North Tamworth
A $535,000 median house price paired with a 43.4% renter share makes this a rare regional market where buying stays within reach yet most homes are leased. The median age of 38 sits 2.0 years below the national figure, and household income lands in the 44.9th percentile, slightly below the national midpoint, which is why affordability holds even as prices softened. The economy leans heavily on Healthcare, which employs 32.9% of the workforce, far above any other industry. Only 15.5% of residents were born overseas, 6.1 points below national, giving the population an Anglo-leaning profile led by English (2,245), Irish (647) and Scottish (621) ancestry.
Population
6,273
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,463/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
152
Median House
$535K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a $535,000 median, buying a house here costs a fraction of metropolitan Sydney, and the stock favours families because 69.9% of dwellings are separate houses while apartments make up just 2.8%. Larger homes are common: 33.9% have three bedrooms and 33.2% have four or more, so space is easier to secure than in denser markets. Prices have eased recently, falling 12.3% from $582,500 in 2024 to $511,000 in 2025, which gives buyers more negotiating room than a year ago. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That gap between purchase cost and income explains why ownership is attainable despite household income sitting in the 44.9th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
At a $535,000 median, buying a house here costs a fraction of metropolitan Sydney, and the stock favours families because 69.9% of dwellings are separate houses while apartments make up just 2.8%. Larger homes are common: 33.9% have three bedrooms and 33.2% have four or more, so space is easier to secure than in denser markets. Prices have eased recently, falling 12.3% from $582,500 in 2024 to $511,000 in 2025, which gives buyers more negotiating room than a year ago. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,625, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That gap between purchase cost and income explains why ownership is attainable despite household income sitting in the 44.9th percentile nationally.
For Investors
Renters make up 43.4% of households, a deep tenant pool that is high for a regional centre, and weekly rent of $310 against the $535,000 median implies a gross yield around 3.0%, stronger than the sub-2% returns typical of premium Sydney suburbs. The 6.2% vacancy rate is the main caution, sitting above a tight market and pointing to softer rental demand than the renter share alone suggests. Development is active with 146 applications lodged in 12 months, mostly dwelling and pool works rather than new apartment supply, so competition from fresh stock stays limited. Healthcare employing 32.9% of workers anchors tenant demand because hospital and aged-care roles are stable, which supports rental continuity even when prices fell 12.3% over the past year.
Development Activity
Total DAs
615
Last 12 Months
152
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+40.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in North Tamworth iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Oxley High School
7-12 · 1007 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 runs 2.0 years below the national figure, a younger profile than most regional towns and consistent with family formation rather than retirement. University qualifications reach 30.1%, level with the national average at 0.0 points difference, which is notable for a regional suburb where tertiary rates usually trail cities. Average household size is 2.2, sitting 0.3 below national, reflecting a mix of couples with children (1,917 families) and couples without (1,133, or 27.3%). Only 15.5% of residents were born overseas, 6.1 points under national, so ancestry skews Anglo-Celtic led by English (2,245), Irish (647) and Scottish (621). The largest non-English languages are Nepali (42), Punjabi (37) and Mandarin (31), a small but growing migrant thread tied to healthcare recruitment.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
69.9%
Houses
27.3%
Townhouse
2.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is unusually rental-weighted for a regional town: 43.4% rent, 30.3% carry a mortgage and only 26.3% own outright, so leased homes outnumber both ownership categories. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 69.9% with apartments at just 2.8%, which keeps the market house-oriented and limits high-density alternatives. Dwelling sizes lean large, with 33.9% three-bedroom and 33.2% four-or-more-bedroom homes, versus 25.2% two-bedroom. The median house price fell 12.3% from $582,500 in 2024 to $511,000 in 2025, a sharp one-year correction. Against household income, the $535,000 median produces a manageable mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.7% and rent-to-income of 21.2%, both below stress thresholds, which is why neither owners nor tenants face widespread housing pressure here.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,625
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$820
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
163
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.3%
Couples, no children
4,154
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is concentrated in Healthcare to an unusual degree, with 32.9% of workers (648 people) employed in the sector, more than double the next industry, Education at 13.0% (256). Public Admin (7.6%, 150), Construction (7.1%, 139) and Manufacturing (6.7%, 131) round out the top five, a service-and-government mix typical of a regional hospital town. By occupation, Professionals lead at 727, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers at 383 and Labourers at 318, which mirrors the healthcare concentration. Unemployment is low at 3.7% and the full-time rate is 69.4%, though participation reads only 53.8% because 1,760 residents are not in the labour force, partly retirees and partly carers. Household income in the 44.9th percentile reflects a stable but modest wage base rather than a high-earning professional core.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.4%
Part-time
26.9%
Participation
53.8%
Employed
2,656
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.1%
Postgraduate
7.2%
Born Overseas
15.5%
Dwellings
2,425
Transport to Work
Daily life here is built around the car, with 87.3% of residents driving to work and just 0.2% using public transport, far below city levels and typical of a regional centre where distances are short but transit is thin. Walking and cycling account for 5.2% of commutes. Community engagement is solid, with a volunteering rate of 16.6%, and 9.6% of residents (546 people) report needing daily assistance, a figure shaped by the older end of the age spectrum and the suburb's healthcare focus. Housing costs stay manageable, as rent-to-income at 21.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.7% both sit below stress thresholds, so households retain more discretionary income than in higher-priced markets. The low 345.6 per km2 density supports a spacious, house-based living pattern.
Drive
87.3%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How North Tamworth compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Tamworth a good suburb to live in?
It suits families and renters seeking affordability, with a $535,000 median house price and a median age of 38, which is 2.0 years below national. Housing costs are manageable, with mortgage-to-income at 25.7% and rent-to-income at 21.2%, both below stress thresholds. The trade-off is car dependence, as 87.3% drive to work.
What is the median house price in North Tamworth?
The median house price is $535,000, well below metropolitan Sydney levels. Prices fell 12.3% from $582,500 in 2024 to $511,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,625, keeping the mortgage-to-income ratio at a comfortable 25.7%.
What schools are in North Tamworth?
No schools are recorded inside the North Tamworth boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring parts of Tamworth. The suburb has a younger profile, with a median age of 38 (2.0 years below national) and 1,917 couple-with-children families, indicating strong demand for nearby education.
Is North Tamworth safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for North Tamworth in this dataset. As context, 9.6% of the 6,273 residents need daily assistance and the volunteering rate is 16.6%, both consistent with a settled, community-oriented regional population rather than a transient one.
Is North Tamworth good for property investment?
Renters make up 43.4% of households and weekly rent of $310 against the $535,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.0%, above the sub-2% common in premium Sydney suburbs. The 6.2% vacancy rate is the main caution, and healthcare employing 32.9% of workers supports stable tenant demand.
How is North Tamworth's population changing?
The population is 6,273 at a low density of 345.6 per km2. Turnover runs at 31.2%, so about a third of residents moved within five years while 68.8% stayed. With 146 development applications lodged in 12 months, the suburb is expanding gradually rather than rapidly.
How much development is happening in North Tamworth?
There were 146 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, high for a suburb of 6,273 residents. Most are dwelling houses, earthworks and swimming pool installations rather than new apartment blocks, consistent with a low-density market where 69.9% of homes are separate houses.
What languages are spoken in North Tamworth?
About 15.5% of residents were born overseas, 6.1 points below the national figure, so English dominates. The most common non-English languages are Nepali (42 speakers), Punjabi (37), Mandarin (31) and Malayalam (31), a small migrant presence linked to healthcare recruitment.
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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