Singleton
Mining accounts for 24.0% of local employment, making Singleton more economically specialised than many regional towns. Its 5,185 residents live across just 4.36 square kilometres, producing a density of 1,188.3 people per square kilometre. Housing is strongly detached, with separate houses representing 83.2% of dwellings, while the median age of 40 matches the national age benchmark. Household income sits near the national midpoint at the 47.4th percentile. Compared with nearby Muswellbrook, buyers should weigh Singleton's compact town layout and mining-linked employment against their preferred commuting and service patterns.
Population
5,185
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,517/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
64
Singleton suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, with 83.2% of dwellings being separate houses and 48.6% containing 3 bedrooms. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for another 27.1%, giving families more choice than in an apartment-led market. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,733, equal to 26.4% of household income, while 32.5% of residents own outright and 32.5% have a mortgage. The mortgage share is lower than the 33.6% renting share, so buyers should compare repayments with local rents of $300 per week and allow for vacancy or maintenance costs. Compared with nearby Muswellbrook, inspect both towns before choosing on price alone.
For Buyers
Singleton suits buyers seeking conventional family housing, with 83.2% of dwellings being separate houses and 48.6% containing 3 bedrooms. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for another 27.1%, giving families more choice than in an apartment-led market. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,733, equal to 26.4% of household income, while 32.5% of residents own outright and 32.5% have a mortgage. The mortgage share is lower than the 33.6% renting share, so buyers should compare repayments with local rents of $300 per week and allow for vacancy or maintenance costs. Compared with nearby Muswellbrook, inspect both towns before choosing on price alone.
For Investors
Singleton has a sizeable rental base, with 33.6% of households renting and weekly rent at $300. The 9.1% vacancy rate is important because it can reduce the reliability of rental income even where tenant demand is visible. Development activity reached 64 applications in 12 months, although the examples include sheds, modifications and food premises, so the count should not be treated as 64 new dwellings. The annual growth trend is 2.88% and migration is classified as Balanced, providing a broader demand setting than a market driven by one source alone. Compared with a tightly held regional market, investors should stress-test vacancy, insurance and mining-cycle exposure before buying.
Development Activity
Total DAs
351
Last 12 Months
64
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Singleton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Singleton has a median age of 40, exactly matching the national comparison, but its 2.3-person average household is 0.2 below the national figure. Overseas-born residents represent 9.7%, which is 11.9 percentage points below the national level, while university attendance or attainment at 19.1% is 11.0 points below national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 2,201 people, followed by Irish at 645, Scottish at 567 and German at 277. Christianity has 2,827 adherents and no religion 1,894. This profile helps explain the town's established, lower-mobility character: 77.3% stayed at the same address while turnover was 22.7%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.2%
Houses
10.5%
Townhouse
6.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Singleton's housing stock is substantially detached, with separate houses at 83.2%, semi-detached dwellings at 10.5% and apartments at 6.4%. The separate-house share is 76.8 percentage points higher than the apartment share, so buyers should expect family homes to dominate the market. Three-bedroom properties account for 48.6% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 27.1%, compared with 19.5% for 2-bedroom dwellings. Tenure is divided between outright ownership at 32.5%, mortgages at 32.5% and renting at 33.6%. Rent of $300 per week is lower than the monthly mortgage benchmark of $1,733, but those measures cover different payment periods. Compared with nearby Muswellbrook, assess dwelling condition and land size as carefully as headline pricing.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $300.
$600
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $640 · units $480
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$736
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
209
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.0%
Couples with children
39.6%
Couples, no children
20.5%
Single parent
1,363
Total families
Economy & Employment
Singleton's employment base is led by mining at 24.0% or 361 workers, followed by healthcare at 13.8% or 207, education at 9.4% or 141, construction at 7.3% or 110 and hospitality at 5.9% or 89. The occupation mix reinforces that structure, with 439 people in trades and 377 in machinery or driving roles, ahead of 307 professionals. Unemployment is 5.3% across a labour force of 2,513, with participation at 59.3%. SEIFA results are uneven: the education and occupation decile is 2, while economic resources reach decile 6; disadvantage is decile 4 and advantage and disadvantage decile 3. This suggests household resources rank above the town's education and occupation profile, but below stronger regional benchmarks.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
2,513
Unemployed
133
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
32.9%
Participation
59.3%
Employed
2,380
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
9.7%
Dwellings
2,084
Transport to Work
Singleton is practical for car users: 77.6% travel as car drivers, far higher than the 0.3% using public transport. Walking or cycling accounts for 5.0% and working from home for 11.9%, so daily convenience depends heavily on access to a vehicle. Four local government schools provide a mix of 3 primary schools and 1 secondary school, covering the main school stages without implying a particular performance level. Volunteering is 14.6%, which can support local participation, while 8.2% of residents need assistance. The IRSAD score sits in decile 3, below the middle deciles, so households should compare services, transport and exact street conditions carefully. For safety decisions, check current NSW Police information because no suburb-wide crime rate is available here.
Drive
77.6%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.0%
Work from Home
11.9%
Population Forecast
+2.88%/yr
(+761 people/yr)
EstablishedSingleton has a 2.88% annual growth trend, with migration classified as Balanced, while population change across the wider area is forecast at 42.0% over 10 years. The age trajectory is labelled Declining young: the young share has fallen 3.5 percentage points and the senior share has risen 2.4 points. Those movements indicate that growth may not translate evenly across age groups. The forecast signals are mixed on gentrification, with one measure showing an Active stage and score of 50, while the shift measure records Not gentrifying and a score of 0. The 3.5-point decline in the young share is greater than the 2.4-point senior increase, so family, worker and retirement demand should be tracked separately.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+329
Net Internal / yr
+310
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +310/yr, Strong overseas inflow +329/yr, Accelerating: 24% → 31%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Singleton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Singleton a good suburb to live in?
Singleton can suit households wanting detached housing, local schools and access to mining, healthcare and education jobs. The town has 5,185 residents, 83.2% separate houses and 77.6% car-driver travel, so it is better suited to people comfortable with car-based daily life.
What is the median house price in Singleton?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales in postcode 2330. Local housing is dominated by separate houses at 83.2%, while the mortgage benchmark is $1,733 per month and weekly rent is $300, giving buyers useful affordability figures without replacing a sales-based price check.
What schools are in Singleton?
Singleton has 4 listed government schools: King Street Public School, Mount Pleasant Public School, Singleton Public School and Singleton High School. The mix is 3 primary schools and 1 secondary school, but families should confirm enrolment zones and availability for the exact address.
Is Singleton safe?
Safety can vary by street and reporting period, so check the latest NSW Police figures before renting or buying. No suburb-wide crime rate is quoted here. An address-level review is more useful than treating the 9.1% vacancy rate or the presence of 4 local schools as a safety indicator.
Is Singleton good for property investment?
Singleton has a 33.6% renting share, $300 weekly rent and a 2.88% annual growth trend, which may support an investment case. However, the 9.1% vacancy rate and 64 development applications in 12 months warrant caution. Test vacancy, maintenance and mining-cycle risks before purchasing.
How is Singleton's population changing?
Singleton's current population is 5,185. Across the wider area, forecast population change is 42.0% over 10 years and the annual trend is 2.88%, with migration assessed as Balanced. The age trajectory is Declining young, with the young share down 3.5 points and the senior share up 2.4 points.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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