Estella

Estella lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Estella's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 2,725 people. This reflects an increase of 184 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,541 people in Estella (SA2). The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,651 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,369 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Estella's growth rate of 7.2% since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA3 area (3.9%) and SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 36.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

All demographic drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, placing Estella statistical area (Lv2) in the top 10 percent of Australian non-metropolitan areas. The area is expected to increase by 1,749 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 66.2% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Estella according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Estella averaged one approval per year for residential developments between 2016 and 2020. This resulted in a total of five dwellings over the five-year period. The limited development activity is typical of rural areas where housing needs are modest, and construction activity is constrained by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

It should be noted that due to the small sample size, individual projects can significantly influence annual growth statistics. Estella's construction activity is notably lower than that of the Rest of NSW and falls below national averages. All recent development in Estella has been for detached houses, maintaining its rural character with an emphasis on space. This trend reflects a strong demand for family homes despite densification trends.

Developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (82.0% at Census). Estella's population density is around 2750 people per approval, indicating a mature and established area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Estella's population is forecasted to grow by 1,805 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Estella has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to impact the area: Boorooma Neighbourhood Shopping Centre, Northern Growth Area Sewer Upgrades, Mount Austin Manor Houses - Social Housing, and Charles Sturt University Innovation Campus Expansion. The following 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 analysis of employment trends sees Estella performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Estella's workforce is well-educated with significant representation from essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 0.6% in September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 5.5% over the past year.

This figure is based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of this date, 1,543 residents were employed, while the unemployment rate was 3.3% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Estella was at 64.9%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries of employment among residents include health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Notably, Estella has a particular specialization in education & training, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented, with only 3.0% of Estella's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 5.5%, while labour force also increased by 5.5%, keeping unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a rise in unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Estella's employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation of industry-specific projections against Estella's employment mix.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that median income in Estella is $61,853 and average income is $75,448. 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% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $67,333 (median) and $82,133 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Estella are around the 64th percentile nationally. The earnings profile indicates that 39.0% of locals (1,062 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, similar to the surrounding region where 29.9% occupy this range. After housing costs, 85.7% of income remains for other expenses. Estella's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Estella's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.5% houses and 17.5% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 88.4% houses and 11.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Estella was at 28.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.3% and rented ones at 34.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,667, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent in Estella was $380, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Estella's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,667 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were higher at $380 against the national figure of $375.

Estella features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.5% of all households, including 33.0% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.5%, with lone person households at 23.8% and group households comprising 6.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Estella demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Estella is notably higher than regional averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 30.8% have university qualifications, compared to 18.7% in the SA4 region and 20.4% in the SA3 area. Bachelor degrees are most common at 20.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.2%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 35.1% of residents holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 25.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 37.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 9.9% in tertiary education, and 8.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Estella's public transport analysis shows 18 active stops in operation, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 14 distinct routes, offering a total of 349 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility rating is excellent, with residents generally located 147 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, service frequency stands at 49 trips per day across all routes, translating to about 19 weekly trips per individual stop.

Estella's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with prevalence of common health conditions quite low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Estella's health data shows positive results with low prevalence of common conditions among its general population, although higher than national averages in older, at-risk groups. Approximately 57% (~1,545 people) have private health cover, compared to Rest of NSW's 51.5%.

Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 9.1 and 7.5% respectively. Around 69.7% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.5% across Rest of NSW. Estella has 19.4% (528 people) aged 65 and over. Health outcomes for seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Estella ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Estella's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 86.1% of its population being citizens and 84.6% born in Australia. English was spoken as the only language at home by 86.6% of Estella's residents. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 58.5% of people, compared to 64.3% across Rest of NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were English (29.8%), Australian (28.4%), and Irish (9.3%). Notably, Samoan representation was higher at 0.4% in Estella than the regional average of 0.1%. Scottish representation was also slightly higher at 8.6%, compared to 8.0% regionally. Indian representation was notably higher at 2.5%, compared to the regional average of 0.9%.

Estella hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Estella has a median age of 34, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's median age of 38. In comparison with the Rest of NSW average, Estella has an over-representation of the 85+ cohort (6.8% locally) and an under-representation of the 65-74 year-olds (5.7%). Between 2021 and present, the population aged 35 to 44 grew from 11.7% to 13.7%, while the 25 to 34 cohort declined from 15.8% to 14.3%. The 45 to 54 age group decreased from 9.8% to 8.4%. Demographic projections indicate significant changes in Estella's age profile by 2041, with the 25 to 34 cohort expected to grow by 365 people (94%), reaching a total of 755 individuals.