Westdale
At median age 30, Westdale residents are 10 years younger than the national median, a gap that shapes almost every other number in the suburb. Located in the Tamworth region on a 52 square kilometre footprint, the 2,963 residents live at just 57 people per km2, well below typical urban density. Household income sits at the 59.7th percentile nationally, above average but not dramatically so, yet the $470,000 median house price is accessible relative to most of NSW. The suburb is overwhelmingly detached houses at 97.4%, and over half of all dwellings have four or more bedrooms, pointing to a family formation stage that matches the young age profile.
Population
2,963
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,704/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
72
Median House
$470K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $470,000 sits well below the NSW state median, giving buyers purchasing power that is difficult to find closer to Sydney. Prices moved from $457,500 in 2024 to $480,000 in 2025, a 4.9% gain over one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.4%, and 50.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms while 45.1% have three bedrooms, so buyers seeking larger family homes dominate the market. Outright owners represent 18.1% of households, lower than typical for a regional area, because 42% still carry mortgages and 39.8% rent.
For Buyers
The median house price of $470,000 sits well below the NSW state median, giving buyers purchasing power that is difficult to find closer to Sydney. Prices moved from $457,500 in 2024 to $480,000 in 2025, a 4.9% gain over one year. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.4%, and 50.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms while 45.1% have three bedrooms, so buyers seeking larger family homes dominate the market. Outright owners represent 18.1% of households, lower than typical for a regional area, because 42% still carry mortgages and 39.8% rent.
For Investors
A 39.8% renter share gives landlords a meaningful tenant base, and weekly rent of $350 reflects the accessible price point. Against the $480,000 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 3.8%, higher than most Sydney markets. The 7.3% vacancy rate is elevated and warrants attention, as it suggests some oversupply or demand softness compared to tighter regional markets. Development activity is active with 72 applications lodged in 12 months, including secondary dwellings and commercial land use changes, pointing to a suburb still evolving. The 4.9% price gain from 2024 to 2025 is a positive signal, though the short two-quarter price history limits confident trend analysis. Stable population, with 76% of residents remaining in the suburb, suggests steady rather than high-turnover demand.
Development Activity
Total DAs
281
Last 12 Months
72
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Westdale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Westdale Public School
K-6 · 370 students
Demographics
The median age of 30 is 10 years below the national figure, reflecting a suburb at an early family formation stage. Average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above national, consistent with larger families in the four-plus bedroom detached houses that dominate the stock. English (1,039), Irish (200) and Scottish (181) are the leading ancestries, reflecting an Anglo-Celtic heritage skew that sits 8.9 percentage points below the national overseas-born share at 12.7%. University qualifications reach only 14.9%, which is 15.2 points below the national figure, and the top occupations are Labourers (363), Community and Personal Service (177) and Clerical and Admin (148), consistent with a trade and services economy. Filipino ancestry (163 residents) is the largest non-Anglo-Celtic group.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.4%
Houses
1.9%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 97.4%, with apartments making up just 0.7% and semi-detached at 1.9%. This is a suburb where the separate house is effectively the only option. Bedrooms skew large: 50.4% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms and 45.1% have three, leaving very few smaller homes. Tenure divides into 42.0% mortgage holders, 39.8% renters and 18.1% outright owners, a distribution that leans toward mortgaged families rather than long-held debt-free holdings. Prices rose 4.9% from $457,500 in 2024 to $480,000 in 2025. Rent-to-income at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 20.6% are both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to local incomes, unlike many coastal NSW markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$845
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
74
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.7%
Couples, no children
2,486
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 20.9% of the workforce (171 workers), followed by Manufacturing at 17.7% (145) and Construction at 9.3% (76). The top occupations reflect the industry mix: Labourers account for 363 workers, the largest single group, followed by Community and Personal Service at 177 and Clerical and Admin at 148, with Machinery and Drivers at 117. The unemployment rate is 5.6%, above the national average, and labour force participation sits at 65.5%. Full-time employment runs at 69.8%, a reasonable rate for a regional area. Personal weekly income averages $845 and household income $1,704, placing Westdale at the 59.7th income percentile nationally. The combination of trade, health and manufacturing work is typical for a Tamworth-region satellite suburb.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.8%
Part-time
24.6%
Participation
65.5%
Employed
1,332
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.9%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
953
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high at 88.2% of residents driving to work, which reflects the suburb's low density of 57 people per km2 across a 52 square kilometre area. Active transport, at 1.8% walking or cycling, is minimal, consistent with a dispersed regional footprint. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Westdale itself, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Tamworth suburbs. No detailed crime statistics are available for this suburb. Rent-to-income at 20.5% keeps housing costs manageable for the 39.8% renter population, a meaningful affordability advantage compared to coastal NSW. Volunteering reaches 9.8% of residents, and 5.5% need daily assistance, figures that are broadly comparable to other regional NSW suburbs rather than to higher-disadvantage areas.
Drive
88.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Westdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Westdale a good suburb to live in?
Westdale suits families looking for affordable, spacious housing in the Tamworth region. The median house price is $470,000, well below the NSW state median, and mortgage-to-income at 20.6% is comfortably below stress thresholds. The median age of 30 reflects a young family demographic with 97.4% detached houses and over 50% of homes having four or more bedrooms. Car dependency is high at 88.2%, so access to a vehicle is essential.
What is the median house price in Westdale?
The median house price is $470,000 based on 2024-2025 data, up from $457,500 in 2024 to $480,000 in 2025, a 4.9% gain. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517, keeping the mortgage-to-income ratio at 20.6%, one of the more affordable ratios in NSW.
What schools are in Westdale?
No schools are recorded inside the Westdale boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Tamworth suburbs. Westdale's population is young at a median age of 30, and 14.9% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 15.2 percentage points below the national figure.
Is Westdale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Westdale in this dataset. As indirect indicators, housing stress is absent with rent-to-income at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 20.6%, both below distress thresholds. The unemployment rate of 5.6% is slightly above the national average, which can be a contributing factor to crime in some areas.
Is Westdale good for property investment?
The 39.8% renter share provides a broad tenant pool, and a gross yield around 3.8% based on $350 weekly rent against the $480,000 median is higher than most Sydney markets. The 7.3% vacancy rate is elevated and worth monitoring. Prices rose 4.9% from 2024 to 2025, and 72 development applications in 12 months indicate active local investment, though the limited price history means trend confidence is moderate.
How is Westdale's population changing?
Detailed population growth data is not available in the current dataset, but stability signals are positive: 76% of residents stayed in the suburb over the census period, a turnover rate of 24% that is moderate compared to higher-churn urban suburbs. The median age of 30 is 10 years below the national figure, suggesting a young family demographic that typically sustains housing demand over longer cycles.
How much development is happening in Westdale?
There were 72 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including secondary dwellings, transport depot changes and industrial retail conversions. This level of activity indicates that landowners are actively adjusting land use, with secondary dwelling applications suggesting some interest in granny flat additions on the large 4-plus bedroom lots that make up 50.4% of the housing stock.
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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