Median house price
—
No data available
NSW · Upper Lachlan Shire Council
Dalton, 2581
Est. population · Jun 2025
227
Growth (1 yr)
+1.3%
Growth (5 yr)
+7.6%
Median age
48
Median income
$1,531/wk
Employment rate
51.6%
Languages at home
1.5%non-English
Most common: Italian
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- National parks
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Dalton is a quieter smaller community in Upper Lachlan Shire Council, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Food and coffee punch above the usual for regional towns, giving the suburb a lived-in social scene.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Parks and open space are a real strength relative to many regional towns, easy for walks, sport and weekend downtime. Buses make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Housing sits in the middle of the local market: neither cheap nor premium. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Desirability lands below average here: softer growth momentum, plus schools and education weighing on the result versus similar regional towns, even with safety holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Dalton snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
227
+1.3% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
14.9%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#400
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
25th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
76th
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
6/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
20th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 30.8/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5435th in Australia
- State rank
- 1751st in NSW
- Peer rank
- #400 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #751 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
227(June 2025)
+1.3% annual · +7.6% over 5 years · 76th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.3%
- 5-year growth
- +7.6%
- Change in 1 year
- +3
- Change in 5 years
- +16
- Growth rank in NSW
- 76th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~250), extrapolated at +1.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 230
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,531
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 14 of 94
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,300
- Employment rate
- 51.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 76 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 10
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 3
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 44.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 115 residents
- State safety percentile
- 24.6th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault7
- Malicious Damage To Property8
- Possession And/Or Use Of Cannabis10
- Prohibited And Regulated Weapons Offences11
- Receiving Or Handling Stolen Goods9
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 936
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 20th
School list
- Dalton Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 936 · 20th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 6 students · Top SEA quarter 0% · 1.5 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
29 public transport stops in this suburb
- 1598 Jerrawa Rd
- Gunning St At Chapel St
- Loop Rd After Gunning St
- Rugby Rd At Felled Timber Rd
- Rugby Rd Before Felled Timber Rd
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
17 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 pubs · 2 places of worship · 1 petrol stations · 1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 2 parks mapped in suburb
- Well connected by public transport — 29 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 32/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 4.35
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 8.7
Food & drink(1)
- Royal Hotel DaltonPub
Sport & outdoors(3)
- Fossilised RockPark
- Park
- Sports field
Other(10)
- Car repair
- Dance
- Dalton Rural Fire BrigadeFire station
10 Chapel Street
- Grave Yard
22 Chapel Street, Dalton
- St Matthews Anglican Church GraveyardGrave Yard
10 Jobson Street, Dalton
- Parking (4)
- Petrol station
- Dalton Uniting ChurchPlace of worship
22 Chapel Street, Dalton
- St Matthews Anglican ChurchPlace of worship
10 Jobson Street, Dalton
- Dalton Post OfficePost office
30 Gunning Street
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Fossilised RockPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 5
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Places of worship
2 places of worship within ~1.5 km
- Dalton Uniting Church
22 Chapel Street, Dalton
- St Matthews Anglican Church
10 Jobson Street, Dalton
From OpenStreetMap within ~1.5 km of the suburb centre.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Yass District Hospital (29.6 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 5
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 22.0
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 27° / 12°
- Rainfall
- 171 mm · ~21 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 21° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 169 mm · ~21 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 12° / 1°
- Rainfall
- 183 mm · ~23 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 6°
- Rainfall
- 212 mm · ~26 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 1 proposal
April 2026
- Demolition; Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation682 DALTON ROAD DALTON 2581Withdrawn
2025· 1 proposal
December 2025
- Demolition; Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation682 DALTON ROAD DALTON 2581Withdrawn
2024· 2 proposals
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation135 LOOP ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1269 RYE PARK ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
2023· 5 proposals
November 2023
- Subdivision1598 JERRAWA ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
June 2023
- Dwelling201 WALSHS ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
March 2023
- Dwelling9 YOUNG STREET DALTON 2581Determined
February 2023
- Subdivision of land12 BROWN STREET DALTON 2581Determined
January 2023
- Shed6 LOOP ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
2022· 2 proposals
August 2022
- Other1598 JERRAWA ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
June 2022
- Shed6 LOOP ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
2021· 1 proposal
July 2021
- Other1598 JERRAWA ROAD DALTON 2581Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Riverina
- Member of Parliament
- Michael McCORMACK (The Nationals)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 128,537
- Turnout (2025)
- 92.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -2.9 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 62.6%Labor 37.4%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 30.6 km away).
Coalition 60.2%Labor 39.8%
2.4 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -4.0 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- DaltonLabor 39.6% · Coalition 60.4% TPP (2025)1.4 km away
- GunningLabor 41.1% · Coalition 58.9% TPP (2025)9.0 km away
- Grabben GullenLabor 24.9% · Coalition 75.1% TPP (2025)27.5 km away
- Yass NorthLabor 54.5% · Coalition 45.5% TPP (2025)28.6 km away
- YassLabor 56.8% · Coalition 43.2% TPP (2025)28.7 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 6/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Upper Lachlan Shire Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.