Tenterfield
At a median age of 55, Tenterfield runs 15 years older than the national figure, placing it among the most age-skewed communities in regional NSW. The household income sits at just the 9.7th percentile nationally, yet 54.8% of residents own their homes outright, the highest tenure form in the suburb. The median house price of $450,000 reflects a market well below Sydney benchmarks, and the 14.3% vacancy rate signals a quiet, low-demand rental pool rather than investor competition. Over the past decade, the working-age share fell 6.5 percentage points while the senior share climbed 12.0 points, a structural aging trend that shapes housing demand and local service needs.
Population
4,067
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$933/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
111
Median House
$450K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price is $450,000, rising from $415,000 in 2024 to $485,000 in 2025, a 16.9% single-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,192, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 29.5%, just below the 30% stress threshold. That is more accessible than the state median in most NSW coastal markets. The stock is 94.1% detached houses, far above national norms, with apartments at just 3.5%. Three-bedroom homes make up 49.5% and 4-plus bedroom homes 28.3%. Outright owners at 54.8% outnumber mortgage holders at 22.1%, pointing to a settled, debt-free buyer base.
For Buyers
The median house price is $450,000, rising from $415,000 in 2024 to $485,000 in 2025, a 16.9% single-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,192, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 29.5%, just below the 30% stress threshold. That is more accessible than the state median in most NSW coastal markets. The stock is 94.1% detached houses, far above national norms, with apartments at just 3.5%. Three-bedroom homes make up 49.5% and 4-plus bedroom homes 28.3%. Outright owners at 54.8% outnumber mortgage holders at 22.1%, pointing to a settled, debt-free buyer base.
For Investors
The 23.2% renter share is moderate but the 14.3% vacancy rate is high, signalling an oversupplied rental market. Weekly rent averages $250, and against the $450,000 median that implies a gross yield near 2.9%, above typical Sydney figures but tempered by thin demand. Rent-to-income is 26.8%, keeping tenants comfortable. Population growth is 0.31% annually, adding roughly 22 people a year, with internal migration netting 98 residents. Development activity reached 97 applications in the past 12 months. The gentrification score of 12 is well below the threshold for early-stage change, so yield income rather than capital uplift is the investment case.
Development Activity
Total DAs
496
Last 12 Months
111
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+30.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tenterfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Primary School
K-6 · 137 students
Tenterfield High School
7-12 · 267 students
The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School
K-6 · 199 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 sits 15 years above the national figure, the most distinctive characteristic of Tenterfield. Overseas-born residents are 8.6%, which is 13 percentage points below the national average, reflecting Anglo-Celtic heritage: English (1,781), Irish (635) and Scottish (492) lead ancestry counts. University qualifications reach 19.1%, which is 11 percentage points below national, consistent with a trade and services economy. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, because 43.5% of families are couples without children. The volunteering rate of 23.9% is above most metro suburbs, driven by the large retiree cohort.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.1%
Houses
1.4%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners at 54.8% more than double the mortgage-holder share of 22.1%, indicating a settled population with long-held assets rather than active buyers. Renters are 23.2%. The stock is 94.1% separate houses, well above the national average, with apartments at just 3.5%. Three-bedroom homes are most common at 49.5%, with 4-plus bedrooms at 28.3%. The median moved from $415,000 in 2024 to $485,000 in 2025, a 16.9% gain. Mortgage-to-income is 29.5% and rent-to-income is 26.8%, both below the 30% stress threshold, placing Tenterfield among the more affordable markets in NSW.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,192
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$517
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.3%
Unoccupied
293
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.5%
Couples, no children
2,869
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 15.9% of the workforce (147 workers), followed by Education at 13.3% (123) and Construction at 11.0% (102). Public Administration accounts for 10.0% and Agriculture 8.9%. Managers (271) and Professionals (216) are the top occupations. The participation rate is 42.4%, well below the national average, because 1,618 residents are outside the labour force, a direct result of the aging profile. The unemployment rate is 6.2%, above national levels. SEIFA places Tenterfield in decile 2 on both IRSAD and IRSD, indicating significant disadvantage compared to the national median. Real income grew 5.7% over the decade.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
3,301
Unemployed
144
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.1%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
42.4%
Employed
1,380
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
8.6%
Dwellings
1,749
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 85.8% of residents driving to work, well above the national average, and public transport use is 0.4%, reflecting rural NSW service limits. Walking and cycling account for 7.8%, above many regional centres. The IRSAD decile of 2 places Tenterfield below 80% of Australian suburbs on the combined advantage index, and IRSD decile 2 signals concentrated disadvantage. About 9.0% of the 4,067 residents (338 people) need daily assistance, above the national rate, consistent with the median age of 55. The volunteering rate of 23.9% is a positive indicator, well above most metro areas, showing active civic participation from the retiree cohort.
Drive
85.8%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
7.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.31%/yr
(+22 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is 0.31%, far below the national average, adding around 22 people per year. The 10-year population change was flat at 0.0%. Medium forecasts project the broader area moving from 7,188 in 2025 to 7,167 by 2031. Internal migration is the primary driver, netting 98 residents annually, while overseas migration adds a net 18. The senior share rose 12.0 percentage points over the decade and the working-age share fell 6.5 points. Rent grew 50.0% over the period despite slow population growth, because affordability worsened from 42.4% in 2011 to 49.0% in 2021. The gentrification score of 12 is well below any early-stage threshold.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+98
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +98/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tenterfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tenterfield a good suburb to live in?
Tenterfield suits those seeking affordable rural NSW living with strong home-ownership rates. The median house price of $450,000 is far below Sydney benchmarks, the mortgage-to-income ratio is 29.5%, and 54.8% of residents own outright. The IRSAD decile of 2 reflects economic disadvantage compared to most Australian suburbs, and car access is essential with 85.8% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Tenterfield?
The median house price is $450,000 based on 2024-2025 PSI data. It rose from $415,000 in 2024 to $485,000 in 2025, a 16.9% single-year gain. Weekly rent averages $250 and monthly mortgage repayments run approximately $1,192, keeping housing costs manageable compared to coastal or metro NSW markets.
What schools are in Tenterfield?
No schools are recorded in this dataset for the Tenterfield suburb boundary. Tenterfield is a regional service town in northern NSW with established community infrastructure. University qualifications among residents are 19.1%, which is 11 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a trade and services-oriented local economy.
Is Tenterfield safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Tenterfield in this dataset. As a broad indicator, the suburb scores decile 2 on IRSD, meaning it ranks among the more disadvantaged areas in Australia, which can correlate with higher crime exposure in some regions. About 9.0% of the 4,067 residents need daily assistance, above the national rate.
Is Tenterfield good for property investment?
The investment case is yield-focused. Weekly rent of $250 against a $450,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, above most metro markets. However, the 14.3% vacancy rate signals an oversupplied rental market, and population growth is just 0.31% annually. The gentrification score of 12 indicates no capital uplift pressure, so returns depend on income rather than price appreciation.
How is Tenterfield's population changing?
Population growth is effectively flat at 0.31% per year, adding around 22 people annually. The 10-year change was 0.0%. The suburb is on a clear aging trajectory, with the senior share rising 12.0 percentage points and the working-age share falling 6.5 points over the decade. Internal migration of net 98 per year is the primary population driver.
How much development is happening in Tenterfield?
There were 97 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, a moderate level for a town of 4,067 people. Recent applications include new dwelling houses and sheds. Development is steady rather than concentrated, consistent with the 0.31% annual population growth and the suburb's role as a regional service centre.
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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