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New South Wales · Postcode 2478
Empire Vale postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 593 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Empire Vale at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Empire Vale ranks: rents are among the top 10% in NSW.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Empire Vale vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Empire Vale | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $1,428 -NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $520 +NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $1,613 -NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 48 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 5/10 ≈NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 0.0% -NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Empire Vale is a locality 593 km from Sydney in New South Wales, classified as inner regional by the ABS. The postcode is 2478. It falls within the Richmond - Tweed region. The local government area is Ballina.
According to the 2021 Census, Empire Vale has a population of 185 with a median age of 48. The median weekly household income is $1,428, below the NSW average. The Indigenous population is 12 (6.5% of residents).
Housing in Empire Vale includes a median weekly rent of $520, median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,613, with 69 total dwellings. These housing costs sit above the NSW average. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 88.7% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Empire Vale scores in decile 5 out of 10, which is around the national average.
Empire Vale is served by Empire Vale Public School.
Empire Vale is part of the Richmond Valley - Coastal statistical area in New South Wales.
Empire Vale details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2478 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 185 |
| Median Age | 48 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $1,428/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $669/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $520 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $1,613 |
| Average Household Size | 2.7 persons |
| Area | 14.3 km² |
| Population Density | 13/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 69 |
| Australian Citizens | 92.4% |
| Indigenous Population | 12 (6.5%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.0% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 5/10 (average) |
| Latitude | -28.91667 |
| Longitude | 153.52306 |
| Distance from Sydney | 593 km |
| Region (SA4) | Richmond - Tweed |
| Area (SA3) | Richmond Valley - Coastal |
| Local Government | Ballina |
| Federal Electorate | Richmond |
| State Electorate | Ballina |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 21 (11.4%) |
| 15–24 years | 26 (14.1%) |
| 25–44 years | 33 (17.8%) |
| 45–64 years | 59 (31.9%) |
| 65+ years | 48 (25.9%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Arthritis | 19 (10.3%) |
| Asthma | 17 (9.2%) |
| Diabetes | 14 (7.6%) |
| Cancer | 12 (6.5%) |
| Heart Disease | 11 (5.9%) |
| Dementia | 3 (1.6%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 0 (0.0%) |
| 1 vehicle | 18 (26.9%) |
| 2 vehicles | 18 (26.9%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 31 (46.3%) |
Schools in Empire Vale
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Empire Vale. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Empire Vale
Same Postcode (2478)
More Empire Vale Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.