State Economic Profile • Capital: Sydney • 31.1% of Australian Population
New South Wales - Economic Statistics
New South Wales accounts for nearly one-third of Australia’s population and national output. Its economy is heavily weighted toward financial and insurance services, professional and technical services, construction, and education.
Headline New South Wales Indicators
2026 Q1 National series →
New South Wales Population
8.67M Persons
Sep 2026 National series →
New South Wales Unemployment Rate
4.7% %
2026 Q2 National series →
New South Wales State Final Demand Growth
3.5% % p.a.
2026 Q2 National series →
New South Wales Mean Dwelling Price
$1,304.9k A$'000
2026 Q2 National series →
New South Wales Wage Growth (WPI)
3.1% % p.a.
May 2026 National series →
New South Wales Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
$2,109 A$ / week
Aug 2026 National series →
New South Wales Dwelling Approvals
34,609 Dwellings / yr
Jun 2025 National series →
New South Wales Annual Retail Turnover
$68,994m A$ million / yr
New South Wales Historical Trajectories
New South Wales Population
PersonsNew South Wales Unemployment Rate
%New South Wales State Final Demand Growth
% p.a.New South Wales Mean Dwelling Price
A$'000New South Wales Wage Growth (WPI)
% p.a.New South Wales Average Weekly Earnings (AWOTE)
A$ / weekNew South Wales Annual Economic Data Table (1980–2026)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ERP_Q, LF, ANA_SFD, RES_DWELL_ST, WPI, AWE)
| Year | Population | Unemployment (%) | State Final Demand (%) | Mean Dwelling ($'000) | Wage Growth (%) | Weekly Earnings ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8,670,105 | 4.3% | 3.9% | $1,304.9 | 3.2% | $2,109 |
| 2025 | 8,635,200 | 4.1% | 2.1% | $1,328.6 | 3.3% | $2,068 |
| 2024 | 8,538,677 | 3.9% | 0.6% | $1,255.9 | 3.7% | $1,961 |
| 2023 | 8,437,334 | 3.3% | 2.4% | $1,207.9 | 3.8% | $1,862 |
| 2022 | 8,264,048 | 3.6% | 6.5% | $1,133.4 | 2.8% | $1,800 |
| 2021 | 8,117,057 | 5.1% | 6.0% | $1,208.9 | 2.0% | $1,763 |
| 2020 | 8,094,300 | 6.1% | -3.6% | $952.6 | 1.7% | $1,750 |
| 2019 | 8,088,361 | 4.5% | 1.0% | $883.7 | 2.2% | $1,672 |
| 2018 | 8,003,564 | 4.7% | 3.2% | $845.3 | 2.2% | $1,614 |
| 2017 | 7,900,946 | 4.9% | 2.8% | $906.7 | 2.0% | $1,566 |
| 2016 | 7,795,625 | 5.1% | 4.8% | $858.7 | 2.1% | $1,538 |
| 2015 | 7,671,401 | 5.8% | 2.8% | $781.8 | 2.1% | $1,520 |
| 2014 | 7,562,171 | 5.7% | 3.8% | $693.5 | 2.5% | $1,476 |
| 2013 | 7,454,938 | 5.6% | 0.8% | $620.6 | 2.6% | $1,414 |
| 2012 | 7,353,189 | 5.1% | 2.4% | $562.0 | 3.5% | $1,377 |
| 2011 | 7,258,722 | 5.2% | 1.8% | $535.3 | 3.8% | $1,322 |
| 2010 | 7,179,891 | 5.3% | 4.0% | - | 3.3% | $1,275 |
| 2009 | 7,101,504 | 6.1% | 1.5% | - | 3.5% | $1,227 |
| 2008 | 7,001,782 | 4.8% | 2.4% | - | 3.8% | $1,156 |
| 2007 | 6,883,852 | 4.8% | 4.7% | - | 3.9% | $1,128 |
| 2006 | 6,786,160 | 5.1% | 1.4% | - | 3.9% | $1,077 |
| 2005 | 6,718,023 | 5.1% | 2.7% | - | 4.0% | $1,057 |
| 2004 | 6,669,206 | 5.3% | 4.9% | - | 3.5% | $995 |
| 2003 | 6,634,509 | 5.7% | 4.7% | - | 3.9% | $968 |
| 2002 | 6,599,441 | 6.0% | 5.0% | - | 3.2% | $921 |
| 2001 | 6,558,484 | 6.0% | -1.1% | - | 3.7% | $884 |
| 2000 | 6,485,081 | 5.4% | 3.3% | - | 3.2% | $832 |
| 1999 | 6,409,971 | 6.2% | 6.0% | - | 3.3% | $796 |
| 1998 | 6,338,790 | 7.1% | 5.4% | - | 3.5% | $758 |
| 1997 | 6,274,966 | 7.7% | 4.3% | - | - | $730 |
| 1996 | 6,214,548 | 7.8% | 2.5% | - | - | $711 |
| 1995 | 6,143,971 | 7.9% | 3.5% | - | - | $683 |
| 1994 | 6,071,872 | 9.6% | 6.7% | - | - | $654 |
| 1993 | 6,020,171 | 10.7% | 0.6% | - | - | - |
| 1992 | 5,977,823 | 10.3% | 1.1% | - | - | - |
| 1991 | 5,928,072 | 8.9% | -0.3% | - | - | - |
| 1990 | 5,862,497 | 6.6% | 2.3% | - | - | - |
| 1989 | 5,803,079 | 6.3% | 5.6% | - | - | - |
| 1988 | 5,752,254 | 7.3% | 5.5% | - | - | - |
| 1987 | 5,666,219 | 8.6% | 1.8% | - | - | - |
| 1986 | 5,574,251 | 8.5% | 4.0% | - | - | - |
| 1985 | 5,496,467 | 8.7% | - | - | - | - |
| 1984 | 5,431,752 | 9.4% | - | - | - | - |
| 1983 | 5,374,915 | 10.7% | - | - | - | - |
| 1982 | 5,328,221 | 7.1% | - | - | - | - |
| 1981 | 5,266,894 | 5.2% | - | - | - | - |
| 1980 | 5,205,380 | 5.6% | - | - | - | - |