NSW · Byron Council
Upper Main Arm, NSW, 2482
Desirability index
#448 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Upper Main Arm is a small locality in the Byron area, home to around 283 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 535 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+19%), roughly 1890.5 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $708, 1 school and preschool site in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, and some planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 283
- Median age
- 44
- Median household income / week
- $850
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 18 of 121
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,888
- Employment rate
- 44.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 4 / 0 / 0
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)
- $900
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 46
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)
- 535
- Against the person
- 152
- Against property
- 235
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 1,890.5
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 2 residents
- State safety percentile
- 44th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +18.9%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions40
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment58
- Malicious Damage To Property47
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault48
- Steal From Motor Vehicle38
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
- 1,016
- Main Arm Upper Public SchoolPrimary
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
18 public transport stops in this suburb
- 1064 Main Arm Rd
- Kohinur Hall, Main Arm Rd
- Main Arm Rd Opp 1064
- Main Arm Rd Opp Dry Creek Rd
- Main Arm Rd Opp Main Arm Upper Public School
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).
7 planning-related records
2025· 3 proposals
August 2025
- Shed; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia21 DRY CREEK ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Determined
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia21 DRY CREEK ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Determined
May 2025
- Shed; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia21 DRY CREEK ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Deferred Commencement
2023· 1 proposal
June 2023
- Shed1304 MAIN ARM ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Operational consent issued
2021· 2 proposals
October 2021
- Recreational Uses1156 MAIN ARM ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Deferred Commencement
- Other1241 Main Arm Road Main ArmDeferred Commencement
2020· 1 proposal
September 2020
- Alterations and additions to residential development1064 MAIN ARM ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Determined
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
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 3.3/100
- Cohort rank
- #448 among Coastal & beach suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- 1064 Main Arm Rdtransport
- Kohinur Hall, Main Arm Rdtransport
- Main Arm Rd Opp 1064transport
- Main Arm Rd Opp Dry Creek Rdtransport
- Main Arm Rd Opp Main Arm Upper Public Schooltransport
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning1064 MAIN ARM ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Lodged 30 Sep 2020 · Determined
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australiaplanning21 DRY CREEK ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Lodged 05 Aug 2025 · Determined
- Otherplanning1241 Main Arm Road Main ArmLodged 21 Oct 2021 · Deferred Commencement
- Recreational Usesplanning1156 MAIN ARM ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Lodged 26 Oct 2021 · Deferred Commencement
- Shedplanning1304 MAIN ARM ROAD UPPER MAIN ARM 2482Lodged 19 Jun 2023 · Operational consent issued
Data sources & freshness
- 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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