Hillston

Population growth drivers in Hillston are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Hillston statistical area (Lv2) is around 1,618, reflecting a 4.6% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,547 people. This growth was primarily driven by natural causes contributing approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. The Hillston (SA2) had a higher growth rate than its SA4 region (4.0%), marking it as a growth leader in the area with a population density ratio of 0.40 persons per square kilometer. AreaSearch, utilising ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered areas and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas, projects the Hillston (SA2) population to increase by just below the median of Australia's regional areas. By 2041, it is expected to have increased by 129 persons, reflecting an overall increase of 6.8% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of Australia's regional areas is expected, with the area expected to increase by 129 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting reflecting an increase of 6.8% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Hillston is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Hillston has experienced very limited development activity with an average of less than one approval per year over the past five years, totalling two approvals in total. These low levels of development reflect Hillston's rural nature where development is typically driven by specific local housing needs rather than broad market demand. It should be noted that yearly growth figures and relativities can vary considerably based on individual projects due to such low approval numbers.

Compared to the Rest of NSW, Hillston naturally has much lower development activity, which is also below national patterns.

Hillston has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

No changes can significantly impact an area's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that are expected to affect this area. Notable projects include NSW Heavy Vehicle Rest Stops Program (TfNSW), NSW Zero Emissions Buses, NSW Inland Rail Interface Improvements, and NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program, with the following list outlining those likely to be most relevant.

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

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The labour market in Hillston shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Hillston has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%.

Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 4.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025907 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate at 1.5% below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is high at 63.5%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment in Hillston is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing has notably high employment levels, at 7.7 times the regional average. However, health care & social assistance has limited presence with 9.0% employment compared to 16.9% regionally. The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a level of local employment opportunities above the norm. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, while labour force increased by 5.4%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data for NSW to 25-Nov shows 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 national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Hillston's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.8% over five years and 10.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Hillston's median income among taxpayers was $51,291 in financial year 2023. The suburb's average income stood at $57,670 during the same period. For comparison, Rest of NSW had median and average incomes of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated median and average incomes for Hillston as of September 2025 would be approximately $55,835 and $62,780 respectively. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 59th percentile ($852 weekly) in Hillston, while household income was at the 34th percentile. The earnings profile showed that 32.9% of residents (532 people) fell into the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, mirroring regional levels where 29.9% occupied this bracket. Housing costs were manageable with 90.9% retained, but disposable income was below average at the 42nd percentile.

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

Hillston's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.0% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 87.5% houses and 12.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillston was 37.4%, similar to Non-Metro NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings were at 23.7% and rented ones at 38.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hillston was $901, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,300. The median weekly rent in Hillston was $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $250. Nationally, Hillston's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $901 versus Australia's average of $1,863. Rents in Hillston were also substantially below the national figure of $375.

Hillston features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.7% of all households, including 24.6% couples with children, 28.8% couples without children, and 10.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.3%, with lone person households at 29.9% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.4% and certificates at 26.5%. Educational participation is high, with 30.8% currently enrolled in formal education: 13.5% in primary, 7.4% in secondary, and 3.3% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Hillston's public transport analysis shows 75 operational stops, serving a mix of buses. These stops are covered by seven distinct routes, offering 100 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility score is excellent, with residents on average located 196 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency stands at 14 trips daily across all routes, translating to about one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Hillston are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Hillston's health indicators show below-average results. Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (around 805 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 7.8 and 6.6% of residents respectively. About 72.4% of residents claim to be completely free from medical ailments, compared to 67.6% in the Rest of NSW. Approximately 17.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (around 283 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those in the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Hillston was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Hillston's cultural diversity was above average, with 21.4% of its population born overseas and 16.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Hillston as of 59.2%. Notably, the 'Other' category comprised 2.8%, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 2.7%.

Regarding ancestry, Australian (29.5%), English (27.0%), and Other (9.0%) were the top groups in Hillston. There were significant differences in certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 8.3% compared to the regional average of 5.1%, Korean at 1.2% versus 0.1%, and Spanish at 0.6% against 0.3%.

Hillston's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Hillston is 36 years, significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and slightly younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 20.1% of Hillston's population, higher than Rest of NSW's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 65-74 age group makes up 9.3% of Hillston's population, lower than both state and national averages. Post-2021 Census data shows the 65-74 age group grew from 8.2% to 9.3%, while the 45-54 cohort declined from 12.2% to 9.9% and the 5-14 group decreased from 11.9% to 10.6%. Population forecasts for Hillston in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 46%, reaching 125 people from 85. The combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 50% of total population growth, reflecting Hillston's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 55-64 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.