Taree
NSWTaree is a stable suburb in NSW with 16,715 residents.
- SAL code
- 13779
- SA2
- 108051169
- Population
- 16,715
- LGA
- Mid-Coast
Taree, NSW had 16,715 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 0.8% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 65-74 years, and the median age sits at 45. Households are most often couples without children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $1,300 a month. Around 58.7% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being rented at 37.1%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 78.4% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 34 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
Taree, NSW at a glance
Taree is the commercial heart of the Manning Valley on the NSW Mid North Coast, ~317 km north of Sydney within MidCoast Council. The town wraps the Manning River where it splits into a double delta, with country-town shopping along Victoria Street and the regional hospital + airport anchoring the broader hinterland. The data tiles below cover the demographic baseline; this card adds the live market, lifestyle and council pipeline.
For homebuyers
Taree is a working regional centre rather than a coastal commuter town — the river, not the surf, defines daily life. Housing is mostly older detached weatherboard and brick on full-size blocks, with newer estates pushing west. The CBD around Victoria Street covers the practical shop, and Manning Base Hospital is a major local employer. The riverfront parks (Queen Elizabeth, Endeavour Place) anchor weekend life; Old Bar and Manning Point beaches sit ~15-20 minutes east. Schools include Taree High (established 1908) and Chatham High, plus several public primaries; the three Manning Valley high schools share a Senior Curriculum Advantage program for Year 11-12 subject breadth. Sydney is ~3.5 hours by road on the M1, with daily XPT rail and Taree Regional Airport flying to Sydney. In short: an affordable, services-rich regional centre with river + beach access nearby, suited to people who want country-town convenience over coastal premium.
For investors
Taree is a yield-led regional play. Median house ~$555-569K with ~$500/wk rent gives ~4.25-5.25% gross yield (htag.com.au + Your Investment Property, Jan-Feb 2026); units sit around $340-397K with ~$350-380/wk rent for a 5.5-5.7% yield. 12-month house growth ~+11-12.7%. Vacancy is tight at ~1.5% (PropRadar Feb 2026). ~313 house and ~77 unit sales in the past 12 months — a deep regional market. Days-on-market ~40-44 (houses) / ~48 (units).
Strengths
- Solid gross yields (~4.25-5.25% houses, ~5.5-5.7% units) on a low entry price (median house ~$555K, htag Feb 2026).
- Tight vacancy (~1.5%, PropRadar Feb 2026) in a regional centre with a hospital + airport supporting non-discretionary tenant demand.
- Strong 12-month capital growth (~+11-12.7% houses, htag Feb 2026) following the broader regional NSW re-rate.
- Deep transaction market (~390 sales/yr across houses + units) — unusual liquidity for a town of ~26,000.
Trade-offs
- SEIFA IRSAD ~851 (decile 1, ABS 2021) — historically lower long-run capital growth than higher-SES regional markets.
- Days-on-market ~40-44 (houses) is moderate, not hot — exit liquidity is solid but not Sydney-fast.
- Floodplain exposure: the May 2025 flood event delayed several MidCoast capital projects (Manning River Times) — insurance + flood-zone due diligence matters lot-by-lot.
- Affordability ratio is stretched against local incomes (~41 years, htag Jan 2026) — capital growth depends on continued tree-change inflows rather than local wages.
What's coming
MidCoast Council allocated $49.93M to road capital works in 2025/26, with heavy patching on Cedar Party Road and surrounds plus drainage works across the LGA. The Taree Albert Street amenities upgrade is at tender, and a draft growth plan for Taree Regional Airport is out for community feedback. Sewer treatment plant upgrades continue at Harrington, Hawks Nest and Gloucester.
Bottom line
For homebuyers: an affordable, services-complete regional centre with river + beach within reach. For investors: a yield + recent-growth regional play with tight vacancy, balanced against floodplain and SEIFA caveats.
Population
?16,715
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+0.8%
3yr: +0.3% · 10yr: +2.6%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$968/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
45
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?1/10
SA2 · more disadvantaged
Unemployment
?7.7%
SA2 · Q4 2025
Schools
6
4 primary, 2 secondary
Hospitals
?1
Within suburb
Childcare services
?18
11 long day, 5 OSHC, 1 family
Parks & green space
?34
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?4
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?160
Mid-Coast · Feb 2026
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 — Taree (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Taree suburb alone is ~16,715 (Census 2021).
Source: ABS ERP (latest release · 2025) · Census 2021. Numbers refreshed quarterly.
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 20,386 to 21,421 over 24 years, averaging 0.2% per year.
Schools
6 in suburbSector
6 public
Type
4 primary · 2 secondary
Total enrolment
2,032
Avg per school
339
Government school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Manning Gardens PS60.6%
- Taree WPS 18.6%
- Chatham PS 10.4%
- Taree PS 5.6%
- Cundletown PS 1.9%
- Wingham PS 1.5%
- Tinonee PS 0.7%
- Wingham Brush PS 0.7%
- Lansdowne PS 0.0%
Secondary
Chatham HS72.9%
- Taree HS 24.2%
- Wingham HS 2.9%
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 5.1%Almost entirely detached houses (78.4%), mixed tenure (58.7% own or mortgage), built for families (46% 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
15 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| RU1 | ZoneRural | 46.1% | 22.05 km² |
| R1 | ZoneResidential | 21.3% | 10.18 km² |
| R5 | ZoneResidential | 9.6% | 4.62 km² |
| W2 | ZoneWaterway | 5.9% | 2.83 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 5.1% | 2.46 km² |
| E4 | ZoneEnvironmental | 3.2% | 1.53 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 2.4% | 1.14 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 1.8% | 0.84 km² |
| C2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 1.7% | 0.79 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.9% | 0.44 km² |
| E2 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.6% | 0.29 km² |
| MU1 | ZoneBusiness | 0.5% | 0.26 km² |
| E5 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.4% | 0.19 km² |
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.2% | 0.09 km² |
| C3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.2% | 0.08 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.