Armidale
NSWArmidale is a stable suburb in NSW with 23,967 residents.
- SAL code
- 10086
- SA2
- 110011186
- Population
- 23,967
Armidale, NSW had 23,967 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area roughly steady over the last five years. The predominant age group is 25-34 years, and the median age sits at 36. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,500 a month. Around 59.2% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 37.7%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 82.4% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 117 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Suburb analysis
Armidale, NSW at a glance
Armidale is the regional centre of the New England high country, ~470 km north of Sydney and ~360 km south of Brisbane. The University of New England, a working CBD pedestrian mall, and a four-seasons climate define the place. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle, and council context they don't.
For homebuyers
Armidale feels less like a suburb and more like a small inland city. You'll find a mix of heritage cottages around the CBD, brick-and-tile family homes through West and South Armidale, and newer estates extending toward the airport. Beardy Street Mall — the pedestrian mall that opened in 1973 — anchors the cafes, bookshops and weekend market scene; Central Armidale, the $49m Woolworths/Kmart-anchored centre, handles the weekly shop. The University of New England campus sits about 5 km north of the CBD and is one of the largest single employers. Schools are unusually deep for a regional centre: PLC Armidale, The Armidale School (TAS) and NEGS all sit in the independent tier and report consistently above-state NAPLAN bands, while Armidale Secondary College is the public co-ed (~1,500 students). Winters are cold (frosts and the occasional snow flurry); summers are mild. Sydney is a ~5.5-hour drive or a daily flight from Armidale Regional Airport. In short: a working regional city with university gravity, real schools choice, and a four-seasons climate that buyers either love or learn to plan around.
For investors
Armidale prints solid regional fundamentals. Median house sale ~$575,000 against ~$480/week rent gives a ~4.5-4.8% gross house yield; units sit at $370,000 / $350/week for a ~6.2% yield (Your Investment Property May 2026; htag.com.au 2026). 12-month house growth ~+11.6% (units ~+13.9%). Sales volume is unusually deep for a regional market — 621 house sales and 90 unit sales over 12 months — and days-on-market sits around 40-50 days. Vacancy ~1.5-1.8% (htag, Q1 2026).
Strengths
- Double-digit 12-month growth (~+11.6% houses, ~+13.9% units) on a still-affordable regional base.
- Deep sales liquidity for a regional market — 621 house + 90 unit sales in 12 months means actual exit options.
- UNE + regional health + LGA employment underpins a durable rental tenant pool; vacancy 1.5-1.8% (htag, 2026).
- Unit yields ~6.2% are rare on the East Coast above $300k entry — student-driven demand keeps the bedsits moving.
Trade-offs
- Days-on-market 40-50 (houses) and ~64 (units) — well above metro speed; price discovery is slower.
- Single-employer concentration risk: UNE enrolment shifts move the rental market more than they would in a diversified metro.
- Climate + age of stock — heritage and 70s-era brick homes often need heating + insulation upgrades that compress net yield.
- House yield ~4.5-4.8% is solid not spectacular; the growth thesis carries the case more than cashflow.
What's coming
Armidale Regional Council's 2025-26 program is replacing three pivotal bridges (Boorolong, Bakers and Laura Creek), advancing the New England Rail Trail framework (consultation opened May 2026) and progressing the Oakey River Dam acquisition for water security. A separate $209m battery energy storage project near Armidale will channel ~$2.55m to council via a Voluntary Planning Agreement, plus the wider New England Renewable Energy Zone build-out.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: a four-seasons regional city with university gravity and unusually deep schools choice. For investors: a liquid regional growth play with workable yields — concentration risk on UNE is the single number to watch.
Population
?23,967
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+0.1%
3yr: +0.6% · 10yr: +1.9%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$1,432/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
36
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?4/10
SA2 · middle-range
Unemployment
?3.4%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
9
7 primary, 1 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?22
10 long day, 8 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?117
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?4
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
No data for this suburb
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Armidale (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Armidale suburb alone is ~23,967 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 22,969 to 24,436 over 24 years, averaging 0.3% per year.
Schools
7 in suburbSector
7 public
Type
6 primary · 1 secondary
Total enrolment
2,625
Avg per school
375
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Ben Venue PS25.2%
- Drummond MPS 21.8%
- Sandon PS 16.5%
- Newling PS 16.0%
- Kellys Plains PS 11.6%
- Martins Gully PS 6.2%
- Armidale City PS 2.7%
- Black Mountain PS 0.0%
Secondary
Armidale SC100.0%
- Guyra CS 0.0%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 3.5%Almost entirely detached houses (82.4%), mixed tenure (59.2% own or mortgage), built for families (41% are 3 bed).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
NSW 33%
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire risk
Source: NSW RFS BFPL via SEED
As of May 2026
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped bushfire polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions.
Flood risk
This suburb falls outside every flood polygon mapped by the relevant authority. Always confirm at the property address — local conditions and unmapped overlays can still apply.
Overlap is the percentage of the suburb's land area inside the mapped flood polygons. Always verify the exact property address with the relevant authority before making decisions. Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
14 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| RU4 | ZoneRural | 67.0% | 184.10 km² |
| RU1 | ZoneRural | 6.4% | 17.70 km² |
| R5 | ZoneResidential | 5.9% | 16.23 km² |
| R1 | ZoneResidential | 5.5% | 15.13 km² |
| C3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 5.1% | 13.93 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 2.7% | 7.53 km² |
| C4 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.5% | 4.07 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 1.2% | 3.18 km² |
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.2% | 3.17 km² |
| E4 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.1% | 3.01 km² |
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 1.0% | 2.82 km² |
| RU3 | ZoneRural | 0.9% | 2.42 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 0.2% | 0.46 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 0.2% | 0.46 km² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.