Goulburn vs Middle Arm

Goulburn is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 46 in Middle Arm. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Middle Arm, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Middle Arm: a median of $1.05 million, against $670,000 in Goulburn, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Goulburn tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Middle Arm suits couples.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Goulburn has more parks and reserves (32 vs 1)
  • Middle Arm carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 81/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Goulburn

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($455,000 vs $810,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($670,000 vs $1,050,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Goulburn

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 5%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $420/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Goulburn

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 10/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (129 min vs 147 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (193 km vs 211.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Goulburn

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 10/100)
  • has more GPs (7 vs 0)
  • But Middle Arm carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 81/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Goulburn and Middle Arm drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Goulburn Middle Arm
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Goulburn Middle Arm
Walkability 81 / 10
Goulburn — Walkability: 81/100 Middle Arm — Walkability: 10/100
Safety 19 / 51
Goulburn — Safety: 19/100 Middle Arm — Safety: 51/100
Low fire risk 74 / 83
Goulburn — Low fire risk: 74/100 Middle Arm — Low fire risk: 83/100

Demographics

Goulburn has more residents (23,963 vs 377); Middle Arm rents higher ($420/wk vs $320/wk).

Goulburn Middle Arm
Population 23,963
+98% vs other
 377
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.9% +4.1%
Median age 40 46
Median household income $73,060/yr $79,612/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk $420/wk
+31% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Goulburn Middle Arm
0-4 6.0% / 3.7%
Goulburn — 0-4: 6.0% Middle Arm — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 12.3% / 11.9%
Goulburn — 5-14: 12.3% Middle Arm — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 5.2% / 8.0%
Goulburn — 15-19: 5.2% Middle Arm — 15-19: 8.0%
20-24 5.8% / 2.9%
Goulburn — 20-24: 5.8% Middle Arm — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 14.0% / 4.8%
Goulburn — 25-34: 14.0% Middle Arm — 25-34: 4.8%
35-44 11.7% / 15.4%
Goulburn — 35-44: 11.7% Middle Arm — 35-44: 15.4%
45-54 11.8% / 10.6%
Goulburn — 45-54: 11.8% Middle Arm — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 12.3% / 18.0%
Goulburn — 55-64: 12.3% Middle Arm — 55-64: 18.0%
65-74 10.9% / 14.1%
Goulburn — 65-74: 10.9% Middle Arm — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 6.9% / 7.7%
Goulburn — 75-84: 6.9% Middle Arm — 75-84: 7.7%
85+ 3.0% / 1.1%
Goulburn — 85+: 3.0% Middle Arm — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Goulburn 32.8% couple families
Goulburn — Couple Families: 32.8% Goulburn — Lone Person: 44.5% Goulburn — One Parent Families: 17.7% Goulburn — Group Household: 3.8% Goulburn — Other Families: 1.3%
Middle Arm 56.2% couple families
Middle Arm — Couple Families: 56.2% Middle Arm — Lone Person: 27.5% Middle Arm — One Parent Families: 12.5% Middle Arm — Group Household: 3.8% Middle Arm — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Goulburn 35.1% renting
Goulburn — Owned Outright: 33.8% Goulburn — Mortgage: 31.1% Goulburn — Renting: 35.1%
Middle Arm 4.7% renting
Middle Arm — Owned Outright: 55.5% Middle Arm — Mortgage: 39.8% Middle Arm — Renting: 4.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Goulburn Middle Arm
Certificate III & IV 17.1% / 25.7%
Goulburn — Certificate III & IV: 17.1% Middle Arm — Certificate III & IV: 25.7%
Bachelor Degree 7.6% / 9.8%
Goulburn — Bachelor Degree: 7.6% Middle Arm — Bachelor Degree: 9.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.1% / 6.1%
Goulburn — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.1% Middle Arm — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / 2.1%
Goulburn — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Middle Arm — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / 1.3%
Goulburn — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Middle Arm — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.7%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Goulburn Middle Arm
England 1.9% / 2.4%
Goulburn — England: 1.9% Middle Arm — England: 2.4%
Scotland 0.3% / 1.3%
Goulburn — Scotland: 0.3% Middle Arm — Scotland: 1.3%
Greece — / 1.1%
Goulburn — Greece: not among its largest Middle Arm — Greece: 1.1%
New Zealand 1.0% / —
Goulburn — New Zealand: 1.0% Middle Arm — New Zealand: not among its largest
India 0.9% / —
Goulburn — India: 0.9% Middle Arm — India: not among its largest
Philippines 0.7% / —
Goulburn — Philippines: 0.7% Middle Arm — Philippines: not among its largest
Nepal 0.6% / —
Goulburn — Nepal: 0.6% Middle Arm — Nepal: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Goulburn 84.1% houses
Goulburn — Houses: 84.1% Goulburn — Townhouses: 11.1% Goulburn — Flats / Apartments: 4.9%
Middle Arm 100.0% houses
Middle Arm — Houses: 100.0% Middle Arm — Townhouses: 0.0% Middle Arm — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Goulburn Middle Arm
Median house price $670,000 $1,050,000
Median unit price $429,000 —
Median land price $455,000 $810,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 36 days
from 184 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Middle Arm has more rural and farming land (77% vs 22%); Middle Arm has more land zoned for conservation (23% vs 13%).

Goulburn Middle Arm
Rural and farming 22% 77%
Residential 31% 0%
Environmental 13% 23%
Infrastructure and transport 14% 0%
Parks and recreation 12% 0%
Industrial 8% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Goulburn Middle Arm
New dwellings approved 332
across Goulburn Mulwaree
same for both
Approvals change year on year -1%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Goulburn Middle Arm
Houses 3.7%
$520/wk on $730K
 —
Units 4.2%
$345/wk on $424K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Goulburn Middle Arm
House price Higher than 23% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Income Higher than 40% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Schools Higher than 36% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 58% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 49% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 57% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 32% of NSW —

Liveability

Goulburn is more walkable (81 vs 10).

Goulburn Middle Arm
Grade C —
Score 38/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Goulburn carries more crime risk (81 vs 49).

Goulburn Middle Arm
Bushfire Low
26/100
 Low
17/100
Crime High
81/100
 Moderate
49/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 6
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Goulburn Middle Arm
Inside the suburb 15 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 6 0
Rated below peers 6 0

Schools in Goulburn

  • Goulburn East Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Tambelin Independent School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Goulburn West Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mulwaree High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • OneSchool Global NSW - Goulburn Independent · Combined at peers
  • Saints Peter and Paul's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Middle Arm

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Goulburn Middle Arm
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 26 0
Parks & reserves 32 1
Childcare 19 0
GPs 7 0
Pharmacies 5 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 9 0
Fuel stations 13 0
EV chargers 6 0
Waterways 7 17

Mobility

Middle Arm sits further from the CBD (211.3 km vs 193 km).

Goulburn Middle Arm
Walkability score 81/100 10/100
Distance to Sydney 193 km 211.3 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 129 min 147 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2580
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 41
postcode 2580
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Goulburn Middle Arm
Car (driver) 80.3% / 75.0%
Goulburn — Car (driver): 80.3% Middle Arm — Car (driver): 75.0%
Worked from Home 7.9% / 17.6%
Goulburn — Worked from Home: 7.9% Middle Arm — Worked from Home: 17.6%
Car (passenger) 7.1% / 5.4%
Goulburn — Car (passenger): 7.1% Middle Arm — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Walked Only 3.8% / 2.0%
Goulburn — Walked Only: 3.8% Middle Arm — Walked Only: 2.0%
Bus 0.4% / —
Goulburn — Bus: 0.4% Middle Arm — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.3%).

Setting

Goulburn Middle Arm
Elevation 642 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 817 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Goulburn Middle Arm
Connectivity score 69/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 44%
13,036 premises
 0%
97 premises

Climate

Goulburn Middle Arm
Annual rainfall 658 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 2.7°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Goulburn Middle Arm
PM2.5 4.8 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 10.4 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Goulburn Middle Arm
Average residential rate $1,370/yr
same for both
Council Goulburn Mulwaree
same for both

Federal electorate

Goulburn Middle Arm
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Goulburn Middle Arm
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Goulburn

Affordable Parks Regional Centre

Middle Arm

Rural

More comparisons

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Goulburn vs Run-O-Waters Goulburn vs Baw Baw Goulburn vs Boxers Creek Goulburn vs Tirrannaville Goulburn vs Kingsdale Goulburn vs Tarlo

Other comparisons with Middle Arm

Middle Arm vs Taralga Middle Arm vs Kingsdale Middle Arm vs Tarlo Middle Arm vs Wayo Middle Arm vs Myrtleville Middle Arm vs Roslyn
Full data on Goulburn Full data on Middle Arm
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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