Boggabri
Mining accounts for 27.2% of local employment in Boggabri, making this small NSW town significantly more resource-dependent than the national average. With just 1,203 residents spread across 858 square kilometres, population density sits at 1.4 persons per km2, far below typical rural settlements. The median house price of $320,000 is well below the national median, and the 41.4% outright ownership rate signals a long-settled, debt-averse community. A 15.6% vacancy rate is unusually high for a town of this size, pointing to transient mining-sector workers who rent temporarily rather than commit to ownership.
Population
1,203
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,506/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$320K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $320,000, Boggabri's median house price sits well below state and national benchmarks, making entry costs low relative to income. The monthly mortgage repayment of $1,200 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold compared to many regional and metropolitan markets. Separate houses dominate at 95.6% of dwellings, so buyers get genuine land rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.2% of the stock and four-plus bedroom dwellings for 32.4%, giving families practical options. With 41.4% of properties owned outright and only 27.2% carrying a mortgage, established homeowners outnumber recent buyers, a pattern typical of towns where price appreciation has historically been modest.
For Buyers
At $320,000, Boggabri's median house price sits well below state and national benchmarks, making entry costs low relative to income. The monthly mortgage repayment of $1,200 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold compared to many regional and metropolitan markets. Separate houses dominate at 95.6% of dwellings, so buyers get genuine land rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.2% of the stock and four-plus bedroom dwellings for 32.4%, giving families practical options. With 41.4% of properties owned outright and only 27.2% carrying a mortgage, established homeowners outnumber recent buyers, a pattern typical of towns where price appreciation has historically been modest.
For Investors
Boggabri's 31.5% renter share is moderate, and weekly rent of $300 against a $320,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.9%, higher than coastal NSW markets. The 15.6% vacancy rate is a significant risk factor, reflecting the transient nature of mining-sector accommodation demand. Development activity reached 25 applications in the past 12 months, which is active for a 1,203-person town, mostly residential improvements rather than new supply. The price history shows a 24.2% rise from $300,000 in 2024 to $372,500 in 2025, though a one-year data window is too narrow to confirm a trend. Investment returns depend heavily on the mining sector continuing to employ workers locally, which adds cyclical exposure compared to diversified urban markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
89
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+68.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Boggabri iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart Primary School
K-6 · 21 students
Boggabri Public School
K-6 · 96 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, pointing to an older, established community with fewer young families than average. Overseas-born residents make up just 4.9%, which is 16.7 percentage points below the national rate, making Boggabri one of NSW's more Anglo-Celtic communities. Ancestry is led by English (459 residents), followed by Irish (117) and Scottish (102), consistent with long-settled pastoral and mining heritage. University qualifications reach only 10.8%, some 19.3 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce concentrated in trades, machinery and manual labour rather than professional services. Average household size of 2.3 is slightly below national, consistent with the older age profile and a relatively high share of couples without children at 32.5% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.6%
Houses
3.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Boggabri's housing stock is almost entirely freestanding: 95.6% are separate houses, with just 3.4% semi-detached and effectively no apartments. This detached dominance means buyers seeking affordable acreage or a traditional house-and-yard face less competition from apartment alternatives compared to metropolitan markets. The median house price rose from $300,000 in 2024 to $372,500 in 2025, a 24.2% move in one year, though the two-quarter data window limits confidence in this rate. Tenure is split with 41.4% owning outright, 27.2% on a mortgage, and 31.5% renting. Mortgage stress is low at 18.4% of income, and rent-to-income sits at 19.9%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The high outright ownership share reflects an older cohort who purchased when prices were lower.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,200
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$695
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.6%
Unoccupied
81
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.5%
Couples, no children
822
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining is the single largest industry at 27.2% of local employment, with 73 workers, well above mining's typical share nationally. Agriculture follows at 16.0% (43 workers), then Healthcare at 9.0% (24 workers), Construction at 8.6% and Education at 7.1%. By occupation, Machinery and Drivers lead with 136 workers, followed by Labourers (78) and Managers (72), a blue-collar profile shaped by the open-cut mining and farming economy. The unemployment rate of 5.6% is above average national figures and the participation rate of 48.7% is below national norms, partly because 330 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older age profile. Household weekly income of $1,506 places Boggabri in the 47.1st income percentile nationally, near the median despite the resource-sector wages.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
74.8%
Part-time
19.6%
Participation
48.7%
Employed
453
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.8%
Postgraduate
1.3%
Born Overseas
4.9%
Dwellings
436
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 82.7% of residents driving to work, above the national average, because the 858 km2 area offers limited public transport, with only 5.3% using it. Walking and cycling account for another 5.3%, mostly within the town centre. No schools are recorded in the suburb dataset for Boggabri, so families rely on services in nearby centres. Crime data is not available in this dataset, but the low-density rural setting and high 41.4% outright ownership rate are typically associated with lower crime exposure compared to dense urban areas. The volunteering rate of 22.7% is above average nationally, signalling strong community participation. Housing stress is low, with rent at 19.9% of income and mortgage at 18.4% of income, both well below the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
82.7%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Boggabri compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boggabri a good suburb to live in?
Boggabri suits those seeking affordable homeownership in a low-density rural setting. The median house price of $320,000 is well below NSW state norms, mortgage repayments average $1,200 per month with a stress ratio of 18.4%, and the volunteering rate of 22.7% reflects a connected community. Trade-offs include limited public transport with 82.7% car-dependent commuters and a high 15.6% vacancy rate.
What is the median house price in Boggabri?
The median house price is $320,000, substantially below the NSW state median. Prices rose from $300,000 in 2024 to $372,500 in 2025, a 24.2% increase over one year. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,200, producing a low mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.4%.
What schools are in Boggabri?
No schools are recorded within the Boggabri suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in nearby regional centres. The local university qualification rate of 10.8% is 19.3 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the blue-collar and trades-focused workforce rather than a lack of basic schooling infrastructure.
Is Boggabri safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Boggabri in this dataset. As contextual indicators, 41.4% of residents own their home outright, the population density is just 1.4 persons per km2, and 22.7% of residents volunteer, all figures associated with stable, low-conflict communities. The town's rural scale of 1,203 people limits the exposure to urban crime patterns.
Is Boggabri good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $300 against a $320,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.9%, higher than many coastal NSW markets. However, the 15.6% vacancy rate is a significant headwind, signalling oversupply relative to transient mining-sector demand. Prices rose 24.2% in one year to $372,500 in 2025, but investment returns are cyclically tied to the local mining sector's activity levels.
How is Boggabri's population changing?
Boggabri has 1,203 residents across 858 km2, with 78% staying at the same address over the recent survey period, suggesting population stability rather than strong growth. The 22% turnover rate partly reflects the transient mining workforce. The older median age of 43, which is 3.0 years above the national figure, suggests the long-term demographic trend leans toward aging-in-place rather than net population gain.
How much development is happening in Boggabri?
There were 25 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, which is active relative to the 1,203-person population. Recent applications include a swimming pool installation, balcony and deck additions, and a garage and carport project, indicating residential improvement activity rather than large new supply additions.
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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