This article examines the relationship between scale and administrative intensity in New South Wales (NSW) local government using a six-year panel (2018–19 to 2023–24). The authors assessed whether larger councils achieve governance and administrative efficiencies by analysing per capita administrative expenditure, with scale proxied by population and full-time equivalent staff (FTEs). Using pooled OLS, random, and fixed-effects (FE) models, we find a U-shaped relationship: administrative intensity initially falls with scale but rises at higher levels. This result persists in FE models, suggesting robustness to time-invariant council characteristics. However, when disaggregated by council type (metropolitan, regional, rural), evidence of scale effects is limited and inconsistent. These findings imply that while scale may influence administrative costs, local context and institutional factors remain critical. The results contribute to current debates on council mergers, shared services, and strategies to improve efficiency in local government administration.