# List of places in New South Wales by population

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 | Population | Population | Population | Population | Region |
| Rank | Urban centre | 2001 census | 2006 census | 2011 census | 2016 census | 2021 census | Region |
| 1 | Sydney | 3,455,110 | 3,641,422 | 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 | 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 | 48,225 | 51,069 | Mid North Coast |
| 9 | Wagga Wagga | 44,272 | 46,735 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | N/A | 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 |