New South Wales · Suburb Profile

Hay NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Hay, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

The population of Hay NSW is 2,300 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Hay is $669 per week ($34,788 per year). Median rent in Hay is $175 per week ($758 per month). Hay has a median age of 47 years, older than the national median of 38. Hay has a population density of 1.2 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Hay is India. The most common religion is Catholic (29% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Other. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hay is $867.

There were 59 recorded offences in Hay in 2025-26, a rate of 26 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (16 offences).

Hay Map

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Hay Population

residents (Census 2021)

Hay Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$669/wk

$34,788 per year

#6006 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$175/wk

$758 per month

#7967 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

47years

9 years older than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$867/mo

Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.7 per bedroom

Hay Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.0% (1,132) Female 51.0% (1,177)

Population Density

1.2

people per km²

2,300 people · 1946.9 km²

Households

2.2

Avg household size

0.7

Persons per bedroom

$1,581

Family income/wk

Hay Age Distribution

0-4

5-9

10-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

30-34

35-39

40-44

45-49

50-54

55-59

60-64

65-69

70-74

75-79

80-84

85+

♂ Male ♀ Female

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Hay Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

63.6% 381 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

36.4% 218 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Hay Country of Birth

Australia

96.7%

India

1.6%

England

1.3%

Fiji

0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Hay Religion

Catholic

28.6%

No Religion

25.6%

Anglican

22.6%

Not stated

12.7%

Christinty Prsbytrin Refrmd

4.9%

Uniting Church

3.3%

Baptist

1.5%

Hinduism

0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Hay Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent

43.1%

Year 10 or equivalent

32.7%

Year 9 or equivalent

12.9%

Year 11 or equivalent

11.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Hay Languages Spoken at Home

Other

26.1%

Malayalam

21.7%

Afrikaans

17.4%

Greek

17.4%

Urdu

17.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

Hay Employment

💼

Employed full-time

36.3% 586 people

⏰

Employed part-time

20.5% 331 people

🔍

Unemployed

2.7% 44 people

🏠

Not in labour force

40.5% 655 people

Source: ABS Census 2021 G46 — Labour Force Status by SAL

Hay Qualifications

Certificate III/IV

56.9%

Advanced Diploma/Diploma

18.1%

Bachelor Degree

15.5%

Postgraduate Degree

3.8%

Certificate I/II

3.4%

Graduate Diploma/Certificate

2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G49 — Non-School Qualification by SAL

Hay Occupation

Technicians & Trade Workers

20.9%

Professionals

17.6%

Managers

16.6%

Community & Personal Service

13.2%

Clerical & Administrative

11.1%

Labourers

9.7%

Machinery Operators & Drivers

5.9%

Sales Workers

4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Industry of Employment by Occupation

Hay Field of Study

Engineering

19.8%

Management & Commerce

14.7%

Education

12.0%

Health

10.8%

Agriculture & Environment

10.4%

Food, Hospitality & Personal Services

10.2%

Architecture & Building

10.0%

Society & Culture

9.6%

Natural & Physical Sciences

1.4%

Information Technology

1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G51 — Field of Study by SAL

Hay Dwelling Types

Separate house

91.6%

Semi-detached (1 storey)

8.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G36 — Dwelling Structure by SAL

Hay Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk

2.8%

$1-$149/wk

1.5%

$150-$299/wk

2.5%

$300-$399/wk

3.6%

$400-$499/wk

11.2%

$500-$649/wk

7.0%

$650-$799/wk

8.5%

$800-$999/wk

8.9%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

6.7%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

8.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

6.3%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

4.9%

$2,000-$2,499/wk

12.5%

$2,500-$2,999/wk

5.5%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

3.7%

$3,500-$3,999/wk

1.2%

$4,000+/wk

4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G33 — Household Income by SAL

Hay Marital Status

💍

Married

44.8% 860

↔️

Separated

3.4% 66

📋

Divorced

8.0% 154

🕊️

Widowed

8.0% 153

👤

Never married

35.7% 685

Source: ABS Census 2021 G05 — Marital Status by SAL

Hay Ancestry

English

34.1%

Australian

33.8%

Irish

7.8%

Scottish

7.6%

Aboriginal Australianralian

6.7%

Other

2.9%

Italian

2.5%

German

2.2%

Indian

0.8%

Maori

0.7%

Filipino

0.4%

South African

0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Hay School & University Attendance

Primary — Government

36.3%

Secondary — Government

30.5%

Vocational Education

12.7%

Pre-school

12.4%

Primary — Catholic

5.2%

Secondary — Other Non-Govt

1.7%

Secondary — Catholic

1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G15 — Type of Educational Institution by SAL

Hay Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

7.9% 319

✅

No need for assistance

92.1% 3,740

Source: ABS Census 2021 G18 — Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Hay Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

24.4% 409

—

Not a volunteer

75.6% 1,264

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Hay Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo

3.4%

$300-$449/mo

8.7%

$450-$599/mo

6.3%

$600-$799/mo

21.7%

$800-$999/mo

16.9%

$1,000-$1,399/mo

22.2%

$1,400-$1,799/mo

13.0%

$1,800-$2,399/mo

3.9%

$2,400-$2,999/mo

1.4%

$3,000-$3,999/mo

2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G38 — Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Hay How People Get to Work

Car (driver)

72.1%

Walked only

10.3%

Did not go to work

7.1%

Car (passenger)

6.6%

Truck

1.5%

Bicycle

1.2%

Motorbike/Scooter

0.7%

Other

0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G62 — Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Hay Car Ownership

0 vehicles

6.7%

1 vehicle

37.6%

2 vehicles

35.6%

3 vehicles

12.0%

4+ vehicles

8.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G34 — Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Hay Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom

2.7%

2 bedrooms

17.4%

3 bedrooms

46.6%

4 bedrooms

26.1%

5 bedrooms

5.9%

6+ bedrooms

1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G41 — Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Hay Population Mobility

12.8%

moved in the last year

31.9%

moved in the last 5 years

4.4%

unemployment rate (Census)

53.9%

labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021 G43 — Summary by SAL

Hay Indigenous Population

9.6%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

392

Indigenous residents

3,678

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Hay Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health

216

Asthma

107

Arthritis

104

Heart disease

Diabetes

Lung condition

Cancer

Kidney disease

Stroke

Dementia

Source: ABS Census 2021 G19 — Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Hay Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk

10.6%

$1-$149/wk

3.8%

$150-$299/wk

6.8%

$300-$399/wk

5.1%

$400-$499/wk

6.0%

$500-$649/wk

4.9%

$650-$799/wk

11.7%

$800-$999/wk

12.6%

$1,000-$1,249/wk

12.2%

$1,250-$1,499/wk

6.9%

$1,500-$1,749/wk

7.1%

$1,750-$1,999/wk

4.8%

$2,000-$2,999/wk

4.3%

$3,000-$3,499/wk

1.7%

$3,500+/wk

1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G17 — Personal Income by SAL

Hay Family Structure

Couple — children under 15

33.7%

Couple — no children

33.5%

Couple — no children under 15

14.2%

One parent — children under 15

10.0%

One parent — no children under 15

8.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G29 — Family Composition by SAL

Hay Military Service

🏅

Previously served

2.7% 45

👤

Never served

97.3% 1,639

Source: ABS Census 2021 G22 — ADF Service by SAL

Hay Unpaid Carers

🤲

Provided unpaid assistance

15.7% 262

—

Did not provide

84.3% 1,408

Source: ABS Census 2021 G25 — Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Hay Children Ever Born

No children

23.6%

1 child

13.2%

2 children

29.0%

3 children

23.0%

4 children

10.5%

5+ children

0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G28 — Children Ever Born by SAL

Hay When Migrants Arrived

1951–1960

1961–1970

1971–1980

1981–1990

1991–2000

2001–2010

2011–2015

2016

2018

2019

2020

2021

Source: ABS Census 2021 G10 — Year of Arrival by SAL

Hay Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours

18.8%

5–14 hours

26.5%

15–29 hours

12.5%

30+ hours

10.9%

Did not do domestic work

31.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G24 — Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Hay Household Size

1 person

34.7%

2 persons

35.3%

3 persons

13.2%

4 persons

9.0%

5 persons

5.9%

6+ persons

1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G35 — Household Size by SAL

Hay Where Residents Moved From

Same address

1,728

Moved — same area (SA2)

128

Moved from NSW

Moved from VIC

Moved from overseas

Moved from WA

Moved from NT

Moved from QLD

Source: ABS Census 2021 G44 — Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Hay Family Blending

Intact family — no other children

77.0%

Step family — no other children

14.7%

Blended family — no other children

5.2%

Intact family — other children present

1.6%

Other couple — children only

1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G31 — Family Blending by SAL

Hay Crime Statistics

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 59 total

Other Against Property

Other Against Person

Theft

Assault

Property Damage

Sexual Offences

Drug Offences

Weapons

Offence trend by year:

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Hay Rent Prices & Affordability

15%

of income

Affordable

Household Income $1,152/wk

Median Rent $175/wk

Rent-to-Income 15.2%

Rent is under 25% of household income — generally considered affordable.

If you earn X in Hay

Your weekly income

≈ $4,992/month

Median rent $175/wk

Left after rent $977/wk

Rent share 15.2%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Coolah

Income: $595/wk Rent: $170/wk Save: $5/wk

Hamilton South

Income: $770/wk Rent: $162/wk Save: $13/wk

Lake Cargelligo

Income: $641/wk Rent: $170/wk Save: $5/wk

Berrigan

Income: $586/wk Rent: $173/wk Save: $2/wk

Grasmere

Income: $543/wk Rent: $116/wk Save: $59/wk

Hay vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

Ramsgate

Pop: 1,151 Income: $779/wk Rent: $550/wk

Coleambally

Pop: 1,152 Income: $841/wk Rent: $180/wk

Kendall

Pop: 1,153 Income: $642/wk Rent: $342/wk

Bowraville

Pop: 1,157 Income: $521/wk Rent: $260/wk

Lawrence (NSW)

Pop: 1,159 Income: $506/wk Rent: $330/wk

Peak Hill (NSW)

Pop: 1,162 Income: $503/wk Rent: $185/wk

Compare Hay (NSW)

Hay (NSW) vs Ramsgate →Hay (NSW) vs Coleambally →Hay (NSW) vs Kendall →Hay (NSW) vs Bowraville →

Frequently Asked Questions About Hay

What is the population of Hay NSW?

The population of Hay NSW is 2,300 according to the ABS Census 2021.The suburb has a population density of 1.2 people per km².Hay is ranked #2,827 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Hay?

The median personal income in Hay NSW is $669 per week, or $34,788 per year.The median household income is $1,152 per week.Family income is $1,581 per week.Hay is ranked #6,006 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Hay?

Median rent in Hay NSW is $175 per week ($758 per month).Rent represents 15.2% of household income, which is considered affordable.Hay ranks #7,967 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Hay?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Hay NSW is $867. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Hay?

The median age in Hay NSW is 47 years.This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Hay a good suburb to live in?

Hay is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 2,300.The median income is $669/wk, which is below the NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (15.2% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11881. All dollar figures in AUD.