NSW · Central Coast (NSW) Council
Matcham, NSW, 2250
Desirability index
#289 among Country & regional suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Matcham is a small locality in the Central Coast (NSW) area, home to around 1,038 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 8,261 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (-4%), roughly 7958.6 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $650 (flats $640, houses $690), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a quieter amenity profile than busier neighbouring suburbs, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 1,038
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $3,360
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 24 of 339
- Median monthly mortgage
- $3,517
- Employment rate
- 60.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 28 / 5 / 4
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $640
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $690
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $650
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 540
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 8,261
- Against the person
- 1,771
- Against property
- 2,413
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 7,958.6
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 67.5th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- -3.8%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions922
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment540
- Malicious Damage To Property490
- Steal From Retail Store460
- Transport Regulatory Offences1947
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
22 public transport stops in this suburb
- 393 Oak Rd
- Coachwood Rd At Oak Rd
- Matcham Rd At Elaine Rd
- Matcham Rd At Wambina Rd
- Oak Rd After Coachwood Rd
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
153 planning-related records
2026· 8 proposals
May 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation69 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support163 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure4 89 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Withdrawn
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures); Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming pool63 COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Water reticulation system; Water supply system181 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Additional Information Requested
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure2 238 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure21 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure110 COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
2025· 17 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure50 Oak Rd, MatchamDetermined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)387 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Under Assessment
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah88 MILINA ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
October 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support2 236 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 SARAH ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
September 2025
- Subdivision14 COLLINGWOOD DRIVE MATCHAM 2250Determined
August 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development280 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure309 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure24 ELAINE ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation181 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Additional Information Requested
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure279 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure181 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure229 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
March 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation308 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure105 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Withdrawn
January 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah35 COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool72 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
2024· 25 proposals
December 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure144 COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
November 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure12 SARAH ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation181 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure43 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
October 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure46 MCGARRITY AVENUE MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses181 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure69 KOORIN ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
September 2024
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure75 COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation6 217 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Subdivision203 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Under Assessment
August 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool2 COLLINGWOOD DRIVE MATCHAM 2250Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure7 360 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
July 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool356 OAK ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation308 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
April 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure45 BIDJIWONG ROAD MATCHAM 2250Determined
2023· 22 proposals
22 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 32 proposals
32 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 35 proposals
35 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 14 proposals
14 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
6 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Coachwood Rd at Matcham RdBus stop
- Matcham Rd after Elaine RdBus stop
- Matcham Rd at Elaine RdBus stop
- Matcham Rd at Wambina RdBus stop
- Oak Rd after Blue Gum ClBus stop
- Oak Rd opp Blue Gum ClBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Wambina Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 8
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 68.8/100
- Cohort rank
- #289 among Country & regional suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 393 Oak Rdtransport
- Coachwood Rd At Oak Rdtransport
- Matcham Rd At Elaine Rdtransport
- Matcham Rd At Wambina Rdtransport
- Oak Rd After Coachwood Rdtransport
- Wambina Nature Reservegovernmentnature_reserve
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah (screened enclosures); Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhouses; Swimming poolplanning63 COACHWOOD ROAD MATCHAM 2250Lodged 13 Apr 2026 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Cabanas, cubby houses, ferneries, garden sheds, gazebos and greenhousesplanning181 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Lodged 12 Oct 2024 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodationplanning69 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Lodged 20 May 2026 · Additional Information Requested
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodationplanning181 MATCHAM ROAD MATCHAM 2250Lodged 17 Jul 2025 · Additional Information Requested
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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