South Grafton, NSW: suburb profile

The population of South Grafton NSW is 6,288 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in South Grafton is $526 per week ($27,352 per year). Median rent in South Grafton is $280 per week ($1,213 per month). South Grafton has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. South Grafton has a population density of 252 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in South Grafton is England. The most common religion is No religion (39.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Grafton is $1,144.

There were 341 recorded offences in South Grafton in 2025-26, a rate of 54 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (93 offences).

Population
6,288
Census 2021
Median income
$526/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$280/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
Census 2021

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

South Grafton vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in South Grafton is $526 a week, 31% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,973rd of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $280 a week, $105 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 28.7% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 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.
MeasureSouth GraftonTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$526/wk$765/wk −31%$766/wk
Household income$975/wk$1,704/wk −43%$1,637/wk
Rent$280/wk$385/wk −27%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,144/mo$1,965/mo −42%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income28.7%22.6% +6.1 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 South Grafton, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

South Grafton Population

6,288 residents at the 2021 Census.

South Grafton Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$526/wk
$27,352 per year
Ranked 7,962 of 14,663
Median Rent
$280/wk
$1,213 per month
Ranked 5,374 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,144/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

South Grafton Rent Prices & Affordability

29% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $975/wk
Median rent $280/wk
Rent to income 28.7%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in South Grafton against your income

About $4,225 a month
Median rent $280/wk
Left after rent $695/wk
Rent share 28.7%

South Grafton Schools

6
schools nearby
4
government
886
avg ICSEA score
2,086
total students
McAuley Catholic College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 602 students
1031
ICSEA
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 126 students
979
ICSEA
South Grafton Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 564 students
905
ICSEA
South Grafton High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 639 students
875
ICSEA
Gillwinga Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 129 students
774
ICSEA
Induna School Government
Secondary · U · 26 students
754
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 South Grafton, with a map

South Grafton Map

South Grafton, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in South Grafton

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.2% (3,030) Female 51.8% (3,259)

Population Density

252
people per km²
6,288 people · 24.9 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,206
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
1.3%
New Zealand
0.7%
Philippines
0.3%
Scotland
0.3%
India
0.2%
Germany
0.2%
Hong Kong
0.2%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous Languages
0.5%
German
0.2%
Mandarin
0.2%
Cantonese
0.1%
Punjabi
0.1%
Russian
0.1%
Filipino
0.1%

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

Ancestry

Australian
44.3%
English
39.0%
Australian Aboriginal
13.5%
Irish
9.8%
Scottish
9.4%
German
3.3%
Italian
1.5%
Dutch
0.8%
Chinese
0.7%
Filipino
0.5%
New Zealander
0.4%

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
39.8%
Anglican
19.1%
Catholic
15.3%
Not stated
11.4%
Presbyterian and Reformed
4.6%
Uniting Church
2.0%
Christian (other)
1.7%
Baptist
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

14.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
35.1% 1,738
Separated
4.8% 238
Divorced
11.6% 573
Widowed
7.4% 369
Never married
41.1% 2,036

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
32.9%
Couple: no children
27.1%
One parent: children under 15
20.6%
One parent: no children under 15
10.0%
Couple: no children under 15
9.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
32.1%
2 persons
34.4%
3 persons
12.8%
4 persons
11.2%
5 persons
6.1%
6+ persons
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in South Grafton

Housing Tenure

Of the 2,366 occupied private dwellings in South Grafton at the 2021 Census, 36.3% were rented, 34.7% owned outright and 26.0% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 21 dwellings
Owned outright
34.7% 820 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
26.0% 616 dwellings
Rented
36.3% 859 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.2% 51 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
96.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
2.9%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.3%
2 bedrooms
18.1%
3 bedrooms
51.0%
4 bedrooms
23.2%
5 bedrooms
3.9%
6+ bedrooms
0.6%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
3.8%
$300-$449/mo
2.4%
$450-$599/mo
5.2%
$600-$799/mo
9.3%
$800-$999/mo
15.7%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
34.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.4%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
8.3%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
1.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
8.3%
1 vehicle
44.7%
2 vehicles
31.8%
3 vehicles
10.6%
4+ vehicles
4.6%

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

Work, income and education in South Grafton

Employment

Employed full-time
25.1% 1,095 people
Employed part-time
18.0% 783 people
Unemployed
5.0% 220 people
Not in labour force
51.9% 2,261 people

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

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
25.6%
Professionals
18.6%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.9%
Clerical & Administrative
11.1%
Labourers
10.8%
Managers
9.0%
Sales Workers
7.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.9%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.5%
$150-$299/wk
2.1%
$300-$399/wk
5.3%
$400-$499/wk
12.5%
$500-$649/wk
7.1%
$650-$799/wk
11.2%
$800-$999/wk
10.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.1%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.5%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.5%
$4,000+/wk
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.6%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
9.5%
$300-$399/wk
10.3%
$400-$499/wk
7.2%
$500-$649/wk
5.6%
$650-$799/wk
12.7%
$800-$999/wk
12.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
11.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
5.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
3.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.4%
$3,500+/wk
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
74.9%
Did not go to work
10.7%
Car (passenger)
6.6%
Walked only
3.2%
Truck
1.8%
Bicycle
1.0%
Bus
0.7%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%
Other
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
42.1%
Year 12 or equivalent
34.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
14.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.9%

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
58.9%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.6%
Bachelor Degree
13.0%
Certificate I/II
6.0%
Postgraduate Degree
3.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.1%

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

Field of Study

Society & Culture
22.4%
Management & Commerce
17.1%
Engineering
14.5%
Health
13.0%
Education
9.4%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.7%
Architecture & Building
6.7%
Agriculture & Environment
2.9%
Information Technology
2.5%
Creative Arts
2.5%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.5%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
38.7%
Secondary: Government
24.9%
Vocational Education
11.3%
Pre-school
10.7%
Primary: Catholic
3.9%
Secondary: Catholic
3.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.4%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
3.3%

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
80.7%
Has need for assistance
10.2%
Need for assistance not stated
9.2%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
938
Asthma
310
Arthritis
293
Lung condition
272
Diabetes
224
Heart disease
207
Kidney disease
123
Cancer
103
Stroke
95
Dementia
37

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.3% 727
Did not provide
83.7% 3,733

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.0% 628
Not a volunteer
86.0% 3,869

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.1% 4
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 3
Previously served
3.6% 164
Never served
96.2% 4,340

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
24.0%
1 child
10.5%
2 children
29.2%
3 children
22.2%
4 children
10.7%
5+ children
3.4%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
6
1951: 1960
32
1961: 1970
53
1971: 1980
52
1981: 1990
50
1991: 2000
9
2001: 2010
57
2011: 2015
25
2016
9
2017
18
2018
10
2020
6
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

15.7%
moved in the last year
38.3%
moved in the last 5 years
10.0%
unemployment rate (Census)
45.3%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
4,727
Moved: same area (SA2)
422
Moved from NSW
338
Moved from QLD
54
Moved from overseas
18
Moved from VIC
9
Moved from NT
5
Moved from ACT
5

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
17.8%
5: 14 hours
25.5%
15: 29 hours
13.9%
30+ hours
10.5%
Did not do domestic work
32.3%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
69.4%
Step family: no other children
16.1%
Blended family: no other children
10.1%
Intact family: other children present
2.2%
Other couple: children only
2.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

South Grafton Crime Statistics

341 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
93
Other Against Property
71
Property Damage
47
Assault
43
Other Against Person
33
Drug Offences
32
Weapons
13
Sexual Offences
7
Robbery
2

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near South Grafton

The closest suburb to South Grafton is Grafton, 5.8 km away.

Grafton
5.8 km away · income $641/wk · rent $300/wk
Waterview Heights
9.3 km away · income $582/wk · rent $300/wk
Junction Hill
10.0 km away · income $668/wk · rent $350/wk
Glenugie
13.7 km away · income $496/wk · rent $350/wk
Coutts Crossing
15.0 km away · income $536/wk · rent $300/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About South Grafton

What is the population of South Grafton NSW?

The population of South Grafton NSW is 6,288 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 252 people per km². South Grafton is ranked #1,239 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in South Grafton?

The median personal income in South Grafton NSW is $526 per week, or $27,352 per year. The median household income is $975 per week. Family income is $1,206 per week. South Grafton is ranked #7,962 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in South Grafton?

Median rent in South Grafton NSW is $280 per week ($1,213 per month). Rent represents 28.7% of household income, which is considered moderate. South Grafton ranks #5,374 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in South Grafton?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in South Grafton NSW is $1,144. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in South Grafton?

The median age in South Grafton NSW is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is South Grafton a good suburb to live in?

South Grafton is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 6,288. The median income is $526/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (28.7% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 13598. All dollar figures in AUD.