Coleambally
Agriculture drives nearly 40% of local jobs in Coleambally, a small Riverina town of 1,152 people where 92.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 46.1% of residents own their home outright. The median age of 43 sits 3 years above the national figure, reflecting a stable, long-settled population rather than a high-turnover one. At 84.4% residential retention over the prior five years, community continuity here is strong compared to more transient urban centres. Income tracks close to the national median at the 49.6th percentile, and mortgage stress is low, with repayments taking just 12.9% of household income.
Population
1,152
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,555/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$560K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $560,000 is accessible by regional NSW standards, backed by a mortgage-to-income ratio of 12.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Monthly repayments average $867, placing ownership firmly within reach for dual-income households. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 92.9%, with 4-plus bedroom homes making up 42% and 3-bedroom homes another 44.3%, so buyers get substantial space for the price. Outright ownership at 46.1% outnumbers mortgage holders at 26.5%, a pattern typical of long-established country towns where generational property holding keeps debt levels low. Price history shows movement from $490,000 in 2024 to $730,000 in 2025 at the peak, though the current median has settled at $560,000.
For Buyers
The median house price of $560,000 is accessible by regional NSW standards, backed by a mortgage-to-income ratio of 12.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Monthly repayments average $867, placing ownership firmly within reach for dual-income households. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 92.9%, with 4-plus bedroom homes making up 42% and 3-bedroom homes another 44.3%, so buyers get substantial space for the price. Outright ownership at 46.1% outnumbers mortgage holders at 26.5%, a pattern typical of long-established country towns where generational property holding keeps debt levels low. Price history shows movement from $490,000 in 2024 to $730,000 in 2025 at the peak, though the current median has settled at $560,000.
For Investors
Rental yields here are supported by a weekly rent of $180 and a median price of $560,000, giving a gross yield around 1.7%. The 10.5% vacancy rate is elevated, higher than most comparable regional towns, and signals genuine oversupply risk in the rental pool. The renter share is 27.5%, a workable tenant base in a town this size. Development activity registered 17 applications over the past 12 months, including at least 1 new dwelling, suggesting modest but real construction interest. Investor returns in a low-growth agricultural town depend more on rental income stability than capital gains, and the low unemployment rate of 2.1% supports tenant affordability. Agriculture employing 39.8% of workers means the local economy is exposed to seasonal and commodity price cycles.
Development Activity
Total DAs
87
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-30.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Coleambally iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Peter's Primary School
K-6 · 43 students
Coleambally Central School
K-12 · 143 students
Demographics
The population of 1,152 is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, with English (470), Irish (162) and Scottish (142) the leading ancestries. Overseas-born residents account for just 5.8%, which is 15.8 percentage points below the national figure, making this one of the more locally-rooted communities in regional NSW. The median age of 43 is 3 years above national, and couples without children make up 32.9% of families, consistent with an aging demographic where children have left and empty-nester households predominate. University qualifications reach 22.2%, some 7.9 points below the national average, while the full-time employment rate of 70.5% indicates strong workforce attachment among those who are working.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.9%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
4.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Coleambally has one of the most detached-house-dominant profiles in NSW, with 92.9% of dwellings being separate houses and apartments comprising only 4.8%. The 4-plus bedroom category leads at 42% of stock, followed by 3-bedroom at 44.3%, meaning most homes suit families or those wanting generous space. Tenure is weighted toward ownership: 46.1% own outright and 26.5% carry a mortgage, while 27.5% rent. The median house price is $560,000, and the current monthly mortgage repayment of $867 reflects how affordable entry remains relative to incomes at the national median. Rent at $180 per week is low compared to most regional centres, which keeps cost-of-living accessible but compresses investor yields.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$841
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.5%
Unoccupied
52
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
11.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.9%
Couples, no children
856
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture is the dominant employer at 39.8% of local workers (143 people), well above the national share for the sector. Education is second at 15.6% and Healthcare third at 9.7%, together providing the public-sector backbone typical of rural service towns. By occupation, Managers form the largest group at 229 workers, a reflection of farm owners and operators who classify as self-employed managers rather than labourers. Unemployment sits at 2.1%, low by national standards, and the full-time employment rate is 70.5%. The economy is structurally sound for a town this size but is concentrated: a sustained downturn in agriculture, irrigation water access, or commodity prices would flow directly into local incomes and property demand.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.5%
Part-time
27.4%
Participation
65.0%
Employed
599
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.2%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
5.8%
Dwellings
434
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 79.7% of residents driving to work, but 14.1% walking or cycling, an unusually high active transport share for a rural town, likely reflecting the compact, flat layout. Public transport usage is minimal at 1.2%, consistent with the absence of rail or frequent bus services in Riverina towns of this scale. The volunteering rate of 30.7% is high, suggesting active community participation that supports local services. Housing stress is minimal: mortgage repayments consume 12.9% of income and rent takes just 11.6%, both well below national stress thresholds. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, though Coleambally Central School serves the local area. Only 5.4% of residents need daily assistance, lower than many comparable aging communities.
Drive
79.7%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
14.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Coleambally compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coleambally a good suburb to live in?
Coleambally suits those seeking affordable, low-stress rural living. Housing costs consume just 12.9% of income in mortgage repayments and 11.6% for renters, well below national stress benchmarks. The 30.7% volunteering rate and 84.4% residential retention signal a cohesive, committed local population. The trade-off is limited public transport and urban services typical of Riverina towns with 1,152 residents.
What is the median house price in Coleambally?
The median house price is $560,000. Price history recorded $490,000 in 2024 and a peak of $730,000 in 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867 and weekly rent is $180, making both ownership and renting affordable relative to local incomes at the national 49.6th percentile.
What schools are in Coleambally?
No schools are recorded within the Coleambally suburb boundary in this dataset. Coleambally Central School is the local government school serving the town and surrounding rural area. University qualifications in the local workforce reach 22.2%, which is 7.9 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Coleambally safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Coleambally in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 5.4% of residents (58 people) need daily assistance, and the unemployment rate of 2.1% is low by national standards, both consistent with stable social conditions. The high 84.4% residential retention also points to a settled, low-churn community.
Is Coleambally good for property investment?
A weekly rent of $180 against a $560,000 median gives a gross yield around 1.7%. The 10.5% vacancy rate is elevated and signals oversupply risk. Agriculture employs 39.8% of workers, so the rental market is exposed to seasonal and commodity cycles. The low unemployment rate of 2.1% supports tenant stability, but capital growth is limited in a slow-moving rural market.
How is Coleambally's population changing?
Coleambally has a stable, low-turnover population of 1,152, with 84.4% of residents remaining in the area over the prior period. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, pointing to gradual aging rather than growth. The 10.5% vacancy rate suggests housing supply is ahead of current demand, which limits near-term population-driven price pressure.
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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