Kootingal
With a median house price of $220,000 and 95.5% of dwellings separate houses, Kootingal sits well below the NSW state median and delivers a genuinely affordable rural lifestyle near Tamworth. The population of 2,313 is younger than national at a median age of 38, yet university qualifications reach only 16.3%, which is 13.8 points below the national figure. Healthcare dominates employment at 23.2% of local workers, and housing stress is low: mortgage repayments consume just 22.0% of household income, compared to the 30% stress threshold applied nationally.
Population
2,313
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,369/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
55
Median House
$220K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $220,000 puts Kootingal far below comparable NSW regional markets, making entry accessible for first-home buyers. Price history shows growth from $208,500 in 2024 to $222,500 in 2025, a 6.7% rise over the year. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 95.5%, with 38.2% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, which suits families needing space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,302, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress benchmark. Outright ownership at 36.0% signals a settled resident base, with 37.4% holding mortgages and 26.5% renting.
For Buyers
The median house price of $220,000 puts Kootingal far below comparable NSW regional markets, making entry accessible for first-home buyers. Price history shows growth from $208,500 in 2024 to $222,500 in 2025, a 6.7% rise over the year. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 95.5%, with 38.2% of dwellings having four or more bedrooms, which suits families needing space. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,302, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress benchmark. Outright ownership at 36.0% signals a settled resident base, with 37.4% holding mortgages and 26.5% renting.
For Investors
A vacancy rate of 6.4% is elevated compared to a healthy rental market threshold of around 3%, indicating softer rental demand relative to supply. Weekly rent sits at $320, which against the $220,000 median implies a gross yield near 7.6%, above typical metro yields. The development pipeline recorded 53 applications in the past 12 months, including multiple secondary dwelling and CDC approvals, showing modest infill activity. Renter share of 26.5% provides a tenant base, though the household income at the 35.4th percentile nationally limits rental growth capacity. The 6.7% capital growth over 2024-2025 outperforms many slow-growth regional NSW markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
183
Last 12 Months
55
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-12.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kootingal iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Tintinhull Public School
K-6 · 113 students
Kootingal Public School
K-6 · 168 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, a younger profile than many comparable rural NSW towns. The overseas-born population is just 4.2%, which is 17.4 points below the national average, reflecting the strongly Anglo-Celtic character: English ancestry leads at 1,028 residents, followed by Irish (285) and Scottish (240). University qualifications at 16.3% trail the national rate by 13.8 points, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades, healthcare support roles and community services rather than professional sectors. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure, and 77.4% of residents stayed in the same address over the prior five years, indicating strong community stability.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.5%
Houses
3.2%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is broadly split between outright owners (36.0%), mortgagees (37.4%) and renters (26.5%), tilted toward owner-occupiers relative to many regional centres. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.5%, with semi-detached at 3.2% and apartments at just 1.0%, so buyers have few alternatives to the detached market. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.8% of dwellings, while four-plus bedroom homes account for 38.2%. The median price rose from $208,500 to $222,500 between 2024 and 2025. Rent-to-income at 23.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.0% are both below the 30% stress threshold, making Kootingal one of the lower-stress housing markets compared to the national average.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,302
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$760
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
60
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.6%
Couples, no children
1,852
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 23.2% of the workforce (158 workers), followed by Education at 14.3% (97), Construction at 11.8% (80), Public Administration at 8.8% (60) and Retail at 6.5% (44). This public-sector and healthcare concentration reflects Kootingal's role as a residential community serving Tamworth's broader service economy. The full-time employment rate of 64.8% is moderate, with 665 residents employed full-time and 362 part-time. Unemployment sits at 4.6% and the participation rate at 59.1%, with 578 residents not in the labour force. Weekly household income of $1,369 places the suburb at the 35.4th percentile nationally, lower than state and national medians.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.8%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
59.1%
Employed
1,027
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.3%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
4.2%
Dwellings
880
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total at 93.3% of commuters, compared to the national average where alternatives play a larger role, and public transport use is just 0.5%. The area spans 82.6 km2 at a density of 28 residents per km2, placing services and infrastructure at distance. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families draw on Tamworth facilities. Volunteering at 14.0% reflects community participation above minimal levels. Housing stress indicators are favourable: rent-to-income at 23.4% and mortgage-to-income at 22.0% both sit below the 30% national stress threshold. Residents needing daily assistance account for 6.5% (142 people), in line with comparable rural NSW communities.
Drive
93.3%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kootingal compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kootingal a good suburb to live in?
Kootingal suits buyers and families seeking affordable rural living near Tamworth. The median house price of $220,000 is well below the NSW state median, and mortgage-to-income at 22.0% is below the 30% stress threshold. Car dependence is high at 93.3% of commuters and public transport is minimal at 0.5%, so a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Kootingal?
The median house price is $220,000, rising from $208,500 in 2024 to $222,500 in 2025, a 6.7% increase over the year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,302, and weekly rent sits at $320, implying a gross rental yield near 7.6% against the median price.
What schools are in Kootingal?
No schools are recorded within the Kootingal suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Tamworth, which is the regional centre for secondary and specialist education in the area. The suburb's population of 2,313 is small enough that dedicated local school infrastructure is limited.
Is Kootingal safe?
Suburb-level crime statistics are not available for Kootingal in this dataset. As contextual indicators, housing stress is low (mortgage-to-income 22.0%, rent-to-income 23.4%), 77.4% of residents have long-term stability in the area, and the volunteering rate of 14.0% reflects moderate community engagement, all consistent with a settled, low-pressure community.
Is Kootingal good for property investment?
The gross rental yield near 7.6% (weekly rent $320 against the $220,000 median) is attractive compared to metro benchmarks. However, the vacancy rate of 6.4% is above the 3% healthy-market threshold, signalling weaker rental demand. Capital growth of 6.7% over 2024-2025 is a positive signal, though the small population of 2,313 means demand can shift quickly.
How is Kootingal's population changing?
Kootingal's population is 2,313 with a stable resident base: 77.4% of residents stayed at the same address, and the turnover rate of 22.6% is moderate. The median age of 38 is 2.0 years below the national figure, suggesting a slightly younger demographic than the national average. No detailed forecast data is available for this suburb.
How much development is happening in Kootingal?
There were 53 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including multiple secondary dwelling and complying development certificates. Recent approvals include combinations of dwelling houses and secondary dwellings, indicating incremental infill activity. This level of activity is moderate for a suburb with a population of 2,313 residents.
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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