NSW · Ballina Council
Pearces Creek, 2477
Current weather
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84% humidity · 9.1 km/h wind · 21.6° / 13.7° today · 0.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Pearces Creek offers a slower smaller community life in Ballina, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with family life visible on every street. The pace is unhurried, with local businesses and community spots doing the heavy lifting. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and community and employment. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 210
- Median age
- 42
- Median household income / week
- $2,285
- Dwelling vacancy
- 7.1%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 5 of 70
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,383
- Employment rate
- 68.8%
- 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 · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $530
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $750
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $700
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 59
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 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)
- 9
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 42.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 105 residents
- State safety percentile
- 18.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +12.8%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault37
- Fraud33
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment40
- Malicious Damage To Property62
- Steal From Motor Vehicle47
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 · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
41 public transport stops in this suburb
- 574 Houghlahans Creek Rd
- 815 Houghlahans Creek Rd
- Houghlahans Creek Rd At Pearces Creek Hall Rd
- Houghlahans Creek Rd Opp 574
- Houghlahans Creek Rd Opp 593
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 · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
7 planning-related records
2023· 1 proposal
May 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Earthworks / change in levelsTOOHEYS MILL ROAD PEARCES CREEKDetermined
2022· 4 proposals
September 2022
- Dwelling; Alterations and additions to residential development1078 ELTHAM ROAD PEARCES CREEK 2477Withdrawn
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Earthworks / change in levelsTOOHEYS MILL ROAD PEARCES CREEKDetermined
July 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing12 PEARCES CREEK HALL ROAD PEARCES CREEK 2477Determined
May 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development80 KIRKLANDS LANE FERNLEIGH 2479Determined
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing531 HUMPTY BACK ROAD PEARCES CREEK 2477Determined
August 2021
- Subdivision of land; Other552 HOUGHLAHANS CREEK ROAD PEARCES CREEK 2477Determined
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 · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 9/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
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.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 38.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3799th in Australia
- State rank
- 1197th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #175 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #410 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 60%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime37
- Fraudcrime33
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime40
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime62
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime47
- 574 Houghlahans Creek Rdtransport
- 815 Houghlahans Creek Rdtransport
- Houghlahans Creek Rd At Pearces Creek Hall Rdtransport
- Houghlahans Creek Rd Opp 574transport
- Houghlahans Creek Rd Opp 593transport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
More in Ballina Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.