Broken Hill property market: the official numbers
What the census actually says about Broken Hill, NSW — who lives there, what they pay, and what they do for work. Every figure below is ABS Census 2021 data, linked at the bottom so you can check it yourself.
The straight answer
At the last census, Broken Hill's median rent was $220/wk — 41% below the national median. Rent all but covered the typical mortgage repayment ($953 against $867 a month) — that's a cashflow shape, not a scarcity story.
What the census counted
The typical repayment ran at about 17% of the median household income. One caveat before you compare: everything here is August 2021. Repayments in particular have jumped since the 2022–24 rate rises. Treat these as a ranking tool, not a price tag.
The rent-or-buy gap
At the census, the typical monthly rent worked out to $953 against a typical mortgage repayment of $867:
How to read the rent-repayment gap
The mortgage figure reflects loans and rates as at August 2021, before the 2022–24 rate rises — today's repayment on a new loan would be higher. The rent figure is what tenants were actually paying, not today's asking rents. The useful signal is the shape: where rent and repayments sit close together, buying has historically competed well with renting here; where repayments tower over rent, the market prices in growth. Run your own numbers with the mortgage vs invest tool or what can I afford?
The owner–renter split
Renters are 23.8% of Broken Hill households. If you're buying to let, that's the depth of your market — on the thin side.
The age mix
How to read an age profile
A heavy 25–44 band usually means family housing demand (and pressure on 3–4 bedroom stock); a heavy 65+ band signals downsizer and retiree demand (units, single-level living, proximity to health care). Broken Hill's median age of 44 sits above the national median of 38.
Where the pay cheques come from
21.8% of Broken Hill's 7,172 workers are in health care & social assistance. That's the engine under local housing demand — worth knowing how it's running before you buy.
What it costs to buy in NSW
We don't republish licensed price feeds, so for today's sale prices check a licensed source. The costs of buying, though, are public and exact:
- Stamp duty in New South Wales — exact duty and first-home-buyer concessions.
- What can I afford? — borrowing power, price range and all-in upfront cash.
- The official NSW price trend — ABS state-level values since 2011, interactive.
Questions people ask
What is the median rent in Broken Hill?
At the 2021 Census the median rent in Broken Hill was $220 a week — 41% below the national median ($375/wk). Rents have moved since 2021; check current listings for today's asking rents.
How many people live in Broken Hill?
17,588 people at the 2021 Census, with a median age of 44 (national median: 38). Broken Hill is one of New South Wales's significant urban areas as defined by the ABS.
What do people in Broken Hill do for work?
The biggest employing industry is health care & social assistance, followed by mining (ABS Census 2021). The industry mix shapes how resilient local housing demand is.
The verdict
Your call
On the census shape, Broken Hill suits the cashflow buyer: the typical rent ($953/mo) sat right up against the typical repayment ($867/mo). It's a weaker fit for anyone banking on scarcity to do the work. Size is the catch — at 17,588 people, exits are slow here. Count on months, not weeks, if you ever need to sell.
Whatever you do, check the things the census can't show: today's asking rents, vacancy and days on market in Broken Hill. Then run your own numbers: what can I afford? for borrowing power and upfront cash, and the New South Wales stamp duty calculator for the tax bill.
Other NSW markets
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General information only — not financial or property advice. All figures are ABS Census 2021 ( official QuickStats for Broken Hill, CC-BY 4.0), which predates the 2022–24 rate rises; conditions have moved since. Last reviewed 10 July 2026.