Narrawallee
A median house price of $1,250,000 combined with a 37.8% vacancy rate makes Narrawallee one of the South Coast's most distinctive property markets. With only 1,487 residents spread across 3.53 km2, the suburb has a density of 421.8 people per km2, well below the urban average, and a median age of 50 that sits 10 years above the national figure. Outright ownership reaches 51.9%, roughly double the national rate, signalling a community of settled, mortgage-free residents rather than first-home buyers. Over 47% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, compared to the national proportion, reflecting large coastal homes built for families or holidaymakers rather than compact urban living.
Population
1,487
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,309/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$1.2M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $1,250,000 represents a 6.2% decline from the 2024 peak of $1,300,000, which may attract buyers who missed the prior cycle. Separate houses dominate at 95.5% of dwellings, with apartments at just 2.1%, so the purchase decision is almost entirely a detached-house market. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 47.4% of stock, compared to a lower national average, meaning buyers are typically acquiring large family homes or holiday properties rather than entry-level units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, which is at the stress threshold given household income in the 31.2nd percentile nationally. The large bedroom count relative to price suggests value per square metre compares favourably to metropolitan markets.
For Buyers
The median house price of $1,250,000 represents a 6.2% decline from the 2024 peak of $1,300,000, which may attract buyers who missed the prior cycle. Separate houses dominate at 95.5% of dwellings, with apartments at just 2.1%, so the purchase decision is almost entirely a detached-house market. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 47.4% of stock, compared to a lower national average, meaning buyers are typically acquiring large family homes or holiday properties rather than entry-level units. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%, which is at the stress threshold given household income in the 31.2nd percentile nationally. The large bedroom count relative to price suggests value per square metre compares favourably to metropolitan markets.
For Investors
Narrawallee's 37.8% vacancy rate is substantially higher than the national residential average, a direct consequence of its holiday-market profile rather than structural oversupply. Only 19.7% of residents rent on a permanent basis, keeping the long-term rental pool shallow. Weekly rent of $400 against a $1,250,000 median implies a gross yield around 1.7%, low for a regional market, with capital growth the primary investment driver. Development activity produced 26 applications in the past 12 months, including new dwelling constructions and alterations, showing ongoing owner-occupier demand for renovation. The high 51.9% outright-ownership rate limits distressed selling, which historically floors prices during downturns compared to higher-leverage markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
295
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-17.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national median, ranking Narrawallee firmly in the aging-resident segment of Australian coastal suburbs. Overseas-born residents account for 13.9%, which is 7.7 percentage points below the national proportion, and ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (699), Irish (228) and Scottish (214). University-qualified residents reach 28.5%, which is 1.6 percentage points below the national figure, a modest gap given the coastal retiree demographic. Couples without children make up 40.8% of families, consistent with an older, post-family-formation profile. Average household size of 2.3 is 0.2 below national, another indicator of the predominance of empty-nester or semi-retired households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.5%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Narrawallee is overwhelmingly a detached-house suburb: 95.5% separate houses, 2.4% semi-detached and 2.1% apartments, a composition that is more skewed toward separate houses than the national average. Four-plus bedroom dwellings dominate at 47.4%, with three-bedroom homes at 44.7%, meaning virtually all stock is family or holiday sized. Outright ownership at 51.9% exceeds mortgage holders at 28.4%, reflecting long-tenure residents who paid off loans before rates rose. The median house price eased from $1,300,000 in 2024 to $1,220,000 in 2025, a 6.2% correction, though the broader $1,250,000 figure remains significantly above regional NSW medians. Rent-to-income at 30.6% sits at the housing-stress threshold, driven by the modest $1,309 weekly household income relative to the coastal price level.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$662
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
37.8%
Unoccupied
357
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.6% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
40.8%
Couples, no children
1,177
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 18.0% (74 workers), followed by Construction at 16.5% (68), Education at 12.6% (52), Hospitality at 8.0% (33) and Public Administration at 6.8% (28). By occupation, Professionals lead at 113, followed by Community and Personal Service Workers at 78 and Sales Workers at 69. The unemployment rate of 6.2% is above typical coastal town figures, while the participation rate of 46.4% is low, both reflecting a large retiree and semi-retired cohort among the 577 residents not in the labour force. Full-time workers represent 52.1% of employed residents. Household income sits in the 31.2nd percentile nationally, notably below the national median despite the million-dollar-plus property values, a divergence common in asset-rich, income-modest coastal communities.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.1%
Part-time
41.7%
Participation
46.4%
Employed
541
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.5%
Postgraduate
7.6%
Born Overseas
13.9%
Dwellings
583
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 88.9% of residents driving to work, compared to urban markets where public transport carries a substantial share of commuters. Walking and cycling account for 3.4% of trips, reasonable for a lower-density coastal area with 421.8 residents per km2. The 37.8% vacancy rate reflects a strong holiday and short-stay overlay on the permanent population, meaning street activity and amenity use varies significantly by season. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families with school-age children depend on nearby towns. A volunteering rate of 20.0% is above the national average, suggesting strong community participation among permanent residents. The absence of crime data means the safety picture relies on contextual factors, such as the 31.2nd-percentile household income and low population density.
Drive
88.9%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Narrawallee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Narrawallee a good suburb to live in?
Narrawallee suits owner-occupiers seeking a quiet coastal lifestyle, with 95.5% detached houses, a volunteering rate of 20.0% above the national average, and 51.9% of residents owning their home outright. The trade-offs are limited public transport, no recorded schools in the suburb, and a median age of 50 that sits 10 years above the national figure.
What is the median house price in Narrawallee?
The median house price is $1,250,000. Prices peaked at $1,300,000 in 2024 and eased to $1,220,000 in 2025, a 6.2% decline. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,733, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.6%.
What schools are in Narrawallee?
No schools are recorded within the Narrawallee suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in adjacent towns. Locally, 28.5% of residents hold university qualifications, which is slightly below the national figure of around 30.1%, reflecting the older median age of 50.
Is Narrawallee safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Narrawallee in this dataset. Contextual indicators include a low population density of 421.8 residents per km2, a 20.0% volunteering rate above the national average, and 51.9% of homes owned outright, all typical of stable, low-transience coastal communities.
Is Narrawallee good for property investment?
The 37.8% vacancy rate is much higher than the national residential average, reflecting a holiday-market rather than permanent rental demand. Weekly rent of $400 against a $1,250,000 median implies a gross yield near 1.7%. The 6.2% price correction since 2024 may offer entry-point value, but returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Narrawallee's population changing?
Narrawallee has a population of 1,487 with a median age of 50, which is 10 years above the national median. The resident turnover rate is 24.1%, meaning 75.9% of residents stayed between Census periods. The demographic trend is toward an older, settled owner-occupier base with couples without children at 40.8% of families.
How much development is happening in Narrawallee?
There were 26 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including new dwelling constructions and alterations to existing structures. This level of activity, above 20 applications, indicates ongoing investment in the housing stock despite the 6.2% price correction since the 2024 peak of $1,300,000.
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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