Anglesea
At 54, Anglesea's median age is 14 years above the national figure, giving the coastal town an older profile than many growth-oriented seaside markets. The 55.5% vacancy rate points to a substantial holiday or seasonal-home presence. Compared with Torquay's more urban coastal role and Aireys Inlet's smaller village setting, Anglesea combines a broad 96.76 square kilometre area with a population of 3,208, strong professional participation and a detached-house market.
Population
3,208
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,701/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$1.5M
October to December 2025
Detached homes dominate at 92.4%, with 3-bedroom properties forming 51.6% of the stock and 4 or more bedrooms accounting for 34.8%. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,167 sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.4%, while 52.3% of owners already own outright. Compared with smaller coastal markets, the main trade-off is a higher purchase cost for larger, established homes.
For Buyers
Detached homes dominate at 92.4%, with 3-bedroom properties forming 51.6% of the stock and 4 or more bedrooms accounting for 34.8%. A monthly mortgage figure of $2,167 sits alongside a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.4%, while 52.3% of owners already own outright. Compared with smaller coastal markets, the main trade-off is a higher purchase cost for larger, established homes.
For Investors
Anglesea presents a selective rather than straightforward rental strategy. Weekly rent is $405 and 18.0% of households rent, but the 55.5% vacancy rate is unusually high and may reflect seasonal or holiday-home use rather than a deep permanent rental pool. Rent growth of 56.0% supports the long-term income case, while the wider growth trend is 1.36% annually and migration is described as Balanced. Only 1 development was recorded over 12 months, limiting immediate new supply, although that does not remove approval or construction risk. Compared with a tightly supplied rental market, the higher vacancy rate means investors should test leasing periods, property management costs and seasonal demand before relying on headline rent.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-80.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Anglesea
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Anglesea Primary School
Demographics
Anglesea has an established, older resident base: the median age is 54, which is 14 years above the national figure. University attainment is 46.1%, or 16 percentage points above the national comparison, supporting the area's professional and managerial profile. Overseas-born residents account for 10.6%, 11 points below the national level, while English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,388, 574 and 499. Average household size is 2.2, below the national comparison by 0.3, helping explain the prominence of couples without children at 57.5% of families. Compared with Torquay and Aireys Inlet, Anglesea's demographic pattern is notably shaped by ageing, long-term residence and relatively low household turnover of 24.5%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.4%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Anglesea's housing market is overwhelmingly detached and owner-oriented. Separate houses make up 92.4% of dwellings, while apartments account for only 0.5% and semi-detached homes 6.5%. Tenure is weighted toward outright ownership at 52.3%, followed by mortgages at 26.5% and renting at 18.0%. Across 20 quarters, the compound annual growth rate was 5.4% over 19 years. Three-bedroom homes represent 51.6% of stock and 4 or more bedrooms 34.8%, giving Anglesea a larger-home profile than a compact apartment market. Compared with Torquay's more urban housing pattern, the detached concentration is a defining difference.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$405
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$852
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
55.5%
Unoccupied
1,557
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.1%
Couples with children
57.5%
Couples, no children
9.0%
Single parent
859
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Anglesea's largest listed industry at 17.0%, with 190 workers, followed by Education at 14.8% and 166, Professional and Technical services at 11.2% and 125, Construction at 10.7% and 120, and Public Administration at 8.9% and 100. The occupation mix reinforces this structure, led by 440 Professionals, 268 Managers and 190 Trades workers. Unemployment is 3.1% and labour-force participation is 54.7%, while household income sits at the 59.6th percentile nationally. SEIFA results are above the middle of the distribution: IEO decile 8, IER decile 8, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8. These upper-decile results reflect established resources and lower disadvantage, although the participation rate is moderated by an older population and 1,097 people outside the labour force.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
1,504
Unemployed
46
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
46.8%
Part-time
43.6%
Participation
54.7%
Employed
1,458
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.1%
Postgraduate
12.9%
Born Overseas
10.6%
Dwellings
1,251
Transport to Work
Daily life in Anglesea is strongly car-oriented: 55.3% drive to work, compared with 0.3% using public transport, while 5.2% walk or cycle and 36.1% work from home. The town has 1 nearby government primary school, Anglesea Primary School, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address and consider access to schools in surrounding communities. Recorded crime totalled 94 incidents, including 74 property and deception offences, 11 crimes against the person, 5 drug offences and 4 justice-procedure offences, producing a rate of 29.3 per 1,000 residents. With density of 33.2 people per square kilometre across 96.76 square kilometres, the setting is far less concentrated than an urban centre. IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9 place Anglesea above the middle on socioeconomic advantage, supporting a generally comfortable lifestyle.
Drive
55.3%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.2%
Work from Home
36.1%
Population Forecast
+1.36%/yr
(+86 people/yr)
EstablishedAnglesea is forecast to grow at 1.36% annually, with migration classified as Balanced rather than driven by a single inflow source. The wider area's population change is 26.8% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased by 9.2%, the young share has fallen by 4.0% and the working share has declined by 3.6%. Gentrification signals are mixed, with a score of 22 at the Early signs stage, alongside a separate shift score of 45 marked Active. Rent growth of 56.0% adds pressure to the housing story, even as affordability is labelled Improving from 46.7 in 2011 to 44.3 in 2021. Compared with a younger expansion corridor, growth here is more likely to reinforce an established coastal population than rapidly change its age profile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+39
Net Internal / yr
+7
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Accelerating: 2% → 20%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
94
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
29.3
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Anglesea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Anglesea a good suburb to live in?
Anglesea suits residents wanting a low-density coastal setting, established homes and strong work-from-home potential. The median age is 54, 14 years above the national figure, while 52.3% of homes are owned outright. Compared with denser coastal centres, public transport is limited at 0.3%.
What schools are in Anglesea?
Anglesea Primary School is the local government primary school listed for the suburb, giving families access to 1 nearby school. Compared with larger regional centres, the local choice is narrower, so families should check enrolment zones, year levels and secondary options across the wider Surf Coast before buying.
Is Anglesea safe?
Anglesea recorded 94 offences, equal to 29.3 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 74, while crimes against the person totalled 11. The profile is relatively low-crime compared with many urban settings, but buyers should still compare the same categories and time periods.
Is Anglesea good for property investment?
Investment conditions are mixed. Weekly rent is $405 and rent growth reached 56.0%, but the 55.5% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly supplied permanent rental market. Only 1 development was recorded over 12 months, so investors should test seasonal demand and likely vacancy periods.
How is Anglesea's population changing?
Growth is established but ageing. The wider area's population change is 26.8% over 10 years and the annual trend is 1.36%, with migration classified as Balanced. The senior share increased by 9.2% while the young share fell by 4.0%, showing a slower and older trajectory than a typical young growth corridor.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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