New South Wales · Suburb Profile

Goonellabah NSW — Suburb Profile

Population, median income, rent prices, housing costs and demographics for Goonellabah, New South Wales. ABS Census 2021.

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 577.8 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Goonellabah is England. The most common religion is No Religion (41% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Other. 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).

Goonellabah Map

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Goonellabah Population

residents (Census 2021)

Goonellabah Median Income & Rent

💰

Median Income

$705/wk

$36,660 per year

#5403 of 14,663

🏠

Median Rent

$320/wk

$1,387 per month

#4051 of 14,663

👤

Median Age

41years

3 years older than national median

🏡

Mortgage

$1,560/mo

Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.7 per bedroom

Goonellabah Demographics

Gender Split

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

Population Density

577.8

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

Goonellabah 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 & Locality (SAL)

Goonellabah Housing Tenure

🏠

Owned outright

52.9% 1,885 dwellings

🏦

Owned with mortgage

47.1% 1,681 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021 — Suburb & Locality (SAL)

Goonellabah Country of Birth

Australia

95.4%

England

2.4%

India

0.8%

Germany

0.4%

Canada

0.3%

China

0.2%

Fiji

0.2%

France

0.1%

Brazil

0.1%

Iran

0.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G09 — Country of Birth by SAL

Goonellabah Religion

No Religion

41.5%

Catholic

22.3%

Anglican

13.9%

Not stated

7.5%

Christinty Prsbytrin Refrmd

4.7%

Christian (other)

4.2%

Uniting Church

4.1%

Pentecostal

1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G14 — Religion by SAL

Goonellabah 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%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G16 — Highest Year of School by SAL

Goonellabah Languages Spoken at Home

Other

31.6%

IAL Punjabi

14.1%

Italian

12.8%

Australian Indigenous

9.4%

SAL Tot

9.0%

Mandarin

8.1%

Vietnamese

7.7%

Spanish

7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G13 — Language Spoken at Home by SAL

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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah Ancestry

Australian

31.3%

English

31.2%

Irish

9.7%

Scottish

8.3%

Aboriginal Australianralian

5.5%

Other

4.6%

Italian

3.3%

German

3.2%

Filipino

0.9%

Dutch

0.8%

Chinese

0.7%

Indian

0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021 G08 — Ancestry by SAL

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah Need for Assistance

♿

Needs assistance

9.2% 2,339

✅

No need for assistance

90.8% 22,953

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

Goonellabah Volunteering

🤝

Volunteer

17.5% 1,802

—

Not a volunteer

82.5% 8,490

Source: ABS Census 2021 G23 — Voluntary Work by SAL

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah Indigenous Population

7.8%

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

1,985

Indigenous residents

23,405

Non-Indigenous residents

Source: ABS Census 2021 G07 — Indigenous Status by SAL

Goonellabah 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

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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951

1951–1960

104

1961–1970

136

1971–1980

109

1981–1990

160

1991–2000

128

2001–2010

251

2011–2015

146

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Goonellabah 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

Moved from VIC

Moved from TAS

Moved from SA

Moved from WA

Moved from NT

Moved from ACT

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

Goonellabah 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

Reported offences in 2025-26 — 327 total

Theft

Other Against Property

Assault

Property Damage

Other Against Person

Drug Offences

Sexual Offences

Weapons

Robbery

Domestic Violence

Offence trend by year:

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR — bocsar.nsw.gov.au

Goonellabah Schools

schools nearby

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

View all schools in Goonellabah with map →

Goonellabah Rent Prices & Affordability

24%

of income

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.

If you earn X in Goonellabah

Your weekly income

≈ $5,711/month

Median rent $320/wk

Left after rent $998/wk

Rent share 24.3%

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Nyngan

Income: $770/wk Rent: $200/wk Save: $120/wk

Young

Income: $656/wk Rent: $250/wk Save: $70/wk

Inverell

Income: $666/wk Rent: $270/wk Save: $50/wk

Lismore (NSW)

Income: $598/wk Rent: $280/wk Save: $40/wk

Aberdeen (NSW)

Income: $716/wk Rent: $280/wk Save: $40/wk

Bathurst

Income: $753/wk Rent: $300/wk Save: $20/wk

Gulgong

Income: $650/wk Rent: $300/wk Save: $20/wk

East Kempsey

Income: $635/wk Rent: $300/wk Save: $20/wk

Goonellabah vs State & National Average

Nearby Suburbs in NSW

Cooma (NSW)

Pop: 6,715 Income: $771/wk Rent: $290/wk

Long Jetty

Pop: 6,736 Income: $665/wk Rent: $360/wk

Bomaderry

Pop: 6,738 Income: $612/wk Rent: $310/wk

Yass

Pop: 6,763 Income: $867/wk Rent: $340/wk

Bulli

Pop: 6,798 Income: $952/wk Rent: $370/wk

Green Point (Central Coast - NSW)

Pop: 6,810 Income: $698/wk Rent: $425/wk

Compare Goonellabah

Goonellabah vs Cooma (NSW) →Goonellabah vs Long Jetty →Goonellabah vs Bomaderry →Goonellabah vs Yass →

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 577.8 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 NSW average of $781/wk.Rent affordability is rated as affordable (24.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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