Upper Orara NSW 2450
Located in New South Wales, Upper Orara sits 541 km from Sydney CBD, around 6 hours 5 minutes by car. The locality has 863 residents, a median age of 45, and a median household income of $90,428 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 40% nationally. Population grew 6.0% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,800. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Upper Orara a good place to live?
Upper Orara scores a C (37/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on transit.
Mixed results
1 school
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 541 km · 367 min drive to Sydney
Around the state median
Median $1.4M
Moderate crime risk
Fire 36/100 · Crime 50/100
Advantaged
SEIFA decile 7/10 · median age 45 · 863 residents
Liveability Rating
37 / 100 · Ranked #1091 in NSWEach bar is Upper Orara'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 Upper Orara?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
37 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataThe median house sale price in Upper Orara sits at $1.4 million, broadly flat year-on-year. That said, only seven sales settled in the quarter, so the median is a noisy signal — treat it as a direction rather than a level.
$1,400,000
Based on only 7 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Rental Market
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $695/wk
- 89 bonds
- +31% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $520/wk
- 94 bonds
- +35% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2450 (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 202592 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 33% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2450.
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
12 active Airbnb listings: 11 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 3.8% of the locality'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 Upper Orara safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Upper Orara sits in the moderate band, with 26 incidents recorded in 2025 — up roughly 30% on the prior year.
26 offences
30.0% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20252 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
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
Coffs Harbour City Council has published 13 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
One school serve Upper Orara, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 33 students in one school (avg 33)
Primary
Walkability
Upper Orara 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.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Upper Orara.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 13.5 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 1.8 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 9.1 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 Upper Orara.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 324
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
Coffs Harbour: 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
Upper Orara is home to 863 residents, with a median age of 45, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $90,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
863
Median Age
45
Median Household Income
$90,428/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,800/mo
Avg Household Size
2.9
Median Personal Income
$34,840/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.4%
Total Dwellings
272
Owner-Occupier Rate
80.0%
Houses
97.8%
Rental Stress
20.1%
Mortgage Stress
23.9%
Work From Home
18.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 77.6%
- English Spoken at Home
- 83.7%
- Employment Rate
- 56.2%
- Completed Year 12
- 36.2%
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.
3.6% of residents (30) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (10).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 823 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
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,437 a year through Coffs Harbour based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 86%
- Environmental 14%
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: Coffs Harbour
In the year to August 2026, 356 new dwellings were approved across Coffs Harbour. That mix is 208 houses and 148 units. Approvals are up 61.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Coffs Harbour 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.
Air Quality
CLEANPM2.5 averaged 4.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below the WHO 2021 annual guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 10.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.22 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Coffs Harbour monitoring station, 12.6 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Lower Bucca, 17.4 kmHigh rainfall.
- Elevation
- 299 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 13.5 km
- Near high-voltage lines
- 7.9% of addresses
- 32 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 1,827 mm
- 115 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 2450, 208 of 38,895 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 2.8% (1,091 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2450, 10,108 rooftop-solar systems totalling 67.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 19,265 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 617 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
25 mortgage brokers are registered in postcode 2450.
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 $1,400,000 this is $800,000 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 Pat Conaghan The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Pat Conaghan | 40.9% | 59.1% | +0.5 |
| 2022 | Pat Conaghan | 40.5% | 59.5% | -2.4 |
| 2019 | Pat Conaghan | 38.1% | 61.9% | -0.7 |
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 Gurmesh Singh The Nationals
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Gurmesh Singh NP | 63.2% |
| 2019 | Gurmesh Singh NP | 60.3% |
| 2015 | Andrew Fraser NP | 64.3% |
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 Upper Orara?
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 863 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
Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Bonville NSW 2450
North Boambee Valley NSW 2450
Boambee NSW 2450
Coramba NSW 2450
Karangi NSW 2450
Compare Upper Orara 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 Upper Orara
Is Upper Orara a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Upper Orara is moderate (50/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Upper Orara?
Upper Orara has a low recorded bushfire history (36/100, 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.
Is Upper Orara a good place to live?
Upper Orara has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (37/100), 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 Upper Orara?
Upper Orara, NSW had a population of 863 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Upper Orara, NSW?
The postcode for Upper Orara, NSW is 2450.
How far is Upper Orara from Sydney?
Upper Orara is 541 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 367 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Upper Orara?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Upper Orara was $90,428 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 Upper Orara?
There are too few current rental listings in Upper Orara for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $350, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Upper Orara?
The median age of residents in Upper Orara was 45 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Upper Orara at risk of bushfire?
Upper Orara has a low recorded bushfire history (36/100). 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.
How are the schools in Upper Orara?
There is 1 school inside the Upper Orara boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
What is the air quality in Upper Orara?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Upper Orara (Coffs Harbour) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 4.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 10.8 µg/m³. That puts Upper Orara below the WHO annual guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Upper Orara?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Upper Orara, Lower Bucca (17.4 km away), 1,827 mm of rain a year over 115 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Upper Orara?
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 Upper Orara belong to?
Upper Orara sits within the Coffs Harbour local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Upper Orara?
The average residential rates bill through Coffs Harbour is $1,437 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Upper Orara?
Across Coffs Harbour, 356 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 61.0% 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 Upper Orara in?
Upper Orara sits within the federal Division of Cowper, currently held by Pat Conaghan (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
- Air quality · 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.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.