NSW · Ballina Council
Rous Mill, 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
Rous Mill 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. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name. 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. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits around average overall, mainly because growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in housing affordability and safety. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 204
- Median age
- 49
- Median household income / week
- $1,562
- Dwelling vacancy
- 3.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 3 of 78
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,492
- Employment rate
- 63.6%
- 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)
- 8
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 39.2
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 102 residents
- State safety percentile
- 14.5th (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
39 public transport stops in this suburb
- 594 Dalwood Rd
- 595 Dalwood Rd
- Dalwood Rd After Fosters Lane
- Dalwood Rd Before Fosters Lane
- Rous Mill Rd Before Mollys Grass 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).
5 planning-related records
2026· 1 proposal
March 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Rainwater tanks; Rural worker's dwelling19 HEWETSONS LANE ROUS MILL 2477Determined
2023· 1 proposal
September 2023
- Subdivision of land; Other79 FOSTERS LANE ROUS MILL 2477Determined
2021· 3 proposals
December 2021
- Dual occupancy19 HEWETSONS LANE ROUS MILL 2477Determined
October 2021
- Earthworks / change in levels; Other348 ROUS ROAD ROUS MILL 2477Determined
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces; Shed7 MOLLYS GRASS ROAD ROUS MILL 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
2 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Rous Mill District Community HallCommunity centre
- Uniting ChurchPlace of worship
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 8/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 7/10
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
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 43.5/100 — Average
- State standing
- Top 43% of New South Wales' suburbs
- National rank
- 2849th in Australia
- State rank
- 909th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #94 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #246 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
- Rous Mill District Community Hallamenitiescommunity_centre
- Uniting Churchamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime37
- Fraudcrime33
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime40
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime62
- Steal From Motor Vehiclecrime47
- 594 Dalwood Rdtransport
- 595 Dalwood Rdtransport
- Dalwood Rd After Fosters Lanetransport
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.