Goonellabah NSW 2480
Goonellabah is a suburb in New South Wales, 728 km from Sydney CBD, around 8 hours by car. Population is 13,351; the median age is 41 and the median household income is $68,536 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the lower-middle tier nationally. Population grew 3.5% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $320 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,560. The area shows high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Of 4 schools within the suburb boundary, 2 rank above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Goonellabah a good suburb?
Goonellabah scores a B (55/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on schools and transit, weaker on safety.
Above the state average
4 schools · 2 above peer schools · Top 16% in NSW
Very walkable
Walkability 83/100 · 727.9 km · 478 min drive to Sydney
Around the state median
Median $742K
High crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 80/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 41 · 13,351 residents
Liveability Rating
55 / 100 · Ranked #627 in NSWEach bar is Goonellabah's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
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 Goonellabah?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
55 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataGoonellabah's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $742,000, roughly 11% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$742,500
13% above its 5 neighbours (median $658,000)
Based on 342 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 30 days — median across 187 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 22 sales $546K
- 3 bed 174 sales $690K
- 4 bed 111 sales $870K
- 5 bed 17 sales $1M
Units
$530,000
31% above its 3 neighbours (median $405,000)
Based on 41 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 29 days — median across 18 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 22 sales $448K
- 3 bed 14 sales $625K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Goonellabah are currently listed at around $814,000 on average. Based on 133 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$814K
133 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$597K
6 units listed in the last 6 months.
139 of the suburb's 5,270 dwellings (2.6%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Goonellabah rent for around $720 a week on average, based on 30 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$720/wk
30 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$430/wk
9 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
39 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,570 rented homes (2.5%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $680/wk
- 79 bonds
- +37% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $445/wk
- 30 bonds
- +46% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2480 (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 2025103 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2480.
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$720/week ($37,000 a year) on a $814,000 median
$430/week ($22,000 a year) on a $597,000 median
Based on a small sample (6 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.
Short-Stay Rentals
10 active Airbnb listings: 8 whole homes and 2 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.1% of the suburb's homes.
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 Goonellabah safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Goonellabah sits in the high band, with 966 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 11% on the prior year.
966 offences
11.3% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202525 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb 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
Lismore City Council has published 4 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Four schools serve Goonellabah, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Goonellabah Public School and Summerland Christian College lead the pack.
- • 1,317 students across 4 schools (avg 329)
- • Sectors: 2 Independent, 2 Government
- • ICSEA 847-1042, median 942 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Summerland Christian College (628 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Universities nearby
0.8% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Goonellabah is very walkable on foot — at 83/100, most daily errands can be done on foot.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Goonellabah.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 175.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 89.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 68.7 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 20.7 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 Goonellabah.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 43%
- Premises covered
- 6,896
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
Lismore: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 33 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 7 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Goonellabah is home to about 13,400 residents, with a median age of 41, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $69,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
13,351
Median Age
41
Median Household Income
$68,536/yr
Census Median Rent
$320/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,560/mo
Avg Household Size
2.4
Median Personal Income
$36,660/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.5%
Total Dwellings
5,270
Owner-Occupier Rate
70.2%
Houses
77.7%
Rental Stress
24.3%
Mortgage Stress
27.3%
Work From Home
12.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
241 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 84 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,517 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.9%
- English Spoken at Home
- 88.5%
- Employment Rate
- 54.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 35.6%
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.
195 residents (1.5%) 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.
4.4% of residents (547) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (244).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 12,561 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
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 2,793 people work here; 5,943 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.5 jobs per working resident. At least 53% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,487 a year through Lismore based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 45%
- Residential 40%
- Parks and recreation 4%
- Environmental 4%
- Infrastructure and transport 3%
- Industrial 3%
- Zones under 1% 1%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Lismore
In the year to August 2026, 138 new dwellings were approved across Lismore. That mix is 70 houses and 68 units.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Ngulingah 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.
Setting
- Elevation
- 145 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 20.5 km
Elevation is the ground at the suburb 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- 4.6 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.7 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
EV adoption
In postcode 2480, 213 of 37,524 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.3% (1,250 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.9%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2480, 13,200 rooftop-solar systems totalling 80.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 19,120 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 817 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 suburb, 6 across postcode 2480.
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 $742,500 this is $142,500 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 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 suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Janelle Saffin Labor
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Janelle Saffin ALP | 65.0% |
| 2019 | Janelle Saffin ALP | 51.4% |
| 2015 | Thomas George NP | 52.9% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Goonellabah?
Every figure above is a suburb 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 13,351 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
East Lismore NSW 2480
Lismore NSW 2480
Lismore Heights NSW 2480
Richmond Hill NSW 2480
Wyrallah NSW 2480
Tregeagle NSW 2480
Compare Goonellabah 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 Goonellabah
Is Goonellabah a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Goonellabah is high (80/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Goonellabah?
Goonellabah has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Goonellabah a good place to live?
Goonellabah has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (55/100), 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 Goonellabah?
Goonellabah, NSW had a population of 13,351 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Goonellabah, NSW?
The postcode for Goonellabah, NSW is 2480.
How far is Goonellabah from Sydney?
Goonellabah is 728 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 478 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Goonellabah?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Goonellabah was $68,536 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 Goonellabah?
The median advertised rent in Goonellabah is $720 a week for houses (30 listings) and $430 a week for units (9 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Goonellabah?
The median age of residents in Goonellabah was 41 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Goonellabah?
There are 4 schools inside the Goonellabah boundary: 2 above and 2 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Goonellabah walkable?
Goonellabah scores 83/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Goonellabah?
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 Goonellabah belong to?
Goonellabah sits within the Lismore local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Goonellabah?
The average residential rates bill through Lismore is $1,487 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Goonellabah?
Across Lismore, 138 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Goonellabah in?
Goonellabah sits within the federal Division of Page, currently held by Kevin Hogan (The Nationals).
Search another suburb or address
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
- 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.