Moving to Old Bar NSW 2430
What the official numbers say about living in Old Bar — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $358 a week, against a median household income of $1,170 a week.
About 71% of homes are owner-occupied and 27% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Old Bar grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (4,272 → 5,126 people).
Around 66% of households are families, averaging 2.3 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Netherlands; most spoken languages besides English: Australian Indigenous, German, Croatian.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Old Bar scores below the national average (decile 3 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (85% of workers), while 11% work from home.
Nearest airport: Taree Airport, 10.9 km north-west.
The Sydney CBD is roughly 247 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 1 school · 4 cafes & restaurants · 1 supermarket · 8 parks · 2 beaches — see them all on the Old Bar profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Old Bar Public School 950 m
Groceries: Coles 450 m
Parks and reserves: Charles Boyce Park 300 m · Apex Park 400 m · Cable Park 400 m · Badger's Park 800 m · Old Bar Park 1.2 km · Blue Ocean Estate Park 1.2 km · Molong Reserve 1.3 km · Bohnock Reserve 3 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Old Bar, most often seen first: Little Tern · Australian Pied Oystercatcher · Crested Tern · Eastern Curlew · Red-capped Plover · Bar-tailed Godwit.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Old Bar, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Bar here | 5,126 | — | 3/10 | 50% |
| Diamond Beach | 1,012 | — | 6/10 | 54% |
| Cundletown | 2,050 | — | 2/10 | 18% |
| Red Head | 798 | — | 7/10 | 42% |
| Black Head | 972 | — | 6/10 | 42% |
| Tallwoods Village | 993 | — | 7/10 | 25% |
| Harrington | 3,381 | — | 2/10 | 61% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Mid-Coast — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Lyne — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2430 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Old Bar profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $358 a week, and about 27% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 20% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 4,272 people to 5,126. It sits about 247 km from the Sydney CBD in a straight line. Local government is Mid-Coast council, and the federal seat is Lyne.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Old Bar vs Diamond Beach · Old Bar vs Harrington.
Nearby guides: Diamond Beach · Cundletown · Red Head · Black Head · Tallwoods Village · Harrington.
Keep an eye on Old Bar
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