Skip to content
Suburb profile ·Narrabri LGA · NSW ·2388

Pilliga NSW 2388

Pilliga is in Narrabri LGA, NSW, postcode 2388, with population 175.

Limited data

Thin-context

The page is still useful for local context, but the evidence stack is too thin for a clean one-page call. Use nearby stronger suburbs or compare mode before treating it as a serious shortlist decision.

$280/wk
Falling
-3.8% YoY
Jun 2025 → Jun 2026 · 13 periods
NSW Fair Trading · postcode 2388 · Jun 2026
$500
$225
Jun 2025Jun 2026
Why it fits

Gross yield screens at about 10.4%. Entry price sits in the lower-cost range for a first-pass screen. Recent price movement shows visible market momentum.

What to check

The page is thin enough that nearby alternatives should be checked before shortlisting. Small local population makes the signal set more fragile.

Median house
$140K
House median, latest period
40.0%YoY D1 vs AU
Median rent
$280/wk
Rent-led investor candidate
3.8%YoY D5 vs AU
Gross yield
10.4%
Strong yield band
D10 vs AU
Population
12,797
13K via Narrabri LGA · SAL undercount
Schools
1
Matched school context
D1 vs AU
Drive to city
Not in commute dataset
Solar
836
13 added 12mo · 5MW

Price history

Trend & investor depth

Indicative cashflow$72/wk ($3,752/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Value vs advantage-78% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 2)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investor profile

Who invests in Pilliga

Owner-occupied 75%Rented 25%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared3.1%
45 of 113 landlords
Avg rental loss$3,278/yr
Landlords (rental income)113
Reported capital gains87
The read

Mixed owner-renter market

65% of homes here are owner-occupied and 22% rented, with 3% of landlords negatively geared.

Why it fits

A balanced 65% owner-occupier / 22% renter mix.

What to check

Social housing is 13% of dwellings — check tenant mix and resale demand.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

21%
of household income to service a new loan
4.7 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Comfortable
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyBuying cheaper

New-loan repayment $686/mo vs median rent $1,213/mo (-43% · -$122/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $548/mo (-138) · at 6.2% (current): $686/mo · at 8.2%: $837/mo (+152)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Higher yield

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying
3.5x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Affordable
Renting
37%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
Stretched

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $650/mo, while renters pay about $1,213/mo — renting runs $563/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$140K
Household income · yr
$40K
Median rent · wk
$280
Owner mortgage · mo
$650
Gross yield
10.4%

Household income

$40K household · yr-51.9% vs NSW suburb median
Personal
$21K
Family
$49K
Household
$40K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)71% could service the median house
Under $300
5
$300-649
6
$650-999
9
$1,000-1,499
9
$1,500-1,999
0
$2,000-2,999
4
$3,000-3,999
0
$4,000+
5

Serviceability line: a household needs about $528/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 53% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $933/wk income).

Housing stock and tenure

Tenure (68 households)13.2% social housing
Owned outright
53%
Owned with mortgage
12%
Rented
22%
Dwelling structure25.6% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
96%
Townhouse / semi
0%
Flat / apartment
0%

Getting to work: 62% drive, 0% public transport, 12% walk or cycle, 18% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

Total1
Avg ICSEA747
Students18
Government1
  • Pilliga Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 747
Crime April 2025 - March 2026
730
5,705 per 100k
D7 vs AU

Crime

Rate · per 100k5,705
Total incidents730· April 2025 - March 2026
  • Assault22866%
  • Sexual Offences3811%
  • Robbery10%
  • Break And Enter7823%

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

Bushfire-prone land

Moderate broad-area context

About 18.0% of the suburb intersects mapped bushfire-prone land.

May affect: External construction · Roof and wall systems · Openings, screens and decks

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Bushfire exposure

Moderate exposure ~18.0%
~18.0% of the suburb is Bush Fire Prone Land · ~15.0% Category 1 (highest hazard)

Estimated exposure to NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land (CC BY), point-sampled across the suburb. This shows how much of the suburb sits within the official hazard layer — it is not a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating or a property-level assessment. Obtain a BAL assessment (AS 3959) for an individual property.

Planning zones

Dominant zone Primary Production
Rural / Green wedge 93% Public / Open space 8%

Land-use mix estimated by point-sampling the suburb against NSW EPI Land Zoning polygons (CC BY 4.0). This is a suburb-level snapshot of planning zones, not a parcel-level zoning certificate or development advice. Check the relevant planning scheme for an individual property.

Population outlook

5,813 people · 20225,479 by 2032 (-5.7%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Walgett - Lightning Ridge SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Pilliga NSW — Property Data and Demographics

Located in New South Wales within the Narrabri local government area, Pilliga is a quiet locality (postcode 2388). The area has roughly 175 residents and a settled, mature resident base, with a median age of 51. Households earn a median income of $40K per year, with an average household size of 2 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement staying broadly stable across the broader catchment, with population growth running at -0.4% year-on-year at the LGA level. NSW employment has moved +1.2% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. NSW also had 35 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 17 underway, and 67 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are managers, labourers, clerical & administrative. Employment in the area leans toward agriculture and healthcare. The top ancestries reported are English, Australian, Aboriginal Australian.

Median house prices in Pilliga stand at $140,000, having climbed sharply by 40% over the last twelve months. The current median weekly rent is $280. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 10.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $650.

Pilliga is served by 1 school, including 1 primary. The average ICSEA score is 747, which is well below the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 15 bus stops. The crime rate in the Narrabri LGA is moderate at 5,705 incidents per 100,000 population.

Looking at the investment signals, Pilliga shows a gross rental yield of approximately 10.4%, rated as high yield. Property prices sit below the state median ($140K/$1.5M), which can point to relative value. The price-to-income ratio of 3.5x is considered affordable. House prices have moved +40.0% year-on-year. Population growth of -0.4% year-on-year points to declining demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield10.4% High Yield
Price vs State$140K/$1.5M Below Median
Affordability3.5x Affordable
Price Momentum+40.0% Rising
Pop. Growth-0.4% Declining
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentNSW
Mortgage · mth$650
Rent · wk(Census)$189
Market rent · wk(2026-06)$280
Gross yield7.0%
Price / income3.5x
Population growth · Narrabri LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)12,797
5-year growth-0.3% CAGR
YoY change-0.4%
20012025
Development · Narrabri LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)10
Houses10
YoY change+0%
Employment · Narrabri LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)2.4%
YoY change+0.2pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 2388ATO
Negatively geared3.1%
45 of filers
Avg rental loss$3,278/yr
Landlords (rental income)113
Reported capital gains87
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population175
Median age51
Household size2
HH income · wk$762
Personal income · wk$397
Persons / bedroom0.7
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)2/10
Education (IEO)3/10
Economic (IER)2/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)3/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$575 → $762
Change+32.5%
vs NSW median+11.9 pp
Median rent+18.1%
gentrifyingvs NSW 2016–21
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets0
Pharmacies0
GP / clinics0
Fuel stations0
Cafes & dining1
TransportGTFS
Bus stops15
Hospitals · Narrabri LGAAIHW
Public3
Private0
Boggabri Multi Purpose Servicepublic
Narrabri Hospitalpublic
Wee Waa Hospitalpublic
Aged care · Narrabri LGAGEN
Facilities4
Residential places157
Whiddon Narrabri Jessie Hunt57 places
Whiddon Narrabri Robert Young54 places
Whiddon Weeronga30 places
Boggabri Multi-Purpose Service16 places
Childcare · Narrabri LGAACECQA
Services13
Approved places473
Exceeding NQS3
Community Kids Narrabri Early Education Centre76 places
Little Kindy Narrabri48 places
Nurruby Early Education Service42 places
Nurruby Narrabri OOSH40 places
Nurruby OOSH40 places
Kogil Street Preschool39 places
+7 more in Narrabri LGA
Shortlist workspace

Save suburbs here while you browse. Once the shortlist has two or more names, hand it straight into compare.

Current status
Add Pilliga if it deserves a shortlist slot.

No saved AU suburbs yet.

EMPTY SET

No saved suburbs yet. Start with one ranking or suburb page, then compare once you have two candidates.

Open rankings to save the first candidates.

Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

Pilliga carries enough direct local evidence for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
NSW price medians are parser-guarded official records.

Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
NSW Valuer General · 2024 · Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records
medium stability · automated · every update · weekly
Available
Market rent
NSW Fair Trading · 2026-06 · State market dataset
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Crime
BOCSAR · April 2025 - March 2026 · Area-level release dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · release-based
Available
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 1 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · No linked local hospital coverage
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Missing
Transport
GTFS feeds · 15 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.
Sparse locality note

This page stays indexable because Pilliga is a real locality with enough context to be directionally useful. The tradeoff is that coverage is lighter than a stronger suburb profile, so the read should stay cautious.

WHY IT LOOKS LIGHTER
This is a real locality, but it has a very small Census footprint.

Small-population localities can still be worth checking, but rankings, comparisons, and broad suburb assumptions become noisier faster.

WHAT IS MISSING
Coverage is lighter across hospital coverage.

Coverage is thinner on hospital coverage; lean less on this one page and confirm those gaps elsewhere.

BEST NEXT STEP
Use this page to understand the locality shape, then compare outward.

Start here for context, then open compare, the state hub, or larger nearby suburbs before treating this as a complete market decision.

Page status
INDEXED WITH LIGHTER COVERAGE

This page remains visible, but it should be read as a locality brief rather than a full-confidence suburb profile.

HOW TO READ THIS PAGE

This page is useful for direction-setting, not closure. Use it to frame the locality, then confirm the story with compare, stronger nearby suburbs, and the state hub.

Stronger nearby reads

If Pilliga feels too thin on its own, use these nearby suburbs as stronger local reads before making a shortlist decision.

Baan Baa most similar
similar price band similar rent profile similar suburb scale

pop same · house +$90K · rent +$20/wk

Similar local read: useful for context, but still compare the actual market signals.

Jacks Creek most similar
similar rent profile similar suburb scale

pop same · house +$175K · rent -$130/wk

Similar local read: useful for context, but still compare the actual market signals.

Bohena Creek most similar
similar rent profile similar suburb scale

pop same · house +$305K · rent -$80/wk

Similar local read: useful for context, but still compare the actual market signals.

Pilliga FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Pilliga in?

    Pilliga is in the Narrabri Local Government Area, NSW, postcode 2388. Council-level context for Narrabri LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Pilliga?

    The current median house price in Pilliga, NSW is $140K, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Pilliga?

    The median weekly rent in Pilliga is $280/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is rent-led investor candidate.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Pilliga?

    Rent-led investor candidate: Gross rent yield screens at about 10.4%. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Pilliga a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Pilliga show: High Yield, Below Median, Affordable. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Pilliga?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Pilliga data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.