Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale has 7,905 residents across 63.5 square kilometres, with a density of 124.5 people per square kilometre and 84.2% of homes detached. The 10.3% vacancy rate can give renters more choice than in tightly held markets, while 37.7% of households own outright. Compared with nearby Lakes Entrance, Bairnsdale has a stronger inland service-town profile, supported by healthcare, education and retail employment. Its main trade-off is a crime rate of 259.8 offences per 1,000 people, so address-level due diligence matters.
Population
7,905
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,101/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
13
Median House
$485K
October to December 2025
Bairnsdale suits buyers seeking detached housing at a lower entry point than many larger Victorian markets. Housing choice is concentrated in separate houses at 84.2%, with 3-bedroom homes accounting for 52.3% and 4-bedroom-plus homes 21.3%. A further 37.7% of households own outright and 26.8% have a mortgage, which can support established neighbourhood stability. Compared with apartment-heavy locations, the local stock is more practical for families, downsizers and buyers wanting yard space, although car dependence is a consideration.
For Buyers
Bairnsdale suits buyers seeking detached housing at a lower entry point than many larger Victorian markets. Housing choice is concentrated in separate houses at 84.2%, with 3-bedroom homes accounting for 52.3% and 4-bedroom-plus homes 21.3%. A further 37.7% of households own outright and 26.8% have a mortgage, which can support established neighbourhood stability. Compared with apartment-heavy locations, the local stock is more practical for families, downsizers and buyers wanting yard space, although car dependence is a consideration.
For Investors
The rental case combines a $270 weekly median rent with 34.2% of households renting, creating a broad tenant base across workers, families and older residents. However, the 10.3% vacancy rate is high enough to require careful property selection, because investors may face longer letting periods or stronger competition between landlords. Rent growth is recorded at 40.0%, while the broader annual growth trend is 1.01% and migration is described as Balanced. Seventeen development matters were recorded over 12 months, which may gradually add supply. Versus a tightly held rental market, Bairnsdale offers more tenant choice but less certainty that every property will achieve premium occupancy.
Development Activity
Total DAs
51
Last 12 Months
13
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-7.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Bairnsdale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Bairnsdale Christian College
Bairnsdale Primary School
Bairnsdale West Primary School
St Mary's School
Wild Cherry School
Demographics
Bairnsdale has an older age profile, with a median age of 44, 4.0 years above the national figure. University attainment is 19.8%, or 10.3 percentage points below the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 12.7%, 8.9 points below national levels. The average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national figure, consistent with 42.7% of families being couples without children and 22.7% being one-parent families. English ancestry is reported by 3,214 people, followed by Scottish at 809 and Irish at 762. No religion is the largest reported affiliation at 3,694, compared with 3,177 identifying with Christianity.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.2%
Houses
14.4%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The latest figure is also the recorded peak, with 0.0% movement from peak to latest. Tenure is split between 37.7% owning outright, 26.8% with a mortgage and 34.2% renting. Detached homes dominate at 84.2%, while apartments account for only 0.8%, making the market more similar to traditional regional housing than higher-density centres.
Mortgage / mo
$1,192
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $270.
$460
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $460 · units $370
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$634
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.3%
Unoccupied
380
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.6%
Couples with children
42.7%
Couples, no children
22.7%
Single parent
1,981
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Bairnsdale's largest industry at 25.6%, employing 493 people, followed by education at 12.1% and 233 workers. Construction accounts for 9.3%, retail 8.3% and manufacturing 7.2%, reflecting a regional service economy with practical trades and production alongside public-facing services. Occupations are led by labourers at 517, professionals at 515, community and personal service workers at 492, and trades workers at 447. Unemployment is 4.9% and participation is 51.2%, while household income sits at the 17.6th percentile, below the national distribution. SEIFA results are also below average, with IEO, IER and IRSD each at decile 3 and IRSAD at decile 2, indicating economic constraint despite the breadth of local employment.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
3,360
Unemployed
166
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.0%
Part-time
40.2%
Participation
51.2%
Employed
3,194
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.8%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
12.7%
Dwellings
3,302
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 76.8% of residents drive to work, compared with 0.3% using public transport, while 6.1% walk or cycle and 9.9% work from home. Families have access to 8 local schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors, including primary, secondary, combined and specialist options. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because school access can change across nearby streets. Safety requires attention, with 2,054 recorded offences and a rate of 259.8 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences account for 831 incidents and justice procedures offences for 592. The IRSAD result is in decile 2, below the national midpoint, so affordability should be weighed alongside services, transport needs and street-level conditions.
Drive
76.8%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.1%
Work from Home
9.9%
Population Forecast
+1.01%/yr
(+161 people/yr)
EstablishedBairnsdale's wider area is forecast to grow at 1.01% annually, with migration described as Balanced rather than being driven by a single source. Population change across the wider area is 18.4% over ten years, while the trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.9 percentage points and the young share has fallen 2.3 points. Rent growth is recorded at 40.0%, which may increase pressure on tenants even while housing remains relatively affordable. The current gentrification score is 13 and is labelled Not gentrifying, although a separate shift score of 36 is labelled Early signs. Compared with a fast-changing growth corridor, this points to steady expansion shaped more by services, ageing and balanced movement than rapid redevelopment.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+48
Net Internal / yr
+58
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +18% since 2011, Net internal migration +58/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,054
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
259.8
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 Bairnsdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Bairnsdale?
Bairnsdale has 8 schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors. The mix includes 4 government schools, 2 Catholic schools and 2 independent schools, covering primary, secondary, combined primary and secondary, and specialist education.
Is Bairnsdale safe?
Safety should be assessed at street level. Bairnsdale recorded 2,054 offences at a rate of 259.8 per 1,000 people, including 831 property and deception offences and 358 crimes against the person, so buyers and renters should check the exact location carefully.
Is Bairnsdale good for property investment?
Bairnsdale may suit investors comfortable with regional conditions. Median rent is $270 per week and 34.2% of households rent, but the vacancy rate is 10.3%. Seventeen development matters were recorded over 12 months, while the annual growth trend is 1.01%.
How is Bairnsdale's population changing?
Bairnsdale has 7,905 residents today, and population change across the wider area is 18.4% over 10 years. The annual growth trend is 1.01%, migration is Balanced and the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.9 percentage points.
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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