But the number is down compared to the past two years.

Figures supplied by property site Domain from its latest property report show 783 properties (729 houses and 54 units) have sold in Orange in the past 12 months.

That was bettered by Port Macquarie with 1055 property sales.

McCormack Barber real estate director Peter McCormack said a shortage of houses for sale in Orange was leading to less sales.

"Over the last two years we have been over 1000 [sales]," he said.

"Generally we are between 600 and 800. We have been as low as 550 but we did get to 1155 in 2002 [at the height of a mining boom]," he said.

"At the moment there are 417 homes for sale in Orange. Three years ago, at the same time, there were 800. Our sales numbers will be significantly down."

Mr McCormack said flow-on effects from a downturn in Sydney and a shortage of land contributed to fewer sales in Orange.

"When Sydney retracts you won't see as many people tree-changing. It has been tougher in the higher price market," he said.

"[And] there hasn't been enough land for people to build on so it forces people into existing homes."

Orange's median house price rose by 6.1 per cent in the past year, the 58th highest increase in NSW and 304th best nationally. Unit prices fell by 9.8 per cent.

The biggest improver in the Central West was central Bathurst which rose 9.1 per cent to be 33rd highest in the state and 162 nationally.

Domain groups all of Orange together in one area whereas the figures for Bathurst, and some other regional cities, are recorded by individual suburbs.

Mr McCormack said the level of growth of property prices in the past year was also down on past years but followed two strong years.

"The boom times [last] something between 18 months and two-and-a half years," he said.

"After a boom it levels out. Over the past two years we've had nearly 10 per cent, nearly 10 per cent. It always flattens.

"But Orange doesn't go backwards. Only two years in the last 30 years has it gone backwards. We have a strong economy," he said.