Hill Top (Wingecarribee - NSW)

Population growth drivers in Hill Top are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The estimated population of Hill Top (Wingecarribee - NSW) as of November 2025 is around 2,658 people. This figure represents a decrease of 134 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 2,792. The current estimate is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, indicating a resident population of 2,640. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 70 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed to around 81% of overall population gains recently.

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 for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest a significant increase in the top quartile of Australia's regional areas, with Hill Top expected to grow by 827 persons to 2041, reflecting an overall gain of 38.3% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis shows Hill Top granted around 6 residential approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 32 homes were approved, with 1 more in FY-26 so far. Over these five years, each dwelling built gained an average of 2.8 new residents.

New homes have an average construction cost value of $400,000, aligning with regional trends. This year, Hill Top has registered $366,000 in commercial approvals, indicating its residential focus. Compared to Rest of NSW, Hill Top has significantly less development activity, 65.0% below the regional average per person. Recent construction comprises 80.0% standalone homes and 20.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's low density character with a focus on family homes. This shows a shift from the current housing mix of 99.0% houses. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 949 people.

By 2041, Hill Top is projected to grow by 1,017 residents. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Hill Top has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

No infrastructure changes significantly influence a region's performance. AreaSearch has identified zero projects likely impacting this area. Notable projects include Tahmoor South Coal Project, South Pacific Offshore Wind Project, Sydney-Canberra Rail Connectivity And Capacity, and Paling Yards Wind Farm. The following list details those most relevant.

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The exceptional employment performance in Hill Top places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Hill Top has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 1.2% and employment growth of 2.6% in the past year (AreaSearch data).

As of June 2025, 1,535 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.5%, below Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation is high at 69.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include construction, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Manufacturing stands out with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.9% of Hill Top's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.6%, labour force grew by 2.5%, with unemployment unchanged. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Hill Top's employment should increase by 5.8% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Hill Top's current employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

Hill Top had a median taxpayer income of $53,091 and an average income of $114,827 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is notably higher than the national median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998 for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $59,786 and average income $129,307, based on a 12.61% growth since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that incomes in Hill Top cluster around the 58th percentile nationally. In terms of income distribution, 38.6% of individuals (1,025) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, which is similar to the regional pattern where 29.9% fall within this range. Housing costs consume 17.5% of income in Hill Top, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 58th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Hill Top is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Hill Top, as per the latest Census evaluation, 98.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 1.1% consisting of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This is in contrast to Non-Metro NSW where 90.6% of dwellings were houses and 9.4% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Hill Top stood at 26.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 60.8% and rented dwellings at 13.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than the Non-Metro NSW average of $2,167. The median weekly rent in Hill Top was $435, slightly higher than the Non-Metro NSW figure of $430. Nationally, Hill Top's median monthly mortgage repayment is higher at $2,000 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and its median weekly rent is substantially higher at $435 compared to the national average of $375.

Hill Top features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 78.3% of all households, including 38.4% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 13.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 21.7%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.8 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 9.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 45.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 35.7%. Educational participation is high, with 28.1% currently enrolled in formal education: 10.6% in primary, 8.1% in secondary, and 2.2% in tertiary education.

Hill Top Public School serves the area, enrolling 117 students, and has an ICSEA score of 939. It offers primary education only, with secondary options available nearby. Local school capacity is limited at 4.4 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 13.3.

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

Transport analysis indicates 41 operational stops in Hill Top, offering mixed bus services. These stops are covered by 13 unique routes, facilitating 134 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is deemed good, with residents situated around 220 meters from the nearest stop.

Daily service averages 19 trips across all routes, equating to roughly 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Hill Top are marginally below the national average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Hill Top's health indicators show below-average results, with common health conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Approximately 72% of Hill Top's total population of 1917 has private health cover, compared to 66.3% across Rest of NSW and the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (9.5%) and arthritis (9.2%), with 66.5% of residents reporting no medical ailments, compared to 64.8% in Rest of NSW.

Hill Top has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 13.3% (353 people), compared to 27.7% in Rest of NSW. The health outcomes among seniors are challenging but broadly align with the general population's health profile.

Hill Top is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Hill Top was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 87.8% of its population born in Australia, 93.7% being citizens, and 95.4% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Hill Top is Christianity, comprising 53.4% of the population. However, Judaism is overrepresented compared to the rest of NSW, with 0.1% of Hill Top's population identifying as such, versus 0.3%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English at 32.1%, Australian at 31.4%, and Scottish at 8.0%. Notably, Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.3%), Maltese (1.0% vs 0.5%), and Macedonian (0.4% vs 0.2%) ethnic groups are overrepresented in Hill Top compared to the regional averages.

Hill Top's population is younger than the national pattern

Hill Top has a median age of 34, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's figure of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, Hill Top has an over-representation of the 35-44 cohort at 15.7% locally, while the 65-74 age group is under-represented at 7.5%. Between 2021 and present day, the 35 to 44 age group has increased from 13.6% to 15.7% of the population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 13.2% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Hill Top's age profile will change significantly. The 35 to 44 age cohort is projected to grow by 262 people (63%), increasing from 417 to 680.