Goulburn vs Macksville
Property investment comparison - Goulburn, NSW 2580 vs Macksville, NSW 2447
Head-to-head across core investment metrics: Goulburn wins 2, Macksville wins 2. The better choice depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow, growth, affordability, or liquidity, the table below highlights the winner on each metric.
| Metric | Goulburn | Macksville |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $695K | $695K |
| Median unit price | $510K | - |
| Gross rental yield (houses) | - | 4.30% |
| Gross rental yield (units) | 4.70% | 3.94% |
| 1-year house growth | +8.2% | +8.0% |
| 3-year house growth | +14.4% | +19.3% |
| Vacancy rate | 1.1% | 0.4% |
| Population | 23,963 | 2,782 |
Goulburn vs Macksville: what the numbers say
Houses cost about the same in both suburbs: the median house price is $695K in Goulburn and $695K in Macksville.
Over the past year house prices moved +8.2% in Goulburn and +8.0% in Macksville, so recent momentum favours Goulburn, although both suburbs recorded growth.
Looking back three years, Goulburn houses are +14.4% and Macksville houses +19.3%, so Macksville has compounded faster than Goulburn over the longer window.
Rental vacancy is 0.4% in Macksville and 1.1% in Goulburn, so landlords in Macksville face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.
Goulburn is the bigger suburb, with a population of 23,963 against 2,782, roughly 9 times the size of Macksville; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.
In short: Goulburn for recent price momentum, Macksville for the tighter rental market. Which matters more depends on whether the investor is buying for cash flow, capital growth or affordability.
Keep exploring
- National investment guide - top suburbs across every metric
- Take the suburb finder quiz - 5 questions to match your goals
- How our investment score works
- Property investment glossary - every term defined
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