West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth
Statistical Area - sa2

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth's population is approximately 7,477 as of August 2025. Between the 2021 Census and this period, there was an increase of 223 people (3.1%), with the population being 7,254 in 2021. This growth can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,456 in June 2024 and an additional 176 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is around 103 persons per square kilometer, indicating significant space per person and potential room for further development. Over the past decade, ending in August 2025, West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outperforming its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 82.2% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth is expected for Australia's regional areas. By 2041, the area is projected to expand by 1,451 persons, reflecting a total increase of 19.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth has recorded approximately 40 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 201 homes. As of FY-26, 24 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents per year per dwelling were constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. However, this figure has eased to 0.8 people per dwelling over the past two financial years due to increased supply availability. The average construction value of development projects is $428,000, which aligns with broader regional development trends.

This area has also seen $13.4 million in commercial approvals during FY-26, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth shows approximately 61% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 87th percentile nationally, although building activity has accelerated recently. New developments in the area consist of 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving its low-density nature while attracting space-seeking buyers. This marks a significant shift from the current housing pattern, which is predominantly houses (98.0%).

This change may indicate diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. With around 100 people per dwelling approval, West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth exhibits characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts suggest that the area will gain 1,427 residents by 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, but buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly be influenced by changes to its local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Out of these, nineteen projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable among them are the West Wallsend Swim Centre Expansion, the West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Conservation Area Amendment, BlackRock Motor Resort, and Cameron Grove Estate. The following list provides details on those projects considered most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. As of June 2025, unemployment stands at 2.7%, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2% over the past year.

This rate is 0.9% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation is high at 64.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction employment is particularly high, at 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs just 0.5% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.3%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited, indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Over a 12-month period, employment increased by 2.2%, labour force by 2.5%, leading to a slight unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline by 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point unemployment rise. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5% and lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 estimate five-year growth at 6.6% and ten-year growth at 13.7%. Applying these projections to West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4%% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

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

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth's median taxpayer income was $53,303 and average was $60,301 in financial year 2022. This is lower than the national average of $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average) for Rest of NSW. By March 2025, estimates suggest median income will reach approximately $58,953 and average will be around $66,693 based on a 10.6% growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth rank modestly, between the 44th and 51st percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Most residents (37.0%, or 2,766 individuals) earn $1,500-$2,999 weekly, a pattern also seen in surrounding regions where 29.9% fall into this income bracket. Housing costs consume 15.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 53rd percentile.

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth, as per the latest Census, comprised 97.9% houses and 2.1% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 89.7% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth was 33.4%, with the rest either mortgaged (50.8%) or rented (15.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,798, below Non-Metro NSW's $1,900 and Australia's $1,863. Median weekly rent was $390, higher than Non-Metro NSW's $380 but lower than the national figure of $375.

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 79.3% of all households, including 35.9% couples with children, 29.1% couples without children, and 13.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.7%, with lone person households at 17.9% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates at 11.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 47.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.2%) and certificates (38.1%).

Educational participation is high at 27.3%, including 9.8% in primary education, 7.3% in secondary education, and 3.1% pursuing tertiary education. The area's five schools have a combined enrollment of 1,262 students. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs (16.9 places per 100 residents vs 12.3 regionally), indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region. Educational provision is split between two primary and three secondary institutions.

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

Transport analysis shows 90 active stops operating in West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth area, offering mixed bus services. These stops are served by 38 routes, facilitating 712 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents typically located 159 meters from nearest stop.

Average service frequency across all routes is 101 trips per day, equating to around 7 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth, affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 50% (~3,738 people) have private health cover, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, impacting 11.2 and 9.7% of residents respectively. 62.3% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 60.3%. The area has 18.3% (1,371 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Rest of NSW's 21.9%. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging, generally aligning with the overall population's health profile.

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

West Wallsend-Barnsley-Killingworth had below average cultural diversity with 94.1% of its population born in Australia, 94.7% being citizens, and 97.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 50.6% of people, compared to 54.0% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.4%), English (32.3%), and Scottish (8.3%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 5.3% versus regional average of 4.5%, Macedonian was 0.3% compared to region's 0.2%, and Welsh was 0.6% versus regional 0.7%.

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth has a median age of 38, which is less than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 but equivalent to Australia's national norm of 38. The age group of 25-34 has strong representation at 15.1%, compared to Rest of NSW. However, the 75-84 cohort is less prevalent at 6.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has increased from 4.3% to 6.0% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 13.3% to 11.6%, and the 45 to 54 age group has dropped from 12.3% to 11.0%. Demographic modeling suggests that West Wallsend - Barnsley - Killingworth's age profile will change significantly by 2041. Leading this demographic shift, the 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 35%, reaching 1,515 people from its current figure of 1,126. Meanwhile, numbers in the 65 to 74 age range are expected to fall by 33%.