Bulahdelah
With a median age of 54, Bulahdelah sits 14 years above the national figure, making it one of the older communities along the NSW mid-north coast. Despite this, population grew 10.8% over the past decade, driven by internal migration averaging 64 arrivals per year. Household income sits in just the 11.5th percentile nationally, and both the IRSD and IRSAD deciles score 2, placing the suburb in the bottom fifth for relative advantage. Yet 53.7% of residents own their home outright, higher than most coastal towns, because many are retirees who paid off mortgages before relocating. The 11.2% vacancy rate reflects a seasonal holiday and lifestyle property component in a town of 1,538 people spread across 172 square kilometres.
Population
1,538
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$963/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$580K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $580,000 sits well below Sydney and most coastal NSW markets, making Bulahdelah one of the more affordable mid-north coast entry points. Prices peaked at $665,000 in 2024 before falling to $565,000 in 2025, a 15% decline that brings the market closer to pre-boom levels. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 95.8%, with apartments barely registering at 0.5%, so buyers face very limited dwelling-type choice. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.7% and four-plus bedrooms account for 26.8%, both suggesting family-sized lots rather than compact downsizer stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,236, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.6%, just below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 11.5th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price of $580,000 sits well below Sydney and most coastal NSW markets, making Bulahdelah one of the more affordable mid-north coast entry points. Prices peaked at $665,000 in 2024 before falling to $565,000 in 2025, a 15% decline that brings the market closer to pre-boom levels. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 95.8%, with apartments barely registering at 0.5%, so buyers face very limited dwelling-type choice. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.7% and four-plus bedrooms account for 26.8%, both suggesting family-sized lots rather than compact downsizer stock. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,236, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.6%, just below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes at the 11.5th percentile nationally.
For Investors
Renters make up only 20.9% of occupied dwellings and weekly rent averages $295, which against a $580,000 median produces a gross yield near 2.6%, low by regional standards. The 11.2% vacancy rate is high compared to most non-resort towns, reflecting a mix of holiday homes and empty retirement properties that compress effective rental demand. Development activity in the past 12 months reached 19 applications, a modest count for a suburb this size, with recent lodgements covering dwelling modifications, pool installations and subdivision. Internal migration of 64 net arrivals per year supports a stable demand floor, but the aging demographic trajectory and worsening affordability trend since 2011 suggest capital growth will be driven more by lifestyle demand than population expansion.
Development Activity
Total DAs
134
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+5.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bulahdelah iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 72 students
Bulahdelah Central School
K-12 · 289 students
Demographics
The median age of 54 is 14 years above the national figure, and the trend is accelerating: the senior share grew 6.4 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.1 points. Overseas-born residents account for 10.3%, which is 11.3 percentage points below the national average, making Bulahdelah significantly less internationally diverse than most NSW towns. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (679 residents) leads, followed by Irish (161) and Scottish (139). Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, consistent with the couples-without-children profile, where 40.5% of families are couples with no children. The 16.3% volunteering rate and 13.3% needing daily assistance reflect both civic engagement and the care demands that come with an older resident base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.8%
Houses
1.4%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is dominated by outright owners at 53.7%, nearly double the share carrying a mortgage at 25.5%, which reflects a retiree-heavy population that completed repayments before relocating. Renters at 20.9% are below average for a regional NSW town. Separate houses account for 95.8% of the stock, well above the state average, while apartments represent just 0.5%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 52.7% and four-plus bedrooms 26.8%, so the market leans toward larger footprints rather than downsizer units. The price moved from $665,000 in 2024 to $565,000 in 2025, a 15% one-year fall that puts the current median below the recent peak. Rent stress affects tenants, with rent-to-income at 30.6% exceeding the 30% threshold, though mortgage holders sit just below stress at 29.6%.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,236
Rent / wk
$295
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$514
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.2%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.5%
Couples, no children
1,105
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 18.6% of the workforce (56 workers), ahead of Education at 12.6% (38) and Hospitality at 10.6% (32), a mix typical of a service-oriented rural town with an aging population. Construction at 8.6% reflects ongoing residential activity, while Manufacturing at 7.3% adds a modest production base. By occupation, Labourers (91) outnumber Professionals (67), which aligns with the SEIFA IEO decile of 2, indicating education and occupation levels in the bottom fifth nationally. The unemployment rate of 8.4% is above average for regional NSW, and the participation rate of just 39.6% is well below state norms because 657 residents are outside the labour force, most of them retired. Real income grew 17.9% over the decade, but from a low base with household income at the 11.5th percentile nationally.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
2,594
Unemployed
93
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.9%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
39.6%
Employed
478
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.9%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
10.3%
Dwellings
623
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high at 83.6% of workers driving to work, above the national average, reflecting the rural setting and limited public transport options. Walking and cycling account for 11.7%, higher than expected for a low-density country town, likely because the small town centre is walkable on foot. The IRSAD decile of 2 places Bulahdelah in the bottom fifth nationally for socioeconomic advantage, while the IER decile of 5 sits at the national median for economic resources, suggesting the owned-housing stock provides asset wealth that partially offsets low incomes. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring localities. The 11.2% vacancy rate suggests some community services face demand that fluctuates with seasonal population.
Drive
83.6%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
11.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.0%/yr
(+55 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth of 1.0% per year adds about 55 residents annually, a modest but steady rate that outpaces many comparable rural towns. The 10-year change of 10.8% confirms the trend is genuine rather than a brief spike. Internal migration is the primary driver at a net 64 arrivals per year, reflecting a consistent lifestyle-seeker inflow, while overseas migration contributes a smaller 13 annually. Medium forecasts project the broader area population growing from 5,482 in 2025 to 5,761 by 2031. The gentrification score of 27 with an Early Signs classification indicates rising interest without the price pressure seen in more advanced stages. Rent grew 59.6% over the study period while real income grew only 17.9%, which explains the worsening affordability trend and rent stress now above 30%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+13
Net Internal / yr
+64
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +13% since 2011, Net internal migration +64/yr, Accelerating: -2% → 15%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bulahdelah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bulahdelah a good suburb to live in?
Bulahdelah suits retirees and lifestyle seekers more than young families. The median age is 54, which is 14 years above the national figure, and 53.7% of residents own their homes outright. The IRSAD decile of 2 places it in the bottom fifth nationally for socioeconomic advantage, but the low median house price of $580,000 and 10.8% population growth over the decade show ongoing demand.
What is the median house price in Bulahdelah?
The median house price is $580,000 based on 2025 data. Prices peaked at $665,000 in 2024 and fell 15% to $565,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,236, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.6%, just below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Bulahdelah?
No schools are recorded inside the Bulahdelah suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding localities. University qualifications in the suburb reach only 13.9%, which is 16.2 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the older and trade-oriented population.
Is Bulahdelah safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Bulahdelah in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, placing it in the bottom fifth nationally, which is often associated with higher crime risk than more advantaged areas. The 8.4% unemployment rate is above regional NSW norms.
Is Bulahdelah good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $295 against a $580,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.6%, modest compared to higher-yielding regional markets. The 11.2% vacancy rate is high, compressing effective rental returns. Population grew 10.8% over 10 years and internal migration adds 64 net residents per year, providing a stable demand floor, but the 15% price decline from 2024 to 2025 signals current softness.
How is Bulahdelah's population changing?
Population grows at about 1.0% per year, adding roughly 55 residents annually. The 10-year change was 10.8%, driven mainly by internal migration of 64 net arrivals per year. The profile is aging, with the senior share rising 6.4 points and the working-age share falling 2.1 points over the decade. Medium forecasts project the broader area reaching 5,761 residents by 2031.
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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