Dungog
An ageing, detached-house town of 1,983 residents, Dungog has a median age of 52, which is 12 years above the national figure. Separate houses account for 94.6% of dwellings, while 74.3% of workers drive to work, reflecting a low-density regional setting and strong reliance on local roads. Healthcare, education, construction and retail provide the main employment base. Compared with nearby Clarence Town and Gresford, Dungog functions as the more concentrated service centre, while its 81.2% residential-stability rate points to an established population. Growth is forecast at 0.92% annually and is driven primarily by internal migration.
Local council: Dungog
Population
1,983
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,045/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
26
Homebuyers are choosing an established market where detached houses dominate, with 94.6% of dwellings separate houses compared with only 0.5% apartments. That stock profile suits buyers seeking traditional family homes, especially as 49.9% of properties have 3 bedrooms and a further 24.9% have 4 or more. A $1,300 monthly mortgage figure compares with weekly rent of $300, while mortgage costs equal 28.7% of household income and are not flagged as stressed. Affordability was broadly stable, moving from 41.3 in 2011 to 42.3 in 2021, although buyers should allow for property-specific variation between town homes and larger rural holdings.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are choosing an established market where detached houses dominate, with 94.6% of dwellings separate houses compared with only 0.5% apartments. That stock profile suits buyers seeking traditional family homes, especially as 49.9% of properties have 3 bedrooms and a further 24.9% have 4 or more. A $1,300 monthly mortgage figure compares with weekly rent of $300, while mortgage costs equal 28.7% of household income and are not flagged as stressed. Affordability was broadly stable, moving from 41.3 in 2011 to 42.3 in 2021, although buyers should allow for property-specific variation between town homes and larger rural holdings.
For Investors
Dungog presents an owner-heavy rental market, with 24.3% of households renting compared with 45.4% owning outright and 28.0% paying a mortgage. The $300 weekly rent and 9.1% vacancy rate give tenants more choice than in a tightly supplied market, so investors need to budget for presentation, maintenance and leasing periods rather than assume automatic rental pressure. Rent growth has reached 50.0%, but that needs to be weighed against the established, ageing trajectory and modest 0.92% annual growth forecast. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, while 29 development applications in 12 months could gradually add or improve housing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
165
Last 12 Months
26
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-23.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dungog
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Dungog has an older and more locally settled population than the national average. The median age of 52 is 12 years above the national figure, university attainment is 19.2%, or 10.9 percentage points below national levels, and only 4.5% of residents were born overseas, 17.1 points below nationally. English ancestry is reported by 902 people, followed by Irish at 251, Scottish at 183 and German at 88. Christianity counts 1,165 residents and no religion 654. Average household size is 2.2, below the national comparison by 0.3, while 81.2% stayed at the same address over the reference period. Compared with nearby Clarence Town and Gresford, Dungog's profile is notably settled and older.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.6%
Houses
4.3%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Dungog's housing stock is substantially more detached than apartment-oriented markets: 94.6% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 0.5% apartments and 4.3% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom properties make up 49.9%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 24.9% and 2 bedrooms at 21.4%, giving families more choice than singles seeking compact units. Tenure is led by outright ownership at 45.4%, ahead of mortgages at 28.0% and renting at 24.3%. This owner base supports stability because many households have lower debt exposure, while mortgage-to-income costs of 28.7% remain below typical stress thresholds. Affordability was stable rather than sharply deteriorating, rising from 41.3 to 42.3 between 2011 and 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $300.
$550
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $550
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$582
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
86
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples with children
48.1%
Couples, no children
19.7%
Single parent
547
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Dungog's largest industry at 18.7%, employing 90 people, followed by education at 13.5% and 65, construction at 10.8% and 52, retail at 9.1% and 44, and other services at 8.1% and 39. The occupational mix is practical and service-led, with 152 trades workers, 119 labourers, 111 community and personal service workers, 92 professionals and 79 machinery operators and drivers. Unemployment is 4.0%, participation is 47.7%, and 51.8% of employed residents work full time. Household income sits at the 14.8th percentile, below the national middle. SEIFA results are mixed: IEO is decile 4, while IER is decile 8 and both IRSD and IRSAD are decile 5. The higher resource ranking than education and occupation ranking means economic capacity is stronger than the labour-market profile alone suggests.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
806
Unemployed
32
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.8%
Part-time
40.4%
Participation
47.7%
Employed
774
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.2%
Postgraduate
3.1%
Born Overseas
4.5%
Dwellings
853
Transport to Work
Dungog has two nearby government schools, covering primary and secondary education, which gives local families a basic pathway without relying immediately on a larger centre. Exact enrolment zones should still be checked against the address. Transport is strongly car dependent: 74.3% drive to work compared with 0.6% using public transport, while 4.4% walk or cycle and 14.2% work from home. Compared with public-transport-oriented centres, this makes access to services and employment more dependent on vehicle ownership. A volunteering rate of 20.7% supports local participation, while IRSAD sits at decile 5 and IER at decile 8, indicating middle-range overall advantage with stronger economic resources than education and occupation measures. Review current official incident information and visit prospective streets at different times when assessing safety.
Drive
74.3%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
14.2%
Growth Outlook
Dungog has an established growth outlook, with the annual trend forecast at 0.92% and internal migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 14.7% over 10 years, while the trajectory is classified as Aging. That direction is reinforced by a 4.3 percentage-point rise in the senior share and a 2.5-point fall in the working share, so future demand is more likely to be shaped by older households and lifestyle movers than by rapid youth-led expansion. Gentrification signals remain mixed: the current score is 21 at the Early signs stage, while shift indicators classify the stage as Active with a score of 48. Compared with a young-growth corridor, Dungog's expansion is slower and more demographic than development-led.
Population trend: Dungog council area
Dungog sits in the Dungog council area. These are the council area's residents, not Dungog's.
Residents 2025
10,102
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.3%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.9%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Dungog compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dungog a good suburb to live in?
Dungog suits buyers seeking a settled regional town, detached housing and local services. Its population is 1,983, the median age is 52, and 94.6% of homes are separate houses. Compared with denser centres, daily life is more car dependent, with 74.3% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Dungog?
Check recent settled sales for the current median house price before making an offer, because individual properties can vary widely. Dungog has 94.6% separate houses, 49.9% three-bedroom homes and a typical weekly rent of $300, making detached-house sales the most relevant comparison.
What schools are in Dungog?
Dungog has 2 government schools: Dungog Public School for primary students and Dungog High School for secondary students. Families should compare the exact address with current enrolment zones, as catchments can differ between nearby streets and school sectors.
Is Dungog safe?
Assess safety using current NSW Police information, council updates and an inspection at different times, since suburb-wide impressions can miss street-level variation. Dungog has 1,983 residents and a 20.7% volunteering rate, which supports local participation but should not replace address-specific checks.
Is Dungog good for property investment?
Dungog may suit investors seeking an established regional market, but the 9.1% vacancy rate gives renters more choice than a tightly supplied market. Weekly rent is $300, renting accounts for 24.3% of households, and 29 development applications in 12 months may gradually increase housing competition.
How is Dungog's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 0.92% annually and is driven by internal migration. The wider area recorded 14.7% population change over 10 years, but the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 4.3 percentage points and the working share down 2.5 points.
What development is happening in Dungog?
There were 29 development applications in the latest 12-month period, including subdivision, alterations and a proposal involving a semi-detached dwelling. Check current council notices for status, because application numbers do not necessarily mean every project will proceed.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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