Glen Innes
At 49, Glen Innes has a median age 9 years above the national figure, while its household income sits at the 8.9th percentile. The town covers 198.3 square kilometres but has only 31.4 residents per square kilometre, supporting a spacious, low-density housing pattern. Around 90.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 43.5% are owned outright, so the suburb is more settled than highly mobile. Compared with nearby Inverell, Glen Innes has a smaller, more ageing service-town profile, with 6,219 residents and a balanced migration outlook.
Population
6,219
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$904/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
55
Glen Innes suits buyers who value space, established streets and detached housing over apartment living or rapid capital-city style growth. Separate houses account for 90.4% of dwellings, while 48.9% have 3 bedrooms and 26.7% have 4 or more, giving families and downsizers a broad house-based choice. Weekly rent is $230 and the typical mortgage repayment measure is $1,068 per month, while mortgage costs equal 27.3% of household income. That moderate burden is below severe stress thresholds, but the 8.9th household-income percentile means buyers should budget carefully for maintenance, heating and travel. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Glen Innes offers more land and house stock.
For Buyers
Glen Innes suits buyers who value space, established streets and detached housing over apartment living or rapid capital-city style growth. Separate houses account for 90.4% of dwellings, while 48.9% have 3 bedrooms and 26.7% have 4 or more, giving families and downsizers a broad house-based choice. Weekly rent is $230 and the typical mortgage repayment measure is $1,068 per month, while mortgage costs equal 27.3% of household income. That moderate burden is below severe stress thresholds, but the 8.9th household-income percentile means buyers should budget carefully for maintenance, heating and travel. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Glen Innes offers more land and house stock.
For Investors
Glen Innes has a sizeable rental market, with 30.2% of households renting, weekly rent of $230 and a 9.6% vacancy rate. The vacancy figure is higher than a tightly supplied market, which can limit short-term rental competition and make tenant selection important. Rent growth of 37.5% over the measured period supports the case for reviewing income performance, while the 55 development applications in 12 months indicate ongoing small-scale construction and alterations. Growth is forecast at only 0.1% annually and migration is described as Balanced, so the investment case relies more on affordability, local services and rental demand than rapid price appreciation. Compared with faster-growing regional centres, a conservative holding strategy is more appropriate.
Development Activity
Total DAs
366
Last 12 Months
55
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-26.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Glen Innes
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Glen Innes has an older and more settled population profile, with a median age of 49, 9 years above the national comparison, and 79.1% of residents staying at the same address over the measured period. Only 8.0% of residents were born overseas, 13.6 percentage points below the national comparison, while university attendance or attainment is 17.3%, 12.8 points below the national figure. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 2,655, 735 and 733 respectively. Christianity accounts for 3,463 people and no religion for 1,865. Average household size is 2.1, below the national comparison by 0.4, which helps explain demand for 2 and 3-bedroom homes. Compared with nearby Inverell, Glen Innes presents as a more ageing, lower-turnover regional community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.4%
Houses
6.0%
Townhouse
2.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Glen Innes is strongly detached and owner-oriented. Separate houses make up 90.4% of dwellings, compared with 2.7% apartments and 6.0% semi-detached homes. Outright ownership is 43.5%, higher than the 24.8% share with a mortgage, while renting accounts for 30.2%. The dominant bedroom types are 3-bedroom homes at 48.9% and 4 or more bedrooms at 26.7%, so the stock is better suited to families, long-term owners and downsizers seeking yards than to compact apartment renters. Rent uses 25.4% of household income and mortgage costs use 27.3%, both below commonly used stress levels. With household income at the 8.9th percentile nationally, affordability depends on the lower-cost housing base and manageable debt rather than high earnings.
Mortgage / mo
$1,068
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $230.
$360
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $410
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$515
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.6%
Unoccupied
275
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.8%
Couples with children
48.0%
Couples, no children
21.3%
Single parent
1,578
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Glen Innes's largest listed industry at 20.8%, followed by public administration at 13.0%, education at 11.9%, retail at 8.3% and construction at 6.8%. This service mix reflects a regional hub role because health, government and education support local employment beyond household spending. Community and personal workers number 332, labourers 324, professionals 307, trades workers 293 and clerical or administration workers 274. The labour force is 2,395, with unemployment at 7.2%, participation at 45.9% and full-time employment at 54.4%. A household-income percentile of 8.9 and SEIFA deciles of 2 for education and occupation, 2 for disadvantage, and 1 for advantage are lower than national benchmarks. The low participation rate also reflects 2,287 people outside the labour force, consistent with an ageing population.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
2,395
Unemployed
172
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.4%
Part-time
38.3%
Participation
45.9%
Employed
2,223
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.3%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
8.0%
Dwellings
2,577
Transport to Work
Daily life in Glen Innes is car dependent, with 74.5% of residents driving a car to work, compared with 7.6% who walk or cycle and 10.2% who work from home. That pattern suits a spread-out town covering 198.3 square kilometres, but households should allow for fuel, vehicle maintenance and longer trips. Four nearby schools cover government secondary, primary and infants provision, including a rural primary option, giving families access to the main school stages without an extensive private-school mix. Volunteering is 20.0%, supporting community participation, while 9.6% of residents need assistance with core activities. The IRSAD score sits in decile 1 and education and occupation scores sit in decile 2, lower than national conditions, so access to services, healthcare and transport matters. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because they can cross local boundaries.
Drive
74.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.6%
Work from Home
10.2%
Population Forecast
+0.1%/yr
(+9 people/yr)
EstablishedGlen Innes is on an ageing, slow-growth trajectory rather than a rapid expansion path. The forecast annual trend is 0.1%, while population change across the wider area is 3.2% over 10 years. Migration is classified as Balanced, suggesting no single strong inflow source is driving the outlook. The age shift is clearer: the senior share rose 6.3 percentage points, while the young and working shares each fell 2.9 points. Rent growth of 37.5% has occurred alongside affordability moving from 40.5% in 2011 to 41.7% in 2021. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so growth is below that of high-demand regional markets and is more likely to come from steady service-town demand than redevelopment-led change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+17
Net Internal / yr
+41
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glen Innes compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glen Innes a good suburb to live in?
Glen Innes can suit residents seeking detached housing, a quieter pace and regional services. It has 6,219 residents, a median age of 49 and 90.4% separate houses. Car use is high at 74.5%, so it is a better fit for households comfortable with driving than for people seeking dense, transit-oriented living.
What is the median house price in Glen Innes?
A current median house price should be confirmed through recent Glen Innes sales rather than inferred from rent. Useful housing context includes weekly rent of $230, 90.4% separate houses and 43.5% outright ownership. Buyers should also compare individual properties by land size, condition, heating costs and distance from services.
What schools are in Glen Innes?
Glen Innes has 4 nearby schools across government primary, infants and secondary education, including Glen Innes High School, Glen Innes Public School, Glen Innes West Infants School and Wytaliba Public School. Families should check the exact enrolment zone and travel route because the town covers 198.3 square kilometres.
Is Glen Innes safe?
Safety can vary by street, property type and time of day, so buyers and renters should inspect the immediate area and check current local advice. Glen Innes has 6,219 residents spread across 198.3 square kilometres, making the town geographically broad. Practical factors such as lighting, parking, walking routes and proximity to services are worth reviewing.
Is Glen Innes good for property investment?
Glen Innes may suit investors seeking an affordable regional rental strategy rather than rapid growth. Renting accounts for 30.2% of households, weekly rent is $230 and vacancy is 9.6%. There were 55 development applications in 12 months, but annual growth is forecast at only 0.1%, so cash flow, property condition and tenant demand need careful checking.
How is Glen Innes's population changing?
Glen Innes has an ageing and mostly settled population. The current population is 6,219, the median age is 49 and 79.1% stayed at the same address over the measured period. The wider-area outlook indicates 3.2% population change over 10 years, a 0.1% annual trend, Balanced migration and a 6.3-point rise in the senior share.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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