Briagolong
With 83.1% of residents staying put between census years, Briagolong ranks among Victoria's most settled rural communities. Population sits at 1,133 across 167 square kilometres, giving a density of just 6.8 people per km2. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and 45.7% of homes are owned outright, well above the national average, both signs of long-established ownership. Household income sits at the 33.9th percentile nationally, reflecting the area's agricultural and public-sector employment base rather than high-wage professional work.
Population
1,133
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,334/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
House prices reached $436,500 at their 2023 peak before easing to $400,000 in 2024, a pullback of 8.4% from peak but still 77% above the $226,000 recorded in 2013. The 12-year compound annual growth rate of 4.9% is modest compared to metropolitan markets. Every dwelling in Briagolong is a separate house, meaning 100% detached housing stock with no apartments or semi-detached options. Three-bedroom homes make up 46.2% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 31.8%, indicating larger family-sized properties dominate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and mortgage-to-income sits at 22.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership accessible relative to income levels.
For Buyers
House prices reached $436,500 at their 2023 peak before easing to $400,000 in 2024, a pullback of 8.4% from peak but still 77% above the $226,000 recorded in 2013. The 12-year compound annual growth rate of 4.9% is modest compared to metropolitan markets. Every dwelling in Briagolong is a separate house, meaning 100% detached housing stock with no apartments or semi-detached options. Three-bedroom homes make up 46.2% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 31.8%, indicating larger family-sized properties dominate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and mortgage-to-income sits at 22.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership accessible relative to income levels.
For Investors
The rental market is thin but low-stress: weekly rent runs $250 and rent-to-income at 18.7% is comfortably below the 30% stress mark. The 13.9% vacancy rate is elevated, reflecting the small renter base where only 10.1% of households rent. Just 2 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, lower than most comparable regional towns, signalling minimal new supply pressure. The price recovery from $200,000 (2014 trough) to $400,000 (2024) represents a 100% gain over a decade, though price growth has stalled from the 2023 peak. For investors, the thin rental pool and high vacancy rate mean yield-focused strategies face more risk than in higher-density regional centres.
Development Activity
Total DAs
4
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Briagolong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Briagolong Primary School
Prep-6 · 84 students
Demographics
Briagolong's population of 1,133 skews older, with a median age of 44 that is 4 years above the national figure. Only 10.8% of residents were born overseas, which is 10.8 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry runs heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (539), Irish (149) and Scottish (133) lead the counts. University qualifications reach 20.5%, sitting 9.6 points below the national figure, consistent with a blue-collar and agricultural employment base. The average household size of 2.4 is 0.1 below national. Couples with children (328 families) slightly outnumber couples without children (304), and the volunteering rate of 22.9% is notably high, suggesting active community participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
All 100% of Briagolong's dwellings are separate houses, with no apartments or semi-detached properties recorded. Ownership is entrenched: 45.7% of households own outright and 44.2% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 10.1%. This outright ownership rate is well above the national average, reflecting the older median age of 44 and long tenure. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 46.2% and 4-plus bedroom homes make up 31.8%, while 2-bedroom homes account for 20.2%. House prices tracked from $226,000 in 2013 to a $436,500 peak in 2023 before settling at $400,000 in 2024, a 12-year CAGR of 4.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 are low compared to metropolitan benchmarks.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$250
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$705
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.9%
Unoccupied
71
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.8%
Couples, no children
873
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 21.9% (76 workers), followed by Construction at 13.5% (47) and Education at 13.3% (46). Agriculture employs 9.8% (34 workers), reinforcing the area's rural character. By occupation, Professionals (95) lead, followed by Community and Personal service workers (74), Labourers (56) and Managers (55). The unemployment rate of 6.5% is higher than the national figure, and the participation rate of 52.7% is below average, partly because 310 residents are not in the labour force, a consequence of the older age profile. Household income sits at the 33.9th percentile nationally, reflecting the dominance of healthcare, education and agricultural work rather than high-wage corporate sectors.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.2%
Part-time
29.3%
Participation
52.7%
Employed
458
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.5%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
10.8%
Dwellings
433
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total, with 92.2% of residents driving to work and only 1.1% using public transport, typical for a rural area 167 km east of Melbourne in the Gippsland region. Crime totals 50 incidents in the recorded period, giving a rate of 44.1 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences (27 incidents) the dominant category. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring towns. Rent stress is absent at 18.7% rent-to-income, and mortgage stress is low at 22.5%. The 22.9% volunteering rate is above the national average, and 5.0% of residents need daily assistance, consistent with the older age profile of 44 median years.
Drive
92.2%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
50
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
44.1
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 Briagolong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Briagolong a good suburb to live in?
Briagolong suits those seeking a quiet rural setting with high ownership stability: 83.1% of residents stayed between census periods and 45.7% own outright. The median age is 44, 4 years above national, and household income sits at the 33.9th percentile nationally. Services are limited and car travel is essential, with 92.2% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Briagolong?
The latest recorded median house price is $400,000 (2024), down from a 2023 peak of $436,500. Prices have risen 77% from $226,000 in 2013, a 12-year compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and all dwellings are separate houses.
What schools are in Briagolong?
No schools are recorded within the Briagolong suburb boundary in this dataset. Families with school-age children rely on facilities in neighbouring towns. University qualifications among residents reach 20.5%, which is 9.6 points below the national average.
Is Briagolong safe?
The recorded crime rate is 44.1 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 50 total offences. Property and deception offences account for 27 of those, with 10 crimes against the person. As a small community of 1,133 people, individual incidents have an outsized effect on the per-capita rate.
Is Briagolong good for property investment?
Long-term capital growth has been solid: prices rose from $226,000 in 2013 to $400,000 in 2024, a 77% gain. However, the rental pool is small at 10.1% of households and the vacancy rate is elevated at 13.9%, which limits rental yield prospects. Only 2 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so supply pressure is low.
How is Briagolong's population changing?
Briagolong's population is 1,133 across 167 km2. Residential stability is high, with 83.1% of residents staying between census periods, well above the national average. The median age of 44 is 4 years above national, and the older age profile suggests natural population growth is limited without in-migration.
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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