Narromine
Median house prices of $404,000 sit far below Sydney levels, and household income in the 31.2nd percentile nationally explains why this central-west NSW town stays affordable. The economy leans on Healthcare (17.3%) and Agriculture (15.3%) rather than the knowledge work seen in metro suburbs, with university qualifications at 18.0%, which is 12.1 points below national. Detached houses make up 93.2% of dwellings, and 42.5% of residents own outright, well above the share carrying a mortgage. The population is aging and slowly shrinking, with a 10-year change of negative 3.3% and a median age of 39.
Population
4,608
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,306/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
60
Median House
$450K
12m to Jun 2026 (PSI)
At a $404,000 median house price, Narromine is among the more affordable markets in NSW, having risen 6.3% from $380,000 in 2024. The stock favours buyers wanting space: 93.2% are separate houses and apartments are just 1.3%, so detached living is the norm rather than a premium. Three-bedroom homes account for 44.4% and four-plus bedroom homes 40.0%, leaving little small-format supply for downsizers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold, because purchase prices are low relative even to the modest local incomes. Outright owners at 42.5% outnumber mortgage holders at 32.6%, a sign of an established, debt-free ownership base.
For Buyers
At a $404,000 median house price, Narromine is among the more affordable markets in NSW, having risen 6.3% from $380,000 in 2024. The stock favours buyers wanting space: 93.2% are separate houses and apartments are just 1.3%, so detached living is the norm rather than a premium. Three-bedroom homes account for 44.4% and four-plus bedroom homes 40.0%, leaving little small-format supply for downsizers. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5%, well below the 30% stress threshold, because purchase prices are low relative even to the modest local incomes. Outright owners at 42.5% outnumber mortgage holders at 32.6%, a sign of an established, debt-free ownership base.
For Investors
A 24.9% renter share and weekly rent of $250 give landlords a tenant pool, and that rent against the $404,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.3%, higher than typical inner-Sydney returns. The risk sits in the 11.5% vacancy rate, well above a healthy market, which signals soft rental demand. Population pressure is negative: net internal migration removes 61 residents a year while overseas migration adds only 13, so natural demand is thin. Development activity is moderate at 53 applications in 12 months, a mix of dwelling houses, pools and commercial change-of-use rather than large new supply. Rent grew 60.0% over the decade, so the case rests more on yield and rent escalation than capital growth, given the negative 0.37% annual population trend.
Development Activity
Total DAs
274
Last 12 Months
60
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+9.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Narromine iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Augustine's Parish School
K-6 · 87 students
Narromine Christian School
K-6 · 177 students
Narromine Public School
K-6 · 237 students
Narromine High School
7-12 · 223 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, yet the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.8 points while the working-age share fell 2.0 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents are just 4.3%, which is 17.3 points below national, marking a strongly Australian-born population. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,709), Irish (440) and Scottish (409), and there is no recorded community of non-English language speakers. University qualifications at 18.0% run 12.1 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and services. Average household size is 2.5, level with the national average, and couples with children (1,317 families) outnumber couples without children (949), a more family-oriented mix than aging metro suburbs.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.2%
Houses
5.3%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews toward ownership: 42.5% own outright, 32.6% carry a mortgage and 24.9% rent, so outright owners outnumber both mortgaged buyers and tenants. That debt-free majority reflects long-held local property rather than recent buyer churn. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 93.2%, with apartments at just 1.3% and semi-detached at 5.3%, which keeps the market simple but limits choice for renters and downsizers. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 44.4% and four-plus bedroom homes 40.0%. The median house price rose from $380,000 to $404,000 across 2024 and 2025, a 6.3% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 21.5% and rent-to-income at 19.1% both stay well below the 30% stress line, a rare affordability buffer compared with coastal NSW markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (12m to Jun 2026 (PSI))
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (January to March 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $250.
$400
Bond data Mar 2026 · houses $480
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$710
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.5%
Unoccupied
212
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.8%
Couples, no children
3,300
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in services and primary industry rather than high-paying knowledge sectors: Healthcare leads at 17.3% (197 workers), Agriculture follows at 15.3% (174) and Education at 14.2% (161), with Construction at 9.4% and Public Admin at 6.5%. By occupation, Managers (323) and Professionals (256) lead, but Labourers (237) and Machinery operators or drivers (201) reflect the farming and trades base. Unemployment is 5.3% and the full-time rate is 68.9%, while participation reads only 51.6% because 1,161 residents sit outside the labour force, in line with the aging profile. SEIFA places the town in decile 3 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD and decile 4 on IER, below the national midpoint, a disadvantage that tracks the below-average incomes.
Unemployment
2.9%
Labour Force
3,024
Unemployed
88
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.9%
Part-time
25.8%
Participation
51.6%
Employed
1,753
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.0%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
4.3%
Dwellings
1,613
Transport to Work
Transport is almost entirely car-based: 87.8% drive, only 0.3% use public transport and 6.4% walk or cycle, reflecting a regional town where distances and limited transit push residents to drive, above the national reliance on cars. No schools are recorded inside the 1,907.98 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in town or neighbouring centres. Volunteering runs high at 22.4%, above metro norms, and only 5.2% of residents (206 people) need daily assistance despite the aging median age of 39. SEIFA decile 3 on IRSD indicates relative disadvantage rather than affluence, but rent-to-income at 19.1% keeps housing costs manageable, a clear affordability advantage over coastal NSW.
Drive
87.8%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.37%/yr
(-24 people/yr)
EstablishedNarromine is contracting slowly: the annual population trend is negative 0.37%, or about 24 fewer residents a year, and the 10-year change is negative 3.3%. Historical counts fell from 6,554 in 2023 to 6,499 in 2025, and the medium forecast continues the slide to roughly 6,348 by 2031. The only positive driver is overseas migration at 13 a year, far outweighed by net internal outflow of 61, so the town loses more people to other parts of Australia than it gains from abroad. The gentrification shift score reads 45 with an Active stage, driven by 60.0% rent growth and 19.1% real income growth over the decade, even as affordability worsened from 30.4% in 2011 to 33.2% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+13
Net Internal / yr
-61
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Narromine compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Narromine a good suburb to live in?
Narromine suits buyers prioritising affordability and space, with a $404,000 median house price and 93.2% detached houses. Volunteering runs at 22.4%, above metro norms. The trade-offs are a SEIFA decile 3 disadvantage ranking and household income in the 31.2nd percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Narromine?
The median house price is $404,000, well below Sydney levels. Prices rose 6.3% from $380,000 in 2024. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,213, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Narromine?
No schools are recorded inside the 1,907.98 km2 Narromine boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in town or neighbouring centres. University qualifications sit at 18.0%, which is 12.1 points below the national figure, reflecting a trades and services workforce.
Is Narromine safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Narromine in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, only 5.2% of residents (206 people) need daily assistance, and the suburb scores SEIFA decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national midpoint.
Is Narromine good for property investment?
Rent of $250 a week against a $404,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.3%, above typical inner-Sydney returns. The risk is an 11.5% vacancy rate, well above healthy levels, and net internal migration that removes 61 residents a year against negative 0.37% population growth.
How is Narromine's population changing?
Population is shrinking, with a 10-year change of negative 3.3% and an annual trend of negative 0.37%, about 24 fewer residents a year. Counts fell from 6,554 in 2023 to 6,499 in 2025, and the profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points over the decade.
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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