis of mortality statistics and the prevalence of long-term illnesses by AreaSearch highlights significant health difficulties in Wellington, with various medical issues affecting both younger and older residents, alongside a low rate of private health insurance coverage at roughly 46% of the population (~4,234 people). This is below the Regional NSW coverage rate of 51.9% and the national benchmark of 55.7%.

Arthritis and mental health conditions are the most prevalent health issues locally, affecting 10.9 and 9.2% of the population respectively, while 61.3% of residents reported having no chronic health issues, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Chronic illness rates are elevated within the working-age cohort. Residents aged 65 and over make up 21.0% of the population (1,931 people), which is lower than the Regional NSW proportion of 23.4%. Senior health metrics indicate some difficulties, with national performance comparisons mirroring those of the broader local community.

The latest Census data sees Wellington placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Cultural diversity in Wellington is lower than average, with citizens representing 78.6% of the population, 91.6% of residents born in Australia, and 96.5% of households speaking only English. The primary religious affiliation is Christianity, practiced by 65.6% of the population, compared to 55.9% in Regional NSW.

Regarding parental country of birth, the three largest ancestry groups are Australian at 31.3%, English at 28.6%, and Australian Aboriginal at 15.2%, the latter being significantly higher than the Regional NSW average of 4.6%. Differences are also visible in other ethnicities: residents of Irish ancestry account for 7.8% of the local population (compared to 8.8% regionally), and those of French ancestry represent 0.4% (matching the regional figure of 0.4%).

Wellington's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age of 41 years in Wellington is slightly younger than the Regional NSW average of 43 years, but older than the national median of 38 years. The 25 - 34 age bracket is well represented at 13.5% compared to regional trends, whereas the 75 - 84 demographic is smaller at 6.8%. Estimates post-2021 Census show the 35 to 44 age cohort increased from 11.6% to 12.8% of the population, while the 55 to 64 group decreased from 13.6% to 12.5%. Long-term demographic projections indicate that Wellington's age distribution will change by 2041, with the 35 to 44 cohort projected to expand by 16% (adding 185 people to reach 1,363), while population declines are expected in both the 15 to 24 and 55 to 64 cohorts.