South Bathurst
At a median house price of $565,000 and household income in the 26.6th percentile nationally, South Bathurst sits well below the state average on both measures, yet 89% of its 1,583 residents live in separate houses, giving the suburb a strongly suburban character uncommon at this price point. Healthcare and Education together employ 40.9% of local workers, anchoring the economy to Bathurst's service institutions. Median age is 38, two years younger than the national figure, and 31.9% of residents own their homes outright, suggesting a stable, long-term resident base despite below-average incomes.
Population
1,583
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,222/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$565K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $565,000 median house price is significantly lower than Sydney's metropolitan average, making South Bathurst one of the more accessible detached-house markets in NSW. Prices edged up from $558,500 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025, a 2.1% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,394, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, so repayments remain manageable relative to local incomes. Separate houses account for 89% of stock, with 59.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 22.1% having 4 or more, giving buyers genuine family-sized options. Only 1.8% of dwellings are apartments, so competition for houses is direct and supply is largely detached.
For Buyers
The $565,000 median house price is significantly lower than Sydney's metropolitan average, making South Bathurst one of the more accessible detached-house markets in NSW. Prices edged up from $558,500 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025, a 2.1% annual gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,394, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, so repayments remain manageable relative to local incomes. Separate houses account for 89% of stock, with 59.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and 22.1% having 4 or more, giving buyers genuine family-sized options. Only 1.8% of dwellings are apartments, so competition for houses is direct and supply is largely detached.
For Investors
A 38.6% renter share is higher than the national average and points to consistent tenant demand. Weekly rent of $310 against a $565,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, modest but more competitive than major capital city markets. The vacancy rate of 7.5% is elevated and warrants attention because it limits pricing power and means some properties are sitting empty. Development activity is low at 7 applications in the past 12 months, all modifications rather than new dwelling approvals, so supply pressure from new stock is minimal. The income base, household weekly income of $1,222 placing residents in the 26.6th percentile nationally, caps rent growth, so the investment case relies on capital appreciation from the broader regional Bathurst market rather than aggressive yield escalation.
Development Activity
Total DAs
72
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South Bathurst iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Philomena's Catholic Primary School Bathurst
K-6 · 216 students
Demographics
South Bathurst has a median age of 38, two years below the national average, suggesting a slightly younger age profile than typical regional NSW suburbs. Overseas-born residents make up only 9.9% of the population, which is 11.7 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic with English (633), Irish (249) and Scottish (190) as the leading groups. University qualifications stand at 26.9%, which is 3.2 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the trade and services employment base. Average household size is 2.2, slightly below the national average. Couples with children (349 families) and couples without children (346) are nearly equal, while the resident turnover rate of 23.9% indicates that most residents, 76.1%, stayed in the suburb over the measured period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.0%
Houses
9.2%
Townhouse
1.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in South Bathurst follows a three-way split: 31.9% own outright, 29.4% are mortgagors and 38.6% rent. The elevated renter share compared to many regional suburbs reflects below-median household incomes in the 26.6th percentile nationally. Separate houses dominate at 89% of dwellings, with semi-detached at 9.2% and apartments at just 1.8%. The 3-bedroom configuration is most common at 59.5%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 22.1%. The median price rose 2.1% from $558,500 in 2024 to $570,000 in 2025. Mortgage-to-income at 26.3% and rent-to-income at 25.4% both sit below standard stress thresholds, meaning housing costs, while significant, are not acutely burdensome relative to local wages.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,394
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$723
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
54
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.5%
Couples, no children
1,136
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 23.4% of local workers (108 people), reflecting Bathurst's role as a regional health hub. Education follows at 17.5% (81 workers), then Retail at 9.3%, Construction at 8.0% and Public Administration at 6.7%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 134 workers, followed closely by Community and Personal Service workers at 120 and Labourers at 97, a mix that reflects the health and education employer base alongside trade work. The unemployment rate is 4.7% and full-time employment runs at 60.9%. Household weekly income averages $1,222, placing residents in the 26.6th percentile nationally, which is substantially below the median household income of around $1,900 nationally. The participation rate of 54.2% is modest, partly explained by 473 residents not in the labour force.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.9%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
54.2%
Employed
670
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.9%
Postgraduate
6.1%
Born Overseas
9.9%
Dwellings
673
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high, with 87.5% of employed residents driving to work, and public transport data is not available for the suburb, suggesting limited alternatives to private vehicles. A small but notable 3.9% walk or cycle, above average for regional NSW. No schools are recorded inside the South Bathurst boundary, so families draw on Bathurst city facilities nearby. Volunteering runs at 14.5%, a reasonable community participation rate. Some 6.4% of residents (97 people) need daily assistance, which is consistent with the median age of 38 and below the rates seen in more aging regional populations. Rent-to-income at 25.4% and mortgage-to-income at 26.3% both fall below stress thresholds, making housing costs more manageable than in higher-percentile income markets despite household income ranking in the 26.6th percentile nationally.
Drive
87.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Bathurst compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Bathurst a good suburb to live in?
South Bathurst offers affordable housing with a $565,000 median house price and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, below the 30% stress threshold. Household income sits in the 26.6th percentile nationally, so it is a practical rather than affluent suburb. The 89% separate-house stock and 76.1% resident retention rate point to a settled community.
What is the median house price in South Bathurst?
The median house price is $565,000 as of 2025, up from $558,500 in 2024, a 2.1% annual increase. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,394. Weekly rent is $310, placing South Bathurst among the more affordable regional NSW markets compared to coastal or capital city alternatives.
What schools are in South Bathurst?
No schools are recorded inside the South Bathurst boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in the broader Bathurst area. The local population has a university qualification rate of 26.9%, which is 3.2 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the trade and services employment base.
Is South Bathurst safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for South Bathurst in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb has a 14.5% volunteering rate and only 6.4% of residents (97 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a reasonably stable community. Household income in the 26.6th percentile nationally is a modest disadvantage signal.
Is South Bathurst good for property investment?
A 38.6% renter share provides a solid tenant pool. Weekly rent of $310 against a $565,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, which is higher than most Sydney markets. The 7.5% vacancy rate is elevated and caps rent growth. Household incomes in the 26.6th percentile nationally limit how far rents can rise, so the case rests on regional capital growth.
How is South Bathurst's population changing?
South Bathurst has a population of 1,583 with a median age of 38, two years below the national average. The resident turnover rate of 23.9% means 76.1% of residents stayed in place over the measured period, indicating stability. Healthcare and Education employ 40.9% of local workers, providing an anchor to Bathurst's institutional economy.
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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