REVEALED: Our top 20 most popular towns for families

THERE is plenty of demand for homes in these locations on the Northern Rivers.

By Karin Von Behrens

2 min read

January 27, 2018 - 4:00AM

CHASING A DREAM: Guy Batters and his family on holiday from Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, enjoying an icecream in Bangalow's main street. From Left, Charlie, Penny, Asher and Guy. Mr Batters said it was his wife's dream to move to Bangalow. Picture: Karin von Behrens

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DESPITE having a median house value of $963,252, Bangalow is third on the list of most popular suburbs for families in the Richmond-Tweed region, according to a report just released by Aussie Home Loans and CoreLogic.

The report uses a blend of data from the 2016 Census as well as housing statistics.

The proportion of family households within a suburb was derived by adding the number of families with children, both dual and single parent families, and dividing it by the number of households in a suburb.

Although the statistics have been released as the most 'popular' suburbs for families, they would better be described as most 'populated' by families, due to semantics.

Bangalow, comprised of 47.8% family households despite being 143km from "the nearest capital city GPO", had 59 house/unit sales in 2017.

Those wanting to buy into Bangalow, however, may find it tough.

GNF Real Estate agent Alli Page said: "There's nothing much left for sale at the moment and there's a very, very strong demand as well."

A lot of families are seeking to take advantage of the lifestyle and looking for houses in town or small acerages within 20 minutes from the coast.

"They love Newrybar, love it all out through Brooklet and Fernleigh and Nashua. And they're looking for a nice house with space for the children to have bikes, or ponies, or for them to grow things," said Ms Page.

Ms Page described the trend as a flow-on effect from very strong markets in Sydney and Melbourne, where people took advantage of a bullish real estate market over the past couple of years. "They've been able to sell down there...and buy into our properties here," she said.

Still, the market is tight.

"I think people have to be a little bit visionary because perhaps properties might need a bit of work, or remodelling," Ms Page said.

"I think you're not going to find the perfect house in the perfect place.

"So you've got to be prepared to spend a bit of money and energy in order to recreate what you're looking for."

The most affordable suburb on the Aussie top 20 list of most popular suburbs for families in the Richmond-Tweed area, with 37.7% family households and a median value of $279,479, is Casino.

The entry level value for housing in Casino is $247,307.

Topping the list in 'popularity' is Terranora at 54.8%, with a median house value of $662,597, followed by Casuarina, also 54.8%, with a median value of $1,144,837.

None of the suburbs in the Richmond-Tweed region make it to the national top 20 list which is dominated by the outer suburbs of Sydney "despite housing prices being the highest of any capital city", the report said.

Only suburbs with at least 480 households and at least 20 dwelling sales over the 2017 calendar were included within the analysis.

TOP 20: The most popular suburbs in the Richmond-Tweed region for families and the median house value:

1. Terranora $662,597

2. Casuarina $1,144,837

3. Bangalow $963,252

4. Pottsville $731,001

5. Lennox Head $845,354

6. Wollongbar $531,533

7. Bogangar $681,462

8. Bilambil Heights $554,066

9. Mullumbimby $779,702

10. Suffolk Park $1,053,926