Tinonee
Roughly 1,202 people live in Tinonee, a rural township near Taree on the NSW Mid North Coast, where 44.7% of households own their home outright, one of the clearest markers of an older, settled population. The median age is 46, which is 6 years above the national figure, and household income sits at the 30.7th percentile nationally. The suburb is almost entirely detached housing at 97.3%, and the median house price of $564,500 sits well below Sydney and major coastal centres. Healthcare alone employs 25.8% of local workers, reflecting Tinonee's proximity to Manning Base Hospital and the region's service-economy character.
Population
1,202
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,294/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
23
Median House
$564K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a median house price of $564,500, Tinonee is significantly more affordable than the NSW state median, appealing to buyers seeking a detached home in a rural setting. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 97.3%, with 4-plus bedroom homes making up 43.2% of all dwellings and 3-bedroom at 44.6%, so buyers get good size for the price point. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,509, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices dipped 3.5% from $575,000 in 2024 to $555,000 in 2025, suggesting the market is cooling rather than rising. With 44.7% of residents owning outright, the area has low forced-sale pressure, which tends to keep prices more stable than higher-leverage suburbs.
For Buyers
At a median house price of $564,500, Tinonee is significantly more affordable than the NSW state median, appealing to buyers seeking a detached home in a rural setting. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 97.3%, with 4-plus bedroom homes making up 43.2% of all dwellings and 3-bedroom at 44.6%, so buyers get good size for the price point. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,509, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Prices dipped 3.5% from $575,000 in 2024 to $555,000 in 2025, suggesting the market is cooling rather than rising. With 44.7% of residents owning outright, the area has low forced-sale pressure, which tends to keep prices more stable than higher-leverage suburbs.
For Investors
The investment case for Tinonee is thin on yield but benefits from low entry costs. Weekly rent of $350 against a median price of $564,500 implies a gross yield around 3.2%, which is low by regional NSW standards. The vacancy rate is elevated at 8.5%, well above the 3% equilibrium benchmark, signalling more rental supply than demand in the current market. Only 13.8% of households rent, one of the lowest renter shares you will find in NSW, so the tenant pool is shallow. Development activity reached 23 applications in the past 12 months, almost all single dwelling houses, showing steady organic growth rather than speculative volume. The flat price trajectory and high vacancy rate favour owner-occupier demand over rental investment strategies.
Development Activity
Total DAs
85
Last 12 Months
23
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+53.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tinonee iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Manning Adventist School
K-6 · 32 students
Tinonee Public School
K-6 · 158 students
Demographics
Tinonee's population of 1,202 is older and more Anglo-Celtic than the national average. The median age of 46 is 6 years above the national figure, and the dominant ancestries are English (545 residents), Scottish (134) and Irish (128), consistent with long-settled rural NSW communities. Overseas-born residents make up 8.0% of the population, which is 13.6 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting minimal recent migration. University qualifications reach 20.8% of residents, which is 9.3 percentage points below the national figure. Volunteering is comparatively high at 22.0% of residents, reflecting the mutual-reliance culture typical of smaller rural towns. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national figure, though the low renter share and high couples-without-children rate of 28.7% point to an established, post-family-raising cohort.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.3%
Houses
0.9%
Townhouse
1.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock in Tinonee is almost entirely detached houses at 97.3%, with apartments at just 1.8%, a profile that is rare even by regional NSW standards. Bedroom mix is skewed large, with 43.2% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 44.6% having 3 bedrooms, leaving only 12.2% in smaller configurations. Tenure splits into 44.7% owned outright, 41.5% on a mortgage and 13.8% renting, giving outright owners a dominant share compared to the national average. Prices moved from $575,000 in 2024 to $555,000 in 2025, a 3.5% decline over that period. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,509 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.9%, below the 30% stress level, which partly explains why distressed selling has not pushed prices lower despite the softer market.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,509
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$662
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.5%
Unoccupied
41
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.7%
Couples, no children
970
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 25.8% of the local workforce (83 workers), well above its typical share in regional areas, because the Manning Valley catchment relies on nearby Taree for hospital services. Education follows at 14.3% (46 workers) and Construction at 9.6% (31 workers), indicating a local economy driven by public services and residential maintenance. The full-time employment rate is 61.2%, with 284 full-time workers and 180 part-time. Unemployment sits at 5.5%, above the national rate, and the labour force participation rate of 51.0% is low, largely because the older median age of 46 means a significant share of the 361 residents not in the labour force are retired. By occupation, Community and Personal Services (94 workers) and Professionals (89) rank highest, consistent with the healthcare and education industry mix.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.2%
Part-time
33.3%
Participation
51.0%
Employed
464
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.8%
Postgraduate
4.7%
Born Overseas
8.0%
Dwellings
442
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high in Tinonee, with 90.5% of workers driving to work and only 2.0% walking or cycling, which reflects the rural township layout and the lack of meaningful public transport. No schools are recorded within Tinonee's boundary, so families rely on schools in Taree and surrounding localities. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 27.0% and mortgage-to-income at 26.9% both remain below the 30% stress threshold, giving residents more financial headroom than many coastal or metropolitan suburbs. Volunteering at 22.0% of residents is notably above average, which tends to correlate with community resilience and social cohesion in small rural towns. With 6.9% of residents needing daily assistance (78 people), support demands are moderate relative to the older population, suggesting most older residents remain independent.
Drive
90.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tinonee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tinonee a good suburb to live in?
Tinonee suits buyers and residents who prefer a quiet rural setting with affordable housing. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 26.9% and rent-to-income at 27.0%, both below the 30% threshold. Car dependence is high at 90.5% and the area has no recorded schools within its boundary, so families need to factor in Taree commutes. Household income sits at the 30.7th percentile nationally, reflecting the regional service-economy wage base.
What is the median house price in Tinonee?
The median house price is $564,500, derived from the 2024-2025 period. Prices softened from $575,000 in 2024 to $555,000 in 2025, a 3.5% decline. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,509 and weekly rent is $350.
What schools are in Tinonee?
No schools are recorded within the Tinonee boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in Taree, the nearby regional centre. The local population has a university qualification rate of 20.8%, which is 9.3 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Tinonee safe?
Detailed crime statistics for Tinonee are not available in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low with mortgage-to-income at 26.9% and rent-to-income at 27.0%, and 79.4% of residents have stayed at the same address, suggesting a stable, settled community. Only 6.9% of residents need daily assistance.
Is Tinonee good for property investment?
The investment case is cautious. Weekly rent of $350 against a $564,500 median implies a gross yield near 3.2%, low for regional NSW. The vacancy rate of 8.5% is well above the 3% equilibrium benchmark, signalling oversupply in the rental market. Only 13.8% of residents rent, limiting the tenant pool. Prices declined 3.5% from 2024 to 2025, so near-term capital growth is uncertain.
How is Tinonee's population changing?
Tinonee has a population of 1,202, with 79.4% of residents having stayed at the same address, indicating very low turnover and a settled community. The overseas-born share is 8.0%, which is 13.6 percentage points below the national rate, confirming minimal migration-driven growth. Development logged 23 applications in the past 12 months, mainly new dwellings, suggesting modest organic growth.
How much development is happening in Tinonee?
There were 23 development applications lodged in Tinonee in the past 12 months, almost entirely new dwelling houses. This is consistent with modest organic infill rather than large-scale subdivision. The housing stock is 97.3% separate houses, reflecting the rural township character, and the settled resident base with 79.4% staying at the same address limits speculative pressure.
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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