NSW · Hay Council
Hay, 2711
Current weather
14.7°COvercast
65% humidity · 25.4 km/h wind · 16.9° / 9.3° today · 4 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Hay is a quieter smaller community in Hay, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Far from the capital hubbub, it offers genuine distance, local character and room to live at a slower pace. Leafy streets and shaded corners make the suburb feel greener and more established than many nearby.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls.
Reasonable public transport access helps with commuting and getting around locally. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability against similar regional towns, even with parks and green space and growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 2,300
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,152
- Dwelling vacancy
- 16.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 183 of 1,086
- Median monthly mortgage
- $867
- Employment rate
- 51.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 66 / 76 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $275
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 255
- Against the person
- 65
- Against property
- 70
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 110.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 35 residents
- State safety percentile
- 78.2th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -4.2%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions27
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment54
- Malicious Damage To Property22
- Other Offences24
- Possession And/Or Use Of Cannabis26
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 3
- Median school ICSEA (3 schools)
- 934
- Hay Public SchoolPrimary
- Hay War Memorial High SchoolSecondary
- St Mary's Parish SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
10 public transport stops in this suburb
- Cemetery Rd Opp Bagot St
- Farlows Lane At Kangaroo Lane
- Hay Public School, Leonard St
- Pine St Opp Rays Lane
- St Marys Primary School, Moppett St
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
201 planning-related records
2026· 22 proposals
June 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Carport236 PINE STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home68 THELANGERIN ROAD HAY 2711Determined
May 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport496 CADELL STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Agriculture12221 COBB HIGHWAY HAY 2711Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure175 BIDGEE DRIVE HAY 2711Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure442 MOPPETT STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Subdivision185 PINE STREET HAY 2711Determined
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Temporary building, structure or use; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Fences326 MACAULEY STREET HAY 2711Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facility204-216 LACHLAN STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Subdivision394 RIVER STREET HAY 2711Under Assessment
- Subdivision528 BREWERY STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport226 PIPER STREET HAY 2711Additional Information Requested
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure264 LACHLAN STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport431 CADELL STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure238 BOURKE STREET HAY 2711Determined
- SubdivisionSIDONIA ROAD HAY 2711Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport520 BREWERY STREET HAY 2711Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Rural industry30 ASHCROFTS LANE HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah251 COKE STREET HAY 2711Determined
January 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Storage premises12422 COBB HIGHWAY HAY 2711Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure2 CURTIS COURT HAY 2711Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure465 CHURCH STREET HAY 2711Determined
2025· 18 proposals
December 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Telecommunications facilityLINDSAY STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Rural supplies155 MAUDE ROAD HAY 2711Determined
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure; Storage premises437 THELANGERIN ROAD HAY 2711Determined
November 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structureSidonia road Hay nsw 149/DP756755Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure445 CADELL STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Subdivision185 PINE STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Office Premise; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure33 DUNERA WAY HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Carport460 CHURCH STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Fences184 LINDSAY STREET HAY 2711Determined
October 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport237 LACHLAN STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house218 LACHLAN STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space221 EDWARD STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Retail Premise; Vehicle Sales or Hire Premises391 MURRAY STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Subdivision528 BREWERY STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure383 MOORE STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure332 MACAULEY STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space353 MACAULEY STREET HAY 2711Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Infrastructure464 CHURCH STREET HAY 2711Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
5 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Apex ParkPark
- Bushy Bend ReservePark
- Dal Wright ParkPark
- Hay ParkPark
- Lions ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 3
- Emergency department
- On site
- Hay Aboriginal Medical Serviceclinic
- Hay Multi-Purpose ServiceMurray Streethospital
- Japp's Pharmacypharmacy
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 2/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
3 state heritage places
- Hay Gaol355 Church Street HaySHR
- Hay Post Office120 Lachlan Street HaySHR
- Hay Railway Station and yard groupNarrandera-Hay railway HaySHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 58
- Parks (OSM)
- 5
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 36.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4169th in Australia
- State rank
- 1315th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #211 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #484 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 82%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime27
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime54
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime22
- Other Offencescrime24
- Possession And/Or Use Of Cannabiscrime26
- Cemetery Rd Opp Bagot Sttransport
- Farlows Lane At Kangaroo Lanetransport
- Hay Public School, Leonard Sttransport
- Pine St Opp Rays Lanetransport
- St Marys Primary School, Moppett Sttransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
More in Hay Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.