Hillston

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, as of Feb 2026 the estimated population of Hillston is around 1,636. This reflects an increase of 89 people (5.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,547 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,581 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 26 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.40 persons per square kilometer. Hillston's growth since the 2021 census exceeded that of its SA4 region (4.3%) and SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 52.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below Australia's regional median is expected for Hillston, with an increase of 139 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an overall increase of 6.0% 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's development activity is very limited, averaging less than one approval per year over the past five years, with a total of two approvals during this period. This low level of development reflects Hillston's rural nature, where housing needs specific to the local area typically drive development rather than broader market demand. It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Compared to Rest of NSW and national patterns, Hillston has much lower development activity.

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

No infrastructure changes are known to impact this area currently. Four key projects may potentially affect it: the Heavy Vehicle Rest Stops Program by Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW), the Zero Emissions Buses initiative, the Inland Rail Interface Improvements project, and the Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) Program in NSW.

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The employment environment in Hillston shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Hillston has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate is 2.4%, having seen an estimated employment growth of 4.1% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025896 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.4% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Hillston stands at 72.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census responses indicate that only 8.1% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. Employment among residents is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. Notably, employment levels in agriculture, forestry & fishing are at 7.7 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance has a limited presence with 9.0% employment compared to the regional average of 16.9%.

The ratio of 0.7 workers per resident indicates a higher level of local employment opportunities than usual. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 4.1%, while labour force grew by 5.0%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.9 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a corresponding unemployment increase of 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Hillston's local employment should increase by 4.8% over five years and 10.8% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the area's current employment mix.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Hillston suburb's income level is lower than national average, per latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers is $51,291, average income stands at $57,670. Rest of NSW figures are $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, current estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $55,835 (median) and $62,780 (average). From the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 59th percentile ($852 weekly), household income at the 34th percentile. The earnings profile shows 32.9% of residents (538 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket, mirroring regional levels at 29.9%. Housing costs allow retention of 90.9%, 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 structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.0% houses and 8.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Hillston was at 37.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.7% and rented dwellings at 38.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $901, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Hillston was $220, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Hillston's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 average for the Rest of NSW.

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 NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the 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 at 30.8%, comprising primary education (13.5%), secondary education (7.4%), and tertiary education (3.3%).

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 has 75 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by seven different routes that together facilitate 100 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 196 meters from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode of transport at 86%. Walking accounts for 9% of journeys. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 8.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. 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, with older age cohorts experiencing this to an even greater extent. Only approximately 50% of Hillston's total population (~814 people) has private health cover, compared to Rest of NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (7.8%) and arthritis (6.6%), while 72.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to Rest of NSW's 63.3%. Under-65 residents have better health outcomes than the average. Hillston has 17.5% of residents aged 65 and over (286 people), lower than Rest of NSW's 23.4%. While health outcomes among seniors present challenges, they rank lower nationally than those of 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 is above average, with 21.4% of its population born overseas and 16.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Hillston, accounting for 59.2% of the population. The category 'Other' is overrepresented in Hillston compared to the rest of NSW, making up 2.8% versus 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (29.5%), English (27.0%), and Other (9.0%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal (8.3%) and Korean (1.2%) populations are overrepresented in Hillston compared to regional averages of 4.6% and 0.1%, respectively. Additionally, Spanish ancestry is present at 0.6%, slightly higher than the regional average of 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 Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and slightly younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 19.6% of Hillston's population, higher than Rest of NSW but below the national average of 14.4%. Conversely, the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.4%, lower than both state and national averages. Post-2021 Census data shows that between 2016 and 2021, the 65-74 age group grew from 8.2% to 9.4%. During this period, the 45-54 cohort declined from 12.2% to 9.0%, and the 5-14 age group decreased from 11.9% to 10.7%. Population forecasts for Hillston in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. Notably, the 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 14 people, reaching 365 from 320. The combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 51% of total population growth, reflecting Hillston's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 45-54 and 55-64 cohorts are forecasted to experience population declines.