Goulburn
An 8.6% rental vacancy rate stands out in a regional city of 23,963 people, giving tenants more choice than in tightly supplied markets while also signalling a need for investors to price carefully. Goulburn is detached-house dominated, with 84.3% of dwellings separate houses, and its median age of 40 matches the national figure. University attainment is 20.8%, 9.3 percentage points below national, and overseas-born residents account for 11.4%, 10.2 points below national. Compared with nearby Marulan, Goulburn has the scale of a regional service centre, supported by healthcare, public administration and education. Its aging trajectory matters for future demand, especially as senior share has risen 3.9%.
Population
23,963
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,405/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
419
For buyers, Goulburn's housing mix favours conventional family stock: 84.3% of dwellings are separate houses, 45.1% have 3 bedrooms and another 33.6% have 4 or more. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,625 sits alongside weekly rent of $320, so the cash-flow relationship should be tested rather than assumed. Mortgage costs equal 26.7% of household income, compared with rent at 22.8%, and neither is flagged as stressed. Household income sits at the 40.5th percentile, below the national midpoint, which makes deposit size, rates and maintenance costs important. Compared with nearby Marulan, Goulburn has a broader established-house market, but exact streets and dwelling condition will drive value.
For Buyers
For buyers, Goulburn's housing mix favours conventional family stock: 84.3% of dwellings are separate houses, 45.1% have 3 bedrooms and another 33.6% have 4 or more. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,625 sits alongside weekly rent of $320, so the cash-flow relationship should be tested rather than assumed. Mortgage costs equal 26.7% of household income, compared with rent at 22.8%, and neither is flagged as stressed. Household income sits at the 40.5th percentile, below the national midpoint, which makes deposit size, rates and maintenance costs important. Compared with nearby Marulan, Goulburn has a broader established-house market, but exact streets and dwelling condition will drive value.
For Investors
Investor conditions are mixed. Renting households make up 34.6%, creating a meaningful tenant base, while weekly rent is $320 and vacancy is 8.6%, a higher availability level than tightly held markets. Rent absorbs 22.8% of household income, versus 26.7% for the mortgage measure, so yield and finance assumptions need to be modelled together. Development activity is substantial, with 414 applications recorded over 12 months, although the examples include complying development certificates and a secondary dwelling rather than a confirmed pipeline of new dwellings. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, and annual trend growth is 1.12%, which supports demand but does not remove vacancy risk. Compared with owner-heavy areas, Goulburn's 34.6% rental share is more relevant to a rental strategy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,915
Last 12 Months
419
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+37.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Goulburn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Goulburn has a settled profile with an aging trajectory. The median age is 40, exactly 0.0 years different from the national figure, while average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below national. That aligns with 40.9% of families being couples without children and 20.2% being one-parent families. English ancestry counts 9,865 people, followed by Irish at 3,129 and Scottish at 2,374, while Christianity records 13,544 and no religion 7,337. University attainment is 20.8%, 9.3 percentage points below national, and overseas-born residents are 11.4%, 10.2 points below national. Goulburn differs from nearby Yass in scale and function, with a settled local population reflected in 78.5% staying at the same address and turnover of 21.5%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.3%
Houses
11.1%
Townhouse
3.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Goulburn's tenure pattern is split across owners and renters. Outright ownership is 33.3%, while 34.6% rent, a slightly higher share; 30.6% hold a mortgage. That mix can support both resale and rental demand, but affordability is worsening, with the affordability measure moving from 36.4 in 2011 to 40.8 in 2021. Separate houses dominate at 84.3%, compared with 3.9% apartments and 11.1% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 45.1%, and 4-plus-bedroom homes 33.6%, so family stock is more common than compact formats. Mortgage costs are 26.7% of household income versus 22.8% for rent. Compared with nearby Marulan, Goulburn has a deeper established housing base, while its 8.6% vacancy rate gives renters more negotiating room than a tightly constrained market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $320.
$520
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $550 · units $420
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$747
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
868
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.4%
Couples with children
40.9%
Couples, no children
20.2%
Single parent
6,057
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the anchor industry, employing 1,474 people or 22.4%, followed by public administration at 924 and 14.0%, education at 693 and 10.5%, construction at 691 and 10.5%, and retail at 478 and 7.3%. This mix gives the local economy a strong service and public-sector base because hospitals, government and schools support year-round employment. The labour force is 11,072, participation is 56.5%, unemployment is 4.6% and full-time employment is 61.5%. Occupational demand is led by community and personal roles at 1,719, professionals at 1,605 and trades at 1,532. Socioeconomic deciles sit below the national midpoint: IEO is 2, IER 3, IRSD 3 and IRSAD 3. The low education and occupation deciles contrast with the breadth of essential services, pointing to opportunity alongside constraint.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
11,072
Unemployed
510
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
56.5%
Employed
10,562
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.8%
Postgraduate
4.8%
Born Overseas
11.4%
Dwellings
9,261
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 80.4% drive to work, compared with 0.4% using public transport, while 4.2% walk or cycle and 7.9% work from home. That makes parking, vehicle costs and access to services more important than frequent transit. Families have access to 9 local schools: 6 government primary schools, 2 government high schools and 1 government school for specific purposes. School access is therefore broader than relying on a single primary campus, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Goulburn's IRSAD decile is 3, below the national midpoint, so affordability and service access can matter as much as amenity. A 14.0% volunteering rate adds a practical community signal, while street-level safety should be assessed using current incident information rather than assumed from suburb-wide impressions.
Drive
80.4%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
7.9%
Population Forecast
+1.12%/yr
(+161 people/yr)
EstablishedGoulburn's wider-area trend points to steady expansion at 1.12% annually, with internal migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 19.1% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 3.9% and young share is down 2.3%. That combination means demand may grow more through established households, health services and downsizer needs than through a younger family surge. Affordability is worsening, moving from 36.4 in 2011 to 40.8 in 2021, while rents have grown 66.7%, so housing costs may shape who can stay. Gentrification is described as Early signs at score 20, while the shift profile records 65 and Active. Compared with high-growth, youth-led areas, Goulburn's 1.12% pace is moderate and its aging pattern is more important than headline growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+35
Net Internal / yr
+107
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal migration +107/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Goulburn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Goulburn a good suburb to live in?
Goulburn can suit buyers and renters who value detached homes, regional services and a slower pace. It has 23,963 residents, 84.3% separate houses and a 14.0% volunteering rate. Car dependence is high at 80.4%, so the suburb is a better fit for households comfortable driving than for those relying on public transport.
What is the median house price in Goulburn?
A current median house price should be checked against recent Goulburn sales before making an offer. The housing mix is 84.3% separate houses, with 45.1% of dwellings containing 3 bedrooms and 33.6% containing 4 or more, so compare like-for-like houses rather than using an apartment or unit benchmark.
What schools are in Goulburn?
Goulburn has 9 listed schools: 6 government primary schools, 2 government high schools and 1 government school for specific purposes. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address, because school access can differ by street and school type. The mix is more extensive than relying on a single primary campus.
Is Goulburn safe?
A definitive safety decision needs current, street-level incident checks rather than a broad suburb label. Goulburn's 14.0% volunteering rate and 8.5% need-assistance rate describe community context, but they do not replace recent police information. Visit the exact area at different times and compare reported incidents before signing a lease or contract.
Is Goulburn good for property investment?
Goulburn has a sizeable rental base at 34.6%, weekly rent of $320 and an 8.6% vacancy rate. Internal migration is the primary driver and annual trend growth is 1.12%, while 414 development applications in 12 months may increase future competition. The case is therefore more sensitive to vacancy and property selection than a tightly supplied market.
How is Goulburn's population changing?
Goulburn is on an Aging trajectory rather than a youth-led one. Population change across the wider area is 19.1% over 10 years, annual trend growth is 1.12% and internal migration is the primary driver. Senior share rose 3.9% while young share fell 2.3%, so future demand is likely to lean more toward established households, health services and downsizer needs.
What development is occurring in Goulburn?
Development activity totals 414 applications over 12 months, including complying development certificates and a secondary dwelling example. That is a meaningful pipeline signal, but application counts do not equal completed homes. Buyers and investors should check approvals, construction status and dwelling type, especially with vacancy at 8.6% and 84.3% of homes being separate houses.
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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