Braidwood
With a median age of 50, Braidwood sits 10 years above the national figure, making it one of NSW's most distinctly aged-skewed communities outside retirement enclaves. The town spans 234.6 square kilometres at just 7.3 persons per km2, yet 48.5% of households own their home outright, well above the national average, indicating a resident base of long-settled, debt-free owners. The population grew 29.4% over the decade to 1,720, driven by balanced internal and overseas migration averaging 36 net residents a year. Vacancy sits at 16.7%, unusually high for a low-density rural setting, which signals a meaningful holiday-let or seasonal-occupancy segment within the housing stock.
Population
1,720
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,412/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$760K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price reached $760,000 as of 2025, down 8.8% from a peak of $800,000 in 2024, giving buyers some price relief after the post-pandemic run-up. The stock is heavily detached, with 88.8% separate houses and only 0.4% apartments, so most buyers are competing for freestanding homes on rural-residential lots. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 47.2% and four-plus bedrooms 27.7%, so the market leans larger than most urban areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.8%, below the 30% stress threshold and comfortable relative to household incomes at the 41st percentile nationally. Outright owners (48.5%) outnumber mortgage holders (27.6%) by nearly 2:1, confirming that most existing stock is held debt-free.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $760,000 as of 2025, down 8.8% from a peak of $800,000 in 2024, giving buyers some price relief after the post-pandemic run-up. The stock is heavily detached, with 88.8% separate houses and only 0.4% apartments, so most buyers are competing for freestanding homes on rural-residential lots. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 47.2% and four-plus bedrooms 27.7%, so the market leans larger than most urban areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,700, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.8%, below the 30% stress threshold and comfortable relative to household incomes at the 41st percentile nationally. Outright owners (48.5%) outnumber mortgage holders (27.6%) by nearly 2:1, confirming that most existing stock is held debt-free.
For Investors
A 23.9% renter share and $345 weekly rent indicate modest but consistent rental demand, though the gross yield on the $760,000 median is below 2.4%, thin for a regional town. The 16.7% vacancy rate is the key risk signal: at that level, periods without tenants are common and management margins narrow. Development activity is low at 15 applications in the past 12 months, mostly single dwellings and subdivisions rather than new supply waves, which limits oversupply pressure. Net migration averages 25 internal and 11 overseas arrivals a year, a steady if modest demand base. Rent grew 50.0% over the decade compared to real income growth of 19.7%, so rental affordability has tightened, which supports continued demand from households unable to purchase at $760,000.
Development Activity
Total DAs
190
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-48.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Braidwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Bede's Primary School
K-6 · 131 students
Braidwood Central School
K-12 · 306 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, the most striking characteristic of Braidwood's population profile. The senior share rose 6.3 points while the working-age share fell 2.5 points over the decade, an aging trajectory likely to continue given the low 3.8% unemployment rate and 50.8% labour participation rate among an older cohort. Overseas-born residents make up 13.6%, which is 8 percentage points below the national share, reflecting a predominantly locally-born population. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (751), Irish (297) and Scottish (240) backgrounds. University qualifications reach 33.1%, 3 percentage points above the national average, higher than the rural setting might suggest, consistent with the professional and managerial occupations cluster.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.8%
Houses
8.4%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 48.5%, nearly double the 27.6% carrying a mortgage, which is well above the national outright-ownership rate and signals an established, low-debt community. Renters account for 23.9% of households. The stock is 88.8% separate houses, one of the highest detached proportions in the region, with semi-detached at 8.4% and apartments at just 0.4%. Bedroom size leans large: 47.2% are three-bedroom and 27.7% are four-plus-bedroom, versus only 20.5% with two bedrooms. The price fell 8.8% from $800,000 in 2024 to $730,000 by 2025 (latest available), so the current $760,000 median sits between those marks. Rent-to-income at 24.4% keeps tenants below the 30% stress threshold, though affordability tightened as rents rose 50% over the decade.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wk
$345
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$776
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
16.7%
Unoccupied
140
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.2%
Couples, no children
1,193
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration leads local employment at 13.1% (68 workers), followed by Education at 11.5% (60) and Construction at 10.9% (57), with Healthcare at 10.2% (53) and Hospitality at 8.6% (45) rounding out the top five. This public-sector and services mix is typical of a rural service centre that functions as an administrative hub for the surrounding region. By occupation, Professionals (151) and Managers (138) head the list, a profile consistent with the 33.1% university qualification rate that sits above the national average. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, near full employment, and the full-time employment rate is 61.9%. Income sits at the 41st percentile nationally, below the median, reflecting the public-sector and regional wage structure rather than low employment quality. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 6 places Braidwood in the middle tier for relative disadvantage compared to all Australian suburbs.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
2,318
Unemployed
57
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.9%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
50.8%
Employed
704
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.1%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
13.6%
Dwellings
687
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 77.6% of residents drive to work, while only 0.8% use public transport, well below the national rate, reflecting the rural geography and limited bus links. Notably, 17.0% walk or cycle, unusually high for a 234 km2 area, consistent with a compact town centre where many services are within walking distance of the residential core. The SEIFA IRSAD decile of 6 places Braidwood in the middle band nationally, meaning no acute disadvantage but no strong advantage either. Volunteering is strong at 27.9%, above the national average and consistent with a close-knit established community. Housing stress is absent: mortgage-to-income at 27.8% and rent-to-income at 24.4% both sit below the 30% threshold. No schools are recorded inside the Braidwood suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools across the wider Braidwood township area.
Drive
77.6%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
17.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.62%/yr
(+73 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 29.4% over the decade, a rate well above the national average for an established rural town, reaching 1,720 in the suburb itself and approximately 4,494 across the broader SA2. The annual growth trend runs at 1.62%, adding around 73 residents a year. Medium forecasts project the SA2 reaching 5,008 by 2031, up from 4,494 in 2025. Migration is balanced: 25 net internal arrivals and 11 overseas per year, suggesting the town is attracting both sea-changers and modest overseas settlement rather than being driven by a single migration channel. The gentrification score registers a signal of population growth above 30% since 2011, though the formal stage reads not gentrifying, meaning the demographic gains have not yet translated into the income and education premiums that define gentrification. Affordability stability from 42.6% in 2011 to 43.4% in 2021 shows the town has absorbed growth without a dramatic price surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+11
Net Internal / yr
+25
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +30% since 2011
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Braidwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Braidwood a good suburb to live in?
Braidwood suits buyers wanting a low-debt, rural setting. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 27.8% and rent-to-income at 24.4%. The SEIFA IRSAD decile is 6, in the middle band nationally. The main trade-offs are high car dependency (77.6% drive) and a median age of 50, which reflects a predominantly retirement-age community.
What is the median house price in Braidwood?
The median house price is approximately $760,000. Prices peaked at $800,000 in 2024 before falling to $730,000 in 2025, an 8.8% decline. Weekly rent averages $345 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,700, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Braidwood?
No schools are recorded inside the Braidwood suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools across the broader Braidwood township area. The suburb has a 33.1% university qualification rate, 3 percentage points above the national figure, suggesting residents do access higher education despite the rural setting.
Is Braidwood safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Braidwood in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the SEIFA IRSD decile of 6 places the suburb in the middle tier for relative disadvantage nationally, and only 5.5% of residents (86 people) need daily assistance, suggesting a stable and generally low-stress community environment.
Is Braidwood good for property investment?
The investment picture is mixed. Rent of $345 a week against a $760,000 median implies a gross yield below 2.4%, low for a regional market. The 16.7% vacancy rate signals real risk of void periods. Rent grew 50% over the decade versus 19.7% real income growth, which supports demand. Annual population growth of 1.62% is steady but modest.
How is Braidwood's population changing?
The population grew 29.4% over the decade, well above the national average for an established rural town. Annual growth runs at 1.62%, adding around 73 residents a year. Medium forecasts project the broader area reaching 5,008 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.3 points and working-age share down 2.5 points since 2011.
What is the age profile of Braidwood?
Braidwood has a median age of 50, which is 10 years above the national figure. The senior share rose 6.3 points over the decade while the working-age share declined 2.5 points, confirming an accelerating aging trajectory. About 40.2% of families are couples without children, consistent with an empty-nester and retiree-dominated community of 1,720 residents.
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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