NSW 2488 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Bogangar

A median house price of $1,267,500 in a suburb of 3,313 people with household income in just the 52nd percentile nationally tells the core story of Bogangar. The northern NSW coastal location commands premium prices that far outpace local earnings, meaning most buyers are not residents upgrading locally but owners relocating from higher-income areas. Vacancy sits at 11.9%, well above typical residential markets, signalling a significant holiday or seasonal component to the housing stock. The suburb is Anglo-leaning, with English (1,375), Irish (494) and Scottish (404) the top three ancestries, and only 14.1% of residents born overseas, compared to 21.6% nationally.

Bogangar urban fabric map

Population

3,313

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,595/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

59

Median House

$1.3M

2024-2025 (PSI derived)

6.74 km²· 491.5 people/km²· Family income $1,942/wk

At $1,267,500, the median house price is substantially above the national median, reflecting demand from lifestyle and coastal buyers rather than local wage earners. Prices rose 25.5% from $1,100,000 in 2024 to $1,380,000 in 2025, among the stronger one-year movements in the region. Separate houses account for 63.9% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 27.0% and apartments at just 8.8%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.5% and four-bedroom-plus homes at 27.0%, suggesting a family-size rather than investor-grade product. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,898, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, because the buyers entering this market typically carry substantial equity.

For Buyers

At $1,267,500, the median house price is substantially above the national median, reflecting demand from lifestyle and coastal buyers rather than local wage earners. Prices rose 25.5% from $1,100,000 in 2024 to $1,380,000 in 2025, among the stronger one-year movements in the region. Separate houses account for 63.9% of stock, with semi-detached dwellings at 27.0% and apartments at just 8.8%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.5% and four-bedroom-plus homes at 27.0%, suggesting a family-size rather than investor-grade product. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,898, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, because the buyers entering this market typically carry substantial equity.

For Investors

Bogangar presents a mixed investment picture. The renter share of 32.4% provides a reasonable tenant base, with weekly rent at $460, but the 11.9% vacancy rate is the standout concern, well above the typical 2-3% threshold used to judge rental market tightness. That high vacancy likely reflects holiday letting and properties sitting idle between owner-occupier visits rather than pure residential demand. Development activity in the past 12 months reached 52 applications, mostly residential alterations, indicating owner-occupiers are improving rather than trading out. Rent-to-income at 28.8% keeps tenants manageable, but the yield implied by $460 weekly rent against a $1,267,500 median is below 2%, making capital growth the primary investment driver.

Development Activity

Total DAs

308

Last 12 Months

59

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

+11.3%

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

Renovation / Extension
37
Swimming Pool / Spa
34
Demolition
8
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
7
Garage / Carport / Shed
6
Subdivision
5
Commercial / Industrial
4
New Dwelling
4

Schools in Bogangar iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Bogangar Public School

ICSEA 1040 Primary Government

K-6 · 325 students

Demographics

The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, consistent with a coastal lifestyle destination that attracts sea-changers and retirees rather than young families. University qualifications reach 27.9%, which is 2.2 points below national, a modest gap compared to the large spread seen in metro areas. Overseas-born residents account for 14.1%, which is 7.5 points below the national average, reinforcing the Anglo-leaning character: English (1,375), Irish (494) and Scottish (404) are the three largest ancestries. Average household size of 2.6 is just 0.1 above national. The couple-with-children household type (1,183 families) outnumbers couples without children (647), and 79.3% of residents stayed at the same address over the previous year, suggesting stable, settled occupancy despite the elevated vacancy rate in the overall stock.

Age Distribution

0-14
20.9%
15-24
9.9%
25-44
24.4%
45-64
29.4%
65+
15.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
4.8%
2 bed
16.8%
3 bed
51.5%
4+ bed
27.0%

Dwelling Structure

63.9%

Houses

27.0%

Townhouse

8.8%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 31.2% Mortgage 36.3% Rent 32.4%

Tenure splits into three roughly even shares: 31.2% own outright, 36.3% hold a mortgage and 32.4% rent. Outright ownership at 31.2% is notable in a market where most buyers are coastal lifestyle purchasers rather than lifelong residents, pointing to a cohort of paid-down sea-changers. Prices climbed 25.5% from $1,100,000 in 2024 to $1,380,000 in 2025, the full price-history period available. Separate houses dominate at 63.9% of dwellings, and 51.5% are three-bedroom homes, so the typical product is a family-sized detached house rather than an apartment. The 11.9% vacancy rate is the most unusual feature of Bogangar's housing market, indicating a large fraction of dwellings are not occupied as primary residences at any given time, consistent with the holiday-destination character of the Cabarita Beach area.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,898

Rent / wk

$460

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$761

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

11.9%

Unoccupied

161

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

28.8%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

27.5%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
1,375
Irish
494
Scottish
404
Other
271
Ancestry NS
246
German
163

Household Composition

25.1%

Couples, no children

2,577

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads local employment at 19.3% of workers (211 people), above the typical share in coastal towns because the Tweed-Byron catchment anchors several medical services. Education follows at 16.3% (178 workers) and Construction at 13.9% (152), the last reflecting ongoing coastal residential activity. Professionals are the largest occupational group at 341, followed by Community/Personal Service workers at 235 and Managers at 184. The unemployment rate of 4.5% sits near national levels, and the full-time employment rate of 53.5% indicates a part-time and casual employment mix common in regional hospitality and healthcare settings. Labour force participation at 58.9% is moderate, partly because 792 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age and retirement-adjacent population.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Full-time

53.5%

Part-time

42.0%

Participation

58.9%

Employed

1,476

Occupations

Professionals 341
Community/Personal 235
Managers 184
Labourers 168
Clerical/Admin 165
Sales 128
Machinery/Drivers 66

Top Industries

Healthcare 19.3%
Education 16.3%
Construction 13.9%
Hospitality 7.3%
Professional/Tech 7.0%

University

27.9%

Postgraduate

5.7%

Born Overseas

14.1%

Dwellings

1,186

Transport to Work

Car dependency is almost universal at 87.4% driving to work, well above the national average, a direct consequence of the coastal rural setting with limited public transport at just 0.3% of commuters. Walking and cycling at 8.0% is relatively high for a low-density suburb, which likely reflects local beach and recreational movement rather than work commutes. No schools are recorded within the Bogangar boundary, so families depend on schools in neighbouring Cabarita Beach and Kingscliff areas. The volunteering rate of 16.5% indicates strong community participation. Rent-to-income at 28.8% and mortgage-to-income at 27.5% are both below the 30% stress threshold, meaning housing costs remain manageable relative to incomes, even though absolute prices are high compared to national median levels.

Drive

87.4%

Public Transport

0.3%

Walk / Cycle

8.0%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Bogangar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 16%
Household Income
Top 48%
Rent Level
Top 8%
Apartments
Top 32%
Renters
Top 25%
Uni Educated
Top 39%
Public Transport
Bottom 1%
Born Overseas
Bottom 50%
Density
Top 19%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bogangar a good suburb to live in?

Bogangar appeals strongly to lifestyle and coastal buyers. The median house price of $1,267,500 is above average nationally, but mortgage-to-income is 27.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. The suburb has a stable population with 79.3% of residents staying in place year over year, no recorded crime data, and an 8.0% walk or cycle commute rate that reflects its relaxed coastal character.

What is the median house price in Bogangar?

The median house price is $1,267,500 as of 2024-2025. Prices rose 25.5% in one year, from $1,100,000 in 2024 to $1,380,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $460 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,898, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.5%.

What schools are in Bogangar?

No schools are recorded inside the Bogangar boundary in this dataset. The suburb's 3,313 residents, with a median age of 41 and 27.9% holding university qualifications, rely on schools in adjoining suburbs such as Kingscliff and Cabarita Beach within the Tweed local government area.

Is Bogangar safe?

Specific crime statistics are not available for Bogangar in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 27.5% and rent-to-income at 28.8%, both below the 30% threshold, and the volunteering rate of 16.5% suggests an engaged community. Only 4.6% of residents (143 people) require daily assistance.

Is Bogangar good for property investment?

Returns depend heavily on capital growth. Weekly rent of $460 against a $1,267,500 median implies a gross yield below 2%, and the 11.9% vacancy rate is well above the 2-3% threshold used to judge rental tightness, suggesting holiday stock dampens rental demand. Prices rose 25.5% in one year, so investors have typically relied on price appreciation rather than yield.

How is Bogangar's population changing?

Suburb-level population growth data is limited, but Bogangar has 3,313 residents with a turnover rate of 20.7%, meaning roughly 1 in 5 residents changed address in the measured period. The 11.9% vacancy rate indicates a significant share of dwellings are unoccupied as primary residences, consistent with seasonal and holiday demand patterns in the northern NSW coastal corridor.

How much development is happening in Bogangar?

There were 52 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations and additions to existing structures rather than new dwellings, which means the housing stock is growing slowly. This is typical for an established coastal suburb where owner-occupiers improve properties but land for new development is constrained.

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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