South Tamworth
A $445,000 median house price and a household income in the 13.9th percentile nationally define South Tamworth as a genuinely affordable regional market rather than a premium one. The two facts reinforce each other: with weekly household income at $1,029, well below national, only a low purchase price keeps ownership reachable, which is why mortgage holders pay just $1,170 a month. The suburb is detached-house country, with 78.6% separate houses and only 3.9% apartments across its 3.79 km2 footprint. Renters form the majority at 50.5%, and the population of 6,621 skews young, with a median age of 37 that runs 3.0 years below the national figure.
Population
6,621
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,029/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$445K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $445,000 median sits far below most metropolitan markets, and prices rose 7.0% over the year, from $430,000 in 2024 to $460,000 in 2025. Stock favours buyers wanting space: 78.6% are separate houses and three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.4%, with four-plus-bedroom dwellings at 18.0% and two-bedroom at 24.0%. Apartments are scarce at 3.9%, so first-home buyers compete mainly for detached cottages. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,170, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income sits in the 13.9th percentile nationally. That affordability gap exists because entry prices are low rather than because incomes are high, which makes a modest house attainable on a single regional wage.
For Buyers
The $445,000 median sits far below most metropolitan markets, and prices rose 7.0% over the year, from $430,000 in 2024 to $460,000 in 2025. Stock favours buyers wanting space: 78.6% are separate houses and three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.4%, with four-plus-bedroom dwellings at 18.0% and two-bedroom at 24.0%. Apartments are scarce at 3.9%, so first-home buyers compete mainly for detached cottages. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,170, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold even though household income sits in the 13.9th percentile nationally. That affordability gap exists because entry prices are low rather than because incomes are high, which makes a modest house attainable on a single regional wage.
For Investors
A 50.5% renter share gives landlords the deepest possible tenant pool, and weekly rent of $260 against the $445,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.0%, stronger than inner-metro suburbs where yields fall below 2%. The catch is the 9.2% vacancy rate, higher than a tight rental market would show, which signals that supply is keeping pace with demand and limits rent escalation. Development is modest at 17 applications in 12 months, mostly secondary dwellings and alterations rather than new estates, so fresh supply stays low. Rent-to-income runs at 25.3%, leaving tenants with room before stress, and turnover of 26.3% means roughly one in four households moves each year. The case here rests on yield and cash flow more than capital growth, with prices up only 7.0% across the period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
110
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South Tamworth iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Edward's Primary School
K-6 · 525 students
Tamworth High School
7-12 · 663 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below national, marking a younger profile than most established suburbs, and average household size of 2.2 sits 0.3 below national, consistent with the high renter share. Only 8.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 12.9 points below the national figure, so the population is far less migrant-heavy than the country as a whole. Ancestry leans Anglo, led by English (2,372), Irish (582) and Scottish (491), and the largest non-English language is Mandarin with just 41 speakers. University qualifications reach 13.0%, fully 17.1 points below national, reflecting a workforce built on trades and service roles. Couples without children make up 28.2% of the 4,406 families, and Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 3,378 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.6%
Houses
17.5%
Townhouse
3.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts firmly to renting: 50.5% rent, 28.1% own outright and 21.5% carry a mortgage, an unusual split for a regional town where ownership often leads. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to an older settled cohort sitting alongside a large transient rental base. The stock is 78.6% separate houses with semi-detached at 17.5% and apartments only 3.9%, so density stays low at 1,747.9 residents per km2. Three-bedroom homes account for 52.4% and four-plus for 18.0%, a family-sized profile. The median rose from $430,000 to $460,000 across 2024 and 2025, a 7.0% one-year move. Mortgage-to-income at 26.3% and rent-to-income at 25.3% both stay below the 30% stress line, which is why neither stress flag trips despite incomes in the 13.9th percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,170
Rent / wk
$260
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$626
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
278
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
4,406
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in healthcare and hands-on roles rather than knowledge sectors: Healthcare leads at 23.1% (311 workers), followed by Manufacturing at 10.5% (142), Retail at 9.3% (125), Education at 9.1% (123) and Construction at 7.9% (107). By occupation, Labourers (552) outnumber Professionals (252) more than two to one, which explains why university qualifications sit 17.1 points below national. Unemployment is elevated at 8.8%, above the national rate, and participation is low at 47.4% because 2,062 residents are not in the labour force, partly a function of the younger and older non-working cohorts. The full-time employment rate of 63.8% shows that those who do work largely hold steady hours, anchored by the dominant healthcare base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.8%
Part-time
27.4%
Participation
47.4%
Employed
2,300
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.0%
Postgraduate
2.2%
Born Overseas
8.7%
Dwellings
2,725
Transport to Work
South Tamworth is car-dependent, with 85.6% driving to work and only 0.7% using public transport, well below metropolitan averages, while 3.4% walk or cycle. That pattern fits a low-density regional town at 1,747.9 residents per km2 where distances and limited transit make a car essential. No schools are recorded inside the 3.79 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Tamworth suburbs. Volunteering runs at 11.4% and 8.9% of residents, some 524 people, need daily assistance, a share consistent with the mix of younger families and older outright owners. Affordability is the standout, with rent-to-income at 25.3% sitting below the 30% stress threshold despite household income in the 13.9th percentile nationally.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Tamworth compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Tamworth a good suburb to live in?
South Tamworth suits buyers wanting affordability, with a $445,000 median house price and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%, below the 30% stress line. Housing is 78.6% separate houses and the median age of 37 runs 3.0 years below national, a younger family profile. The main trade-offs are a car-dependent layout and incomes in the 13.9th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in South Tamworth?
The median house price is $445,000, well below most metro markets. Prices rose 7.0% over the year, from $430,000 in 2024 to $460,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $260 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,170, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.3%.
What schools are in South Tamworth?
No schools are recorded inside the 3.79 km2 South Tamworth boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Tamworth suburbs. The local population is less degree-heavy than average, with university qualifications at 13.0%, which is 17.1 points below the national figure.
Is South Tamworth safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for South Tamworth in this dataset. As context, 8.9% of residents, around 524 people, need daily assistance, and the suburb retains a settled base where 73.7% of residents stayed put over the period, against a turnover rate of 26.3%.
Is South Tamworth good for property investment?
Rent of $260 a week against a $445,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.0%, stronger than inner-metro suburbs below 2%. Renters make up 50.5% of households, a deep tenant pool, but the 9.2% vacancy rate signals adequate supply, so returns lean on yield rather than the 7.0% capital growth seen recently.
How is South Tamworth's population changing?
The population stands at 6,621 with a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below national, a younger profile. Growth is gradual: development was light at 17 applications over 12 months, and turnover of 26.3% means about one in four households moves each year, keeping the rental market liquid.
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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