Narrabri
With a 12.2% vacancy rate, Narrabri operates in a fundamentally different rental economy than metro NSW, where vacancies typically sit below 3%. The town of 7,327 residents runs on a dual engine of healthcare (16.4%) and education (11.5%), supplemented by mining (9.1%) and agriculture (8.9%). Household incomes land at the 52nd percentile nationally, but housing costs remain compressed at $462,500 median, keeping mortgage stress at just 21% of income, well below the 30% threshold. The IRSAD decile of 3 reflects limited economic resources rather than deprivation, consistent with a regional service centre where wealth accumulates in land and livestock rather than salary.
Population
7,327
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,590/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
85
Median House
$462K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $462,500, Narrabri houses cost roughly one-fifth of a comparable Sydney property, making entry accessible on local incomes. Mortgage repayments consume only 21% of household income, compared to 30%+ in most capital cities. The housing stock skews heavily detached (87.2%) with 44.6% three-bedroom and 35.7% four-plus-bedroom homes. Prices rose 5.9% from $440,000 in 2024 to $466,100 in 2025. Buyers should factor in the 12.2% vacancy rate, which signals a market where resale liquidity can be slower than metro benchmarks, though it also means less competition at auction.
For Buyers
At $462,500, Narrabri houses cost roughly one-fifth of a comparable Sydney property, making entry accessible on local incomes. Mortgage repayments consume only 21% of household income, compared to 30%+ in most capital cities. The housing stock skews heavily detached (87.2%) with 44.6% three-bedroom and 35.7% four-plus-bedroom homes. Prices rose 5.9% from $440,000 in 2024 to $466,100 in 2025. Buyers should factor in the 12.2% vacancy rate, which signals a market where resale liquidity can be slower than metro benchmarks, though it also means less competition at auction.
For Investors
The 12.2% vacancy rate is the defining investment metric for Narrabri, roughly 3 to 4 times the national average. Weekly rent sits at $260, yielding a gross return around 2.9% on the $462,500 median. With 32.9% of households renting and 82 development applications in the past 12 months (including commercial and rail infrastructure), the town is not stagnant. Population is projected to decline by about 25 persons per year to 6,802 by 2031, and the net internal outflow runs at -50 residents annually. Investors need to target specific demand pockets, particularly mining and health workers, rather than broad residential yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
406
Last 12 Months
85
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Narrabri iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Francis Xavier's Primary School
K-6 · 300 students
Narrabri West Public School
P-6 · 232 students
Narrabri High School
7-12 · 420 students
Narrabri Public School
K-6 · 267 students
Demographics
Narrabri's median age of 39 sits 1 year below the national figure, but the population structure leans older than that number suggests: 3% of the working-age share has shifted to seniors over the past decade. University attainment at 20.5% runs 9.6 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce oriented toward trades and operations. English ancestry dominates at 2,703 residents, followed by Irish (720) and Scottish (631). Only 5.3% were born overseas, 16.3 points below the national rate, making this one of Australia's more homogeneous regional communities.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.2%
Houses
11.4%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The median house price of $462,500 rose 5.9% year-on-year from $440,000 in 2024. Ownership patterns split almost evenly three ways: 34.3% own outright, 32.8% hold mortgages, and 32.9% rent. This balance is unusual nationally, where outright ownership typically lags renting. The detached house share of 87.2% leaves minimal apartment stock (0.8%). Mortgage-to-income ratio of 21% and rent-to-income of 16.4% both sit well below stress thresholds, reflecting genuinely affordable housing relative to local incomes rather than artificially depressed prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,448
Rent / wk
$260
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$826
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.2%
Unoccupied
380
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples, no children
5,403
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare (16.4%, 339 workers) and education (11.5%, 237 workers) anchor the local economy, followed by mining at 9.1% and agriculture at 8.9%. This mix creates a service-sector base that depends partly on volatile commodity cycles. The occupation profile confirms this duality: professionals lead (545) but machinery operators (474) and labourers (397) rank higher than in metro areas. Unemployment sits at 3.9%, lower than the national average, though the participation rate of 58% suggests a proportion of working-age residents have left the formal labour force. SEIFA scores show an IRSD decile of 3 and IEO decile of 2, indicating educational disadvantage more than income deprivation.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
4,108
Unemployed
106
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.4%
Part-time
25.7%
Participation
58.0%
Employed
3,262
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.5%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
5.3%
Dwellings
2,737
Transport to Work
Transport is car-dependent at 86.2%, with public transport capturing just 2.8% of commutes, typical for a regional town 520km from Sydney. Four schools serve the area: St Francis Xavier's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1000, 300 students) performs at the national average, while Narrabri Public School (Government, ICSEA 823, 267 students) sits well below it. Narrabri High School (ICSEA 864, 420 students) is the sole secondary option. Volunteering at 19.1% runs above the national average, indicating community engagement that compensates for limited formal services. The IRSAD decile of 3 places Narrabri in the lower range for socio-economic advantage nationally.
Drive
86.2%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.36%/yr
(-25 people/yr)
EstablishedNarrabri's population trend is negative at -0.36% annually, losing roughly 25 residents per year. The medium projection puts population at 6,802 by 2031, down from the Census figure of 7,327. Internal migration runs at -50 persons per year, partially offset by overseas arrivals of +18. The town has not recovered from its COVID-era dip, when population dropped 2.6% from 7,149 to 6,966. Affordability has worsened from 29.3% mortgage-to-income in 2011 to 31.7% in 2021, and real income grew 22.1% over the decade. The gentrification score of 48 flags active-stage change, though this reflects compositional shifts in a shrinking population rather than capital inflow.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
-50
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Narrabri compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Narrabri a good suburb to live in?
Narrabri suits those working in its healthcare, mining, or agriculture sectors. Mortgage repayments consume just 21% of household income, well below the 30% stress threshold, and the detached housing stock is spacious with 80.3% of homes having 3 or more bedrooms. The trade-off is limited services and a 12.2% vacancy rate that signals a thin market.
What is the median house price in Narrabri?
The median house price in Narrabri is $462,500 as of 2025, up 5.9% from $440,000 in 2024. This places it at roughly one-fifth of Sydney's median, making it one of the more affordable markets in NSW.
What schools are in Narrabri?
Narrabri has 4 schools: St Francis Xavier's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1000, 300 students), Narrabri West Public School (Government, ICSEA 889, 232 students), Narrabri High School (Government, ICSEA 864, 420 students), and Narrabri Public School (Government, ICSEA 823, 267 students). Only St Francis Xavier's matches the national ICSEA average of 1000.
Is Narrabri safe?
Crime data is not available for Narrabri in the current dataset. The SEIFA Index of Economic Resources (IER) decile is 4 out of 10, which places the area in the lower-middle range nationally. The volunteering rate of 19.1% indicates active community engagement, which research correlates with lower antisocial behaviour.
Is Narrabri good for property investment?
Narrabri's 12.2% vacancy rate, roughly 4 times the national average, is the primary risk factor for investors. Gross yield on the $462,500 median at $260 per week rent sits around 2.9%. The town lost 25 residents per year on average, and population is projected at 6,802 by 2031. Investment here requires targeting niche tenant pools such as mining rosters and health workers.
How is Narrabri's population changing?
Narrabri's population is declining at -0.36% per year, losing roughly 25 people annually. The medium forecast projects 6,802 residents by 2031, down from the Census count of 7,327. Net internal migration runs at -50 per year, while overseas migration adds about 18 annually.
What recent development is happening in Narrabri?
Narrabri recorded 82 development applications in the past 12 months, including commercial development and rail infrastructure projects. Recent samples include new commercial structures and residential garages, indicating ongoing investment despite the population decline of 25 residents per year.
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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