Benalla
A median age of 51 sets Benalla apart from many regional centres, sitting 11 years above the national age benchmark. The town has 10,822 residents across a large 315.3 sqkm footprint, with detached housing dominant at 86.4% and a median house price of $453,800. Compared with larger nearby Wangaratta, Benalla reads more like a slower service town than a growth corridor, because household income sits at only the 21.3 percentile while home ownership remains high.
Population
10,822
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,142/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
19
Median House
$454K
Apr-Jun 2024
Benalla suits buyers prioritising space and lower entry costs, with a median house price of $453,800 and 86.4% of dwellings separate houses. The market is below many higher-income locations in capacity terms because household income is at the 21.3 percentile, yet mortgage costs are relatively contained at $1,253 per month and 25.3% of income. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.1%, while apartments are almost absent at 0.2%, so choice is strongest for conventional houses.
For Buyers
Benalla suits buyers prioritising space and lower entry costs, with a median house price of $453,800 and 86.4% of dwellings separate houses. The market is below many higher-income locations in capacity terms because household income is at the 21.3 percentile, yet mortgage costs are relatively contained at $1,253 per month and 25.3% of income. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.1%, while apartments are almost absent at 0.2%, so choice is strongest for conventional houses.
For Investors
Benalla has affordability and rent-growth appeal, but the vacancy rate changes the risk profile. Renters make up 27.1% of households and the median rent is $250 per week, while rent growth in the forecast shift is 37.5%. Against that, vacancy is high at 10.2%, which is higher than a tight rental market and can reduce pricing power. Recent activity is moderate, with 19 development applications in 12 months and balanced migration adding an average 7 overseas and 2 internal residents annually.
Development Activity
Total DAs
53
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+5.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Benalla iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
FCJ College
7-12 · 451 students
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 391 students
Australian Christian College Victoria
Prep-11 · 465 students
Benalla P-12 College
Prep-12 · 700 students
Demographics
Benalla is older, more locally born and less university-qualified than the national profile. The median age is 51, which is 11 years above the national benchmark, while only 10.7% of residents were born overseas, 10.9 percentage points below national. University attainment is 19.1%, also 11.0 points lower. English ancestry is the largest group at 4,625 people, followed by Irish at 1,517 and Scottish at 1,386, because the population base is long-settled and household size is low at 2.1.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.4%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
0.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Benalla is detached, ownership-heavy and still at its price peak. The median house price rose from $228,000 in 2013 to $453,800 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 99.0% increase and 5.0% CAGR over 14 years, with the latest quarter also the peak. Ownership is above renting, with 44.5% owned outright, 28.3% mortgaged and 27.1% renting. This structure supports stability because older outright owners are a large share, but it can limit turnover compared with more renter-led markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,253
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$645
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.2%
Unoccupied
521
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.7%
Couples, no children
7,478
Total families
Economy & Employment
Benalla's economy is anchored by services and trades rather than high-income professional concentration. Healthcare leads at 22.4% of workers, followed by construction at 15.3%, education at 11.5%, public admin at 8.4% and manufacturing at 7.5%. Professionals number 731, while community and personal workers and labourers each count 625. Unemployment is low at 4.0%, but participation is only 45.4%, and IRSAD decile 2 nationally with IEO decile 3 points to lower average advantage despite steady local work.
Unemployment
7.4%
Labour Force
5,007
Unemployed
369
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.2%
Part-time
35.8%
Participation
45.4%
Employed
4,052
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
4.2%
Born Overseas
10.7%
Dwellings
4,597
Transport to Work
Daily life in Benalla is car-based, with 86.9% driving to work, only 0.4% using public transport and 6.1% walking or cycling. School access is a strength for a town of this size, with 4 local schools across Catholic, Independent and Government sectors; the ICSEA range runs from 934 to 1047, led by FCJ College, St Joseph's School and Australian Christian College Victoria. Safety is a watch point because recorded crime is 1,483 offences, or 137.0 per 1,000 residents, while IRSAD sits in decile 2 nationally.
Drive
86.9%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
6.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.53%/yr
(+20 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is forecast to stay modest rather than accelerate. The trend rate is 0.53% a year, equal to about 20 people annually, while the medium scenario rises from 3,832 in 2026 to 3,931 in 2031. Migration is balanced, with average net overseas migration of 7 people a year and net internal migration of 2. The main structural shift is aging, with seniors up 9.2 percentage points and the working-age share down 5.9 points, while the gentrification score is 4 and classified as Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+7
Net Internal / yr
+2
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +12% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,483
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
137.0
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 Benalla compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benalla a good suburb to live in?
Benalla can suit buyers wanting a regional town with space, lower prices and services. It has 10,822 residents, a median age of 51 and 86.4% separate houses, but daily life is car-dependent with 86.9% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Benalla?
The median house price in Benalla is $453,800 for Apr-Jun 2024. Prices have risen from $432,500 in Oct-Dec 2023 and $450,000 in Jan-Mar 2024, with the latest quarter also the recorded peak.
What schools are in Benalla?
Benalla has 4 local schools: FCJ College, St Joseph's School, Australian Christian College Victoria and Benalla P-12 College. They cover Catholic, Independent and Government sectors, with ICSEA scores from 934 to 1047.
Is Benalla safe?
Benalla has a recorded crime rate of 137.0 offences per 1,000 residents, based on 1,483 offences. The largest categories are property and deception offences at 541 and justice procedures offences at 473.
Is Benalla good for property investment?
Benalla has a low median rent of $250 per week and renters make up 27.1% of households. The caution is vacancy at 10.2%, although house prices have risen 99.0% from 2013 to Apr-Jun 2024.
How is Benalla's population changing?
Benalla's broader population is 10,822, while the forecast series shows slow growth from 3,832 in 2026 to 3,931 in 2031. The trend rate is 0.53% a year, and the main trajectory is aging.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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