This is a list of cities and towns in the Australian state of New South Wales with a population of 5,000 or greater as at the 2021 Census. The below figures represent the populations of the contiguous built-up areas of each city or town.
| Rank | Urban centre | Population | Region [1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 census [2] | 2006 census [3] | 2011 census [4] | 2016 census [5] | 2021 census [6] | |||
| 1 | Sydney | 3,455,110 | 3,641,422 [Note 1] | 3,908,642 | 4,321,535 | 4,698,656 | Greater Sydney |
| 2 | Newcastle | 278,773 | 288,732 | 308,308 | 322,278 | 348,539 | Hunter |
| 3 | Central Coast | 254,579 | 282,726 | 297,713 | 307,742 | 325,255 | Central Coast |
| 4 | Wollongong | 227,522 | 234,482 | 245,942 | 261,896 | 280,153 | Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
| 5 | Maitland | 53,391 | 61,431 | 67,132 | 78,015 | 89,597 | Hunter |
| 6 | Tweed Heads | 44,655 | 51,788 [Note 2] | 55,553 | 59,776 | 63,721 | Northern Rivers |
| 7 | Albury | 42,005 | 43,787 | 45,627 | 47,974 | 53,677 | Riverina |
| 8 | Coffs Harbour | 25,828 | 26,353 | 45,580 [Note 3] | 48,225 | 51,069 | Mid North Coast |
| 9 | Wagga Wagga | 44,272 [Note 4] | 46,735 [Note 4] | 46,913 | 48,263 | 49,686 | Riverina |
| 10 | Port Macquarie | 37,696 | 39,219 | 41,491 | 44,814 | 47,793 | Mid North Coast |
| 11 | Orange | 31,923 | 31,544 | 34,992 | 37,182 | 40,127 | Central West |
| 12 | Dubbo | 30,860 | 30,574 | 32,327 | 34,339 | 38,783 | Orana |
| 13 | Queanbeyan | 29,752 | 34,084 | 35,878 | 36,348 | 37,511 | Southern Highlands |
| 14 | Bathurst | 26,920 | 28,992 | 31,294 | 33,587 | 36,230 | Central West |
| 15 | Tamworth | 32,440 | 33,475 | 36,131 | 33,885 [Note 5] | 35,415 | New England |
| 16 | Nowra - Bomaderry | 24,700 | 27,478 | 27,988 | 30,853 | 33,583 | Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
| 17 | Blue Mountains | 28,126 | N/A [Note 1] | 28,769 | 29,319 | 30,049 | Greater Sydney |
| 18 | Lismore | 27,193 | 27,069 | 27,474 | 27,569 | 27,916 | Northern Rivers |
| 19 | Goulburn | 20,846 | 20,127 | 21,484 | 22,419 | 23,963 | Southern Highlands |
| 20 | Bowral - Mittagong | 16,582 | 18,953 | 19,726 | 21,394 | 23,762 | Southern Highlands |
| 21 | Cessnock | 17,791 | 18,316 | 20,013 | 21,725 | 23,211 | Hunter |
| 22 | Morisset - Cooranbong | N/A | N/A [Note 6] | 16,918 | 18,741 | 22,150 | Hunter |
| 23 | Armidale | 20,068 | 19,485 | 19,818 | 20,386 | 21,312 | New England |
| 24 | Griffith | 15,937 | 16,182 | 17,616 | 18,874 | 20,799 | Riverina |
| 25 | Forster - Tuncurry | 17,939 | 18,372 | 18,904 | 19,918 | 20,554 | Mid North Coast |
| 26 | Kurri Kurri | 12,317 | 12,532 | 13,057 | 16,792 | 20,015 | Hunter |
| 27 | Ballina | 16,517 | 16,477 | 15,963 | 16,506 | 18,532 | Northern Rivers |
| 28 | Taree | 16,621 | 16,517 | 17,820 | 18,117 | 18,110 | Mid North Coast |
| 29 | Broken Hill | 19,753 | 18,854 | 18,430 | 17,589 | 17,456 | Orana |
| 30 | Grafton | 17,380 | 17,501 | 16,598 | 16,787 | 17,155 | Northern Rivers |
| 31 | Kiama | 12,241 | 12,286 | 12,817 | 13,453 | 14,761 | Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
| 32 | Nelson Bay | 7,968 | 8,152 | 11,060 | 13,966 | 14,593 | Hunter |
| 33 | Ulladulla | 9,585 | 10,298 | 12,137 | 13,054 | 14,396 | Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
| 34 | Singleton | 12,495 | 13,665 | 13,961 | 13,214 | 14,229 | Hunter |
| 35 | Raymond Terrace | 12,428 | 12,700 | 13,217 | 13,302 | 14,081 | Hunter |
| 36 | Batemans Bay | 10,181 | 10,845 | 11,334 | 11,294 | 12,263 | Southern Highlands |
| 37 | Mudgee | 8,603 | 8,249 | 9,830 | 10,966 | 11,563 | Central West |
| 38 | Lithgow | 11,023 | 11,298 | 11,143 | 11,530 | 11,197 | Central West |
| 39 | Kempsey | 8,444 | 8,137 | 10,374 | 10,648 | 11,073 | Mid North Coast |
| 40 | St Georges Basin - Sanctuary Point | 7,604 | 8,343 | 9,242 | 10,143 | 11,000 | Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
| 41 | Muswellbrook | 10,010 | 10,222 | 11,042 | 10,404 | 10,901 | Hunter |
| 42 | Byron Bay | 5,919 | 4,981 | 4,956 | 9,246 | 10,538 | Northern Rivers |
| 43 | Medowie | 6,278 | 7,828 | 8,342 | 8,994 | 10,019 | Hunter |
| 44 | Casino | 9,150 | 9,400 | 9,629 | 9,982 | 9,968 | Northern Rivers |
| 45 | Parkes | 9,785 | 9,826 | 10,026 | 9,964 | 9,832 | Central West |
| 46 | Murwillumbah | 7,543 | 7,952 | 8,523 | 9,245 | 9,812 | Northern Rivers |
| 47 | Inverell | 9,525 | 9,749 | 9,347 | 9,547 | 9,654 | New England |
| 48 | Moss Vale | 6,601 | 6,723 | 7,305 | 7,865 | 8,774 | Southern Highlands |
| 49 | Gunnedah | 7,855 | 7,542 | 7,888 | 7,984 | 8,338 | New England |
| 50 | Cowra | 8,691 | 8,430 | 8,107 | 8,225 | 8,254 | Central West |
| 51 | Merimbula | 4,865 | 3,851 | 6,873 | 7,521 | 8,220 | Southern Highlands |
| 52 | Camden Haven | 6,460 | 6,891 | 7,177 | 7,532 | 8,037 | Mid North Coast |
| 53 | Wauchope | 4,759 | 6,002 | 6,372 | 6,881 | 7,982 | Mid North Coast |
| 54 | Young | 6,821 | 7,141 | 6,960 | 7,170 | 7,712 | Southern Highlands |
| 55 | Lennox Head | 5,809 | 5,496 | 5,764 | 6,096 | 7,483 | Northern Rivers |
| 56 | Leeton | 6,898 | 6,828 | 6,733 | 6,931 | 7,437 | Riverina |
| 57 | Pottsville | 2,576 | 3,298 | 5,735 | 6,550 | 7,209 | Northern Rivers |
| 58 | Moree | 9,247 | 8,083 | 7,720 | 7,383 | 7,070 | New England |
| 59 | Forbes | 7,096 | 6,954 | 6,806 | 7,035 | 6,837 | Central West |
| 60 | Estella | N/A [Note 4] | N/A [Note 4] | 2,433 | 3,471 | 6,782 | Riverina |
| 61 | Nambucca Heads | 6,121 | 5,873 | 6,222 | 6,327 | 6,668 | Mid North Coast |
| 62 | Moama | 2,818 | 3,331 | 4,198 | 5,620 | 6,654 | Riverina |
| 63 | Tumut | 6,197 | 5,925 | 6,086 | 6,154 | 6,518 | Riverina |
| 64 | Cooma | 6,914 | 6,587 | 6,301 | 6,379 | 6,447 | Southern Highlands |
| 65 | Deniliquin | 7,781 | 7,431 | 6,441 | 6,833 | 6,431 | Riverina |
| 66 | Yamba | 5,621 | 5,514 | 6,032 | 6,043 | 6,342 | Northern Rivers |
| 67 | Helensburgh | 5,070 | 5,330 | 5,770 | 6,073 | 6,304 | Illawarra-Shoalhaven |
| 67 | Yass | 4,884 | 5,333 | 5,591 | 5,466 | 5,837 | Southern Highlands |
| 68 | Woolgoolga | 3,793 | 4,356 | 5,050 | 5,290 | 5,797 | Mid North Coast |
| 69 | Cootamundra | 5,486 | 5,566 | 5,579 | 5,669 | 5,732 | Riverina |
| 70 | Salamander Bay - Soldiers Point | 4,957 | 5,232 | 5,101 | 5,279 | 5,605 | Hunter |
| 71 | Narrabri | 6,234 | 6,102 | 5,890 | 5,903 | 5,499 | New England |
| 72 | Richmond North | 3,548 | 3,635 | 3,668 | 3,885 | 5,467 | Greater Sydney |
| 73 | South West Rocks | 4,110 | 4,069 | 4,816 | 5,009 | 5,443 | Mid North Coast |
| 74 | Silverdale - Warragamba | 4,163 | 4,466 | 4,365 | 4,541 | 5,364 | Greater Sydney |
| 74 | Glen Innes | 5,707 | 5,944 | 5,173 | 5,161 | 5,184 | New England |
| 75 | Alstonville | 4,751 | 5,006 | 4,990 | 5,066 | 5,182 | Northern Rivers |
| 76 | Tahmoor | 4,131 | 4,236 | 4,126 | 4,562 | 5,014 | Greater Sydney |
| 77 | Scone | 4,555 | 4,624 | 5,079 | 4,956 | 5,013 | Hunter |
Coffs Harbour, locally nicknamed Coffs, is a coastal city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, 540 km (340 mi) north of Sydney, and 390 km (240 mi) south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 as per 2021 census.
Tamworth is a city and administrative centre of the north-eastern region of New South Wales, Australia. Situated on the Peel River within the local government area of the Tamworth Regional Council, it is the largest and most populated city in the region, with a population of 43,874 in 2021, making it the third largest inland city in New South Wales. Tamworth is 318 km (198 mi) from the Queensland border and is located almost midway between Brisbane and Sydney.
The City of Lake Macquarie is a local government area in the Hunter Region in New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed a city from 7 September 1984. The city is situated adjacent to the city of Newcastle and is widely considered as a part of the Greater Newcastle area. The city is approximately 150 km (93 mi) north of Sydney. One of its major tourist attractions is its lake, also named Lake Macquarie.
Morisset is a commercial centre and suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie local government area in the Hunter region in New South Wales, Australia. Morisset is a part of the Greater Newcastle area, it is located west of the lake of Lake Macquarie just off the M1 Pacific Motorway. It is also located approximately halfway between Gosford and the Newcastle CBD. The count at the 2021 census was 4,078 for the gazetted suburb of Morisset. The estimated urban population of the Morisset area, including Cooranbong, was 27,828 as at the 2021 census.
Harden–Murrumburrah is a town and community in the Hilltops Region and is located in the South West Slopes of New South Wales in Australia. Harden is adjacent to both the Canberra region of the Australian Capital Territory and the Riverina Region in the southwest area of NSW. The town is a twin town between Harden and Murrumburrah.
Junee is a medium-sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in particular correctional services. In 2021 Junee's urban population was 4,882.
Lilyfield is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lilyfield is located 6 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Inner West Council.
The Mid North Coast is a country region in the north-east of the state of New South Wales, Australia. The region, situated 416km north of Sydney, covers the mid northern coast of the state, beginning from Port Stephens at Hawks Nest to as far north as Woolgoolga, near Coffs Harbour. The region has many beaches and subtropical national parks and forests as well as rural farmland and logging. Major coastal towns include Coffs Harbour, Forster and Port Macquarie. The Mid North Coast is a popular destination for camping or resorts and surfing, with coastal and hinterland tracks, with the unique heritage-listed mountain village of Bellbrook popular for day trips inland or 4wd campers and keen bass fishers.
Cooranbong is a town in a suburb of the City of Lake Macquarie, Greater Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia, west of the town of Morisset off the M1 Pacific Motorway. Cooranbong is surrounded by the Watagans National Park.
New South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the east coast of the continent. It is in the southern hemisphere between latitudes 28 and 38 degrees south of the equator and longitudes 141 and 154 degrees east of the Universal Prime Meridian. The state is in the warm temperate climatic zone.
Eungai is a town on the mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is made up of two localities, Eungai Creek and Eungai Rail, although both have the same postcode. The Eungai district is midway between Sydney (500 km) and Brisbane, midway between Port Macquarie (90 km) and Coffs Harbour, and midway between Kempsey (20 km) and Macksville. It is in the Nambucca Valley. It has a population of 605 in the 2021 census.
Nambucca Heads is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in the Nambucca Valley. It is located on a ridge, north of the estuary of the Nambucca River near the Pacific Highway. Its population at the 2021 census was 6,668, including 5,220 (78.3%) Australian–born persons; followed by 262 (3.9%) English people, 86 (1.3%) New Zealand people, 36 (0.5%) Scottish people, 33 (0.5%) German people, and 32 (0.5%) Filipino people. and 672 (10.1%) indigenous persons.
The City of Coffs Harbour is a local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. The area under administration is 1,175 square kilometres (454 sq mi), expanded in 2004 to take in parts of the former Pristine Waters local government area.
Woolgoolga is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Pacific Highway, approximately 550 km north of Sydney and 365 km south of Brisbane. The closest city to Woolgoolga is Coffs Harbour, which lies 24.8 km to the south. Woolgoolga has two beaches on the Pacific Ocean. The area has long been a centre of banana growing in New South Wales, but this industry has declined in the face of competition from Queensland. Recent times have seen many banana plantations replaced by blueberries after banana sales slumped in the late 1990s.
Red Rock is a small hamlet in the northern beaches of the Coffs Harbour coast beside the banks of the Corindi River on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is surrounded by National Parks. It is in the City of Coffs Harbour local government area. At the 2016 census, Red Rock had a population of 303 people.
In the state of New South Wales, Australia, there are many areas which are commonly known by regional names. Regions are areas that share similar characteristics. These characteristics may be natural such as the Murray River, the coastline, or the Snowy Mountains. Alternatively, the characteristics may be cultural, such as a viticulture land use. New South Wales is divided by numerous regional boundaries, based on different characteristics. In many cases boundaries defined by different agencies are coterminous.
The following is an outline and topical guide to New South Wales:
