Boambee East
Detached houses make up 86.6% of dwellings here, well above what most coastal NSW suburbs carry, and that single fact shapes the whole market. Sitting just south of Coffs Harbour on postcode 2452, the suburb houses 5,304 residents at a median age of 42, two years above the national figure. Household incomes land in only the 40.8th percentile nationally, yet the median house price reached $745,000 in 2025, so affordability runs tighter than the headline price suggests. Healthcare alone employs 25.4% of the workforce, far above any other sector, reflecting the area's role as a residential base for the wider Coffs Harbour health and service economy.
Population
5,304
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,407/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Median House
$745K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $745,000 median climbed 4.5% from $717,500 in 2024, a steady rather than explosive move. Buyers are shopping for space: 53.3% of homes have three bedrooms and another 37.6% have four or more, while two-bedroom stock is just 8.5%. Separate houses dominate at 86.6%, with apartments at only 3.8%, so this is a family-house market with almost no entry-level unit option. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,619 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps ownership viable despite incomes sitting in the 40.8th percentile. Mortgage holders (38.2%) slightly outnumber outright owners (36.1%), pointing to a working-age buyer base still paying down loans rather than a settled retiree population.
For Buyers
The $745,000 median climbed 4.5% from $717,500 in 2024, a steady rather than explosive move. Buyers are shopping for space: 53.3% of homes have three bedrooms and another 37.6% have four or more, while two-bedroom stock is just 8.5%. Separate houses dominate at 86.6%, with apartments at only 3.8%, so this is a family-house market with almost no entry-level unit option. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,619 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps ownership viable despite incomes sitting in the 40.8th percentile. Mortgage holders (38.2%) slightly outnumber outright owners (36.1%), pointing to a working-age buyer base still paying down loans rather than a settled retiree population.
For Investors
Renters make up 25.7% of households, lower than the national share, and weekly rent of $410 against the $745,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, modest but stronger than premium Sydney markets. The vacancy rate of 4.3% is on the looser side, so tenant demand is steady rather than tight. Development is quiet at 23 applications in 12 months, mostly secondary dwellings, demolitions and alterations rather than new estates, which limits fresh rental supply and supports existing stock. Rent-to-income runs at 29.1%, just under the stress line, so further rent rises face an affordability ceiling given local incomes. The investment case here leans on the scarcity of detached family homes (86.6% of dwellings) and gradual 4.5% annual price growth rather than high yield or rapid turnover.
Development Activity
Total DAs
182
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+4.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 42 sits 2.0 years above national, and the family profile is house-and-children oriented: couples with children number 1,579 against 1,230 couples with no children. Average household size is 2.5, level with the national figure. The population is notably less migrant than most of Australia, with 11.1% born overseas, which is 10.5 points below national, and ancestry leans heavily Anglo: English (2,350), Irish (673) and Scottish (631) lead. University qualifications reach 23.0%, which is 7.1 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce weighted toward healthcare support, community services and trades rather than professional knowledge work. Residential stability is high, with an 82.1% stayed rate and turnover of only 17.9%, signalling settled households rather than a churning rental population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.6%
Houses
9.6%
Townhouse
3.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward active mortgages: 38.2% carry a loan, 36.1% own outright and 25.7% rent, a working-owner profile rather than a debt-free retiree one. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 86.6%, with semi-detached at 9.6% and apartments at just 3.8%, so density is low at 1,448 residents per square kilometre across 3.66 square kilometres. Three-bedroom homes lead at 53.3% and four-plus bedrooms at 37.6%, leaving little small-format supply. The median house price rose from $717,500 in 2024 to $750,000 in 2025, a 4.5% one-year gain. Mortgage-to-income at 26.6% stays below the 30% stress threshold and rent-to-income at 29.1% remains just under it, so housing costs are manageable for most despite incomes in the 40.8th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,619
Rent / wk
$410
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$706
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.3%
Unoccupied
92
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.3%
Couples, no children
4,341
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates employment at 25.4% of workers (402 jobs), more than the next two sectors combined, with Education at 13.7% (217) and Construction at 10.0% (158) following, then Retail at 8.3% and Public Administration at 7.0%. By occupation, Professionals (402) and Community and Personal Service workers (377) lead, a split that explains the moderate 23.0% university rate sitting 7.1 points below national: much local work is service and care delivery rather than degree-gated professional roles. Unemployment is 5.2% and the full-time employment rate is 59.1%, with participation at 55.9%, held down because 1,587 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age of 42. The economy functions as a residential and care-services satellite of Coffs Harbour rather than a standalone employment hub.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.1%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
55.9%
Employed
2,260
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.0%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
11.1%
Dwellings
2,035
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent suburb: 91.3% of commuters drive, while public transport carries just 0.2% and only 1.1% walk or cycle, well below national active-transport levels, a function of the low-density 1,448 residents per square kilometre layout. Volunteering runs at 15.5% and 7.5% of residents (382 people) need daily assistance, slightly elevated and consistent with the older median age of 42. Housing costs stay manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 26.6% and rent-to-income at 29.1%, both under the 30% stress line, so day-to-day affordability is better than the $745,000 median price alone implies. No schools are recorded inside the 3.66 square kilometre boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Coffs Harbour suburbs, a practical trade-off for the quiet residential setting.
Drive
91.3%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Boambee East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boambee East a good suburb to live in?
It suits families wanting space: 86.6% of dwellings are detached houses and 37.6% have four or more bedrooms. Housing costs are manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 26.6%, below the 30% stress line. The trade-offs are heavy car dependence, with 91.3% driving, and incomes in the 40.8th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Boambee East?
The median house price is $745,000, having risen 4.5% from $717,500 in 2024 to $750,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $410 and average monthly mortgage repayments run $1,619, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6%, below the stress threshold.
What schools are in Boambee East?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.66 square kilometre Boambee East boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Coffs Harbour suburbs. University qualifications among residents reach 23.0%, which is 7.1 points below the national figure.
Is Boambee East safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Boambee East in this dataset. As context, residential stability is high, with an 82.1% stayed rate and turnover of only 17.9%, and 7.5% of the 5,304 residents need daily assistance, a profile consistent with a settled, family-oriented area.
Is Boambee East good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $410 against the $745,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.9%, stronger than premium city markets. The 4.3% vacancy rate is moderate and renters make up 25.7% of households. Returns rest on the scarcity of detached homes (86.6% of stock) and steady 4.5% price growth rather than high yield.
How is Boambee East's population changing?
The population stands at 5,304 with a settled profile: turnover is low at 17.9% and 82.1% of residents stayed put. The median age of 42 sits 2.0 years above national, and with only 23 development applications in 12 months, growth is gradual rather than rapid.
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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