Denman
Mining drives nearly 24% of Denman's workforce, which is remarkable for a town of 1,821 people and places it far above any national average for industry concentration. SEIFA tells an equally striking story: all four indexes score decile 10, the top advantage tier nationally, yet household income sits at only the 42.2nd percentile. That gap exists because decile 10 on SEIFA in a rural setting measures relative advantage within similar areas, not absolute income. The median house price of $510,000 remains well below most NSW coastal markets, and the 37.8% outright ownership rate points to a settled, debt-light resident base.
Population
1,821
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,427/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$510K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $510,000 is affordable compared to NSW metropolitan medians, and the price-to-income profile supports that: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,650, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices rose from $490,000 in 2024 to $530,000 in 2025, an 8.2% gain. The stock is strongly detached-house dominant at 85.1%, well above the national average, with semi-detached at 9.9% and apartments at only 3.5%. Bedroom size skews large: 39.7% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 41.5% have three, so buyers seeking space will find more options here than in most comparable price brackets.
For Buyers
The median house price of $510,000 is affordable compared to NSW metropolitan medians, and the price-to-income profile supports that: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,650, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices rose from $490,000 in 2024 to $530,000 in 2025, an 8.2% gain. The stock is strongly detached-house dominant at 85.1%, well above the national average, with semi-detached at 9.9% and apartments at only 3.5%. Bedroom size skews large: 39.7% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 41.5% have three, so buyers seeking space will find more options here than in most comparable price brackets.
For Investors
The 25.3% renter share is moderate, and at $280 per week, rent is low in absolute terms. Against the $510,000 median that implies a gross yield near 2.9%, thin but not unusual for a regional NSW town. The vacancy rate of 11.5% is elevated, signalling the rental market has more supply than demand at present, which caps upward rent pressure. Development activity recorded 24 applications in the past 12 months, above the threshold for a suburb this size, including dwelling houses and subdivision work. The mining sector at 23.7% of local employment is a double-edged factor: it supports incomes but ties the economy to commodity cycles, which investors should weigh against the low mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%.
Development Activity
Total DAs
169
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+47.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Denman iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 42 students
Denman Public School
K-6 · 147 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, reflecting an older resident profile typical of established regional towns. Overseas-born residents make up just 6.6%, which is 15.0 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (799 residents), Irish (202), Scottish (176) and German (67) dominate. University qualifications reach only 12.7%, which is 17.4 points below the national figure, consistent with a manual-trades and machinery workforce rather than a professional one. Average household size of 2.4 is near national norms. The volunteering rate of 20.3% is notable for a town this size and suggests strong civic participation relative to the population of 1,821.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.1%
Houses
9.9%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits show 37.8% own outright, 36.9% carry a mortgage and 25.3% rent. Outright owners nearly matching mortgage holders points to a community with long-established residents who have paid down debt. Separate houses make up 85.1% of stock, far above national norms, with four-plus bedroom homes at 39.7% and three-bedroom at 41.5%, meaning large family-sized homes dominate. The median rose from $490,000 in 2024 to $530,000 in 2025, an 8.2% one-year gain. Rent-to-income at 19.6% is comfortable, keeping tenants below the 30% stress line. The high vacancy rate of 11.5% indicates current rental supply outpaces demand, which may moderate rent growth in the near term.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,650
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$721
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.5%
Unoccupied
93
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.5%
Couples, no children
1,395
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mining is the dominant employer at 23.7% of the workforce (123 workers), far exceeding any national sector share and anchoring the local economy to the Hunter Valley coal industry. Healthcare follows at 10.8% (56 workers) and Education at 10.6% (55 workers), providing a public-sector counterbalance. Agriculture at 7.3% and Construction at 6.6% round out the top five. By occupation, Machinery and Drivers lead at 171 workers, reflecting the mining base. Unemployment is low at 3.4% and the full-time employment rate is 66.5%. All four SEIFA deciles score 10, the top advantage tier, an unusual result for a regional town that sits at the 42.2nd percentile for household income, explained by the low-disadvantage rural context rather than high absolute wealth.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
3,171
Unemployed
66
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.5%
Part-time
30.1%
Participation
55.0%
Employed
789
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.7%
Postgraduate
2.6%
Born Overseas
6.6%
Dwellings
717
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 87.9% of commuters driving, and public transport use is minimal at 0.5%, typical of a regional town 240 km from Sydney with limited rail access. Walking and cycling account for 7.3%, workable given the low density. Crime data is not available for Denman in this dataset. The IRSAD decile of 10 places the suburb in the top advantage tier nationally for socioeconomic conditions. The rent-to-income ratio of 19.6% keeps housing costs manageable for renters, and mortgage-to-income at 26.7% is below the stress threshold. With 6.4% of residents (108 people) needing daily assistance and 20.3% volunteering, the community shows both support needs and strong local engagement relative to its 1,821-person scale.
Drive
87.9%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
7.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Denman compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Denman a good suburb to live in?
Denman scores decile 10 on all four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tier nationally for a regional setting. Mortgage-to-income sits at 26.7%, below the stress threshold, and 81.4% of residents stayed between Census periods, indicating a stable, settled community. The trade-off is limited public transport with 87.9% of commuters relying on cars.
What is the median house price in Denman?
The median house price is $510,000 as of 2024-2025, up from $490,000 in 2024 to $530,000 in 2025, an 8.2% gain. Weekly rent averages $280 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,650, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.7%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Denman?
No schools are recorded within the Denman suburb boundary in this dataset. University qualifications among residents reach 12.7%, which is 17.4 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the town's workforce profile in mining and trades rather than professional sectors.
Is Denman safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Denman in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, Denman scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest advantage tier nationally, and only 6.4% of its 1,821 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.
Is Denman good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $280 against a $510,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%. The vacancy rate of 11.5% is elevated, signalling excess rental supply that may cap rent growth. Prices rose 8.2% in one year. Mining at 23.7% of employment ties the investment case to commodity cycles, a risk factor to weigh alongside the low purchase entry point.
How is Denman's population changing?
Denman's population of 1,821 is stable and established, with 81.4% of residents remaining between Census periods and a turnover rate of 18.6%. The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national figure, pointing to a gradually aging profile. Development activity of 24 applications in 12 months suggests modest, measured growth rather than rapid expansion.
How much development is happening in Denman?
There were 24 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including dwelling houses, a swimming pool and a subdivision. This is above average for a town of 1,821 people and suggests measured residential activity, consistent with the 8.2% price growth recorded between 2024 and 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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