Exeter sits 146 km from Sydney CBD in New South Wales, around 1 hour 45 minutes by car. Census data records 1,087 residents with a median age of 53 and a median household income of $99,528 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 14.5% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $400 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,383. The area shows high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Exeter a good town?
Exeter scores a C (43/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit, prices, and safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 14/100 · 145.8 km · 103 min drive to Sydney
Above the state median
Median $2.11M · Less affordable than 82% of NSW
High bushfire risk
Fire 83/100 · Crime 40/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 53 · 1,087 residents
Liveability Rating
43 / 100 · Ranked #940 in NSWEach bar is Exeter's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Exeter?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
43 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataExeter's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $2.11 million, roughly 20% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$2,112,500
Based on 26 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 45 days — median across 9 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 5 sales $1.95M
- 4 bed 11 sales $2.05M
- 5 bed 6 sales $2.46M
Land
$1,842,000
Based on only 5 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Exeter are currently listed at around $2.19 million on average. Based on 13 houses listed in the past six months.
$2.19M
13 houses listed in the last 6 months.
13 of the suburb's 425 dwellings (3.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Exeter rent for around $1,300 a week on average, based on 4 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$1,300/wk
4 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $660/wk
- 22 bonds
- +32% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2579 (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 202584 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 36% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2579.
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.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$1,300/week ($68,000 a year) on a $2.19 million median
Based on a small sample (4 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Exeter safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Exeter sits in the moderate band, with 27 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 49% on the prior year.
27 offences
49.1% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202512 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town 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
Wingecarribee Shire Council has published 9 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
- Wingecarribee River Flood Study Update 2022
- Review of Whites Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study & Plan 2020
- Nattai Ponds Floodplain Risk Management Study & Draft Plan 2019
- Gibbergunyah Creek Floodplain Risk Management Study and Draft Plan 2016
- Nattai River Floodplain Risk Management Study and Plan 2016
Schools
One school serve Exeter, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 123 students in one school (avg 123)
Primary
Walkability
Exeter is very car-dependent on foot — at 14/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Exeter.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 12.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 3.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.7 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 15.9 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 Exeter.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 4%
- Premises covered
- 556
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
Wingecarribee: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 5 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 3 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the town closely.
Exeter is home to about 1,100 residents, with a median age of 53 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $100,000 a year, with unemployment at 1.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,087
Median Age
53
Median Household Income
$99,528/yr
Census Median Rent
$400/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,383/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$45,396/yr
Unemployment Rate
1.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
20.0%
Total Dwellings
425
Owner-Occupier Rate
89.0%
Houses
99.8%
Rental Stress
20.9%
Mortgage Stress
28.7%
Work From Home
36.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 79.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.8%
- Employment Rate
- 54.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 52.1%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
3 residents (0.3%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
19.2% of residents (198) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (191).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,032 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
7% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (32 of 489).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,072 a year through Wingecarribee based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Environmental 73%
- Rural and farming 23%
- Residential 3%
- Infrastructure and transport 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Wingecarribee
In the year to August 2026, 335 new dwellings were approved across Wingecarribee. That mix is 244 houses and 91 units. Approvals are up 5.6% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council.
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 Mittagong (Alfred Street), 24.2 kmHigh rainfall.
- Elevation
- 702 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 48.3 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.8% of addresses
- 6 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 974 mm
- 97 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
Elevation is the ground at the town 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
1 facility within 5 km- 3.8 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
EV adoption
In postcode 2579, 49 of 4,879 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.2% (107 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2579, 1,342 rooftop-solar systems totalling 10.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,060 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 130 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).
Mortgage repayments
1 mortgage broker is registered in this town.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $2,112,500 this is $1,512,500 above the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Carol Berry Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Carol Berry | 56.2% | 43.8% | -2.1 |
| 2022 | Stephen Jones | 60.1% | 39.9% | +0.8 |
| 2019 | Stephen Jones | 60.9% | 39.1% | +39.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Wendy Tuckerman Liberal
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Wendy Tuckerman LP | 51.3% |
| 2019 | Wendy Tuckerman LP | 53.5% |
| 2015 | Pru Goward LP | 56.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Exeter?
Every figure above is a town 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 1,087 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.
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Common questions about Exeter
Is Exeter a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Exeter is moderate (40/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Exeter?
Exeter has a high recorded bushfire history (83/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Exeter a good place to live?
Exeter has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (43/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Exeter?
Exeter, NSW had a population of 1,087 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Exeter, NSW?
The postcode for Exeter, NSW is 2579.
How far is Exeter from Sydney?
Exeter is 146 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 103 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Exeter?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Exeter was $99,528 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 Exeter?
The median advertised rent in Exeter is $1,300 a week for houses (4 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Exeter?
The median age of residents in Exeter was 53 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Exeter at risk of bushfire?
Exeter has a high recorded bushfire history (83/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town 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.
How are the schools in Exeter?
There is 1 school inside the Exeter boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Exeter walkable?
Exeter scores 14/100 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 Exeter?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Exeter, Mittagong (Alfred Street) (24.2 km away), 974 mm of rain a year over 97 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Exeter?
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 Exeter belong to?
Exeter sits within the Wingecarribee local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Exeter?
The average residential rates bill through Wingecarribee is $2,072 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Exeter?
Across Wingecarribee, 335 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 5.6% 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 Exeter in?
Exeter sits within the federal Division of Whitlam, currently held by Carol Berry (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- 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
- 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.
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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.