Mid North Coast, NSW
boho · arty · leafy · river-town
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Move Regional compares towns across QLD, NSW and WA on price, work, schools and lifestyle, so you can find the one that fits.
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Drive to the coast
20 min
By road
Nearest major hospital
4 min
By road
Airport access
32 min
By road
Schools access
Good
Average daytime temp
23.7°C
Rainfall
Very wet
Bellingen has a creative, slightly bohemian reputation, but underneath that is a small working town with a river, schools, healthcare and a close local community. Around 3,900 people live here, the median age is 44 and population growth has been modest at just over 3% since 2016.
The town centre has enough cafés, markets and cultural activity to feel socially active without becoming a large visitor hub, while the Bellinger River and the road towards Dorrigo put rainforest and waterfalls within easy reach. Rainfall is very high, so the lushness people love comes with damp weather and a greener, wetter routine than many inland tree-change towns.
Housing is not cheap, with a median around $920,000 and three-bedroom rents near $650 a week. Healthcare is close and schooling is reasonable, but shopping choice is limited and people needing a large employment market will look to the wider region.
The coast is about 20 minutes away rather than on the doorstep, which keeps Bellingen feeling like a river and hinterland town rather than a beach suburb. Brisbane is over 4 hours 30 minutes away by road. The move works best for people who value community, arts and landscape enough to accept smaller-scale services and a slower local economy.
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Bellingen has most appeal for people who want a small creative town with real community life rather than simply a cheaper regional address. Artists, people working remotely, nature-focused couples and families can make good use of the events, cafés and local character. The compromise is modest shopping and a wetter climate rather than the range and convenience of a larger centre.
Rainfall is very high, and shopping is limited compared with larger centres. The coast is around 20 minutes away rather than on the doorstep, and Sydney is roughly 4 hours 45 minutes by road. It is a small town, so people needing a broad local job market or major retail choice should look carefully.
Enjoy the Bellinger River
Community markets and arts events
Follow Waterfall Way toward Dorrigo's rainforest and waterfalls
Median house price
$920,000
17% below the NSW median
Median weekly rent (3-bed house)
$650
≈ $2,817/month
Houses here typically sell from $771,000 to $1,181,000 (25th–75th percentile).
Sourced from NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January - March 2026 quarter
Healthcare access
Excellent
Shopping & everyday services
Moderate
Supermarket within 10km, limited other retail
Internet connection
Fixed line
Plus 6 more within 20km — showing the 8 closest.
Job market by industry
Healthcare — 15.7%
Largest share of local jobs
Employment figures cover this town's wider statistical region, not the town alone — you'll see the same figures for Yamba, Dorrigo, Sawtell and Coffs Harbour.
The score ranks this region against other regions for the same occupation, not against other jobs here — a low score means it isn't a regional stronghold for that field, not that there are no vacancies. Counts online job advertisements, so trades and farm work hired by word of mouth are undercounted, and outside capital cities this is published at a regional level larger than one town.
Bellingen (SAL 10273) · 2021 Census
The age profile is close to the national one, with 21.8% aged 65 or over against 17.2% and 21.1% children against 18.2%.
Population
3,923
Population growth
+3.2%
Bellingen (SA2 104021083)
Median age
44 years
Labour force participation
55.5%
Growth is measured across the wider area named under the figure, which can be a different size to the town.
Share of total population in each band — rounding means these won't land on exactly 100%.
Couples are a share of total families; lone-person households are a share of total households — different bases, not one breakdown.
Median personal income
$651
Per week · ≈ $33,852/year
Median family income
$1,535
Per week
Median household income
$1,268
Per week
Personal is one person's income; family and household cover everyone living together — a single-income household will show a lower household figure than its highest earner's personal one. Personal income also covers every resident aged 15 and over, retirees included, so it reads low in a town with an older population even where household income is solid.
Owner-occupied
71.4%
Rented
25.9%
Born in Australia
77.2%
Born overseas
15.5%
Doesn't sum to 100% — people who didn't state a birthplace are excluded rather than redistributed.