Port Macquarie (NSW 2444) in Focus 2026: $920,000 Median, 4% Yield & 61/100 R-Score

Market Classification: Established Family & Commuter Corridor · R-Score: 61/100 (National Rank #6,066 of 15,286) · Street Average: 40/100 across 695 streets.

Port Macquarie (NSW 2444) represents a bread-and-butter Australian family housing market($920,000 median price, $700/wk rent, 4% gross yield) supported by +4.5% 3-year council population movement. Here, investment returns are determined almost entirely by micro-location: separating quiet, >65% owner-occupied pockets from main-road or high-public-housing blocks.

Below is our full September 2026 quantitative and street-level breakdown for Port Macquarie (NSW 2444), combining 36 months of settled price and rental history from our Aurora research warehouse, council-level supply and employment data for Port Macquarie-Hastings (NSW), and block-by-block ABS 2021 Census SA1 tenure and yield rankings across 35,195 residential addresses.

1. Port Macquarie (NSW) 3-Year Market Trajectory & 27-Indicator R-Score (September 2026)

Over the past 12 months, Port Macquarie’s median house price moved +2.2% (from $900,000 to $920,000), bringing its 3-year cumulative price movement to -5.3% (from $971,000 three years ago). On the rental side, median weekly asking rents moved +1.4% over the past year to $700/wk (+23.9% over 36 months), equating to a 4% gross rental yield. Compared with 12 months ago—when Port Macquarie carried an R-Score of 67/100—its current composite R-Score of 61/100 represents a -6-point shift in underlying market pressure.

Indicator / R-Score Pillar	Port Macquarie (NSW) Current	12-Month / 36-Month Context
Composite Suburb R-Score	61 / 100	Ranked #6,066 of 15,286 suburbs (was 67/100 12m ago)
Median House Price	$920,000	12m change: +2.2% · 36m change: -5.3%
Median Weekly Rent & Gross Yield	$700/wk (4%)	12m rent change: +1.4% · 36m rent change: +23.9%
Rental Vacancy & Days on Market	1.7% vacancy	Median selling time: 45 days on market (1.5% vacancy is the tight-market line)
Pillar 1: Buyer Demand	30 / 100	Measures days-on-market compression, vendor discounting & sales velocity
Pillar 2: Supply & Ownership	33 / 100	Measures stock on market, building approvals vs stock & owner-occupier share
Pillar 3: Price Momentum	71 / 100	Measures short/medium-term price velocity vs Port Macquarie-Hastings & NSW
Pillar 4: Yield Pressure	55 / 100	Measures gross rental yield, rent trajectory & vacancy compression

2. The “Two-Speed Suburb” Test: Best & Worst Streets in Port Macquarie (NSW)

Why do two 4-bedroom houses in Port Macquarie achieve completely different bank valuations and tenant quality? Because suburb medians blend every pocket together. When we map all 35,195 addresses across 695 streets in Port Macquarie through G-NAF to their ABS 2021 Census SA1 blocks, the suburb splits into three distinct tiers:

• Strong Street Profile (Score 75–100): 216 streets (35% of scored streets) pass both ABS Census tenure tests (owner-occupiers >65% and public housing ≤5%) plus at least one—or both—of the Port Macquarie rent and yield benchmarks.
• Mid / Mixed Street Profile (Score 50–74): 116 streets pass the core owner-occupier and public-housing thresholds but sit below the suburb median on weekly rent or yield.
• Weaker / Caution Street Profile (Score 0–25): 281 streets fail one or both census tenure thresholds—meaning either owner-occupation sits at or below 65% or state/community public housing exceeds 5% on those specific SA1 blocks.

Top 5 Highest-Scoring Streets in Port Macquarie (NSW)

These streets sit in SA1 census blocks with high homeowner pride of ownership, minimal social housing concentration, and strong block-level rents (inspect all 695 streets in Port Macquarie):

Top Street in Port Macquarie	Street Score	Addresses	Owner-Occupiers	Public Housing	SA1 Rent & Yield
#1 O'Briens Road	100/100	85	86%	0%	$625/wk (3.9%)
#2 Navigators Way	100/100	40	86%	0%	$625/wk (3.9%)
#3 Treetop Crescent	100/100	33	86%	0%	$625/wk (3.9%)
#4 Northridge Drive	100/100	26	86%	0%	$625/wk (3.9%)
#5 Captains Lookout	100/100	12	86%	0%	$625/wk (3.9%)

Streets Where Block-Level Tenure Trails the Port Macquarie Average

By contrast, the streets below run through SA1 census blocks that fail one or more of our tenure or rental tests. A lower Street Score is not a judgement of any individual house, but it highlights where higher renter turnover or public housing concentration exists within Port Macquarie:

Caution Street Sample	Street Score	Addresses	Owner-Occupiers	Public Housing	SA1 Median Rent
Bennet Street	0/100	34	15%	72.7%	$530/wk
Dodds Street	0/100	23	15%	72.7%	$530/wk
Allman Street	0/100	14	15%	72.7%	$530/wk

3. Economic & Supply Drivers in Port Macquarie-Hastings Council (New South Wales)

Port Macquarie sits within the Port Macquarie-Hastings Local Government Area, which has a residential population of approximately 92,432 (+4.5% population movement over the past 3 years) and 36,686 total dwellings. Three council-level fundamentals shape Port Macquarie’s medium-term outlook:

• Local Employment Diversity (ABS Census): The largest employment sectors across Port Macquarie-Hastings are Health Care and Social Assistance (18%), Retail Trade (12%), Accommodation and Food Services (10%), Education and Training (10%). Multi-sector employment reduces reliance on any single employer or commodity cycle.
• New Building Approvals vs. Existing Stock: Over the latest 12-month financial year, Port Macquarie-Hastings approved 1.3% new dwelling stock (~501.997 dwellings). Because annual additions sit under 1.8% of stock, incoming supply is constrained relative to tenant and buyer demand.
• State Comparison: Compare Port Macquarie against the Top 25 Highest R-Score Suburbs in NSW.

4. Worked Cashflow, Deposit & 80% LVR Stress-Test for Port Macquarie (September 2026)

What does it actually cost to acquire and hold a typical house in Port Macquarie at today’s median price of $920,000 and median rent of $700/wk? Below is the baseline 80% Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR) model we use to stress-test serviceability before shortlisting a property:

Cashflow & Capital Item	Port Macquarie Worked Figure	Assumptions & Notes
Purchase Price (Suburb Median)	$920,000	Settled house median as of September 2026
20% Deposit + Est. Stamp Duty & Costs	$228,160	$184,000 deposit (80% LVR) + ~$44,160 stamp duty, legal & inspection allowance (can be funded via usable home equity)
80% LVR Loan Amount	$736,000	Standard no-LMI investor loan threshold
Gross Annual Rental Income	$36,400/yr ($700/wk)	4% gross rental yield before vacancies and expenses
Est. Annual Interest + Operating Costs	$56,120/yr	Assumes 6.25% interest-only ($46,000/yr) + ~1.1% for council rates, insurance & property management ($10,120/yr)
Pre-Tax Weekly Cashflow Position	-$379/wk top-up	Before tax deductions / depreciation (confirm post-tax position with your accountant)

5. Who Should Buy in Port Macquarie—And 3 Rules Before You Make an Offer

Solid 61/100 R-Score Backed by Port Macquarie-Hastings Fundamentals. Based on our September 2026 data, Port Macquarie is best suited to equity-backed homeowners and portfolio builders seeking a balanced entry price ($920,000) and 4% rental yield in NSW.

1. Never Buy Blind on the Suburb Median: In Port Macquarie, 281 streets score below 50/100 on our census tenure and yield tests. Always run the exact street through the Port Macquarie Street Score Hub and target the 216 streets scoring 75–100/100.
2. Check Lot-Level Overlays (Flood, Bushfire, Slope & Easements): Even on a 100/100 streetlike O'Briens Road, individual lots can carry overland flow paths, steep gradients, or sewer easements that restrict granny-flat additions or spike insurance premiums.
3. Price Against Street-Matched Settled Comparables: Do not let a selling agent justify an asking price on a 25/100 street using comparable sales from a 100/100 street. Compare settled sales within the same SA1 Street Score band.