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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, Wellington's population is estimated at around 4,345 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 249 people (6.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,096 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,326 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 272 persons per square kilometer. Wellington's 6.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (2.8%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 43.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

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. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of regional areas nationally is expected, with the suburb expected to grow by 318 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 6.9% in total over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Wellington according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Wellington has seen minimal construction activity in recent years. Over the five-year period from 2016 to 2020 inclusive, only 13 dwelling approvals were granted annually on average. This low level of development is typical of rural areas where housing demand is modest and infrastructure capacity limits construction activity.

It should be noted that due to the small sample size, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics. Comparing Wellington's construction activity with other regions shows it has significantly less activity than the Rest of NSW. Nationally, Wellington's activity levels are also below average. All recent development in Wellington has consisted solely of standalone homes, primarily family homes suited for those seeking a rural lifestyle and space.

The population density estimate is 2845 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Wellington is projected to add 299 residents by 2041. Given current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to affect this region: 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 the projects most relevant to the area.

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

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The labour market performance in Wellington lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Wellington has a balanced workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs, particularly in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate is 5.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,514 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.7% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Wellington lags behind Regional NSW at 46.5% compared to their 60.5%. Census responses show that only 6.8% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents 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.

Conversely, manufacturing employs only 2.4% of local workers, lower than Regional NSW's 5.8%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population counts. Between December 2024 and November 2025, Wellington's labour force decreased by 5.5% while employment declined by 3.9%, resulting in a 1.6 percentage point drop in unemployment rate. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment contract by 1.2%, labour force fall by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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 a 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 ATO data released for financial year ending June 2023, Wellington suburb had a median taxpayer income of $39,786 and an average income of $45,311. These figures are below the national averages of $52,390 and $65,215 in Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth from June 2023 to March 2026, estimated median income is approximately $43,892 and average income is around $49,987. Census data from 2021 shows Wellington's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 2nd and 7th percentiles nationally. In Wellington, 31.1% of residents (1,351 people) earn between $400-$799 weekly, contrasting with Regional NSW where the $1,500-$2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. The concentration of 40.9% in sub-$800 brackets suggests economic challenges for a significant portion of Wellington's community. After housing costs, 85.4% of income remains, ranking at the 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 dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 88.8% houses and 11.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Regional 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, significantly lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Wellington was $230, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Wellington's mortgage repayments were substantially lower at $936 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were significantly below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for 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 Regional 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 NSW's 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, including advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (31.8%). Educational participation is high at 32.8%, comprising 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. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents typically located 164 meters from the nearest stop. Most commutes are outward-bound, with car being the dominant mode at 89%, followed by walking at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, below the regional average. In 2021 Census data, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions, only 6.8% of residents worked from home.

Service frequency averages 76 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 indicated by AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high across various health conditions, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 45% of the total population (~1,952 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (10.3%). Conversely, 57.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age populations face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 22.4% of residents aged 65 and over (973 people), with senior health outcomes broadly in line with national rankings.

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. The dominant religion in Wellington is Christianity, comprising 61.5% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Wellington 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 at 0.4% in Wellington compared to 0.3% regionally, French ethnicity remains similar at 0.4%, while Maltese ethnicity shows a slight decrease from 0.4% regionally to 0.3% in Wellington.

Wellington's median age exceeds the national pattern

Wellington's median age is 41 years, which is lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but higher than Australia's national average of 38 years. The percentage of residents aged 5-14 in Wellington is 14.1%, higher than that of Regional NSW. However, the proportion of those aged 35-44 is lower at 10.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the age group 35-44 has increased from 9.1% to 10.5% of Wellington's population, while the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.7% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Wellington's age profile. The 35-44 age group is projected to grow strongly at a rate of 17%, adding 77 residents to reach a total of 534. Conversely, population declines are expected for the 15-24 and 55-64 cohorts.