Located in New South Wales, Doonbah sits 696 km from Sydney CBD, around 7 hours 30 minutes by car. The locality has 298 residents, a median age of 68, and a median household income of $45,552 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the bottom 20% nationally. The locality grew 22.6% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $216 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,538. Doonbah is characterised by high bushfire risk. Walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 298. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
How do you rate the liveability in Doonbah?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
…
Rental Market
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $460/wk
- 21 bonds
- +29% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2473 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025107 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 28% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2473.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Short-Stay Rentals
No active Airbnb listings.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Doonbah safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Doonbah sits in the low band, with 2 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 50% on the prior year.
2 offences
50.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025No crash in Doonbah killed anyone or put anyone in hospital in 2021–2025.
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Richmond Valley Council has published 8 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Walkability
Doonbah is very car-dependent on foot — at 16/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Doonbah.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 5.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 1.6 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 2 min
- Span of service
- 11.4 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Doonbah.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 38%
- Premises covered
- 170
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Richmond Valley: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Doonbah is home to 298 residents, with a median age of 68 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $46,000 a year, with unemployment at 6.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
298
Median Age
68
Median Household Income
$45,552/yr
Census Median Rent
$216/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,538/mo
Avg Household Size
2.0
Median Personal Income
$27,612/yr
Unemployment Rate
6.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.4%
Total Dwellings
144
Owner-Occupier Rate
95.4%
Houses
97.9%
Rental Stress
24.7%
Mortgage Stress
40.5%
Work From Home
17.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 79.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.6%
- Employment Rate
- 29.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 23.5%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,282 a year through Richmond Valley based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 72%
- Environmental 24%
- Parks and recreation 3%
- Residential 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Richmond Valley
In the year to August 2026, 24 new dwellings were approved across Richmond Valley. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses. Approvals are down 77.8% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
This area is not inside a Local Aboriginal Land Council area.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Climate & Setting
from Yamba Pilot Station, 38.6 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 12 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 4.6 km
- 4.6 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 1,557 mm
- 112 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.4°C
- 1 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 11.0°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
2 facilities within 5 km- 3.5 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
- 4.1 kmOther Non-Metallic Mineral Mining and QuarryingTop reported: Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide
EV adoption
In postcode 2473, 10 of 2,592 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.4% (89 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2473, 1,085 rooftop-solar systems totalling 5.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,692 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 64 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Kevin Hogan The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kevin Hogan | 40.7% | 59.3% | +1.4 |
| 2022 | Kevin Hogan | 39.3% | 60.7% | +1.3 |
| 2019 | Kevin Hogan | 40.5% | 59.5% | +7.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Richie Williamson The Nationals
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Richie Williamson NP | 64.2% |
| 2019 | Chris Gulaptis NP | 64.5% |
| 2015 | Chris Gulaptis NP | 59.7% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Doonbah?
Every figure above is a locality average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 298 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Doonbah to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Doonbah
Is Doonbah a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Doonbah is low (14/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Doonbah?
Doonbah has a high recorded bushfire history (84/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Doonbah?
Doonbah, NSW had a population of 298 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Doonbah, NSW?
The postcode for Doonbah, NSW is 2473.
How far is Doonbah from Sydney?
Doonbah is 696 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 450 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Doonbah?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Doonbah was $45,552 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Doonbah?
There are too few current rental listings in Doonbah for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $216, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Doonbah?
The median age of residents in Doonbah was 68 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Doonbah at risk of bushfire?
Doonbah has a high recorded bushfire history (84/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
Is Doonbah walkable?
Doonbah scores 16/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Doonbah?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Doonbah, Yamba Pilot Station (38.6 km away), summer days average 27.4°C, winter nights 11°C, 1,557 mm of rain a year over 112 rainy days, and 1 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Doonbah?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Doonbah belong to?
Doonbah sits within the Richmond Valley local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Doonbah?
The average residential rates bill through Richmond Valley is $1,282 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Doonbah?
Across Richmond Valley, 24 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 77.8% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Doonbah in?
Doonbah sits within the federal Division of Page, currently held by Kevin Hogan (The Nationals).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.