South Grafton
A $425,000 median house price and household income in the 12.1th percentile nationally make South Grafton one of the more affordable markets on the NSW North Coast, and the two figures reinforce each other. The suburb scores decile 1 on both IRSAD and IEO, the lowest advantage tier, with IRSD and IER at decile 2, reflecting modest incomes rather than deprivation alone. University qualifications reach just 11.8%, which is 18.3 points below the national figure, while only 6.0% of residents were born overseas, 15.6 points below national. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 90.4% of dwellings across a 24.93 km2 footprint, and the median age of 40 sits exactly at the national mark.
Population
6,288
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$975/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
45
Median House
$425K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $425,000 median keeps South Grafton accessible, and prices rose 6.1% from $410,000 in 2024 to $435,000 in 2025. Stock heavily favours owner-occupier families: 90.4% of dwellings are separate houses, apartments make up only 3.3%, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.7% with 4-plus-bedroom houses a further 27.5%. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,144 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers on local incomes can service a loan without tipping into stress despite the 12.1th-percentile income base. Outright owners (35.7%) edge out mortgage holders (26.8%), a sign of an established, debt-light ownership base rather than a churn of recent purchasers competing for scarce listings.
For Buyers
The $425,000 median keeps South Grafton accessible, and prices rose 6.1% from $410,000 in 2024 to $435,000 in 2025. Stock heavily favours owner-occupier families: 90.4% of dwellings are separate houses, apartments make up only 3.3%, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.7% with 4-plus-bedroom houses a further 27.5%. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,144 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers on local incomes can service a loan without tipping into stress despite the 12.1th-percentile income base. Outright owners (35.7%) edge out mortgage holders (26.8%), a sign of an established, debt-light ownership base rather than a churn of recent purchasers competing for scarce listings.
For Investors
A 37.4% renter share and weekly rent of $280 give landlords a working tenant pool, and against the $425,000 median that rent implies a gross yield near 3.4%, well above the sub-2% yields common in premium Sydney suburbs. The 9.0% vacancy rate is elevated, however, pointing to softer near-term demand. Rent-to-income runs at 28.7%, below the 30% stress line, so tenants have headroom. Demand support is modest: internal migration is the primary driver, adding 128 residents a year against 44 from overseas. Development activity sits at 42 applications over 12 months, including dual occupancy and secondary dwelling proposals, signalling incremental infill rather than large-scale supply. With annual population growth of 0.35% and rent growth of 42.9% over the period, the case rests on yield and slow rent escalation more than rapid capital gains.
Development Activity
Total DAs
225
Last 12 Months
45
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+15.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South Grafton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 126 students
South Grafton Public School
K-6 · 564 students
South Grafton High School
7-12 · 639 students
Gillwinga Public School
K-6 · 129 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 4.2 points while the working-age share fell 2.0 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach only 6.0%, which is 15.6 points below national, making this a strongly Anglo-leaning population led by English (2,453), Irish (614) and Scottish (591) ancestry. University qualifications at 11.8% run 18.3 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and personal-service roles. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national. Couples with children (1,454 families) outnumber couples without children (1,191), and Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 2,951 residents, far ahead of the next group, reflecting a settled family demographic rather than a transient one.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.4%
Houses
3.7%
Townhouse
3.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits three ways: 35.7% own outright, 26.8% carry a mortgage and 37.4% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-light ownership rather than a wave of recent buyers. The stock is 90.4% separate houses, with apartments at just 3.3% and semi-detached at 3.7%, so almost every home is a standalone dwelling on its own block. Three-bedroom houses make up 50.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 27.5%, leaving two-bedroom dwellings at 18.0%, a family-oriented size profile. The median house price rose from $410,000 to $435,000 across 2024 to 2025, a 6.1% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 27.1% and rent-to-income at 28.7% both stay below the 30% stress threshold, because low purchase prices offset the suburb's 12.1th-percentile household incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,144
Rent / wk
$280
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$526
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.0%
Unoccupied
234
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.7%
Couples, no children
4,466
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is concentrated in service and public sectors: Healthcare leads at 25.8% (297 workers), Public Administration follows at 12.2% (140) and Education at 11.9% (137), with Retail at 8.4% and Construction at 6.2%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (389) and Labourers (367) outnumber Professionals (233), which aligns with the decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is high at 10.6%, well above the national average, and participation reads just 42.4%, held down by 2,263 residents not in the labour force in an aging population. The full-time employment rate is 58.2%. Real incomes still grew 15.6% over the decade. The IER economic-resources score sits at decile 2, slightly above the decile 1 IRSAD reading, because the high outright-ownership rate cushions aggregate household resources.
Unemployment
6.9%
Labour Force
8,121
Unemployed
557
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.2%
Part-time
31.2%
Participation
42.4%
Employed
1,875
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.8%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
6.0%
Dwellings
2,360
Transport to Work
South Grafton is heavily car-dependent: 86.8% of residents drive to work, just 0.8% use public transport and 4.8% walk or cycle, well below the rates seen in metropolitan suburbs. The suburb scores decile 1 on IRSAD and IEO, the lowest advantage tier, with IRSD at decile 2, reflecting modest incomes more than acute hardship, since 11.2% of residents (640 people) need daily assistance, in line with the aging median age of 40. No schools are recorded inside the 24.93 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Grafton across the river. Volunteering runs at 14.0% and the resident turnover rate is low at 20.9%, meaning 79.1% stayed put, both consistent with a stable, settled community rather than a transient one.
Drive
86.8%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.35%/yr
(+70 people/yr)
EstablishedSouth Grafton is a slow-growth, established market: annual population growth registers 0.35%, about 70 residents a year, and the 10-year change is just 4.9%. Internal migration is the primary driver, adding a net 128 residents annually, well ahead of the 44 from overseas migration, so growth is regional rather than international. The medium forecast continues this gentle trend with no sharp expansion expected. Affordability has held steady, easing only marginally from 49.2% in 2011 to 49.4% in 2021, a stable trajectory. The gentrification score reads 16 of 100, classed as not gentrifying, though a separate shift index flags early signs at 24, reflecting modest real-income growth of 15.6% rather than displacement. The senior share rising 4.2 points confirms an aging, settled population base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+44
Net Internal / yr
+128
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +128/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Grafton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Grafton a good suburb to live in?
South Grafton suits affordability-focused owner-occupiers, with a $425,000 median house price and household income in the 12.1th percentile nationally. It scores decile 1 on IRSAD, the lowest advantage tier, and university qualifications reach just 11.8%, 18.3 points below national, so it is more a working-family town than a premium market.
What is the median house price in South Grafton?
The median house price is $425,000, which rose 6.1% from $410,000 in 2024 to $435,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $280 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,144, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in South Grafton?
No schools are recorded inside the 24.93 km2 South Grafton boundary in this dataset, so families generally rely on schools in neighbouring Grafton across the river. University qualifications among residents sit at 11.8%, which is 18.3 points below the national figure.
Is South Grafton safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for South Grafton in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, and 11.2% of its residents (640 people) need daily assistance, figures more reflective of modest incomes and an aging population than of crime.
Is South Grafton good for property investment?
Rent of $280 a week against a $425,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.4%, higher than premium Sydney suburbs, and 37.4% of residents rent. The trade-off is a 9.0% vacancy rate and slow population growth of 0.35% a year, so returns lean on yield rather than rapid capital gains.
How is South Grafton's population changing?
Population growth is 0.35% annually, about 70 residents a year, with a 4.9% rise over 10 years. Internal migration drives this, adding a net 128 residents annually against 44 from overseas. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.2 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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