Median house price
$423k
+5.6% change
NSW · Wentworth Council
Rufus, 2648
Est. population · Jun 2025
31
Growth (1 yr)
0.0%
Growth (5 yr)
0.0%
Median age
47
Median income
$1,187/wk
Employment rate
58.8%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$423,000
Languages at home
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
- Excellent transport
Suburb profile
Rufus offers a slower smaller community life in Wentworth Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. It sits a long way from Sydney and other major hubs, so daily life runs on a self-contained, local timetable. Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. A car helps for most daily errands, though buses still link the suburb further afield.
Homes are relatively cheap compared with the wider market, which keeps entry costs lower. The streetscape feels settled and established, with older homes giving the area a familiar, lived-in look.
At a glance
Rufus snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$380/wk
Population (ERP)
31
0.0% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
29.6%
Census unoccupied dwellings
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Safety
70th
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
32nd
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
6/10
national SEIFA decile
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
Housing
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $380
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $423,000
- Median price change
- +5.6%
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 and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
31(June 2025)
0.0% annual · 0.0% over 5 years · 32th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- 0.0%
- 5-year growth
- 0.0%
- Change in 1 year
- 0
- Change in 5 years
- 0
- Growth rank in NSW
- 32th 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 (~50), extrapolated at +0.0% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 41
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,187
- Dwelling vacancy
- 29.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 8 of 27
- Median monthly mortgage
- $0
- Employment rate
- 58.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 8 / 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)
- 3
- Against the person
- 1
- Against property
- 1
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 96.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 41 residents
- State safety percentile
- 70.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order28
- Breach Bail Conditions18
- Domestic Violence Related Assault31
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment40
- Malicious Damage To Property31
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
Public transport
2 public transport stops in this suburb
- Tooperoopna Rd After Renmark Rd
- Tooperoopna Rd After Renmark 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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
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
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Mildura Base Public Hospital (76.9 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)
- 1
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 32.3
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
- 33° / 16°
- Rainfall
- 58 mm · ~7 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 11°
- Rainfall
- 53 mm · ~7 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 17° / 6°
- Rainfall
- 69 mm · ~9 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 10°
- Rainfall
- 83 mm · ~10 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· 2 proposals
August 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Agriculture4983 RUFUS RIVER ROAD RUFUS 2648Under Assessment
May 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Agriculture4983 RUFUS RIVER ROAD RUFUS 2648Determined
2025· 1 proposal
August 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Other InfrastructureRUFUS 2648Determined
2024· 2 proposals
August 2024
- SubdivisionRENMARK ROAD RUFUS 2648Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure254/--/5350Determined
2023· 4 proposals
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Horticulture1600 TOOPEROOPNA ROAD RUFUS 2648Determined
October 2023
- Subdivision; Commercial livestock grazing; Horticulture1600 TOOPEROOPNA ROAD RUFUS 2648Determined
August 2023
- Subdivision of land1600 TOOPEROOPNA ROAD RUFUS 2648Determined
- Subdivision of land1600 TOOPEROOPNA ROAD RUFUS 2648Determined
2022· 2 proposals
December 2022
- Port, wharf, boating facilities4166 Rufus River Road, Rufus, 2648Determined
June 2022
- OtherOpposite to Lot 775 DP1184283 RufusDetermined
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
- Overlay applies
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
- Farrer
- Member of Parliament
- David FARLEY (One Nation)
- Results from
- 2026 Farrer by-election
Two-candidate preferred (2026-by-election)
David FARLEY (One Nation) 57.6%Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 42.4%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 218.2 km away).
Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 65.3%David FARLEY (One Nation) 34.7%
7.7 percentage points higher for Michelle MILTHORPE than the electorate
Nearest polling places
- Special Hospital Team 7Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 58.1% · David FARLEY (One Nation) 41.9% TCP (2026-by-election)56.7 km away
- WentworthDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 69.0% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 31.0% TCP (2026-by-election)56.9 km away
- DaretonDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 69.3% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 30.6% TCP (2026-by-election)67.7 km away
- BurongaDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 63.1% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 36.9% TCP (2026-by-election)83.7 km away
- PooncarieDavid FARLEY (One Nation) 64.7% · Michelle MILTHORPE (Independent) 35.3% TCP (2026-by-election)135.7 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 · 2026-by-election · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 6/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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 Wentworth Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.