6 popular regional hubs where you can still find a backyard for under $800K
With house prices in most capital cities nudging record highs, Australians chasing space and affordability are continuing to look beyond the city fringe.
According to CoreLogic's September Home Value Index, many regional hubs still offer the dream combination - a freestanding home with a backyard for $800,000 or less.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.While national home values rose 0.4 per cent in September, regional markets are showing resilience while remaining relatively affordable.
Across regional NSW, Victoria and Queensland, for example, price growth has been steady rather than steep, with median house values in lifestyle hubs like Toowoomba ($744,427), Orange ($657,683) and Ballarat ($584,481) all well below their capital city counterparts.
The data echoes the ongoing trend highlighted by the Housing Industry Association's recent Housing the Region report, which found more Australians, particularly millennials, are opting for regional living in search of better value and lifestyle balance.
For many buyers priced out of Sydney or Melbourne, the regions are no longer a compromise - they're a smart, sustainable alternative where space, community and affordability still align.
Here are seven regional hubs where you can score a solid home with a decent backyard for $800,000 or under.
Orange, NSW
Orange in NSW recently took the crown as Australia's top retirement location for 2025.
The buzzing regional city has a median dwelling price of $657,683 and blends rural charm with metropolitan living - a strong local economy, renowned food and wine scene, top-class healthcare, excellent transport links and a thriving cultural calendar.
Sitting right at the top of the budget, 277 Dalton Street is a spacious, genuine five-bedroom family home on a generous 727 square metre lot.
Located in a well-established pocket of Orange, the home has an updated kitchen and bathrooms, and a flexible floorplan with a lower level suited to a teenager's retreat.
Armidale, NSW
Armidale in the NSW northern tablelands is another regional hub, one that took out the top retiree spot in 2024.
Despite becoming quite popular and housing availability declining, you can still nab a house with a yard for about the $800,000 mark.
This four-bed house on 820 square metres is centrally located on the northern edge of Armidale CBD, with weatherboard and cedar trims that ooze the elegance of a true character cottage.
For sale with a price guide of $780,000 to $830,000, 111 Kirkwood Street features a large backyard area with a trio of Colorbond sheds, plus a carport, providing ample space for kids to play and Mum and Dad to tinker on projects.
Geelong, Victoria
Cotality's August 2025 Regional Market Update saw the Geelong region record mild and steady increases of 0.9 per cent.
This kind of measured and mild growth could signal an opportunity to snap up a good buy at a precise moment - one that is trending upwards but yet to accelerate.
"Now is a really good time to be buying. I've been in this industry for 25 years, and I've been through five of these cycles so far, and we tend to follow the Melbourne market out of the lull," director of McGrath Geelong Jim Cross said.
It's an area with great appeal due to its proximity to Melbourne CBD, while still offering affordability and lifestyle amenity.
This three-bed home at 108 Thompson Road in North Geelong is set on 646 square metres and enjoys a large backyard - a blank canvas for future projects, complemented by an existing garage for storage or workspace.
It's listed for sale for $670,000 to $699,000 and has an updated kitchen and bathroom.
If you're a confident negotiator this two-storey, elegant family home in a sought-after pocket of Belmont at 117 Laura Avenue enjoys a 615 square metre lot and views across Belmont and the Highton Hills.
For sale for $830,000, you'd be getting four bedrooms and a private garden setting.
There's an undercover alfresco area and a rear deck, plus a large lawn with ample space for the kids to run around, bordered by established trees.
Ballarat, Victoria
While this historic region is undergoing a post-COVID correction, its major amenities (like a multimillion-dollar hospital upgrade and fast rail link to Melbourne) place this as a hub with enduring appeal, especially from first-home buyers and investors.
This near-new McMaster-built home in North Ballarat offers four bedrooms and three living areas on a corner 990 square-metre block.
On the market for $795,000 to $820,000, the modern and spacious home sports a large backyard with enough room for a swimming pool. Plus there's plenty of side access for further shedding [subject to council approval].
Street appeal and character are on the menu at this Californian Bungalow at 410 Chisholm Street in a sought-after pocket of Black Hill.
The three-bedder has recently undergone a full renovation and extension and sits on 523 square metres, with an undercover entertaining area directly overlooking the generous yard.
Townsville, Queensland
In Queensland, demand has been surging in regional areas like Bundaberg and Townsville, fuelled by recent infrastructure upgrades such as the Bundaberg Port expansion and North Queensland Stadium.
Townsville has experienced a rise of 14.3 per cent in value over the past year, now sitting at a median dwelling value of $606,538, according to Cotality data.
On an expansive 1144 square metre parcel and with a playground across the street, this spacious Queenslander can function as either a duplex or family home.
The home enjoys original features including lofty ceilings, coloured carnival glass casement windows, timber louvres, French doors and glossy polished timber floors. It's for sale for offers over $799,000.
Another corner listing in the Railway Estate entertainment precinct, this four-bedroom, two-bathroom Queenslander offers a unique opportunity with its ground-level self-contained apartment.
The fully-fenced backyard has enough space for off-street parking, to build a large shed or to build another dwelling with the advantage of a separate entrance on the side street.
Toowoomba, Queensland
A popular weekender hub with Brisbanites, Toowoomba has been a regional Queensland hotspot for a while, with some suburbs experiencing 20-30 per cent annual growth, boosted by upgraded highway links.
While the median dwelling value sits at a pricey $744,427, there are still some opportunities to be found.
With elevated, north-facing views, this Art Deco home at 154 Perth Street in South Toowoomba boasts character and charm of yesteryear - think polished cypress floors, silky oak architraves, leadlight doors and windows, and ornate ceilings and cornices.
Listed for $799,000 plus, the home has a fenced backyard with a garden shed and rainwater tank.
Originally published as 6 popular regional hubs where you can still find a backyard for under $800K
