Tocumwal
Tocumwal stands out for its older, settled profile: the median age is 59, or 19 years above the national comparison, while 54.9% of homes are owned outright. The township has 2,862 residents across 388.52 square kilometres, producing a low density of 7.4 people per square kilometre. Housing is mainly detached at 91.9%, and vacancy is 13.7%, a meaningful consideration for both buyers and landlords. Compared with larger regional centres such as Deniliquin, Tocumwal suits households seeking quieter, lower-density living, although household income sits at the 16.2 percentile.
Local council: Berrigan
Population
2,862
Median Age
59.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,067/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
97
Buyers in Tocumwal are looking at a detached-house market: 91.9% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 1.0% apartments and 5.8% semi-detached homes. The typical household has 2.2 people, with 51.1% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 27.1% having 4 or more. Mortgage costs are $1,300 a month, and mortgage payments account for 28.1% of household income, higher than the rent burden of 23.4%. Affordability improved from 34.9% in 2011 to 31.7% in 2021, which may help existing owners remain in place. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Tocumwal's appeal is its land and low-density housing, but buyers should check condition, access and ongoing maintenance carefully.
For Buyers
Buyers in Tocumwal are looking at a detached-house market: 91.9% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 1.0% apartments and 5.8% semi-detached homes. The typical household has 2.2 people, with 51.1% of homes containing 3 bedrooms and 27.1% having 4 or more. Mortgage costs are $1,300 a month, and mortgage payments account for 28.1% of household income, higher than the rent burden of 23.4%. Affordability improved from 34.9% in 2011 to 31.7% in 2021, which may help existing owners remain in place. Compared with apartment-oriented markets, Tocumwal's appeal is its land and low-density housing, but buyers should check condition, access and ongoing maintenance carefully.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed rental picture. Weekly rent is $250, renting accounts for 17.2% of households, and outright ownership is much higher at 54.9%. Vacancy is 13.7%, so landlords should allow for longer leasing periods and verify demand by property type rather than assuming every dwelling will attract the same tenant pool. Rent growth has reached 33.3%, which may support returns, but high vacancy can dilute that benefit. Development activity totals 97 applications over 12 months, with recent examples including sheds and agricultural structures, so individual applications should be checked for dwelling additions. The forecast describes migration as Balanced and annual growth as 0.19%, making the outlook steadier than a high-growth investment thesis.
Development Activity
Total DAs
526
Last 12 Months
97
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-7.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tocumwal
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Tocumwal's median age of 59 is 19 years above the national comparison, reinforcing an older resident base and helping explain the 2.2-person average household size, below the national figure by 0.3. Ancestry responses are led by English at 1,218 people, Irish at 408 and Scottish at 336. Christianity counts 1,465 residents, while 1,030 report no religion. Only 9.9% of residents were born overseas, 11.7 percentage points below the national comparison, and university attainment is 14.1%, or 16 points below national. Mobility is relatively low: 81.5% stayed at the same address and turnover was 18.5%. For buyers comparing Tocumwal with Deniliquin, this high same-address rate signals a settled population, supported by a volunteering rate of 23.6%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.9%
Houses
5.8%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tocumwal is overwhelmingly a detached-house market, with 91.9% separate houses versus 1.0% apartments and 5.8% semi-detached dwellings. Ownership is stronger than renting: 54.9% own outright, 26.3% hold a mortgage and 17.2% rent. The 3-bedroom share is 51.1%, while 27.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, fitting the area's low density of 7.4 people per square kilometre. Vacancy at 13.7% is a key contrast with a tightly occupied market and may give tenants more choice, although it can also signal thinner demand. Mortgage-to-income is 28.1%, compared with rent-to-income at 23.4%. Compared with nearby regional alternatives, buyers should test whether Tocumwal's larger detached-home component justifies the trade-off in rental depth and services.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $250.
$490
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $500
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$562
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.7%
Unoccupied
176
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.8%
Couples with children
60.1%
Couples, no children
10.9%
Single parent
737
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is shaped by essential and regional industries: healthcare leads with 92 jobs or 14.7%, followed by construction at 66 and 10.6%, education at 65 and 10.4%, agriculture at 64 and 10.3%, and manufacturing at 51 and 8.2%. Managers number 174, trades 156 and labourers 140, indicating a practical occupational mix rather than a university-heavy base. Unemployment is 2.8% among a labour force of 1,017, while participation is 41.3%, lower than in a younger, more workforce-active suburb because the median age is 59 and 1,184 people are not in the labour force. Household income sits at the 16.2 percentile, below the national middle, so local spending power may be more constrained than in larger regional centres.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
1,017
Unemployed
28
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.3%
Part-time
37.5%
Participation
41.3%
Employed
989
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.1%
Postgraduate
1.6%
Born Overseas
9.9%
Dwellings
1,095
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent because homes and services are spread across a large rural area. A total of 78.4% travel as car drivers, compared with 5.1% who walk or cycle, while 13.2% work from home. Tocumwal has 1 local school, Tocumwal Public School, a government primary school. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. The open setting is reflected in 388.52 square kilometres and density of 7.4 people per square kilometre, but services may be more limited than in larger regional centres with 2,862 residents concentrated in a smaller footprint. SEIFA IRSAD is in decile 3 and IEO is in decile 2, below the top decile, so access to transport, health and shopping should be checked street by street. Safety decisions should include current NSW Police information and visits at different times.
Drive
78.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
13.2%
Growth Outlook
Tocumwal is on a slow-growth, aging trajectory. The forecast trend is 0.19% annual growth, while population change across the wider area is 5.2% over 10 years. Migration is labelled Balanced, suggesting no single inflow source dominates, and the shift profile records a 7.1 percentage-point rise in the senior share alongside a 3.6-point fall in the working share. Affordability improved from 34.9% in 2011 to 31.7% in 2021, which may support retention even as the resident base ages. The forecast gentrification score is 7 and the stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with faster-growing inland centres, Tocumwal is more likely to experience incremental change than a development-led surge.
Population trend: Berrigan council area
Tocumwal sits in the Berrigan council area. These are the council area's residents, not Tocumwal's.
Residents 2025
8,773
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.3%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Tocumwal compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tocumwal a good suburb to live in?
Tocumwal suits people who prefer quieter, low-density living, with 91.9% separate houses and a median age of 59, well above the national comparison. Car dependence is high at 78.4%, while the 13.7% vacancy rate may provide more housing choice than tightly occupied towns.
What is the median house price in Tocumwal?
Use a current local-agent or property-database figure to confirm Tocumwal's median house price. Housing is dominated by 91.9% separate houses, while the 13.7% vacancy rate and wide range of land sizes mean a suburb-wide median can vary depending on the sales period and property type.
What schools are in Tocumwal?
Tocumwal has 1 local school listed: Tocumwal Public School, a government primary school. Families should confirm the intake area for an exact address because enrolment boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. Check current availability, year levels and transport arrangements before choosing a home.
Is Tocumwal safe?
Check current NSW Police information and visit at different times before deciding. Tocumwal has 2,862 residents spread across 388.52 square kilometres, so inspect the exact street, lighting, traffic and evening activity rather than relying only on a suburb-wide impression.
Is Tocumwal good for property investment?
Tocumwal may suit investors seeking a lower-priced regional rental strategy, with weekly rent at $250 and 17.2% of households renting. However, vacancy is 13.7% and forecast annual growth is only 0.19%, so returns should be tested against longer leasing periods, maintenance and local demand.
How is Tocumwal's population changing?
Tocumwal has 2,862 residents today, with the wider-area forecast showing 0.19% annual growth and 5.2% population change over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 7.1 percentage points while the working share fell 3.6 points, so growth is likely to be gradual rather than youth-led.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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