NSW · Ballina Council
Rous, 2477
Current weather
17.9°COvercast
84% humidity · 9.1 km/h wind · 21.6° / 13.7° today · 0.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Rous offers a slower smaller community life in Ballina, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The community is self-contained in the best sense. Local life comes first, with the region opening up beyond. Wide horizons and a country quiet give the area a restorative, unhurried atmosphere.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with a strong working population. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods.
Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers. Occasional new builds add variety while most of the suburb keeps its established look.
The desirability score is around average, weighed down by weaker growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability and community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 230
- Median age
- 48
- Median household income / week
- $1,687
- Dwelling vacancy
- 4.7%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 4 of 85
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,500
- Employment rate
- 67.8%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 6 / 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
- 5
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 39.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 115 residents
- State safety percentile
- 14.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Reported offences are unchanged 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
34 public transport stops in this suburb
- Ellis Rd After Whites Lane
- Ellis Rd Before Whites Lane
- Rous Cemetery Rd After Ellis Rd
- Rous Cemetery Rd Before Ellis Rd
- Rous Public School, Rous Rd
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).
15 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport; Swimming pool; Residential Accommodation263 ROUS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
2025· 5 proposals
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure93 WEIS LANE ROUS 2477Determined
July 2025
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure434 ELLIS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
- Subdivision427-435 ELLIS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
March 2025
- Demolition671 ELLIS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure397 ELLIS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
2024· 2 proposals
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure92 WEIS LANE ROUS 2477Determined
March 2024
- Subdivision107 ROUS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
2023· 1 proposal
February 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing281 ROUS ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
2022· 3 proposals
September 2022
- Shed50 WEIS LANE ROUS 2477Determined
May 2022
- Demolition709 DALWOOD ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
January 2022
- Dwelling; Earthworks / change in levels30 ROUS CEMETERY ROAD ROUS 2477Determined
2021· 3 proposals
December 2021
- Dwelling67 WEIS LANE ROUS 2477Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition; Stormwater management systems; Earthworks / change in levels92 WEIS LANE ROUS 2477Determined
November 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development; Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Shed671 ELLIS ROAD ROUS 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
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Alexandria CourtsSports field
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
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
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Davis Scrub Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 9/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 8/10
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
- No overlay at centroid
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
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 2
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 40.9/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 49% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 3319th in Australia
- State rank
- 1042nd in NSW
- Peer rank
- #126 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #323 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Alexandria Courtsamenitiespitch
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime37
- Fraudcrime33
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime40
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime62
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime47
- Ellis Rd After Whites Lanetransport
- Ellis Rd Before Whites Lanetransport
- Rous Cemetery Rd After Ellis Rdtransport
- Rous Cemetery Rd Before Ellis Rdtransport
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)
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
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.