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

The population of the Wellington (NSW) statistical area level 2 was estimated at around 4,280 as of Nov 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 184 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,096 people in the area. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,245 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 1 validated new address since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 268 persons per square kilometer in the Wellington (NSW) area. The growth rate of 4.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region's 3.4% and the SA3 area's growth rates, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 43.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

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 utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. 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 the median of national regional areas is expected for the Wellington (NSW) area. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the area is expected to expand by 286 persons to reach a total population of approximately 4,566 by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 6.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Wellington has seen minimal property development activity over the past five years, with an average of less than one approval per year, totaling two in that period. This low level of development reflects Wellington's rural character, where housing projects are often driven by specific local needs rather than broader market demand. It is important to note that due to the small sample size, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relative statistics.

Compared to other areas in NSW, such as Rest of NSW, Wellington has notably lower levels of development activity. This trend also differs from national patterns.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch identified three projects likely impacting the area: Wellington Battery Energy Storage System, Orana Battery Energy Storage System, Wellington Roads To Home Project at Nanima Village, and Wellington North Solar Farm. These are key projects with potential relevance detailed below.

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 has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with essential services well represented. The unemployment rate is 6.7% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of September 2025, 1,501 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 2.8% higher than Rest of NSW's 3.8%. Workforce participation in Wellington lags at 43.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, public administration & safety, and construction. Public administration & safety shows strong specialisation with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Manufacturing has limited presence, with only 2.4% employment compared to 5.8% regionally. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.5%, alongside a 5.1% employment decline, causing unemployment to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Wellington's employment mix indicates 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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Wellington suburb had a median taxpayer income of $39,786 and an average of $45,311. These figures are below the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 in Rest of NSW respectively. Considering a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated median income for Wellington is approximately $44,803 by September 2025, with average income at around $51,025. Census 2021 data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Wellington fall between the 2nd and 7th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that 31.1% of residents earn $400 - $799 weekly (1,331 individuals), differing from broader area trends where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. The concentration of 40.9% in sub-$800 weekly 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Wellington, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.8% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 11.2% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. This is similar to Non-Metro NSW's distribution of 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Wellington stood at 36.8%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 25.2% and rented ones making up 38.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Wellington was $936, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent figure in Wellington was recorded at $230, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Wellington's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 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 Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

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%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 9.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 40.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding them.

This includes advanced diplomas (8.6%) and certificates (31.8%). Educational participation is 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 73 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 21 individual routes, collectively providing 415 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 164 meters to the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 59 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 5 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, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 45% (around 1,923 people), compared to 49.7% across Rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (10.3%).

Conversely, 57.3% report no medical ailments, lower than the 64.1% in Rest of NSW. Wellington has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.0% (941 people), compared to 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but largely align with the general population's health profile.

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

Wellington, as per the census conducted on 9 August 2016, exhibited cultural homogeneity with 82.1% of its population being Australian citizens, 91.5% born in Australia, and 94.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 61.5% of Wellington's residents, slightly lower than the 65.6% regional average for Rest of NSW. Regarding ancestry, Australians comprised 28.4%, English 27.2%, and Australian Aboriginal 20.7%, notably higher than the regional averages of 36.0%, 19.7%, and 11.5% respectively.

Some ethnic groups were disproportionately represented: Spanish (0.4% vs 0.1%), French (0.4% vs 0.3%), and Maltese (0.3% vs 0.2%) were more prevalent in Wellington than regionally.

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 higher than the national average of 38. The 5-14 age group comprises 13.9% of Wellington's population, compared to the Rest of NSW figure. The 35-44 cohort makes up 10.0% of Wellington's population, which is lower than the Rest of NSW percentage. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group has grown from 9.1% to 10.0% of Wellington's population between the previous census and 2021. Demographic modeling suggests that Wellington's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 35-44 cohort is projected to grow by 19%, adding 82 residents, reaching a total of 510 in this age group. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 15-24 cohorts.