Wellington (NSW)

Wellington is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Wellington (NSW) is around 4,336. This reflects an increase of 240 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,096. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 4,283 as of June 2024, along with two validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 272 persons per square kilometer. Wellington's growth rate of 5.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (3.2%) and the SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 43.0% of overall population gains.

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 uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to grow by approximately 287 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of around 5.2% over the 17-year period.

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

Wellington has had minimal construction activity with two new dwellings approved annually on average over the five years from 20XX to 20XY. This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that the small sample size can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

Wellington has shown less construction activity than the Rest of NSW, with activity levels also below national patterns. Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, primarily family homes suited to those seeking a rural lifestyle and space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 4267 people, reflecting the area's quiet, low activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wellington is projected to add 224 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects expected to impact this region. Notable projects are Wellington Battery Energy Storage System, Orana Battery Energy Storage System, Wellington Roads To Home Project Nanima Village, and Wellington North Solar Farm. The following details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Wellington face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Wellington's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with prominent essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 6.8% as of September 2025. This rate is 3.0% higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Wellington lags at 47.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 61.5%. Census data shows that only 6.8% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction. Wellington has a notable concentration in public administration & safety, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

Manufacturing employs only 2.4% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 5.8%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Wellington's labour force decreased by 4.5%, while employment declined by 5.2%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.8 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5%, the labour force fall by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wellington's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released in financial year 2023, Wellington suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $39,786 with average level at $45,311. This is below national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $43,311 (median) and $49,326 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Wellington all fall between 2nd and 7th percentiles nationally. Income distribution reveals that $400 - 799 bracket dominates with 31.1% of residents (1,348 people), contrasting with region where $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Concentration of 40.9% in sub-$800 weekly brackets highlights economic challenges facing significant portion of community. After housing, 85.4% of income remains, ranking at only 4th percentile nationally.

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

Wellington's housing, as per the latest Census, was 88.8% houses and 11.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wellington stood at 36.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.2% and rented ones at 38.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $936, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Wellington was $230, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Wellington's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $936 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 60.0% of all households, including 16.4% couples with children, 23.7% couples without children, and 18.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.0%, with lone person households at 36.5% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.5%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas comprise 8.6% and certificates make up 31.8%. Educational participation is high at 32.8%, including 14.3% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.3% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Wellington has 83 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 22 routes, providing a total of 532 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 164 meters to the nearest stop. The area is predominantly residential, with outward commuting being common. Car remains the primary mode of transportation at 89%, while walking accounts for 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, only 6.8% of residents work from home, which might be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 76 trips per day, equating to roughly 6 weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Wellington is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Wellington faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Several health conditions impact both younger and older age groups, with private health cover found to be low at approximately 45% of the total population (around 1,948 people), compared to 51.9% in Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.6% of residents) and mental health issues (10.3%), while 57.3% claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Rest of NSW.

Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. The area has 22.0% of its population aged 65 and over (953 people), lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings roughly matching those of the general population.

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

Wellington's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 82.1% of its population being citizens, 91.5% born in Australia, and 94.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the main religion in Wellington, comprising 61.5% of people, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (28.4%), English (27.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (20.7%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 4.6%.

Notably, Spanish ethnicity is overrepresented in Wellington at 0.4%, compared to 0.3% regionally, while French and Maltese are represented similarly to the regional averages at 0.4% and 0.3% respectively.

Wellington's median age exceeds the national pattern

Wellington's median age is 41 years, which is lower than the Rest of NSW average of 43 but exceeds the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 13.1% of Wellington's population, higher than the Rest of NSW figure. Meanwhile, the 35-44 cohort makes up 10.4%, lower than the Rest of NSW percentage. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group has increased from 9.1% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.7% to 12.5%. Demographic projections suggest Wellington's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 35-44 age group is projected to grow by 15%, adding 67 residents to reach 518. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.