How many people live in New South Wales, and where are its markets?
The largest state is two markets in one: a city with one of the steepest income gradients in Australia, and a long coast and inland where people are older and earn less.
New South Wales had 8,592,524 residents at 30 June 2025, 65.6% of them in Greater Sydney. The population grew 6.8% from 2019 to 2025, on average 1.13% a year, fastest on Sydney’s outer edge. Residents spend about A$53,068 each a year, close to the national average, while council income indices range from about 67 to about 150.
What are the key figures for New South Wales?
| Indicator | New South Wales | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 30 June 2025 | 8,592,524 | 27,613,654 |
| Average yearly change, 2019–2025 | 1.13% | 1.50% |
| Residents added since 2019 | 545,776 | 2,278,828 |
| Area | 800,798 km² | 7,688,095 km² |
| Residents per km² | 10.7 | 3.6 |
| Share in Greater Sydney | 65.6% | — |
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.5 |
| Aged under 15 | 17.4% | 17.4% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18.0% | 17.5% |
| Income index | 101.0 | 100.0 |
| Consumption index | 100.9 | 100.0 |
| Spending per resident, a year | A$53,068 | A$52,582 |
| Resident spending, a year | A$456.0 billion | A$1,452.0 billion |
| Families (Census 2021) | 2,135,968 | 6,730,182 |
| Homes rented (Census 2021) | 35.8% | 33.6% |
| Flats and apartments (Census 2021) | 29.6% | 19.6% |
- Residents: ABS Estimated Resident Population at 30 June 2025, by council (2025 boundaries). Change: ABS Estimated Resident Population by council, 2019 to 2025; average yearly change as in the K-Stra area dashboard.
- Age: ABS population by five-year age group at 30 June 2025; median age worked out from the age groups. Capital: Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (ABS ASGS Edition 3), residents counted by K-Stra on the address points inside them.
- Indices: Income index from ABS Personal Income 2022–23 (tax data), measured or estimated; consumption index derived from it; 100 = Australia. Spending: Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25. Housing and families: ABS Census 2021 (families, rented homes, flats and apartments).
Where do people live in New South Wales?
Greater Sydney counts 5,638,736 residents, 65.6% of the state. Council by council, its income peaks on the lower North Shore and in the east — North Sydney at an income index of 149.7, Woollahra at 147.5 — while Canterbury-Bankstown, the second-largest council with 389,687 residents, sits at 85.6. By postcode the highest incomes are around the inner harbour, in Balmain, Erskineville and Rozelle, as the page on Sydney shows.
Outside Sydney the Hunter is the largest market: Newcastle and Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Valley together hold 728,669 residents, more than all of Tasmania. The Illawarra adds 330,646. Up the coast, the Mid North Coast has a median age of 50.9 and an income index of 75.3.
| Area (capital city, then SA4 regions) | Residents 2025 | Share | Median age | Income index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Sydney | 5,638,736 | 65.6% | 37.0 | 106.5 |
| Newcastle and Lake Macquarie | 411,991 | 4.8% | 39.5 | 101.0 |
| Illawarra | 330,646 | 3.8% | 39.4 | 98.8 |
| Hunter Valley exc Newcastle | 316,678 | 3.7% | 39.8 | 95.6 |
| Richmond – Tweed | 265,822 | 3.1% | 46.1 | 78.5 |
| Capital Region | 248,294 | 2.9% | 44.6 | 96.6 |
| Mid North Coast | 239,522 | 2.8% | 50.9 | 75.3 |
| Central West | 217,048 | 2.5% | 41.3 | 92.7 |
| New England and North West | 191,363 | 2.2% | 41.0 | 86.3 |
| Riverina | 166,492 | 1.9% | 39.2 | 93.0 |
| Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven | 165,286 | 1.9% | 48.5 | 83.3 |
| Coffs Harbour – Grafton | 152,330 | 1.8% | 46.3 | 77.9 |
| Murray | 129,959 | 1.5% | 43.6 | 87.1 |
| Far West and Orana | 118,357 | 1.4% | 39.5 | 91.5 |
Residents counted by K-Stra on the address points inside each area; median age from the five-year age groups, income index weighted by residents. The income index comes from ABS personal income tax data for 2022–23, measured for councils and SA2 areas and estimated elsewhere; 100 is the Australian average.
One city has a page of its own, with residents within 15, 30 and 45 minutes of the centre and incomes by postcode: Greater Sydney.
Which councils in New South Wales are growing fastest?
Camden, on Sydney’s south-western fringe, grew 39.9% from 2019 to 2025, on average 6.65% a year, the fastest of any New South Wales council with more than 20,000 residents; The Hills and Blacktown follow. These are suburbs of young families: Camden’s median age is 33.5.
At the other end, Woollahra and Mosman, two of the wealthiest councils in the country, lost residents over the same years. In Sydney income and growth point in different directions: the money is in established suburbs, the new households are on the edge.
| Council | Residents 2019 | Residents 2025 | Change a year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | 104,706 | 146,483 | 6.65% | Fastest |
| The Hills | 180,102 | 222,675 | 3.94% | Fastest |
| Blacktown | 380,186 | 449,385 | 3.03% | Fastest |
| Maitland | 85,313 | 100,439 | 2.96% | Fastest |
| Wollondilly | 52,826 | 62,080 | 2.92% | Fastest |
| Woollahra | 56,892 | 55,218 | −0.49% | Slowest |
| Lithgow | 21,216 | 20,693 | −0.41% | Slowest |
| Mosman | 30,020 | 29,374 | −0.36% | Slowest |
Councils with more than 20,000 residents in 2025. Average yearly change = (residents 2025 ÷ residents 2019 − 1) ÷ 6, on 2025 council boundaries.
How much do residents of New South Wales spend, and on what?
With a consumption index of 100.9, residents of New South Wales spend almost exactly the national figure per head: A$53,068 a year against A$52,582. What sets the state apart is size — A$456.0 billion a year, 31.4% of all resident spending in Australia.
| Category | Per resident, NSW | Per resident, Australia | Total, NSW (A$ million) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | A$5,050 | A$5,032 | 43,392 |
| Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics | A$1,517 | A$1,509 | 13,035 |
| Clothing and footwear | A$1,878 | A$1,869 | 16,137 |
| Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels | A$12,884 | A$12,788 | 110,706 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance | A$2,274 | A$2,243 | 19,539 |
| Health | A$3,863 | A$3,823 | 33,193 |
| Transport | A$5,611 | A$5,558 | 48,213 |
| Information and communication | A$965 | A$956 | 8,292 |
| Recreation, sport and culture | A$5,447 | A$5,380 | 46,803 |
| Education services | A$1,892 | A$1,862 | 16,257 |
| Restaurants and accommodation services | A$4,508 | A$4,447 | 38,735 |
| Insurance and financial services | A$4,186 | A$4,146 | 35,968 |
| Personal care, social protection and miscellaneous goods and services | A$2,993 | A$2,969 | 25,717 |
| All categories | A$53,068 | A$52,582 | 455,988 |
Spending per resident from the consumption index and ABS national accounts (5204.0) for 2024–25. Spending of residents, wherever it happens; visitors are not included.
How many businesses of each kind does New South Wales have?
Per 10,000 residents New South Wales sits near the national figure in most sectors. It has more real estate agencies (5.80 against 5.34) and fewer fuel stations (3.38 against 3.74), in the state with the largest share of flats and apartments: 29.6% of homes in 2021.
| Sector | Locations in NSW | Per 10,000 residents | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supermarkets | 2,516 | 2.93 | 2.92 |
| Pharmacies | 2,266 | 2.64 | 2.63 |
| Gyms & fitness centers | 5,959 | 6.94 | 7.06 |
| Bars & cafés | 10,593 | 12.33 | 12.00 |
| Restaurants | 10,797 | 12.57 | 12.17 |
| Hairdressers | 8,186 | 9.53 | 9.31 |
| Childcare & early learning | 4,693 | 5.46 | 5.24 |
| Aged care & retirement living | 2,179 | 2.54 | 2.50 |
| Fuel stations | 2,908 | 3.38 | 3.74 |
| Real estate agencies | 4,986 | 5.80 | 5.34 |
| Hotels & accommodation | 11,511 | 13.40 | 15.11 |
K-Stra places catalogue, October 2026, as the app classifies each business; residents at 30 June 2025. A higher count per resident can mean smaller outlets, visitors or a crowded market: the catchment of each site tells which.
What can you see about New South Wales without an account?
No account neededOn the map of Australia, a click on “New South Wales” opens this dashboard; zooming in, the same click works on every council, postcode and suburb in NSW. Browsing them costs nothing.
Figures for the whole of New South Wales are a starting point: credits start when you measure the catchment of one of its addresses — the residents within a drive, their spending and the competitors already there.
What does this mean for choosing a location in New South Wales?
In Sydney a state or city average hides more than it shows. North Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown, less than twenty kilometres apart, differ by 64.1 points of income index, so a site decision needs the catchment of the address, not the figures of the council.
Formats that follow young families — childcare, gyms, supermarkets — find the new demand in Camden, Blacktown, The Hills and Liverpool, where residents are added every year. Premium formats find the spending on the North Shore and in the east, with flat or falling numbers of residents and long-established competitors.
Beyond Sydney, the Hunter and the Illawarra are large enough for a network plan of their own. The north coast is older and earns less, and its demand leans towards health, aged care and services.
What else do people ask about New South Wales?
What is the population of New South Wales?
8,592,524 at 30 June 2025, according to the ABS estimate, which is 31.1% of all Australians. Greater Sydney accounts for 5,638,736 of them.
Which is the largest council in New South Wales?
Blacktown, with 449,385 residents in 2025, followed by Canterbury-Bankstown and the Central Coast. The City of Sydney, at 241,797, is far smaller, because most of the metropolitan area lies in other councils.
Where in New South Wales are people oldest?
On the south and mid-north coast: Eurobodalla has a median age of 55.0 and Mid-Coast 54.4, against 38.6 for the state. The youngest councils over 20,000 residents are Strathfield, Burwood and the City of Sydney.
Open New South Wales
on the map.
The app opens on the state: click a council for its free dashboard, or type an address and draw its catchment.
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