Dorrigo is a close-knit residential community in New South Wales within the Bellingen local government area (postcode 2453). It is home to about 1,214 residents, with an older demographic and a median age of 56. Households earn a median income of $48K per year, with an average household size of 2 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement staying broadly stable across the broader catchment, with population growth running at +0.3% year-on-year at the LGA level. NSW employment has moved +0.3% year-on-year in the official Jobs and Skills Australia NERO series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. NSW also had 37 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 5 underway, and 75 in planning as at 2 October 2024, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are managers, professionals, labourers. Employment in the area leans toward healthcare and agriculture. The top ancestries reported are English, Australian, Irish.
The median house price in Dorrigo is $600,000, having moved lower by 4.8% over the past year. The current median weekly rent is $450. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 3.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,300.
Dorrigo is served by 4 schools, including 3 primary, 1 secondary. The average ICSEA score is 977, which is around the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 28 bus stops. Healthcare facilities include 1 public hospital. The crime rate in the Bellingen LGA is below average at 3,605 incidents per 100,000 population.
From an investment perspective, Gross rental yield sits at around 3.9% (moderate yield). Property prices sit below the state median ($600K/$1.5M), which can point to relative value. The price-to-income ratio of 12.5x is considered stretched. House prices have moved -4.8% year-on-year. Population growth of +0.3% year-on-year points to stable demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.