Taree
With a median age of 45, Taree reads older and more affordable than many NSW coastal centres. The population of 16,715 sits at 349.4 people per sq km, while household income is in the 11.8th percentile nationally. Housing is mainly detached, with 78.3% separate houses and a 2025 price series median of $520,000. Compared with nearby Wingham and Old Bar, Taree plays the Manning Valley service-centre role because healthcare employs 34.0% of local workers.
Population
16,715
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$968/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
142
Median House
$496K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Homebuyers get a strongly detached market: 78.3% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 9.6% apartments and 11.9% semi-detached homes. The median house price is $496,500, while the 2025 price series reached $520,000 after rising 9.5% from 2024. Budgets still need care because mortgages take 31.0% of income, above the stress line, even though the typical mortgage is $1,300 a month. With 45.8% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 25.7% having 4 or more, families have more choice than inner-city buyers.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a strongly detached market: 78.3% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 9.6% apartments and 11.9% semi-detached homes. The median house price is $496,500, while the 2025 price series reached $520,000 after rising 9.5% from 2024. Budgets still need care because mortgages take 31.0% of income, above the stress line, even though the typical mortgage is $1,300 a month. With 45.8% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 25.7% having 4 or more, families have more choice than inner-city buyers.
For Investors
Taree has a large rental pool, with 38.7% of homes rented and a median rent of $289 per week. Demand is supported by internal migration averaging 150 people a year, higher than overseas migration at 21, but the 6.4% vacancy rate signals tenants have more choice than in tighter markets. Development is active, with 131 applications in 12 months, so investors should watch local supply. The appeal is yield and entry price, because the $496,500 median is relatively accessible while rents have grown 47.6% over the longer shift period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
808
Last 12 Months
142
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-3.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Taree iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
MidCoast Christian College
K-12 · 787 students
St Clare's High School
7-12 · 630 students
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 271 students
Taree High School
7-12 · 623 students
Taree West Public School
K-6 · 409 students
Demographics
Taree's median age of 45 is 5.0 years above the national benchmark, and the average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 lower than nationally. The suburb is locally rooted: 9.8% of residents were born overseas, 11.8 percentage points below the national share, while university attainment at 15.4% is 14.7 points below national. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 6,799 people, followed by Scottish at 1,562 and Irish at 1,508. Smaller language communities include Malayalam with 47 speakers and Mandarin with 22.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.3%
Houses
11.9%
Townhouse
9.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Taree is stable, detached and relatively low-rise. The price series moved from $475,000 in 2024 to $520,000 in 2025, a 9.5% rise, with the latest price also matching the peak and sitting 0.0% below it. Ownership is mixed: 38.2% own outright, 23.1% have a mortgage and 38.7% rent. That split suits retirees and lower-debt households, but it also means rental demand is material. Bedroom stock is practical rather than luxury-led, with 45.8% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 22.9% having 2, compared with 25.7% at 4 or more.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$289
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$544
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
461
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.0% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples, no children
11,569
Total families
Economy & Employment
Taree's economy is anchored by services rather than high-income office work. Healthcare is the standout industry at 34.0% of workers, or 1,117 people, well above education at 10.2% and retail at 9.4%. Occupations show the same pattern, led by community and personal service roles at 963 people, professionals at 867 and labourers at 837. Labour-market participation is low at 41.4% and unemployment is 9.9%, partly because the resident base is older. SEIFA scores sit in IEO decile 1, IER decile 2, IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 1, with resources slightly higher than education and occupation outcomes.
Unemployment
7.7%
Labour Force
9,082
Unemployed
696
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.7%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
41.4%
Employed
5,127
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.4%
Postgraduate
3.1%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
6,674
Transport to Work
Daily life in Taree is car-oriented because 86.5% of commuters drive, far above the 0.6% using public transport and 4.7% walking or cycling. School choice is a strength for a regional centre, with 9 local schools spanning ICSEA 724 to 1015. MidCoast Christian College, St Clare's High School and St Joseph's Primary School provide the highest ICSEA options across Independent and Catholic sectors, while government schools cover primary and secondary needs. Safety should be checked locally because a comparable crime rate is not available. IRSAD decile 1 points to below-average advantage, so service access matters.
Drive
86.5%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
4.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.85%/yr
(+116 people/yr)
EstablishedTaree is growing, but at a measured pace. The forecast trend is 0.85% a year, equal to about 116 additional people annually, which is lower than fast-growth fringe suburbs but consistent with an established regional centre. Migration is mainly domestic: average net internal migration is 150 people a year, compared with 21 from overseas, so demand is driven more by regional moves than global arrivals. The medium path rises from 13,682 people in 2026 to 14,264 in 2031. Gentrification is scored at 24 and labelled Early signs, while the broader shift is Aging with seniors up 10.5 percentage points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+21
Net Internal / yr
+150
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Net internal migration +150/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Taree compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Taree a good suburb to live in?
Taree can suit buyers wanting a regional service centre with lower prices than many coastal NSW markets. It has 16,715 residents, a median age of 45 and 9 local schools, but commuting is car-heavy with 86.5% driving and only 0.6% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Taree?
The median house price is $496,500, while the separate 2025 price series records a median of $520,000. Prices rose from $475,000 in 2024 to $520,000 in 2025, a 9.5% increase, with the latest figure 0.0% below the recorded peak.
What schools are in Taree?
Taree has 9 local schools across government, Catholic and Independent sectors. The highest ICSEA schools are MidCoast Christian College at 1015 with 787 students, St Clare's High School at 1012 with 630 students and St Joseph's Primary School at 952.
Is Taree safe?
A comparable suburb-level crime rate is not available, so safety is best assessed street by street and at different times of day. For context, Taree has 16,715 residents, 9 schools and a low public transport commute share of 0.6%, so local movement patterns are mostly car-based.
Is Taree good for property investment?
Taree has investor appeal through affordability and rental depth: 38.7% of homes are rented and the median rent is $289 per week. The caution is vacancy at 6.4%, which is higher than tight-market conditions, while 131 development applications add future supply to monitor.
How is Taree's population changing?
Taree is forecast to grow at 0.85% a year, or about 116 people annually. The medium path lifts from 13,682 people in 2026 to 14,264 in 2031, with internal migration averaging 150 people a year compared with 21 from overseas.
What development is happening in Taree?
Development activity is notable, with 131 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include alterations and additions lodged on 2026-04-08, a swimming pool certificate on 2026-04-07 and a community facility demolition on 2026-04-03.
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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