Boambee
A $1,400,000 median house price in a suburb of only 1,770 people tells you something important: Boambee selects for households that can sustain it. Household income sits in the 76.7th percentile nationally, and 48.9% of homes are owned outright, well above the national average. The median age of 47 is 7 years older than the national figure, and 94% of dwellings are separate houses on a 12.93 sq km footprint. Only 10.5% of residents rent, which is low compared to most NSW suburbs, and mortgage-to-income at 22% sits comfortably below stress thresholds. Development activity logged 26 applications in 12 months, including several secondary dwellings, signalling quiet expansion within the existing fabric.
Population
1,770
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,048/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
29
Median House
$1.4M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $1,400,000, up marginally from $1,397,500 in 2024, a 0.2% move in the most recent year. That price stability reflects a low-turnover market: 83.9% of residents stayed in the same address over the census period and only 10.5% rent. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94%, and 61.3% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, higher than most comparable regional NSW areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, which at a 22% mortgage-to-income ratio stays well below the 30% stress threshold despite the high headline price. Outright owners at 48.9% significantly outnumber mortgage holders at 40.7%, a profile more typical of an established semi-rural settlement than a commuter suburb.
For Buyers
The median house price is $1,400,000, up marginally from $1,397,500 in 2024, a 0.2% move in the most recent year. That price stability reflects a low-turnover market: 83.9% of residents stayed in the same address over the census period and only 10.5% rent. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94%, and 61.3% of those have 4 or more bedrooms, higher than most comparable regional NSW areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, which at a 22% mortgage-to-income ratio stays well below the 30% stress threshold despite the high headline price. Outright owners at 48.9% significantly outnumber mortgage holders at 40.7%, a profile more typical of an established semi-rural settlement than a commuter suburb.
For Investors
The rental case is thin. Weekly rent is $315 against a $1,400,000 median, implying a gross yield below 1.2%, well below national investment benchmarks. Only 10.5% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 3.3%, which is above a tight-market threshold. Overseas migration drives net annual population growth of roughly 84 persons into the broader SA2 area, while internal migration runs at a net loss of 6 per year. Development applications reached 26 in 12 months, with secondary dwelling and residential addition types dominant, suggesting incremental supply rather than new build-to-rent stock. The investment case relies more on long-term land value in a low-density coastal-adjacent pocket than on rental yield or near-term population surge.
Development Activity
Total DAs
149
Last 12 Months
29
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Boambee iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Boambee Public School
K-6 · 383 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, making this one of the older resident profiles in coastal NSW. The senior share rose 6 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.2 points, continuing an aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents account for 14.1%, which is 7.5 points below the national average, and the ancestry profile is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (769), Scottish (223) and Irish (220) are the top three. Average household size of 2.9 sits 0.4 above national, consistent with the high rate of 4-plus bedroom family homes. University qualifications reach 30.2%, in line with the national average at 0.1 points above. Volunteering is notable at 21% of residents, above typical suburban rates.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 94% of all dwellings, and 61.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, compared to far lower shares in most higher-density NSW markets. The median house price held at $1,400,000 in 2025 after $1,397,500 in 2024, a CAGR of 0.2% over the one available year of data. Tenure is weighted toward ownership: 48.9% own outright and 40.7% carry a mortgage, while renters at 10.5% are a small minority relative to state norms. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 22% and rent-to-income of 15.4% both sit well below standard stress thresholds of 30%, which reflects the above-average household income at the 76.7th percentile nationally. Vacancy at 3.3% is on the higher side for a low-renter suburb, suggesting some investor-held stock sits unoccupied.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$315
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$809
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.3%
Unoccupied
20
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.2%
Couples, no children
1,495
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 23.3% of the local workforce (143 workers), followed by Education at 17.1% (105) and Construction at 12.4% (76). Professional/Tech and Public Admin add another 13% combined. By occupation, Professionals (218) and Managers (125) lead, which aligns with a suburb-level SEIFA IEO decile of 4 and IRSD decile of 4, both in the lower-middle tier nationally. The unemployment rate of 3.8% is moderate and the full-time employment rate of 54.1% is reasonable, though the participation rate of 59.1% is restrained by 471 residents not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age. Real income grew 18.9% over the decade despite the aging profile.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
9,409
Unemployed
306
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.1%
Part-time
42.1%
Participation
59.1%
Employed
834
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.2%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
582
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 88.4% of residents driving to work, above the national average and reflecting the suburb's 12.93 sq km semi-rural layout with no recorded public transport usage in the brief. Walking and cycling account for 4.8%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on services in neighbouring Coffs Harbour suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 3 and IRSD decile of 4 indicate below-average advantage nationally, lower than the household income percentile of 76.7 would suggest, partly because wealth is concentrated in older owner-occupier households. Only 5.1% of residents (85 people) need daily assistance, which is low given the above-average median age of 47. Mortgage stress at 22% and rent stress at 15.4% both stay well below national thresholds.
Drive
88.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.37%/yr
(+77 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth runs at 0.37%, adding roughly 77 persons per year. The 10-year change was 5.9%, classifying Boambee as a slow-growth, established suburb. Medium forecasts for the broader SA2 project the area growing from 20,581 in 2025 to around 21,005 by 2031, driven entirely by overseas migration averaging 84 net arrivals annually. Internal migration is slightly negative at a net loss of 6 per year, typical of areas where residents age in place rather than attracting movers. The gentrification score of 45 sits in an Active stage at the broader level, though the suburb-level gentrification signals are minimal. Rent growth of 48% over the decade, combined with real income growth of 18.9%, points to housing cost pressures that have emerged gradually.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+84
Net Internal / yr
-6
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Boambee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boambee a good suburb to live in?
Boambee suits established households rather than first-time buyers. Mortgage stress sits at 22%, well below the 30% threshold, and 48.9% of homes are owned outright. The median age is 47, seven years above national, and 83.9% of residents stay put, reflecting a settled, low-turnover character. The IRSAD decile of 3 indicates below-average relative advantage nationally.
What is the median house price in Boambee?
The median house price is $1,400,000 as of 2025, up slightly from $1,397,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent is $315 for the small rental segment of 10.5% of dwellings.
What schools are in Boambee?
No schools are recorded within the Boambee suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Coffs Harbour area. The suburb has a 30.2% university qualification rate, in line with the national average, and 17.1% of the local workforce is employed in education.
Is Boambee safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Boambee in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the suburb has low housing stress (mortgage-to-income 22%, rent-to-income 15.4%), a high outright ownership rate of 48.9%, and only 5.1% of the 1,770 residents need daily assistance, all consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage residential area.
Is Boambee good for property investment?
The investment case is challenging on yield. Weekly rent of $315 against a $1,400,000 median implies a gross yield well below 1.5%, and only 10.5% of dwellings are rented. The vacancy rate is 3.3%. Annual population growth is 0.37%, and overseas migration adds around 84 net arrivals per year to the broader SA2, providing modest demand support.
How is Boambee's population changing?
Population growth is 0.37% annually, adding about 77 people per year. The 10-year change was 5.9%. The demographic trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6 points and the working-age share fell 2.2 points over the decade. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population reaching around 21,005 by 2031, up from 20,581 in 2025.
How much development is happening in Boambee?
There were 26 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Recent examples include secondary dwellings, residential additions and new structures. With a development count above 20 and a $1,400,000 median house price, activity reflects incremental densification of larger blocks rather than greenfield construction.
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.
Explore Boambee on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map