THE Nambucca Valley has recorded one of the strongest property growth results on the Mid North Coast, with dwelling values soaring by 72.7 percent since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
New figures from Cotality show the LGA’s growth has outpaced both the national average (50.4 percent) and Greater Sydney (38.9 percent) over the same period.
Houses rose an even stronger 74 percent, while units increased 52.5 percent.
Over the past 20 years, dwelling values in the Nambucca Valley have risen 119.1 percent, with houses up 126.3 percent and units up 64.9 percent.
In 2005, the average house price in Nambucca was $319,945. Fast forward to October 2025, and it’s $724,038.
This long-term growth positions the region among the North Coast’s best-performing markets.
Cotality executive research director Tim Lawless said regional NSW had seen exceptional growth since late 2019.
“Housing values across regional NSW have risen 61 percent, compared with a national average of 50.4 percent,” he said.
“Almost half of the 20-year growth in regional NSW has occurred in the past six years.”
Lawless said shifting buyer preferences had driven much of the uplift.
“Lifestyle markets like Nambucca benefited heavily from internal migration during and after COVID,” he said.
“Hybrid work patterns also encouraged more buyers to consider regional locations.”
He said affordability pressures in Sydney also played a key role.
“Sydney’s premium over regional NSW has fallen from 86 percent in 2019 to 59 percent today,” Lawless said.
“That’s a major structural shift in demand.”
Growth has now eased to a more sustainable pace.
“Annual dwelling value increases across the LGAs we analysed – between Coffs Harbour and Port Stephens – range from 4.7 to 6.4 percent, but well down from the pandemic highs when the peak annual growth rate ranged from 29.5 percent to 39.9 percent,” Lawless said.
“It’s still positive, but far more balanced.”
Port Stephens posted the strongest property-market growth of the examined coastal LGAs since December 2019, with dwelling values rising 73.6 percent.
Port Macquarie saw dwelling values surge by 59.9 percent over the same period, while Coffs Harbour recorded a 57 percent rise.
By Matt TAYLOR
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