Moore Creek
Household income at the 92.5th percentile nationally makes Moore Creek one of the more prosperous rural NSW communities, despite a median house price of just $285,000 well below the state average. The suburb spans 108.7 km2 with only 2,868 residents, giving a population density of 26.4 per km2 that reflects a genuinely rural footprint. Every dwelling on record is a separate house, 83.5% have four or more bedrooms, and 91.8% of residents drive to work because public transport covers just 0.3% of commutes. The identity here is a high-income, family-oriented mortgage belt, with couples holding children making up the dominant household type and an average household size of 3.2, which is 0.7 above the national figure.
Population
2,868
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,523/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
174
Median House
$285K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a median house price of $285,000, Moore Creek sits significantly below most NSW regional benchmarks, making it accessible to buyers who prioritise space over proximity to city amenities. The entire housing stock is separate houses, with 83.5% having four or more bedrooms, which suits families but limits options for downsizers or singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.8%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the suburb's mortgage-belt character where 61.2% of households carry a mortgage. Only 5.6% of residents rent, compared to much higher renter shares in regional centres, so the market is owner-occupier dominated. Outright owners at 33.3% signal a stable base of long-term holders who have paid down their loans.
For Buyers
At a median house price of $285,000, Moore Creek sits significantly below most NSW regional benchmarks, making it accessible to buyers who prioritise space over proximity to city amenities. The entire housing stock is separate houses, with 83.5% having four or more bedrooms, which suits families but limits options for downsizers or singles. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, and mortgage-to-income sits at 19.8%, below the 30% stress threshold despite the suburb's mortgage-belt character where 61.2% of households carry a mortgage. Only 5.6% of residents rent, compared to much higher renter shares in regional centres, so the market is owner-occupier dominated. Outright owners at 33.3% signal a stable base of long-term holders who have paid down their loans.
For Investors
The investor case for Moore Creek is cautious. Weekly rent of $450 against a $285,000 median implies a gross yield around 8.2%, above typical metropolitan rates, but the vacancy rate of 3.9% is elevated for a rural suburb with a thin rental market of only 5.6% renter households. Development activity is high for an area this size, with 161 applications lodged in the past 12 months, many of them Complying Development Certificates for new dwellings and pool installations, which suggests owner-occupier demand rather than investor-driven supply. The household income at the 92.5th percentile nationally underpins tenant quality, but the small absolute renter pool means sustained rental demand depends on local employment rather than migration or population growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
759
Last 12 Months
174
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+43.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years younger than the national figure, reflecting the family-formation stage of most residents. Couples with children account for 1,470 of 2,637 total families, and the average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above the national average, both consistent with a younger, child-rearing demographic. University qualifications at 28.4% sit 1.7 points below the national rate, a modest gap that suggests most professional employment draws on vocational or technical pathways rather than degrees. The overseas-born share of 5.9% is 15.7 points below the national figure, making this one of the more Anglo-Celtic communities in regional NSW, with English (1,239), Scottish (367) and Irish (291) as the three leading ancestries. The volunteering rate of 19.2% indicates strong community participation for a suburb of this size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Moore Creek is uniformly detached: 100% of dwellings are separate houses, and 83.5% have four or more bedrooms, which is far above typical NSW suburban averages. Tenure is split 33.3% outright ownership, 61.2% mortgaged and just 5.6% renting, making this one of the lower-renter shares in the region. Rent-to-income at 17.8% and mortgage-to-income at 19.8% both fall below stress thresholds, so housing costs are manageable relative to the 92.5th-percentile household income. The vacancy rate of 3.9% is modest but points to limited rental stock turnover. Price history shows significant volatility: the median recorded $782,500 in 2024 versus $277,500 in 2025, a movement that reflects the thin sample base typical of low-transaction rural markets rather than a genuine price collapse.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$450
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,057
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.9%
Unoccupied
36
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
21.5%
Couples, no children
2,637
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 22.6% (242 workers), followed by Education at 15.9% (170 workers) and Public Administration at 10.7% (115 workers), a public-sector mix that explains the income stability at the 92.5th household income percentile nationally. Construction at 10.3% (110 workers) reflects the active development pipeline of 161 applications in 12 months. The unemployment rate of 1.8% is very low and the full-time employment rate of 67.6% is solid, with 1,006 residents in full-time roles. By occupation, Professionals (366) and Managers (228) lead, with Clerical and Admin (210) third. The participation rate of 71.8% is healthy, leaving 461 residents not in the labour force, most likely parents with young children given the family-heavy household composition.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.6%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
71.8%
Employed
1,489
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.4%
Postgraduate
5.7%
Born Overseas
5.9%
Dwellings
884
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-absolute: 91.8% of residents drive to work and public transport accounts for only 0.3% of commutes, well below the national public transport share, consistent with the 108.7 km2 rural footprint. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families access schooling in Tamworth or surrounding areas. Crime statistics are not available for Moore Creek in this dataset. The need-for-assistance rate of 2.8% (77 residents) is low, and the volunteering rate of 19.2% reflects strong community participation. Rent-to-income at 17.8% keeps housing costs comfortable, and the absence of apartment stock means residents live in large-format homes with four-plus bedrooms dominating at 83.5%.
Drive
91.8%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Moore Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moore Creek a good suburb to live in?
Moore Creek suits families who want space and low housing costs. The median house price of $285,000 is well below NSW averages, housing costs sit below stress thresholds (mortgage-to-income 19.8%), and household income is at the 92.5th percentile nationally. The main trade-offs are near-total car dependency (91.8% drive) and no schools recorded within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Moore Creek?
The median house price is $285,000 based on PSI-derived data. Weekly rent averages $450 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $2,167. Note that price history shows wide variation ($782,500 in 2024 vs $277,500 in 2025), which reflects the thin transaction volume typical of small rural markets rather than real price swings.
What schools are in Moore Creek?
No schools are recorded inside the Moore Creek suburb boundary in this dataset. With a population of 2,868 spread across 108.7 km2, families access primary and secondary schooling in nearby Tamworth, which is the regional centre for postcode 2340. University qualifications in Moore Creek reach 28.4%, slightly below the national figure.
Is Moore Creek safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Moore Creek in this dataset. As indirect indicators, the unemployment rate is very low at 1.8%, the need-for-assistance rate is only 2.8% (77 residents), and household income sits at the 92.5th percentile nationally, all factors associated with lower crime incidence in comparable rural NSW communities.
Is Moore Creek good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $450 against a $285,000 median gives a gross yield around 8.2%, higher than most metropolitan markets. However, the rental market is thin, with only 5.6% of households renting and a vacancy rate of 3.9%. The 161 development applications in 12 months indicate demand is mostly owner-occupier driven, which limits the tenant pool for investors.
How is Moore Creek's population changing?
Detailed population forecast data is not available for Moore Creek in this dataset. The current population is 2,868 across 108.7 km2. Residential stability is high, with 77.9% of residents remaining at the same address year on year, and 161 development applications in 12 months point to continued owner-occupier demand for new housing.
How much development is happening in Moore Creek?
Moore Creek recorded 161 development applications in the past 12 months, a high figure for a suburb of 2,868 residents. Recent samples include new dwelling houses and swimming pool constructions approved under Complying Development Certificates, indicating owner-occupier investment in the existing stock rather than large-scale subdivision.
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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