NSW · Bellingen Council
Raleigh, 2454
Current weather
14.7°CClear sky
94% humidity · 7.1 km/h wind · 20.4° / 11.4° today · 5.6 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- High desirability
- Café precinct
Suburb profile
Raleigh is a quieter smaller community in Bellingen, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Generous greenery runs through the area, from street trees to tucked-away reserves.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Parks, reserves and open space make it genuinely outdoor-friendly for walks, sport and weekend downtime.
Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because local dining and lifestyle amenities and housing affordability lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in transport and access and safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 681
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,482
- Dwelling vacancy
- 15.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 39 of 246
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,725
- Employment rate
- 49.9%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 28 / 19 / 3
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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $630
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 39
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
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)
- 41
- Against the person
- 14
- Against property
- 16
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 60.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 49 residents
- State safety percentile
- 37.8th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -6.6%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault39
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment53
- Malicious Damage To Property66
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault42
- Other Offences62
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 · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,097
- Raleigh Public SchoolPrimary
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 · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
53 public transport stops in this suburb
- Keevers Dr At Mylestom Dr
- Keevers Dr At Perrys Rd
- Raleigh Public School, North St
- Ridgewood Dr At Short Cut Rd
- Short Cut Rd At Ridgewood Dr
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 · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
46 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation90 BRUTONS ROAD RALEIGH 2454Under Assessment
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structureOld Pacific Highway Raleigh Lot 162 DP 755557Withdrawn
March 2026
- Shed; Erection of a new structure953 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
2025· 2 proposals
September 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure48 OLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
August 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation90 BRUTONS ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
2024· 8 proposals
November 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Extensive agriculture1160 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
October 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support194 VALERY ROAD RALEIGH 2454Withdrawn
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure308 VALERY ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
July 2024
- Temporary building, structure or use; Swimming pool953 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
June 2024
- Industrial development; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; General industry12 BAYLDON DRIVE RALEIGH 2454Determined
April 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Telecommunications facility149 WATERFALL WAY RALEIGH 2454Under Assessment
January 2024
- Subdivision; Warehouse or distribution centre; General industry; Light industry149 WATERFALL WAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Air-conditioning units; Minor building alterations (internal)14 ALEX PIKE DRIVE RALEIGH 2454Determined
2023· 13 proposals
November 2023
- Other12 BAYLDON DRIVE RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 GORDON ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure955 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure11 GORDON ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
July 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development10 WALTER STREET RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Change of use12 BAYLDON DRIVE RALEIGH 2454Deferred Commencement
June 2023
- Secondary dwelling310 VALERY ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Shed146 SHORT CUT ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
May 2023
- Shed1145 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
April 2023
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces5 MISTY CLOSE RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces955 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
March 2023
- Dwelling; Secondary dwelling953 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
February 2023
- Change of use669 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
2022· 11 proposals
December 2022
- Other5 MISTY CLOSE RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Secondary dwelling149 WATERFALL WAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Shed149 WATERFALL WAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Retaining walls, protection of trees; Garages, carports and car parking spaces106B OLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
November 2022
- Dwelling; Garages, carports and car parking spacesOld Pacific Highway Raleigh Lot 162 DP 755557Determined
September 2022
- OtherOLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
July 2022
- Dwelling; Secondary dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Garages, carports and car parking spaces700 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
June 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing1160 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling; Secondary dwelling953 NORTH BANK ROAD RALEIGH 2454Determined
April 2022
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Shed; Other149 WATERFALL WAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
March 2022
- Other36 QUEEN STREET RALEIGH 2454Determined
2021· 3 proposals
November 2021
- Multi-dwelling housing90 OLD PACIFIC HIGHWAY RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Shed10 WALTER STREET RALEIGH 2454Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs67 WATERFALL WAY RALEIGH 2454Under Assessment
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 · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
4 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Antiques
- Waterfall Way at Pacific HwyBus stop
- Furniture
- Wilair Building SuppliesTrade
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 5/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
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 · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 22
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
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 features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 39.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3498th in Australia
- State rank
- 1104th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #149 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #365 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Antiquesamenitiesantiques
- Furnitureamenitiesfurniture
- Waterfall Way at Pacific Hwyamenitiesbus_stop
- Wilair Building Suppliesamenitiestrade
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime39
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime53
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime66
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime42
- Other Offencescrime62
- Keevers Dr At Mylestom Drtransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Bellingen Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.