Mathoura
With a median age of 51, Mathoura sits 11 years above the national figure, making it one of regional NSW's most age-skewed communities. Only 1,002 residents occupy a 546.61 square kilometre footprint, giving a density of 1.8 persons per square kilometre, far below average for rural NSW. The household income sits at the 12.7th percentile nationally, a significant gap from the median. Yet 55.9% of households own their homes outright, more than double the mortgage-holder share of 27.8%, which signals long-term residents who have paid off their properties rather than a transient population. Agriculture drives 20.2% of local employment, anchoring an economy tied to the Riverina landscape.
Population
1,002
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$993/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$301K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $301,000 places Mathoura among the more affordable regional NSW markets. Prices fell from $407,500 in 2024 to $300,000 in 2025, a 26.4% decline over one year, which is a notable correction compared to the broader NSW median. Separate houses dominate at 93.3% of dwellings, so buyers have relatively little competition from apartment product. The three-bedroom home is most common at 48.0%, followed by two-bedroom at 24.1% and four-or-more-bedroom at 21.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps serviceability comfortable relative to many regional centres. The low entry price and high outright ownership rate of 55.9% suggest the market suits owner-occupiers with long time horizons rather than active traders.
For Buyers
The median house price of $301,000 places Mathoura among the more affordable regional NSW markets. Prices fell from $407,500 in 2024 to $300,000 in 2025, a 26.4% decline over one year, which is a notable correction compared to the broader NSW median. Separate houses dominate at 93.3% of dwellings, so buyers have relatively little competition from apartment product. The three-bedroom home is most common at 48.0%, followed by two-bedroom at 24.1% and four-or-more-bedroom at 21.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 25.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, which keeps serviceability comfortable relative to many regional centres. The low entry price and high outright ownership rate of 55.9% suggest the market suits owner-occupiers with long time horizons rather than active traders.
For Investors
The rental market is modest: only 16.3% of households rent and weekly rent sits at $180, which is low compared to regional NSW averages. Against the $301,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 3.1%, reasonable but constrained by the small renter pool. The vacancy rate of 13.9% is elevated, signalling weak rental demand relative to available stock. Development activity has been limited, with 13 applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly sheds and alterations rather than new residential supply. The 26.4% price fall from 2024 to 2025 is a caution flag for capital growth assumptions. With an employment participation rate of 40.4%, below the national level, underlying demand drivers are softer than in larger regional centres.
Development Activity
Total DAs
88
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mathoura iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mathoura Public School
K-6 · 52 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, one of the clearest age signals in the data. The overseas-born population is just 6.2%, which is 15.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born community. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English leads at 419 residents, followed by Irish (120), Scottish (109) and German (42). University qualifications stand at 13.1%, which is 17 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in agriculture, trades and community services. Average household size is 2.2 persons, slightly below the national average of 2.5. Couples without children (245 families) slightly outnumber couples with children (255), which aligns with the older age profile. Volunteering rates are relatively high at 19.9%, pointing to a community with strong local engagement despite small numbers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.3%
Houses
4.9%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure profile is distinctive: 55.9% own outright, 27.8% carry a mortgage and only 16.3% rent. Outright owners accounting for more than half of all households is well above the national norm and reflects a long-settled, lower-turnover community. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 93.3%, with semi-detached at 4.9% and apartments at just 1.0%, leaving buyers with limited alternative dwelling types. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 48.0%. The vacancy rate of 13.9% is high for a small town, which tends to suppress rental yields and limit new investor demand. The median house price fell 26.4% from $407,500 in 2024 to $300,000 in 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 25.2% and rent-to-income at 18.1% both sit below standard stress thresholds, keeping existing holders comfortable in the near term.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$546
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.9%
Unoccupied
65
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.2%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.0%
Couples, no children
680
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture is the top industry at 20.2% of workers (40 people), which is markedly higher than the national average for the sector, reflecting Mathoura's Riverina farming context. Healthcare follows at 12.6% (25 workers), then Hospitality and Education both at 11.1% (22 each), and Public Administration at 10.6% (21). By occupation, Managers lead with 72 workers, followed by Labourers (58) and Community and Personal service workers (47), with Machinery and Drivers (37) reflecting the agricultural and logistics base. The unemployment rate is low at 3.3% and full-time employment runs at 65.7% of the employed workforce. However, the participation rate is just 40.4%, considerably below the national figure, because 382 residents are not in the labour force, a consequence of the older age profile rather than economic weakness.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.7%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
40.4%
Employed
327
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.1%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
6.2%
Dwellings
387
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 86.5% of workers drive, and public transport use is not recorded, consistent with a remote rural location 546.61 square kilometres in area. Walking and cycling account for 11.2% of commutes, above what one might expect for a small town. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Mathoura, so families depend on services in nearby centres. Crime data is not available for the suburb. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low: rent-to-income is 18.1% and mortgage-to-income is 25.2%, both below stress benchmarks nationally. The volunteering rate of 19.9% is a positive marker of community participation relative to the population size of 1,002. Need-for-assistance stands at 9.1% (83 residents), somewhat elevated compared to metropolitan averages, consistent with the older median age of 51.
Drive
86.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
11.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mathoura compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mathoura a good suburb to live in?
Mathoura suits residents who value low housing costs and a settled, owner-occupier community. The median house price is $301,000 and 55.9% of households own their homes outright. The trade-offs are limited services, no recorded public transport, a high vacancy rate of 13.9%, and a median age of 51 that is 11 years above the national figure.
What is the median house price in Mathoura?
The median house price is $301,000 as of the 2025 data period. That is down 26.4% from $407,500 recorded in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.2%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Mathoura?
No schools are recorded inside the Mathoura boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby towns. University qualifications among residents stand at 13.1%, which is 17 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in agriculture and trades.
Is Mathoura safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Mathoura in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 25.2% and rent-to-income at 18.1%, both below national stress thresholds. The unemployment rate is 3.3% and 86.3% of residents stayed in the same address, suggesting stability.
Is Mathoura good for property investment?
The $301,000 median implies a gross rental yield around 3.1% at $180 per week rent, but the 13.9% vacancy rate and small renter pool of 16.3% of households limit demand. Prices fell 26.4% in one year from 2024 to 2025. The 13 development applications in 12 months show minimal new activity, and the agriculture-led economy tracks commodity cycles rather than urban growth.
How is Mathoura's population changing?
Mathoura's population stands at 1,002 and is broadly stable. The residential turnover rate is low at 13.7%, meaning 86.3% of residents stayed at the same address. However, the median age of 51 is 11 years above the national average, and an ageing population typically leads to gradual natural decline without offsetting migration.
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.
Explore Mathoura on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map