Alstonville
A median age of 51 sits 11 years above the national figure, the single most defining number for this Northern Rivers plateau town of 5,912 residents. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached at 76.1%, with apartments almost absent at 1.0%, because the 28.82 km2 footprint and low 205 people per km2 density leave room for separate houses rather than density. Household income lands in the 31.3rd percentile nationally, well below the middle, yet the median house price reached $875,000, a mismatch that pushes the mortgage-to-income ratio to 30.5% and flags repayment stress. University qualifications at 31.3% run only 1.2 points above national, modest given the high property prices.
Population
5,912
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,312/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
55
Median House
$875K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $875,000 median house price climbed from $825,000 in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025, a 9.1% one-year move that outpaces income growth and explains why affordability is tightening. The stock suits family buyers: 76.1% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings make up 42.5% and four-plus bedroom homes another 32.5%, while apartments sit at just 1.0%, so unit buyers have almost nothing to choose from. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,730, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5%, just above the 30% stress threshold because household income only reaches the 31.3rd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 48.1% far outnumber mortgage holders at 27.5%, a sign that much of the housing is held by established, debt-free older residents rather than recent entrants competing at current prices.
For Buyers
The $875,000 median house price climbed from $825,000 in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025, a 9.1% one-year move that outpaces income growth and explains why affordability is tightening. The stock suits family buyers: 76.1% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings make up 42.5% and four-plus bedroom homes another 32.5%, while apartments sit at just 1.0%, so unit buyers have almost nothing to choose from. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,730, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5%, just above the 30% stress threshold because household income only reaches the 31.3rd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 48.1% far outnumber mortgage holders at 27.5%, a sign that much of the housing is held by established, debt-free older residents rather than recent entrants competing at current prices.
For Investors
Renters make up 24.4% of households, a smaller tenant pool than the national norm, and weekly rent sits at $380 against the $875,000 median, implying a gross yield near 2.3%, low for a regional market. The 5.6% vacancy rate is moderate rather than tight, so landlords face limited pressure to lift rents quickly. Rent-to-income at 29.0% is below the stress line, meaning tenants can absorb only modest increases before affordability bites. Development activity is steady but small, with 51 applications lodged over 12 months, dominated by sheds, pools and dwelling alterations rather than new multi-unit supply, so stock growth stays slow. With apartments at only 1.0% of dwellings, the investment case rests on detached houses and capital growth, which ran 9.1% over the year, rather than yield or rental volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
282
Last 12 Months
55
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+3.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Alstonville iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 187 students
Rous Public School
K-6 · 85 students
Alstonville Public School
K-6 · 280 students
Alstonville High School
7-12 · 522 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, the standout demographic fact and the reason 35.8% of families are couples without children. Overseas-born residents reach just 12.2%, which is 9.4 points below national, marking an unusually Australian-born population. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,793), Irish (911) and Scottish (770), with German the only recorded non-English language at 11 speakers. University qualifications at 31.3% run 1.2 points above national, a slim edge. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, consistent with the older couples-without-children profile. Residential mobility is low at an 18.6% turnover rate, so 81.4% of residents stayed put, a stability typical of an aging owner-occupier base. Christianity (3,050) dominates religious affiliation, with Buddhism a distant second at 62.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.1%
Houses
22.8%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews heavily to outright ownership: 48.1% own outright, 27.5% carry a mortgage and 24.4% rent. Outright owners nearly doubling mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of new buyers, which fits the median age of 51. The stock is 76.1% separate houses and 22.8% semi-detached, leaving apartments at only 1.0%, so density is almost nonexistent. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 42.5% and four-plus bedroom homes 32.5%, confirming a family-house market. The median house price rose from $825,000 to $900,000 across 2024-2025, a 9.1% one-year gain. Mortgage-to-income at 30.5% edges past the stress threshold while rent-to-income at 29.0% stays just below it, a divergence that reflects how steep purchase prices are relative to incomes sitting in only the 31.3rd percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,730
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$671
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
145
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.8%
Couples, no children
4,470
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce concentrates in care and education: Healthcare leads at 27.4% (467 workers), Education follows at 15.2% (258), then Construction at 8.2%, Professional/Tech at 6.5% and Retail at 6.3%. By occupation, Professionals (537) and Community/Personal Service workers (361) top the list, with Managers (313) third, a mix that aligns with the healthcare-heavy employment base. Unemployment is low at 3.7%, yet the full-time employment rate of 53.9% is restrained because the aging profile leaves 2,198 residents not in the labour force, pulling participation down to 47.6%. That low participation is structural rather than a sign of weak demand, since the median age of 51 means a large retired share. Healthcare dominance gives the local economy more stability than a retail or tourism base would.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.9%
Part-time
42.4%
Participation
47.6%
Employed
2,279
Occupations
Top Industries
University
31.3%
Postgraduate
6.1%
Born Overseas
12.2%
Dwellings
2,458
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total: 89.0% of commuters drive, while public transport carries just 1.3% and only 3.7% walk or cycle, far below city levels, a reflection of the dispersed plateau layout at 205 people per km2. No schools are recorded inside the 28.82 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring centres, a practical trade-off for the low-density setting. Community engagement is a strength, with a volunteering rate of 20.8%, above what many suburbs report. The older profile shows in support needs: 9.6% of residents (542 people) require daily assistance, above average and consistent with a median age of 51. Detailed crime statistics are not available here, so safety cannot be quantified, but the stable 81.4% resident retention rate suggests a settled population.
Drive
89.0%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Alstonville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Alstonville a good suburb to live in?
Alstonville suits buyers wanting space, with 76.1% separate houses and a low density of 205 people per km2. It is quiet and stable, with an 81.4% resident retention rate and a 20.8% volunteering rate. Trade-offs include heavy car dependence at 89.0% of commutes and a median house price of $875,000 against incomes in the 31.3rd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Alstonville?
The median house price is $875,000. Prices rose 9.1% from $825,000 in 2024 to $900,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $380 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,730, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.5%, just above the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Alstonville?
No schools are recorded inside the 28.82 km2 Alstonville boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring centres. Education is the second-largest local industry, employing 15.2% of workers, so school-sector jobs are common even though no campus is listed here.
Is Alstonville safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Alstonville in this dataset, so safety cannot be quantified directly. As an indirect indicator, the suburb has a low 18.6% turnover rate and an 81.4% resident retention rate, both consistent with a settled, stable population rather than a transient one.
Is Alstonville good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $380 against the $875,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%, low for a regional market, and the 5.6% vacancy rate is only moderate. Capital growth was stronger, with prices up 9.1% over the year, so returns lean on price appreciation rather than rental yield or volume.
How is Alstonville's population changing?
The population stands at 5,912 with a median age of 51, which is 11 years above the national figure. The base is aging, with 35.8% of families couples without children, and turnover is low at 18.6%, so future growth depends more on inward migration than local births.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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