Avoca
A median age of 51 makes Avoca 11 years older than the national benchmark, while its population of 1,356 is spread across 102.81 square kilometres at a density of 13.2 people per square kilometre. Housing is strongly detached, with 96.0% of dwellings separate houses, and the 10.6% vacancy rate is high compared with tightly held markets. Household income sits at the 9.4th national percentile, supporting an affordable profile compared with nearby regional centres such as Beaufort and Maryborough.
Local council: Pyrenees
Population
1,356
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$923/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$344K
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Avoca suits buyers prioritising land, detached housing and lower entry prices over urban convenience. The housing stock is 96.0% separate houses, with 53.1% containing 3 bedrooms and 20.4% containing 4 or more. Ownership is relatively established, with 53.3% owned outright and 29.4% mortgaged. Mortgage costs equal 26.4% of household income, but that income sits only at the 9.4th percentile nationally, so buyers should budget carefully for repairs, travel and utilities across a large rural area.
For Buyers
Avoca suits buyers prioritising land, detached housing and lower entry prices over urban convenience. The housing stock is 96.0% separate houses, with 53.1% containing 3 bedrooms and 20.4% containing 4 or more. Ownership is relatively established, with 53.3% owned outright and 29.4% mortgaged. Mortgage costs equal 26.4% of household income, but that income sits only at the 9.4th percentile nationally, so buyers should budget carefully for repairs, travel and utilities across a large rural area.
For Investors
Avoca has a low renting share of 16.5%, compared with 53.3% of homes owned outright and 29.4% with a mortgage. Rent growth of 44.4% provides evidence of past upward movement, but high vacancy can lengthen letting periods and reduce pricing power. The wider forecast points to 1.09% annual growth, driven primarily by overseas migration, although only 2 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Investors should focus on property condition, tenant depth and the limited scale of local employment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
9
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Avoca
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Avoca Primary School
Demographics
Avoca has an older and more settled population than the national profile. The median age is 51, or 11 years above the national comparison, while university attainment is 18.5%, 11.6 percentage points below the national figure. Only 8.7% of residents were born overseas, 12.9 percentage points below the national comparison, and average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national level. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 593, 173 and 151 respectively. No religion accounts for 624 residents compared with 574 identifying with Christianity. With 86.7% staying at the same address and a 13.3% turnover rate, the community is more stable and older than nearby regional growth locations.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.0%
Houses
3.5%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Avoca's housing market has produced long-term gains but recent volatility. The stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 96.0% separate houses and only 3.5% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 53.1%, while 23.6% have 2 bedrooms. Outright ownership is 53.3%, renting is 16.5%, and mortgage costs represent 26.4% of household income, making tenure more secure than the recent price swings suggest.
Mortgage / mo
$1,056
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$210
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$503
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
66
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.9%
Couples with children
48.9%
Couples, no children
16.6%
Single parent
362
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Avoca's largest listed industry at 22.3%, representing 63 workers, followed by agriculture at 11.7% and 33 workers, manufacturing at 11.3% and 32, construction at 7.8% and 22, and education at 7.1% and 20. The occupation mix includes 82 managers, 73 labourers, 71 community and personal service workers, 58 trades workers and 51 machinery operators or drivers. There are 491 people in the labour force, including 251 full-time and 176 part-time workers, with unemployment at 3.9%. Participation is 43.0%, partly reflecting an older population and 556 people outside the labour force. IEO and IER sit at decile 3, while IRSD and IRSAD are both decile 2, below the midpoint and consistent with household income at the 9.4th national percentile.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
491
Unemployed
19
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.2%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
43.0%
Employed
472
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.5%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
8.7%
Dwellings
550
Transport to Work
Avoca provides a low-density rural lifestyle, with 13.2 people per square kilometre across 102.81 square kilometres. Daily mobility is strongly car-dependent: 72.3% drive to work compared with 1.0% using public transport, while 8.3% walk or cycle and 12.8% work from home. Avoca Primary School is the local government primary option; families should confirm enrolment zones and secondary choices against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 39 incidents, or 28.8 per 1,000 residents, with 23 property and deception offences and 11 offences against the person. Compared with the transport profile, local social participation is stronger, with volunteering at 22.1%. IRSAD is in decile 2, below the midpoint, and 10.5% of residents need assistance, so access to services should be considered alongside the area's quiet setting.
Drive
72.3%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
8.3%
Work from Home
12.8%
Growth Outlook
Avoca's wider-area outlook is established but still expanding, with annual trend growth of 1.09% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 18.2% over 10 years, while the trajectory is classified as Aging, with the senior share up 4.5 percentage points and the working share down 3.4 points. Compared with the stable affordability readings of 55.7 in both 2011 and 2021, the market has not experienced a major affordability shift. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 21, and rent growth has reached 44.4%. These figures point to gradual demand rather than a sudden development cycle, so future change is more likely to come through incremental migration and ageing-related housing needs.
Population trend: Pyrenees council area
Avoca sits in the Pyrenees council area. These are the council area's residents, not Avoca's.
Residents 2025
7,957
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
39
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
28.8
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 Avoca compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Avoca?
Avoca Primary School is the local government primary school. Families should check enrolment zones and secondary options by exact address, particularly across the 102.81 square kilometre area.
Is Avoca safe?
Avoca recorded 39 offences, equal to 28.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 23 cases, while crimes against the person accounted for 11, so ordinary property security remains sensible.
Is Avoca good for property investment?
Avoca may suit investors comfortable with a small rental market and higher vacancy risk. Weekly rent is $210, vacancy is 10.6%, renting is 16.5%, and the annual growth forecast is 1.09%.
How is Avoca's population changing?
The wider area's population change is 18.2% over 10 years, with annual trend growth of 1.09% driven by overseas migration. The trajectory is Aging, including a 4.5 percentage point increase in the senior share.
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).
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