Cumbalum
Nearly 70% of Cumbalum's dwellings have four or more bedrooms, placing it firmly in family-home territory while household incomes rank at the 82.7th percentile nationally. The suburb spans 15 km2 north of Ballina with a population of 2,211 and a median house price of $987,500, well above the regional average for the Northern Rivers. Ownership rates are high: 32.9% own outright and 49% carry a mortgage, leaving just 18.1% renting, well below state norms. With 93.7% separate houses and almost no apartments, the built form is almost entirely detached, which concentrates both demand and price pressure in a single dwelling type.
Population
2,211
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,170/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
48
Median House
$988K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $987,500 reflects a 19.4% rise from $900,000 in 2024 to $1,075,000 in 2025, one of the stronger single-year moves in regional NSW. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, which is more comfortable than many Sydney suburbs with similar prices. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 93.7%, with 69.6% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, so buyers get large family homes rather than the downsizer units common in coastal towns. Two-bedroom homes account for only 2.8% of stock, meaning the market offers limited entry-level options. Outright owners at 32.9% signal a mature, established ownership base.
For Buyers
The median house price of $987,500 reflects a 19.4% rise from $900,000 in 2024 to $1,075,000 in 2025, one of the stronger single-year moves in regional NSW. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, which is more comfortable than many Sydney suburbs with similar prices. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 93.7%, with 69.6% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, so buyers get large family homes rather than the downsizer units common in coastal towns. Two-bedroom homes account for only 2.8% of stock, meaning the market offers limited entry-level options. Outright owners at 32.9% signal a mature, established ownership base.
For Investors
A rental vacancy rate of 3.5% is elevated compared to the national average, which may moderate rent growth despite weekly rents of $610. The rent-to-income ratio of 28.1% is approaching but still below the 30% stress threshold, keeping the tenant pool viable. Only 18.1% of residents rent, lower than state and national averages, so the pool of potential tenants is thin in absolute terms. Development activity is strong with 47 applications lodged in the past 12 months, including several dual occupancy approvals that point to increasing medium-density activity on larger lots. The 19.4% price gain over 2024-2025 suggests capital growth momentum, though one-year figures can be volatile in smaller markets with fewer than 100 annual transactions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
538
Last 12 Months
48
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-37.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age is 37, three years younger than the national figure of 40, consistent with the suburb's concentration of young families in large four-bedroom homes. University qualifications reach 33.4%, which is 3.3 percentage points above the national rate, indicating a relatively educated workforce despite the regional location. Overseas-born residents make up 14.9% of the population, 6.7 points below the national figure, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (916), Irish (266) and Scottish (224) are the top three groups. Average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above the national average, reflecting the couples-with-children profile, where 952 families have children compared to 467 couples without. Volunteering reaches 18.6% of residents, above average for communities of this size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
5.6%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Cumbalum's housing stock is strikingly uniform: 93.7% separate houses, just 5.6% semi-detached and 0.7% apartments, a profile more homogeneous than most NSW suburbs of comparable size. The bedroom distribution is equally lopsided, with 69.6% of homes having four or more bedrooms compared to national averages closer to 30%. Prices moved from $900,000 in 2024 to $1,075,000 in 2025, a 19.4% increase in one year. Tenure sits with 32.9% owned outright, 49.0% on a mortgage and 18.1% renting, a mortgage-dominant tenure pattern that reflects recent buyer activity more than an established wealth base. The median house price of $987,500 combined with weekly household income of $2,170 implies a price-to-income ratio above nine times annual household income, high even by coastal NSW standards.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$610
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$897
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.5%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.1%
Couples, no children
1,934
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 22.8% of the local workforce (182 workers), the single largest sector by a clear margin, followed by Education at 14.8% (118 workers) and Construction at 9.7% (77 workers). This pattern is typical of regional service centres near larger hospitals, with Ballina's health precinct drawing residents who work locally. By occupation, Professionals (231) and Managers (158) rank first and second, consistent with a household income percentile of 82.7 nationally. The full-time employment rate of 57.2% and participation rate of 63.8% are moderate, partly because the large family household structure allows one partner to work part-time: 455 residents are employed part-time versus 609 full-time. Unemployment is low at 2.0% against a national rate near 4%.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.2%
Part-time
40.8%
Participation
63.8%
Employed
1,064
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.4%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
14.9%
Dwellings
715
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 92.7% of residents drive to work and only 0.6% use public transport, lower than state averages and typical for a suburban area without rail access. The vacancy rate of 3.5% suggests some dwelling oversupply, which keeps rents more competitive than tighter coastal markets. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Ballina and surrounds, an important practical consideration given that 952 families have school-age children. The disability assistance rate of 3.5% (74 residents) is at or below national averages, and housing stress measures are contained: rent-to-income at 28.1% and mortgage-to-income at 23.1% are both below standard stress thresholds. The high owner-occupier share and family household composition create stable residential character compared to more transient coastal suburbs.
Drive
92.7%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cumbalum compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cumbalum a good suburb to live in?
Cumbalum suits families seeking large homes: 69.6% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 93.7% are separate houses. Household income sits at the 82.7th percentile nationally and mortgage-to-income at 23.1% is below the 30% stress threshold. The main trade-off is near-total car dependency, with only 0.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Cumbalum?
The median house price is $987,500, with prices rising 19.4% from $900,000 in 2024 to $1,075,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $610 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,167, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.1%.
What schools are in Cumbalum?
No schools are recorded within the Cumbalum suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the neighbouring Ballina area. Despite no local schools, 33.4% of residents hold university qualifications, 3.3 percentage points above the national rate.
Is Cumbalum safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Cumbalum in this dataset. As a proxy, only 3.5% of residents (74 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community. The suburb has a high owner-occupier rate of 82% and low unemployment of 2.0%, both associated with community stability.
Is Cumbalum good for property investment?
Prices rose 19.4% in one year from $900,000 to $1,075,000, signalling strong capital growth momentum. Weekly rent of $610 and a vacancy rate of 3.5% deliver moderate yields; the pool of renters is thin at just 18.1% of residents. Development activity of 47 applications in 12 months, including dual occupancy approvals, points to growing supply that investors should monitor.
How is Cumbalum's population changing?
The current population is 2,211, with a turnover rate of 30.9% suggesting 69.1% of residents have stayed over the past five years, indicating stability. Active development with 47 applications in 12 months points to gradual household growth. The median age of 37 is 3 years below the national figure, with younger families the dominant demographic.
How much development is happening in Cumbalum?
There were 47 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including several dual occupancy approvals on large detached lots. This is above average for a suburb of 2,211 residents and reflects rising land values as prices climbed 19.4% over 2024-2025.
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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