Hillston

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of Hillston is around 1,636, reflecting an increase of 89 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,547. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,581 in June 2024, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 26 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 0.40 persons per square kilometer. Hillston's growth rate of 5.8% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (4.3%) and the SA3 area. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Hillston is expected to increase by 134 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 4.8% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Hillston has experienced limited development activity over the past five years, averaging one approval per year, totalling seven. This low level of development is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and construction demand restricted by local infrastructure capacity. Yearly growth figures can vary significantly with such low approval numbers.

Hillston's development levels are substantially lower than those in the Rest of NSW and below national patterns. All new constructions have been detached houses, maintaining the area's rural character. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 636 people, reflecting its quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Hillston is projected to grow by 79 residents by 2041.

If current construction levels continue, housing supply may lag behind population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price growth.

Hillston has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

No factors impact an area's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified zero projects that could potentially affect this area. Notable projects include the NSW Heavy Vehicle Rest Stops Program (TfNSW), NSW Zero Emissions Buses, NSW Inland Rail Interface Improvements, and NSW Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program. Below is a list of those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Hillston demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Hillston has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 2.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data as of December 2025. In this month, 871 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.6% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Hillston was 69.2%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%.

Census responses indicated that only 8.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents were agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Hillston showed strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 7.7 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance employed only 9.0% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 16.9%.

The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicated a higher than average level of local employment opportunities. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.5%, alongside a 3.1% employment decline, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW recorded an employment decline of 1.2%, labour force decline of 0.8%, and an unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% and over ten years by 13.7%. However, growth rates differ 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and not accounting for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 indicates Hillston's median taxpayer income is $51,291 and average is $57,670. Nationally, this is lower than average. Regional NSW has a median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. Based on 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Hillston are approximately $55,835 (median) and $62,780 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows personal income ranks at the 59th percentile ($852 weekly), while household income is at the 34th percentile. The $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 32.9% of Hillston's community (538 individuals), similar to regional levels at 29.9%. Housing costs allow for 90.9% retention, but disposable income is 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 dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.0% houses and 8.0% other dwellings. This contrasts with Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillston stood at 37.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.7% and rented ones at 38.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $901, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Hillston was $220, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Hillston's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $901 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Hillston features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 aligns with the Regional NSW average.

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%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. 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, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (26.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising primary education (13.5%), secondary education (7.4%), and tertiary education (3.3%).

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

Hillston has 75 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that collectively facilitate 100 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 196 meters away from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward, primarily by car (86%), while 9% walk. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census data, which may have been influenced by COVID-19 conditions, only 8.1% of residents work from home.

The service frequency averages 14 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Hillston is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Hillston faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantially higher than average, particularly among older age cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~814 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma (7.8%) and arthritis (6.6%). 72.4% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Under-65s have better health outcomes than average. Hillston has 17.6% of residents aged 65 and over (287 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, ranking lower nationally than 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 population shows above-average cultural diversity, with 21.4% born overseas and 16.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hillston, comprising 59.2% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation is seen in the 'Other' religious category, which makes up 2.8% of Hillston's population compared to 0.8% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry, Australian-born parents make up 29.5%, English 27.0%, and Other 9.0%. Some ethnic groups have notable divergences: Australian Aboriginal is overrepresented at 8.3% in Hillston (compared to 4.6% regionally), Korean at 1.2% (vs 0.1%), and Spanish at 0.6% (vs 0.3%).

Hillston's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Hillston is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 years, and somewhat younger than Australia's national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group makes up a strong 20.0% of the population compared to Regional NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 9.4%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group is well above the national average of 14.4%. According to data from the post-2021 Census, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 8.2% to 9.4%, and the 35 to 44 cohort has increased from 11.9% to 13.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.2% to 9.2%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 11.9% to 10.8%. Population forecasts for Hillston indicate substantial demographic changes by the year 2041. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 43%, reaching a population of 126 from the previous 88. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 56% of total population growth, reflecting Hillston's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 45 to 54 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.