Toormina
Affordability and an aging resident base define Toormina more than its Coffs Harbour coastal setting. The median house price of $691,000 sits well within reach of the regional market, yet household income lands in just the 15.2th percentile nationally, which is why both mortgage-to-income (33.1%) and rent-to-income (31.6%) push past the 30% stress threshold despite modest prices. The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above national, and university qualifications reach only 19.3%, which is 10.8 points below the national figure. Healthcare dominates local employment at 26.6%, the clearest signal of a settled, services-led community across this 5.4 km2 footprint of 6,171 residents.
Population
6,171
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,059/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
47
Median House
$691K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At a $691,000 median, Toormina is one of the more accessible parts of the Coffs Harbour coast, and prices moved up 4.5% from $670,000 in 2024 to $700,000 in 2025. The stock favours owner-occupiers: 65.2% are separate houses against just 10.4% apartments, and three-bedroom homes lead at 47.7% with four-plus bedrooms at 20.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, low in dollar terms, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio still reaches 33.1% because household income sits in only the 15.2th percentile. That divergence matters for buyers: even a sub-$700,000 entry point stretches local budgets, so finance headroom is tighter here than the price tag alone suggests.
For Buyers
At a $691,000 median, Toormina is one of the more accessible parts of the Coffs Harbour coast, and prices moved up 4.5% from $670,000 in 2024 to $700,000 in 2025. The stock favours owner-occupiers: 65.2% are separate houses against just 10.4% apartments, and three-bedroom homes lead at 47.7% with four-plus bedrooms at 20.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, low in dollar terms, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio still reaches 33.1% because household income sits in only the 15.2th percentile. That divergence matters for buyers: even a sub-$700,000 entry point stretches local budgets, so finance headroom is tighter here than the price tag alone suggests.
For Investors
Renters make up 36.8% of Toormina households, a deep tenant pool, and weekly rent of $335 against the $691,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.5%, stronger than premium metro suburbs though modest in absolute terms. The vacancy rate of 5.2% is higher than a tight rental market would show, pointing to reasonable supply rather than scarcity. Rent-to-income at 31.6% already exceeds the stress threshold, which caps how far rents can climb against the 15.2th-percentile local incomes. Development is steady but small in scale: 43 applications in 12 months, including dual-occupancy and garage works rather than large new estates, so the investment case leans on yield and the healthcare-anchored tenant base more than rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
241
Last 12 Months
47
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+23.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Toormina iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mary Help of Christians Primary School Sawtell
K-6 · 490 students
Coffs Harbour Bible Church School
K-10 · 37 students
Toormina High School
7-12 · 739 students
Toormina Public School
K-6 · 174 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5.0 years above national, and the identity here is settled rather than transient: turnover runs at just 18.3%, meaning 81.7% of residents stayed put. Overseas-born residents reach only 12.0%, which is 9.6 points below national, and ancestry leans heavily Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,614), Irish (709) and Scottish (666). University qualifications at 19.3% sit 10.8 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce weighted toward community, personal-service and labouring roles. Average household size is 2.3, which is 0.2 below national, and couples without children (29.4%) nearly match couples with children, reflecting the older age profile across the 6,171-strong population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
65.2%
Houses
23.4%
Townhouse
10.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is balanced three ways: 32.8% own outright, 30.3% carry a mortgage and 36.8% rent, with outright owners narrowly leading mortgage holders, a marker of long-settled residents. The stock is house-dominated at 65.2% separate dwellings and only 10.4% apartments, while three-bedroom homes account for 47.7% and four-plus bedrooms 20.9%, suiting families more than downsizers. The median house price rose from $670,000 to $700,000 across 2024-2025, a 4.5% one-year move. Both stress flags trip here: mortgage-to-income at 33.1% and rent-to-income at 31.6% both clear the 30% threshold, an unusual double for a sub-$700,000 market, driven by household incomes in the 15.2th percentile rather than by steep dwelling costs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$335
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$590
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
138
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.6% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.1% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.4%
Couples, no children
4,351
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 26.6% (379 workers), well above the share you would expect, followed by Education at 11.9% (170), Construction at 10.7% (152), Retail at 9.7% (139) and Hospitality at 6.7% (96). By occupation, Community and Personal-service roles lead at 392, ahead of Labourers (344) and Professionals (338), a profile that explains why university attainment of 19.3% sits 10.8 points below national. The labour market is soft: unemployment reads 7.1%, higher than typical, and participation is just 45.2% because 2,214 residents are not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the median age of 45. Full-time employment covers 53.7% of workers, leaving a large part-time and services-driven base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.7%
Part-time
39.2%
Participation
45.2%
Employed
2,140
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.3%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
12.0%
Dwellings
2,491
Transport to Work
Toormina is heavily car-dependent: 87.6% drive to work while public transport carries just 0.9% and active travel 4.1%, well below what denser metro suburbs record, a function of the regional 1,142 residents per km2 density. The community is settled and supportive in character, with a volunteering rate of 13.9% and 81.7% of residents staying put over time. The flip side of the older median age of 45 is need: 10.2% of residents (579 people) require daily assistance, above what younger suburbs report. No schools are recorded inside the 5.4 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in surrounding Coffs Harbour suburbs, a practical consideration alongside the high private-vehicle reliance.
Drive
87.6%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Toormina compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Toormina a good suburb to live in?
Toormina suits buyers seeking regional affordability, with a $691,000 median house price and a settled community where 81.7% of residents stay put. The main trade-offs are an older median age of 45, 5.0 years above national, and housing stress, with both mortgage-to-income (33.1%) and rent-to-income (31.6%) above the 30% threshold on local incomes in the 15.2th percentile.
What is the median house price in Toormina?
The median house price is $691,000, which rose 4.5% from $670,000 in 2024 to $700,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $335 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 33.1%, above the 30% stress threshold for the local income base.
What schools are in Toormina?
No schools are recorded inside the 5.4 km2 Toormina boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in surrounding Coffs Harbour suburbs. The local university qualification rate is 19.3%, which is 10.8 points below the national figure, reflecting a services and trades-weighted workforce.
Is Toormina safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Toormina in this dataset. As context, the suburb is a settled, low-turnover community where 81.7% of residents stayed put and only 12.0% were born overseas, 9.6 points below national, both consistent with a stable established area rather than a high-churn one.
Is Toormina good for property investment?
Rent of $335 a week against a $691,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.5%, stronger than premium metro suburbs. Renters make up 36.8% of households, but the 5.2% vacancy rate signals adequate supply, and rent-to-income at 31.6% already exceeds the stress threshold, so returns lean on yield over rapid capital growth.
How is Toormina's population changing?
Toormina is an established, low-growth suburb of 6,171 residents with a median age of 45, fully 5.0 years above national. Turnover is just 18.3%, so 81.7% of residents stay put, and 2,214 people are not in the labour force, both signs of an aging, settled base rather than rapid migration-led growth.
What are the main industries in Toormina?
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 26.6% (379 workers), well above most suburbs, followed by Education at 11.9% (170) and Construction at 10.7% (152). Unemployment sits at 7.1% and the participation rate is 45.2%, reflecting the older resident profile and a services-led local economy.
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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