The latest figures from Domain show the median price of houses in Orange as of March was $399,000.

That’s $49,000, up on the same time a year earlier.

Price growth far outstripped Bathurst which rose by 0.9 per cent to $413,500 and Dubbo, which saw values fall by 2.7 per cent to $360,000, in the same period.

Domain data scientist Dr Nicola Powell said Orange’s growth was a landmark.

“This is the first time growth has been double-digit on the annual basis since house prices began to rise in 2015,” she said.

“I do think Orange will continue to grow in the market.”

Unit prices were also up with the median figure for February 2018 at $270,000, up 8.7 per cent, on the $248,500 price level of February 2017.

Dr Powell said people re-locating from Sydney was a key reason for the growth.

“I think it is a huge driver. It has been those people from other destinations that is driving demand,” she said.

“A lot of people are being drawn to the area because of the lifestyle.

“Sydney is having negative growth. The median is still above a million dollars for a house so, for a young family, it is fairly unobtainable.”

She said future growth might be influenced by the current Banking Royal Commission which might stifle lending.

And Dr Powell said rising prices would eventually lead to a fall in demand.

“I think in terms of price point every area has its ceiling.”

One Agency real estate licensee Ash Brown said buyers were encouraged by a strong local economy.

“The good news is it is not a spike, it’s steady growth,” he said.

“We think there is plenty more to come, it is solid.”

Mr Brown said it was pricing people out of some areas.

He said a client had told him he had $450,000 to spend in West Orange which would have bought a property last year but now the bottom was about $500,000.

RELATED CONTENT: Check out this week’s Open Houses in and around Orange.