Mole River is a rural locality in New South Wales, 752 km from Sydney CBD, around 9 hours 10 minutes by car. Population is 89; the median age is 61 and the median household income is $43,524 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The locality grew 32.8% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median monthly mortgage of $693. Mole River is characterised by high crime risk and 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 89. 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 Mole River?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
…
Median Land Price
Q4 2025Mole River's land market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $540,000 in the December 2025 quarter, roughly 128% above where it sat a year earlier. That said, only three sales settled in the quarter, so the median is a noisy signal — treat it as a direction rather than a level. Zoom out: prices have climbed roughly 206% over the past decade — 11.8% per year on average.
Land
$540,000
Based on only 3 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Houses
$450,000
Based on only 1 sale — small sample, take as indicative.
Rental Market
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $450/wk
- 22 bonds
- +38% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2372 (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 2025142 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 21% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2372.
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.
Is Mole River safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Mole River sits in the high band, with 10 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 400% on the prior year.
10 offences
400.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20251 crash
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
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
Tenterfield Shire Council has published 1 flood study on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Walkability
Mole River is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Mole River.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 51
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
Tenterfield: 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
Mole River is home to 89 residents, with a median age of 61 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $44,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
89
Median Age
61
Median Household Income
$43,524/yr
Census Median Rent
—
Census Median Mortgage
$693/mo
Avg Household Size
1.7
Median Personal Income
$22,256/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
40.5%
Total Dwellings
42
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
116.7%
Rental Stress
—
Mortgage Stress
19.1%
Work From Home
45.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 93.3%
- Employment Rate
- 46%
- Completed Year 12
- 30.3%
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 $922 a year through Tenterfield based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 100%
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: Tenterfield
In the year to August 2026, 48 new dwellings were approved across Tenterfield. That mix is 46 houses and 2 units. Approvals are down 75.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Moombahlene 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 Wallangarra Post Office, 27.7 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 616 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 760 mm
- 67 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
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.
EV adoption
In postcode 2372, 8 of 4,023 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.6% (63 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.8%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2372, 1,350 rooftop-solar systems totalling 8.2 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,502 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 82 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
Q4-2025 medianTransfer 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 $540,000 this is under 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 Barnaby Joyce The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Barnaby Joyce | 32.9% | 67.1% | -1.9 |
| 2022 | Barnaby Joyce | 33.6% | 66.4% | -1.2 |
| 2019 | Barnaby Joyce | 32.4% | 67.6% | +1.2 |
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 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 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 Mole River?
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 89 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 Mole River 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 Mole River
Is Mole River a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Mole River is high (83/100, 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 Mole River?
Mole River has a moderate recorded bushfire history (68/100, 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 Mole River?
Mole River, NSW had a population of 89 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Mole River, NSW?
The postcode for Mole River, NSW is 2372.
How far is Mole River from Sydney?
Mole River is 752 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 550 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Mole River?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Mole River was $43,524 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median age in Mole River?
The median age of residents in Mole River was 61 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Mole River at risk of bushfire?
Mole River has a moderate recorded bushfire history (68/100). 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.
What is the weather like in Mole River?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Mole River, Wallangarra Post Office (27.7 km away), 760 mm of rain a year over 67 rainy days over 2006-2026.
What is the median land price in Mole River?
The median sale price for land lots in Mole River was $540,000 in the Q4 2025 quarter, based on a small sample of 3 sales — take as indicative.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Mole River?
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 Mole River belong to?
Mole River sits within the Tenterfield local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Mole River?
The average residential rates bill through Tenterfield is $922 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Mole River?
Across Tenterfield, 48 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 75.0% 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 Mole River in?
Mole River sits within the federal Division of New England, currently held by Barnaby Joyce (The Nationals).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Q4 2025
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- 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.
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.