Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated the population of Tamworth Regional Council was 61,121 at June 2015.

The estimates showed Tamworth’s population has grown by 6.02 per cent since 2010, with 3471 new residents.

For the Hazelwood family, from Taree, a move to the city “ticked all the boxes”.

Michael and Jenni Hazelwood, with children Isabella, 9, Bridie, 5, and Harry, 3, also moved to be closer to family in Moree.

“The opportunities here for ... improving my skills and my ability was too good to say no to,” Mr Hazelwood, a civil engineer who works for Tamworth Regional Council, said.

He said the educational opportunities in Tamworth were a big selling point, with his wife, Jenni,  now studying an early childhood diploma at TAFE.

“There were opportunities out farther west than Dubbo and down in the south, but it was the family thing and Tamworth ticked all the boxes,” he said.

“The town is big enough that you don’t have to go away to have higher education or a decent education, and there are working prospects for my wife and my kids when they get older”.

Mr Hazelwood said, six months into their Tamworth move, the family was feeling right at home.

“I feel like part of the furniture at work, and that rolls on to the rest of the town,” he said

“I feel like I found my people.”

Tamworth mayor Col Murray said fostering an economic environment that kept jobs in the region was crucial to growth.

“The whole issue of growth relates to jobs. Our research has found jobs are the first thing people try to secure when they move,” he said.

Comparing Tamworth to other major regional centres, Cr Murray said the area stacked up in terms of growth.

“Probably Bathurst and Orange have higher levels, but measuring against comparable cities, Tamworth stacks up against Wagga, Dubbo, Armidale and Lismore,” he said.

“I think the strategies are working.”