Goonellabah, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Goonellabah NSW is 13,351 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Goonellabah is $705 per week ($36,660 per year). Median rent in Goonellabah is $320 per week ($1,387 per month). Goonellabah has a median age of 41 years, older than the national median of 38. Goonellabah has a population density of 578 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Goonellabah is England. The most common religion is No religion (38.3% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Punjabi. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Goonellabah is $1,560.

There were 327 recorded offences in Goonellabah in 2025-26, a rate of 24 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (99 offences).

Population
13,351
Census 2021
Median income
$705/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$320/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
41years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Goonellabah vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Goonellabah is $705 a week, 8% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,357th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $320 a week, $65 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 24.3% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 41, 2 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureGoonellabahTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$705/wk$765/wk −8%$766/wk
Household income$1,318/wk$1,704/wk −23%$1,637/wk
Rent$320/wk$385/wk −17%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,560/mo$1,965/mo −21%$1,733/mo
Median age4143 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income24.3%22.6% +1.7 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Goonellabah, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Goonellabah Population

13,351 residents at the 2021 Census.

Goonellabah Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$705/wk
$36,660 per year
Ranked 5,403 of 14,663
Median Rent
$320/wk
$1,387 per month
Ranked 4,051 of 14,663
Median Age
41years
3 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,560/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Goonellabah Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,318/wk
Median rent $320/wk
Rent to income 24.3%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Goonellabah against your income

About $5,711 a month
Median rent $320/wk
Left after rent $998/wk
Rent share 24.3%

Goonellabah Schools

5
schools nearby
3
government
953
avg ICSEA score
1,420
total students
Summerland Christian College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 628 students
1042
ICSEA
Blue Hills College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 201 students
999
ICSEA
Tregeagle Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 103 students
993
ICSEA
The Rivers Secondary College, Kadina High Campus Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 262 students
884
ICSEA
Goonellabah Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 226 students
847
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Goonellabah, with a map

Goonellabah Map

Goonellabah, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Goonellabah, New South Wales: 28.8291°S, 153.3339°E

Goonellabah Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (5)

People in Goonellabah

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.8% (6,252) Female 53.2% (7,099)

Population Density

578
people per km²
13,351 people · 23.1 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,721
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
2.0%
New Zealand
0.9%
Philippines
0.7%
India
0.6%
Germany
0.4%
Italy
0.4%
South Africa
0.3%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Punjabi
0.5%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.5%
Italian
0.5%
Mandarin
0.4%
Vietnamese
0.3%
German
0.3%
Filipino
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
41.3%
English
41.2%
Irish
12.8%
Scottish
10.9%
Australian Aboriginal
7.2%
Italian
4.4%
German
4.3%
Filipino
1.1%
Dutch
1.0%
Chinese
0.9%
Indian
0.9%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
38.3%
Catholic
20.6%
Anglican
12.9%
Not stated
6.9%
Presbyterian and Reformed
4.3%
Christian (other)
3.9%
Uniting Church
3.8%
Pentecostal
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

7.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
40.4% 4,398
Separated
3.8% 411
Divorced
11.4% 1,239
Widowed
7.0% 759
Never married
37.5% 4,092

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
37.8%
Couple: no children
28.6%
Couple: no children under 15
13.3%
One parent: children under 15
11.7%
One parent: no children under 15
8.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.2%
2 persons
34.6%
3 persons
14.2%
4 persons
11.8%
5 persons
4.9%
6+ persons
3.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Goonellabah

Housing Tenure

Of the 5,270 occupied private dwellings in Goonellabah at the 2021 Census, 28.8% were rented, 35.8% owned outright and 31.9% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.0% 108 dwellings
Owned outright
35.8% 1,885 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
31.9% 1,681 dwellings
Rented
28.8% 1,517 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.5% 77 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
81.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
14.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.4%
2 bedrooms
15.7%
3 bedrooms
45.6%
4 bedrooms
29.8%
5 bedrooms
5.5%
6+ bedrooms
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
3.9%
$300-$449/mo
2.2%
$450-$599/mo
2.6%
$600-$799/mo
4.6%
$800-$999/mo
6.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
20.5%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
26.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.4%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
6.0%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.7%
1 vehicle
39.0%
2 vehicles
38.2%
3 vehicles
11.9%
4+ vehicles
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Goonellabah

Employment

Employed full-time
33.7% 3,377 people
Employed part-time
22.3% 2,230 people
Unemployed
2.9% 295 people
Not in labour force
41.1% 4,115 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
28.4%
Community & Personal Service
15.7%
Technicians & Trade Workers
15.0%
Clerical & Administrative
14.0%
Managers
10.3%
Labourers
7.1%
Sales Workers
5.8%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.0%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.5%
$300-$399/wk
2.8%
$400-$499/wk
8.8%
$500-$649/wk
6.3%
$650-$799/wk
8.8%
$800-$999/wk
8.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
12.2%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
7.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.8%
$4,000+/wk
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
7.3%
$1-$149/wk
4.5%
$150-$299/wk
6.4%
$300-$399/wk
5.8%
$400-$499/wk
5.4%
$500-$649/wk
4.4%
$650-$799/wk
12.1%
$800-$999/wk
14.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
13.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.0%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.8%
$3,500+/wk
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
75.5%
Did not go to work
15.0%
Car (passenger)
5.8%
Walked only
1.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.7%
Truck
0.7%
Bus
0.4%
Other
0.3%
Bicycle
0.2%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
50.8%
Year 10 or equivalent
33.4%
Year 9 or equivalent
8.5%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.3%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
41.5%
Bachelor Degree
26.2%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.6%
Postgraduate Degree
6.8%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.7%
Certificate I/II
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
21.7%
Health
15.9%
Society & Culture
14.8%
Engineering
11.6%
Education
11.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.3%
Architecture & Building
6.2%
Agriculture & Environment
3.9%
Creative Arts
3.3%
Information Technology
2.7%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
22.7%
Secondary: Government
17.3%
Vocational Education
14.2%
Pre-school
12.0%
Secondary: Catholic
10.3%
Primary: Catholic
9.9%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
9.2%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
85.9%
Has need for assistance
8.7%
Need for assistance not stated
5.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
1,802
Asthma
678
Arthritis
543
Heart disease
412
Lung condition
411
Diabetes
370
Cancer
229
Kidney disease
205
Stroke
189
Dementia
53

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.9% 1,536
Did not provide
85.1% 8,739

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
17.5% 1,802
Not a volunteer
82.5% 8,490

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 9
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 12
Previously served
3.5% 357
Never served
96.3% 9,903

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
28.9%
1 child
12.0%
2 children
30.0%
3 children
18.0%
4 children
8.3%
5+ children
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
36
1951: 1960
104
1961: 1970
136
1971: 1980
109
1981: 1990
160
1991: 2000
128
2001: 2010
251
2011: 2015
146
2016
35
2017
38
2018
65
2019
32
2020
19
2021
6

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

14.0%
moved in the last year
43.3%
moved in the last 5 years
4.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
57.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
10,711
Moved from NSW
1,044
Moved: same area (SA2)
427
Moved from QLD
100
Moved from overseas
50
Moved from VIC
40
Moved from TAS
17
Moved from SA
9
Moved from WA
9
Moved from NT
8
Moved from ACT
8

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.5%
5: 14 hours
29.8%
15: 29 hours
14.1%
30+ hours
9.5%
Did not do domestic work
26.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
80.3%
Step family: no other children
11.6%
Blended family: no other children
5.8%
Intact family: other children present
1.2%
Other couple: children only
0.6%
Step family: other children present
0.2%
Blended family: other children present
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Goonellabah Crime Statistics

327 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
99
Other Against Property
86
Assault
40
Property Damage
35
Other Against Person
34
Drug Offences
12
Sexual Offences
11
Weapons
6
Robbery
3
Domestic Violence
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Nyngan
Income: $770/wk Rent: $200/wk $120/wk less rent
Young
Income: $656/wk Rent: $250/wk $70/wk less rent
Inverell
Income: $666/wk Rent: $270/wk $50/wk less rent
Lismore (NSW)
Income: $598/wk Rent: $280/wk $40/wk less rent
Aberdeen (NSW)
Income: $716/wk Rent: $280/wk $40/wk less rent
Bathurst
Income: $753/wk Rent: $300/wk $20/wk less rent
Gulgong
Income: $650/wk Rent: $300/wk $20/wk less rent
East Kempsey
Income: $635/wk Rent: $300/wk $20/wk less rent

Suburbs near Goonellabah

The closest suburb to Goonellabah is Lismore Heights, 4.3 km away.

Lismore Heights
4.3 km away · income $742/wk · rent $338/wk
East Lismore
4.7 km away · income $670/wk · rent $310/wk
Lismore (NSW)
5.1 km away · income $598/wk · rent $280/wk
Girards Hill
5.5 km away · income $677/wk · rent $290/wk
Wollongbar
7.3 km away · income $792/wk · rent $420/wk
South Lismore
7.9 km away · income $638/wk · rent $300/wk

Compare Goonellabah

Frequently Asked Questions About Goonellabah

What is the population of Goonellabah NSW?

The population of Goonellabah NSW is 13,351 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 578 people per km². Goonellabah is ranked #353 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Goonellabah?

The median personal income in Goonellabah NSW is $705 per week, or $36,660 per year. The median household income is $1,318 per week. Family income is $1,721 per week. Goonellabah is ranked #5,403 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Goonellabah?

Median rent in Goonellabah NSW is $320 per week ($1,387 per month). Rent represents 24.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Goonellabah ranks #4,051 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Goonellabah?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Goonellabah NSW is $1,560. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Goonellabah?

The median age in Goonellabah NSW is 41 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Goonellabah a good suburb to live in?

Goonellabah is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 13,351. The median income is $705/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (24.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11717. All dollar figures in AUD.