Bywong
Household income at the 98th percentile nationally sets Bywong apart from almost every other suburb in Australia, yet the population sits at just 1,342 people across 94 square kilometres. With a median age of 47 (seven years above the national figure) and 99.3% of dwellings being separate houses, Bywong functions as a low-density rural enclave within commuting range of Canberra. The suburb draws a highly educated workforce, with 45.8% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 15.7 percentage points above the national average.
Population
1,342
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,172/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$1.3M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,275,000 places Bywong well above most regional NSW markets, reflecting the low-density rural lifestyle paired with proximity to Canberra. Price data shows a move from $1,257,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, a 3.4% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,419, and mortgage-to-income sits at 17.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost exclusively separate houses at 99.3%, and 66.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, indicating larger family homes on acreage. Only 8.1% of residents rent, so buyers face a market dominated by owner-occupiers, meaning motivated sellers are rarely distressed.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,275,000 places Bywong well above most regional NSW markets, reflecting the low-density rural lifestyle paired with proximity to Canberra. Price data shows a move from $1,257,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, a 3.4% gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,419, and mortgage-to-income sits at 17.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost exclusively separate houses at 99.3%, and 66.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, indicating larger family homes on acreage. Only 8.1% of residents rent, so buyers face a market dominated by owner-occupiers, meaning motivated sellers are rarely distressed.
For Investors
The low rental base of 8.1% and weekly rent of $450 reflect a market that skews heavily toward owner-occupiers, with few tenants relative to national averages. A vacancy rate of 6.9% is elevated compared to tighter urban markets, suggesting limited rental demand. Development activity recorded 32 applications in the past 12 months, including subdivisions, suggesting some land release activity. The 3.4% price growth from 2024 to 2025 is modest compared to metropolitan benchmarks, and the thin rental pool means investors should weigh capital growth prospects against low yield potential before committing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
147
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-8.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 47 is seven years above the national figure, and the aging-resident profile is reinforced by 83.5% of residents having stayed in the area between census years, well above typical mobility rates. Overseas-born residents make up 14.8%, which is 6.8 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the Anglo-Celtic ancestry dominance: English (599), Scottish (200) and Irish (195) lead the counts. University qualifications reach 45.8%, which is 15.7 points above the national average, and the average household size of 2.8 is slightly above the national norm. The volunteer rate of 22.9% is high, consistent with a settled, community-oriented population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Almost all housing stock is separate houses at 99.3%, making this one of the most uniformly detached markets in NSW compared to mixed-tenure urban suburbs. Owner-occupiers dominate: 39.5% own outright and 52.5% are paying a mortgage, leaving only 8.1% renting. The shift in price from $1,257,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025 represents a 3.4% annual movement. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 66.4% of dwellings, reflecting the rural acreage character. Mortgage-to-income at 17.6% and rent-to-income at 14.2% are both below stress thresholds, indicating households carry their housing costs comfortably relative to high incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,419
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,328
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
34
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
14.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples, no children
1,155
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public administration leads employment at 31.2% (161 workers), reflecting the Canberra government workforce proximity. Professional and technical services follow at 14.5% (75 workers) and construction at 12.2% (63 workers), education at 9.9%, and healthcare at 8.1%. By occupation, professionals (202) and managers (187) together account for the majority, consistent with the income placing households in the 98th percentile nationally. Full-time employment runs at 70.2% and unemployment is low at 3.5%, below the national rate. The participation rate of 64.3% reflects some out-of-labour-force residents (322), which the older median age of 47 helps explain.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.2%
Part-time
26.3%
Participation
64.3%
Employed
694
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.8%
Postgraduate
16.5%
Born Overseas
14.8%
Dwellings
454
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 90.9% of residents commute by car and only 0.6% use public transport, lower than almost any comparable suburb. This reflects the 94 square kilometre spread and rural road network, making a private vehicle essential. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring towns. The need-for-assistance rate of 4.1% (53 residents) is low in absolute terms. Volunteering at 22.9% is above average, pointing to a cohesive resident base. The combination of high household income in the 98th percentile nationally and low housing stress (mortgage-to-income 17.6%) makes Bywong financially comfortable relative to most NSW locations.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Bywong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bywong a good suburb to live in?
Bywong suits buyers seeking rural acreage near Canberra. Household income sits in the 98th percentile nationally and mortgage-to-income is just 17.6%, well below stress levels. The trade-off is very limited public transport at 0.6% usage and no schools recorded within the suburb, requiring car access for most daily needs.
What is the median house price in Bywong?
The median house price is $1,275,000, reflecting the rural acreage character and Canberra commuter appeal. Prices rose from $1,257,000 in 2024 to $1,300,000 in 2025, a 3.4% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,419, and rent averages $450 per week.
What schools are in Bywong?
No schools are recorded within the Bywong suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby towns. Despite this, 45.8% of Bywong residents hold university qualifications, which is 15.7 percentage points above the national average, suggesting many families prioritise education and commute to access it.
Is Bywong safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Bywong at the suburb level in this dataset. As a proxy indicator, household income sits in the 98th percentile nationally and only 4.1% of residents (53 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area. The low population density of 14.2 people per square kilometre also tends to correlate with lower crime exposure.
Is Bywong good for property investment?
Investment signals are mixed. The 3.4% price growth from 2024 to 2025 is steady, and owner-occupier dominance at 92% limits the rental pool. The vacancy rate of 6.9% is elevated and weekly rent of $450 against a $1,275,000 median implies a gross yield below 2%, so the investment case depends on capital growth rather than rental income.
How is Bywong's population changing?
Bywong has a population of 1,342 spread across 94 square kilometres, with a density of 14.2 people per km2. The resident stability rate is high at 83.5% staying between census years, suggesting low turnover. Development activity of 32 applications in 12 months, including subdivisions, points to modest incremental growth rather than rapid expansion.
How much development is happening in Bywong?
There were 32 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including subdivisions and structural modifications to existing dwellings. Activity is incremental rather than high-density, consistent with a low-density rural suburb at 14.2 people per square kilometre. The 6.9% vacancy rate suggests current supply is adequate relative to demand.
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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