Nimbin NSW 2480
Located in New South Wales, Nimbin sits 761 km from Sydney CBD, around 8 hours 30 minutes by car. The town has 1,607 residents, a median age of 50, and a median household income of $41,496 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the bottom 20% nationally. The town grew 8.8% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $300 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,199. Nimbin is characterised by high crime risk. Of 2 schools within the town boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is low.
Is Nimbin a good town?
Nimbin scores a D (11/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — weaker on transit, prices, safety, and community.
Mixed results
2 schools · 1 above peer schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 21/100 · 761.4 km · 510 min drive to Sydney
Above the state median
Median $720K · Less affordable than 75% of NSW
High crime risk
Fire 59/100 · Crime 90/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 50 · 1,607 residents
Liveability Rating
11 / 100 · Ranked #1553 in NSWEach bar is Nimbin'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 Nimbin?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
11 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataNimbin's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $720,000, about 2% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$720,000
Based on 43 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 82 days — median across 16 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 9 sales $600K
- 3 bed 23 sales $780K
Land
$417,500
Based on 22 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 42 days — median across 12 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Nimbin are currently listed at around $880,000 on average. Based on 31 houses listed in the past six months.
$880K
31 houses listed in the last 6 months.
32 of the suburb's 627 dwellings (5.1%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
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.
Short-Stay Rentals
28 active Airbnb listings: 21 whole homes and 7 rooms. Whole homes are about 3.1% of the town'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 Nimbin safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Nimbin sits in the high band, with 209 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 22% on the prior year.
209 offences
21.5% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20257 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 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
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
Two schools serve Nimbin, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Tuntable Falls Community School leads the pack.
- • 299 students across 2 schools (avg 150)
- • Sectors: 1 Government, 1 Independent
- • ICSEA 956-1023, median 990 (around the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Nimbin Central School (245 students)
Primary
Combined
Walkability
Nimbin is very car-dependent on foot — at 21/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Nimbin.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 27.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 8.4 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 11.1 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 Nimbin.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 795
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 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 2 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the town closely.
Nimbin is home to about 1,600 residents, with a median age of 50 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $41,000 a year, with unemployment at 8.5%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,607
Median Age
50
Median Household Income
$41,496/yr
Census Median Rent
$300/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,199/mo
Avg Household Size
2.0
Median Personal Income
$24,908/yr
Unemployment Rate
8.5%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.2%
Total Dwellings
627
Owner-Occupier Rate
80.1%
Houses
91.5%
Rental Stress
37.6%
Mortgage Stress
34.7%
Work From Home
20.7%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 63.5%
- English Spoken at Home
- 73.4%
- Employment Rate
- 35.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 36.3%
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.
4 residents (0.2%) 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.
6.2% of residents (96) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (41).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,544 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
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (7 of 493).
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 $1,487 a year through Lismore based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 93%
- Environmental 4%
- Residential 3%
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: 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.
Climate & Setting
from Murwillumbah (Bray Park), 30.2 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 69 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 31.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,569 mm
- 108 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 29.1°C
- 4 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 9.1°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
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.
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
6 mortgage brokers are registered in 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 $720,000 this is $120,000 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 town'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 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 Nimbin?
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 1,607 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 Nimbin 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 Nimbin
Is Nimbin a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Nimbin is high (90/100, 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 Nimbin?
Nimbin has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100, 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 Nimbin a good place to live?
Nimbin has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (11/100), 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 Nimbin?
Nimbin, NSW had a population of 1,607 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Nimbin, NSW?
The postcode for Nimbin, NSW is 2480.
How far is Nimbin from Sydney?
Nimbin is 761 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 510 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Nimbin?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Nimbin was $41,496 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 Nimbin?
There are too few current rental listings in Nimbin for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $300, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Nimbin?
The median age of residents in Nimbin was 50 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Nimbin at risk of bushfire?
Nimbin has a moderate recorded bushfire history (59/100). 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 Nimbin?
There are 2 schools inside the Nimbin boundary: 1 above and 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Nimbin walkable?
Nimbin scores 21/100 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 Nimbin?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Nimbin, Murwillumbah (Bray Park) (30.2 km away), summer days average 29.1°C, winter nights 9.1°C, 1,569 mm of rain a year over 108 rainy days, and 4 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Nimbin?
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 Nimbin belong to?
Nimbin sits within the Lismore local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Nimbin?
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 Nimbin?
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 Nimbin in?
Nimbin sits within the federal Division of Page, currently held by Kevin Hogan (The Nationals).
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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
- 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.
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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.
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