Gulmarrad
At 30.71 square kilometres with only 1,950 residents, Gulmarrad's density of 63.5 people per km2 tells you immediately this is rural rather than suburban living. The median age of 49 sits 9 years above the national figure, which shapes almost everything about the suburb: 56.3% of dwellings are owned outright, turnover is low at 16.1%, and only 5.1% of residents rent. House prices reached $832,500 in the 2024-2025 period, up 10.8% from $787,500 the prior year. With 99.4% of the stock being separate houses and 67.2% of those having 4 or more bedrooms, this is a suburb built around space and long-term ownership rather than turnover.
Population
1,950
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,302/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
77
Median House
$832K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $832,500 reflects a 10.8% rise from $787,500 in 2024 to $872,500 at the peak in 2025. With 99.4% of dwellings being separate houses, buyers face almost no apartment or semi-detached competition. The bedroom mix heavily favours larger homes: 67.2% have 4 or more bedrooms and 27.1% have 3 bedrooms, making this a strong fit for families or buyers prioritising space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,660, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.4%, just below the 30% stress threshold, which is more manageable than many coastal NSW markets. The high outright ownership rate of 56.3% suggests established owners with no pressure to sell, which keeps supply tight and underpins prices.
For Buyers
The median house price of $832,500 reflects a 10.8% rise from $787,500 in 2024 to $872,500 at the peak in 2025. With 99.4% of dwellings being separate houses, buyers face almost no apartment or semi-detached competition. The bedroom mix heavily favours larger homes: 67.2% have 4 or more bedrooms and 27.1% have 3 bedrooms, making this a strong fit for families or buyers prioritising space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,660, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.4%, just below the 30% stress threshold, which is more manageable than many coastal NSW markets. The high outright ownership rate of 56.3% suggests established owners with no pressure to sell, which keeps supply tight and underpins prices.
For Investors
The rental market in Gulmarrad is thin. Only 5.1% of residents rent, compared to a national renter average considerably higher, and weekly rent sits at $450. Against the $832,500 median price, that implies a gross yield near 2.8%, below what most investors target. The vacancy rate of 4.4% is elevated, indicating supply of rental stock exceeds the modest demand pool. On the positive side, 75 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including dual occupancies and new dwellings, showing active construction interest in the area. The 10.8% house price growth from 2024 to 2025 demonstrates capital appreciation potential, making this more of a capital growth play than a yield story for investors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
368
Last 12 Months
77
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+28.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Gulmarrad iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gulmarrad Public School
K-6 · 213 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 is 9 years above the national figure, reflecting an established, owner-occupied community where 83.9% of residents have stayed put over the past five years. Overseas-born residents make up just 10.9% of the population, 10.7 percentage points below national, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (877), Scottish (321) and Irish (267) are the top three groups. University qualifications at 20.4% are 9.7 percentage points below the national average, aligning with an economy led by Healthcare, Education and Construction rather than knowledge industries. Couples without children comprise 40.9% of families, consistent with the older age profile, and average household size of 2.7 is slightly above the national comparison by 0.2.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.4%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Gulmarrad's housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.4%, with no significant apartment or semi-detached presence. Size skews large: 67.2% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 27.1% have 3 bedrooms, reflecting the family and rural-residential character of the area. Tenure splits strongly toward ownership, with 56.3% owned outright and 38.6% under mortgage, leaving only 5.1% renting, far below the national renter share. Median price rose from $787,500 in 2024 to $872,500 in 2025, a 10.8% gain. Rent-to-income at 34.6% exceeds the 30% stress threshold for the small renter cohort, meaning renters here face genuine cost pressure relative to local incomes, which sit at the 31st percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,660
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$569
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.4%
Unoccupied
32
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
34.6% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.9%
Couples, no children
1,732
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 17.0% of workers (89 people), followed by Education at 14.5% (76) and Construction at 10.9% (57). Public Administration (9.5%) and Retail (8.2%) round out the top five. By occupation, Professionals (135) are the largest group, followed by Community and Personal Service workers (116) and Labourers (106). The unemployment rate is 4.6% and the full-time employment rate is 54.9%. The participation rate of 47.0% is low, partly because 745 residents are not in the labour force, a consequence of the suburb's older age profile. Household income sits at the 31st percentile nationally, below average, reflecting the mix of part-time work and retirees that is typical of rural coastal communities.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.9%
Part-time
40.5%
Participation
47.0%
Employed
720
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.4%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
10.9%
Dwellings
697
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total in Gulmarrad: 91.5% of residents drive to work, which is to be expected in a low-density rural suburb covering 30.71 km2 with no recorded public transport usage. Volunteering is healthy at 18.6%, above many comparable rural areas, suggesting an engaged community. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families travel to neighbouring areas for education. Crime statistics are not available for this suburb. Rent-to-income at 34.6% sits above the 30% stress threshold for the 5.1% who rent, though the large majority of owner-occupiers are insulated from rental costs. The 6.3% of residents (119 people) who need daily assistance is a figure worth noting given the older median age of 49, compared to 38 nationally.
Drive
91.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Gulmarrad compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gulmarrad a good suburb to live in?
Gulmarrad suits buyers who want space and stability. 56.3% of homes are owned outright and 83.9% of residents stayed over the reference period, signalling a settled community. The median age of 49 is 9 years above national, so it skews toward established families and retirees rather than young households. The main trade-off is full car dependency and limited local services.
What is the median house price in Gulmarrad?
The median house price reached $832,500 in the 2024-2025 period, up 10.8% from $787,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,660, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.4%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $450 for the small renter segment.
What schools are in Gulmarrad?
No schools are recorded inside the Gulmarrad suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring areas. University qualifications among residents sit at 20.4%, which is 9.7 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and service-sector economy of the broader region.
Is Gulmarrad safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Gulmarrad. As an indirect indicator, only 5.1% of residents rent and 83.9% have stayed at the same address over the reference period, consistent with a stable, low-turnover community. Volunteering at 18.6% also suggests a connected local population.
Is Gulmarrad good for property investment?
The capital growth case is strong: house prices rose 10.8% from $787,500 to $872,500 between 2024 and 2025. However, yield is limited. Only 5.1% of residents rent and weekly rent is $450, implying a gross yield near 2.8% against the $832,500 median. A 4.4% vacancy rate means the rental pool is small, so this suits capital growth investors more than yield-focused buyers.
How is Gulmarrad's population changing?
The current population is 1,950 across 30.71 km2. Residential stability is high, with 83.9% of residents remaining at the same address and a low turnover rate of 16.1%. Active development, including 75 DA applications in the past 12 months, suggests gradual infill rather than rapid expansion. The aging median age of 49 points to slow natural growth.
How much development is happening in Gulmarrad?
75 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including dual occupancies, new dwelling houses and complying development certificates. This is a meaningful level of activity for a suburb of 1,950 people. The applications show continued interest in rural-residential construction, consistent with the 10.8% house price rise from 2024 to 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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