NSW · Dungog Council

Tocal, 2421

Est. population · Jun 2025

49

Growth (1 yr)

+2.1%

Growth (5 yr)

+6.5%

Median age

19

Median income

$1,125/wk

Employment rate

16.3%

Languages at home

9.3%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

  • Green suburb
  • Heritage area
What Tocal is known for: Green suburb, Heritage area

Suburb profile

In Dungog Council, Tocal keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. It sits well away from Sydney, trading metro convenience for space and a slower regional pace. A younger crowd gives the area energy.

Everyday basics may be close by, but bigger shopping and services typically require a trip to a nearby centre. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets.

Housing is expensive relative to much of the state. Local crime has been trending higher of late.

At a glance

Tocal snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

49

+2.1% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

No data available

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Safety

20th

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

88th

percentile in NSW

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Population

Estimated resident population

49(June 2025)

+2.1% annual · +6.5% over 5 years · 88th percentile in NSW

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+2.1%
5-year growth
+6.5%
Change in 1 year
+1
Change in 5 years
+3
Growth rank in NSW
88th 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 +1.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
47
Median age
19
Median household income / week
$1,125
Unoccupied private dwellings
0 of 0
Median monthly mortgage
$0
Employment rate
16.3%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
0 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian 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 ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
2
Against the person
0
Against property
1
Rate per 1,000 residents
40.8
State safety percentile
20.3th (lower crime is better)
Increase (daily rate)
+100.5%

Most common offence types

  • Break And Enter Non-Dwelling7
  • Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment5
  • Liquor Offences29
  • Malicious Damage To Property8
  • Other Theft8

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

  • BOCSAR postcode crime statisticsNSW 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

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 insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

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

Health access

Nearest hospital
New Maitland Hospital (16.4 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
2
Participants per 1,000 residents
40.8

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

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° / 18°
Rainfall
295 mm · ~37 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
23° / 14°
Rainfall
366 mm · ~46 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
18° / 8°
Rainfall
272 mm · ~34 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
23° / 13°
Rainfall
230 mm · ~29 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.

2026· 1 proposal
  • March 2026

  • Erection of a new structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Dairy (restricted)
    815 TOCAL ROAD TOCAL 2421Additional Information Requested
2025· 2 proposals
  • August 2025

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Entertainment associated with existing premises
    815 Tocal Road, Tocal NSW 2421Determined
  • July 2025

  • Entertainment facility; Temporary building, structure or use
    815 Tocal Road, Tocal NSW 2421Determined
2024· 2 proposals
  • August 2024

  • Temporary building, structure or use; Entertainment associated with existing premises
    815 Tocal Road, Tocal NSW 2421Determined
  • July 2024

  • Entertainment facility; Temporary building, structure or use
    815 Tocal Road, Tocal NSW 2421Determined
2023· 1 proposal
  • January 2023

  • Telecommunications and communication facilities
    815 TOCAL ROAD TOCAL 2421Determined

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Heritage

2 heritage places

  • Tocal College - C B. Alexander Campus and Movable CollectionTocal Road, TocalSHR
  • Tocal HomesteadTocal Road, PatersonSHR

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage registerState heritage authority · current · Updated

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 overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Lyne
Member of Parliament
Alison PENFOLD (The Nationals)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
129,584
Turnout (2025)
92.9%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+4.0 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 59.8%Labor 40.2%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 15.8 km away).

Coalition 52.7%Labor 47.3%

7.1 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +3.9 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Paterson CentralLabor 49.1% · Coalition 50.9% TPP (2025)4.6 km away
  • WoodvilleLabor 44.7% · Coalition 55.3% TPP (2025)5.9 km away
  • VacyLabor 38.1% · Coalition 61.9% TPP (2025)8.7 km away
  • LargsLabor 48.3% · Coalition 51.7% TPP (2025)9.5 km away
  • BolwarraLabor 52.4% · Coalition 47.6% TPP (2025)9.6 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

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
9/10

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

More in Dungog Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.