Moonbi
At a median age of 50, Moonbi sits 10 years above the national figure, the single most distinctive fact about this rural NSW locality spread across 198.9 square kilometres with just 1,201 residents and a density of 6 people per km2. Household income falls in the 34.9th percentile nationally, yet mortgage costs remain controlled because the median house price of $550,000 stays well below most metropolitan benchmarks. Detached houses make up 90.1% of dwellings, ownership is strong at 40.1% outright, and 81.6% of residents have lived in the same address for five or more years, signalling a deeply settled community rather than one in flux.
Population
1,201
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,354/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$550K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $550,000 is relatively accessible compared to Sydney or coastal NSW markets, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,484, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices eased from $577,500 in 2024 to $550,000 in 2025, a 4.8% decline, so buyers currently hold some negotiating leverage. Separate houses dominate at 90.1% of the stock, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 46.8% and four-bedroom-plus dwellings at 32.2%, meaning the typical purchase is a spacious rural house rather than a compact flat. Outright owners at 40.1% outnumber those with mortgages at 42.4%, a pattern typical of long-established rural localities where debt is gradually paid off over decades.
For Buyers
The median house price of $550,000 is relatively accessible compared to Sydney or coastal NSW markets, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,484, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices eased from $577,500 in 2024 to $550,000 in 2025, a 4.8% decline, so buyers currently hold some negotiating leverage. Separate houses dominate at 90.1% of the stock, with three-bedroom homes accounting for 46.8% and four-bedroom-plus dwellings at 32.2%, meaning the typical purchase is a spacious rural house rather than a compact flat. Outright owners at 40.1% outnumber those with mortgages at 42.4%, a pattern typical of long-established rural localities where debt is gradually paid off over decades.
For Investors
Rental demand in Moonbi is limited: renters account for only 17.5% of households, well below national averages, and the vacancy rate of 5.7% points to moderate oversupply relative to tenant demand. Weekly rent of $220 against a $550,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.1%, low by yield-focused rural standards. Development activity recorded 13 applications in the past 12 months, including two subdivisions and a dwelling house, indicating some incremental growth but not a rapid expansion cycle. The 81.6% residential stability rate means tenant turnover is low when rentals are occupied, which reduces vacancy costs for landlords, though the shallow pool of renters limits total income upside compared to regional centres.
Development Activity
Total DAs
59
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+133.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Moonbi iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Moonbi Public School
K-6 · 31 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, making this one of the older communities in regional NSW. Overseas-born residents reach just 7.2%, which is 14.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the strongly Anglo-Celtic character: English (529 residents), Irish (171) and Scottish (146) are the top ancestries. University qualifications at 18.7% run 11.4 points below the national benchmark, consistent with a trade and services workforce rather than a knowledge-economy cluster. Average household size of 2.4 is slightly below national norms, and 35.9% of families are couples without children, aligned with the older age profile where grown children have typically left home.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.1%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
6.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is the dominant tenure mode: 40.1% own outright and 42.4% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at only 17.5%. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 90.1%, with apartments a minor segment at 6.6%. Three-bedroom homes make up 46.8% of dwellings and four-plus-bedroom homes 32.2%, so the majority of properties are family-sized rural houses. Prices moved from $577,500 in 2024 to $550,000 in 2025, a decline of 4.8% over one year, which keeps the market below the price peaks seen during the 2021-2022 regional surge. Rent-to-income at 16.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.3% both sit comfortably below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to local incomes at the 34.9th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,484
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$660
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.7%
Unoccupied
26
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.9%
Couples, no children
829
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads industry employment at 17.7% (58 workers), followed closely by Construction at 12.8% (42) and Education at 12.2% (40), a combination typical of service-dependent rural localities rather than resource or manufacturing towns. Manufacturing accounts for 7.3% and Retail 5.8%. By occupation, Professionals (83) and Clerical/Admin (81) lead, with Labourers (59) and Managers (57) close behind, indicating a mixed workforce without a single dominant employer sector. The unemployment rate of 4.4% sits near the NSW regional norm, and full-time employment runs at 65.4% of the employed population. The labour force participation rate of 49.2% is lower than average nationally, reflecting the older age profile where 401 residents are not in the labour force.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
30.2%
Participation
49.2%
Employed
477
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.7%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
7.2%
Dwellings
424
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total: 90.9% of workers drive, compared to the national average that includes substantial public transport use in capital cities, and public transport accounts for just 1.4%. Walking and cycling cover 3.1% of commutes, reasonable for a rural locality with limited infrastructure. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families depend on facilities in nearby Tamworth or surrounding townships. Volunteering at 17.4% is healthy for a community of this size, and 12.0% of residents (134 people) need daily assistance, somewhat above average, consistent with the older median age of 50. Housing stress is absent by both measures: rent-to-income at 16.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.3% are below the 30% stress threshold, making day-to-day living costs manageable relative to local incomes.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Moonbi compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moonbi a good suburb to live in?
Moonbi suits those seeking affordable rural living with low housing stress: mortgage-to-income sits at 25.3% and rent-to-income at 16.2%, both below the 30% stress threshold. The median age of 50, which is 10 years above national, and 81.6% residential stability indicate a quiet, settled community. The trade-off is limited local services and near-total car dependency at 90.9% of commutes.
What is the median house price in Moonbi?
The median house price is $550,000, down 4.8% from $577,500 in 2024. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,484, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.3%. Weekly rent averages $220. The stock is 90.1% separate houses, so most transactions involve detached rural properties.
What schools are in Moonbi?
No schools are recorded inside the Moonbi suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby Tamworth, approximately 20 kilometres away, which is consistent with the area's rural character and near-total car dependency of 90.9% for commuting.
Is Moonbi safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Moonbi in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is absent (mortgage-to-income 25.3%, rent-to-income 16.2%), and the volunteering rate of 17.4% suggests civic engagement. The low-density setting of 6 residents per km2 and high residential stability of 81.6% are generally associated with lower crime exposure.
Is Moonbi good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent of $220 against a $550,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.1%, modest by national standards, and only 17.5% of households rent, leaving a shallow tenant pool. The vacancy rate of 5.7% signals moderate oversupply. Prices fell 4.8% from 2024 to 2025, so short-term capital growth is uncertain. Long-term appeal rests on affordability relative to coastal and capital-city markets.
How is Moonbi's population changing?
Moonbi's population is 1,201 across 198.9 km2, with identity signals pointing to an aging and stable rather than growing community. The median age of 50 is 10 years above national. Residential stability is high at 81.6%, meaning the majority of residents have lived there for five or more years with little in-migration pressure to drive rapid change.
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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