Buninyong
At a median age of 45, Buninyong runs 5 years above the national figure, and that gap shapes almost everything about it: 47.8% of households own their home outright, well above Australian norms, and only 13.4% rent. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD and decile 8 on IEO, placing it firmly in the upper advantage tier nationally. With 96.5% separate houses across 25.4 square kilometres at 149 residents per km2, the density is low even by regional standards. University qualifications reach 39.5%, some 9.4 percentage points above the national average, reflecting the strong proportion of professionals and managers in the local workforce.
Population
3,797
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,745/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$715K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price reached $715,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, still 7.1% below the 2022 peak of $770,000. Since 2013 prices have risen 105.5%, a CAGR of 5.3% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses at 96.5%, with 42.7% having 4 or more bedrooms and 45.8% with 3, making Buninyong well suited for families. Sub-stress mortgage costs combined with 47.8% outright ownership compared to state averages point to a settled, long-term owner-occupier community.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $715,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, still 7.1% below the 2022 peak of $770,000. Since 2013 prices have risen 105.5%, a CAGR of 5.3% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Nearly all dwellings are separate houses at 96.5%, with 42.7% having 4 or more bedrooms and 45.8% with 3, making Buninyong well suited for families. Sub-stress mortgage costs combined with 47.8% outright ownership compared to state averages point to a settled, long-term owner-occupier community.
For Investors
With only 13.4% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $305, gross yield against the $715,000 median is near 2.2%, below typical regional VIC benchmarks. The 7.8% vacancy rate is elevated for a suburb of this size, reflecting limited rental demand where most residents own. Net overseas migration averages 55 per year compared to a net internal outflow of 37 annually, providing a small positive demand base. Development activity is low at 10 applications in the past 12 months, confirming an established, low-churn market. Rent grew 26.9% over the decade, faster than inflation, which partially compensates long-term holders despite the compressed gross yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
18
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+125.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Buninyong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Buninyong Primary School
Prep-6 · 567 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 sits 5 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is confirmed: the senior share rose 7.6 points while working-age share fell 1.9 points over the decade. Only 10% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.6 points below the national rate. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic: English (1,659), Irish (662) and Scottish (609). University qualifications at 39.5% are 9.4 points above national. Couples with children (1,475) outnumber couples without children (898), and volunteering runs at 23.3%, reflecting a stable, community-oriented base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.5%
Houses
2.0%
Townhouse
1.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Buninyong is unusually owner-skewed: 47.8% own outright and 38.8% carry a mortgage, leaving just 13.4% renting. That outright ownership rate is above regional VIC averages, reflecting a long-settled, debt-free ownership base. The stock is 96.5% separate houses, higher than the state average, with apartments at only 1.5%. Bedroom distribution leans large: 42.7% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 45.8% have 3. From 2013 to 2024 the median price rose from $348,000 to $715,000, doubling in nominal terms with a CAGR of 5.3%. Mortgage-to-income at 22.9% and rent-to-income at 17.5% are both below stress thresholds, indicating comfortable housing costs compared to metro markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$305
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$818
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
116
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.6%
Couples, no children
3,144
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (20.7%) and Healthcare (20.4%) together employ over 40% of the local workforce, reflecting proximity to Ballarat's institutions. Construction (10.2%) and Public Admin (9.5%) round out the top 4. By occupation, Professionals lead at 504, followed by Managers at 256. Unemployment is low at 2.7% and full-time employment runs at 61.1%. SEIFA scores place the suburb at decile 9 on IRSD and decile 8 on IEO, both above national medians. Real income grew 23% over the decade, yet household income sits in the 61st percentile nationally, moderate given the professional base.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
3,973
Unemployed
80
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.1%
Part-time
36.2%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
1,608
Occupations
Top Industries
University
39.5%
Postgraduate
9.8%
Born Overseas
10.0%
Dwellings
1,369
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 90.9% of residents drive to work versus 67% nationally, with only 1.6% using public transport, reflecting the semi-rural 25.4 km2 footprint. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD nationally, indicating very low disadvantage. Crime runs at 30.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the dominant category at 82 of 117 total. No schools are recorded within the boundary. Housing stress is absent: mortgage-to-income at 22.9% and rent-to-income at 17.5% both sit below typical metro benchmarks.
Drive
90.9%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.74%/yr
(+55 people/yr)
EstablishedBuninyong is growing at 0.74% annually, adding around 55 residents per year. Over the past 10 years population rose 9.9%, and the medium forecast projects the broader SA2 reaching around 7,842 by 2031. The suburb had a COVID-related population dip of 3.1% but has fully recovered. The primary growth driver is overseas migration at a net 55 arrivals per year versus a net internal outflow of 37, a pattern typical of smaller regional towns near major centres. The gentrification score is 10, classified as not gentrifying, consistent with a suburb already at decile 8-9 SEIFA advantage. Affordability improved from 48.9% in 2011 to 41.0% in 2021, tracking below state medians.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+55
Net Internal / yr
-37
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
117
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.8
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 Buninyong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Buninyong a good suburb to live in?
Buninyong scores decile 9 on IRSD and decile 8 on IEO nationally, placing it in the upper advantage tier. University qualifications at 39.5% are 9.4 points above national. The main practical trade-offs are high car dependence at 90.9% driving to work and no recorded schools within the boundary, meaning families rely on neighbouring Ballarat suburbs.
What is the median house price in Buninyong?
The median house price is $715,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, up from $348,000 in 2013, a 105.5% rise over 14 years at a CAGR of 5.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Buninyong?
No schools are recorded inside the Buninyong boundary in this dataset. Families access schools in neighbouring Ballarat suburbs. The local adult population is well-educated with 39.5% holding university qualifications, which is 9.4 percentage points above the national average.
Is Buninyong safe?
Buninyong recorded 117 total incidents in the most recent year, a rate of 30.8 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 82 of those 117 incidents. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 9 on IRSD nationally, the second-highest advantage tier, which is broadly associated with lower crime risk.
Is Buninyong good for property investment?
Gross yield is near 2.2% based on weekly rent of $305 against a $715,000 median, below typical regional VIC benchmarks. The 7.8% vacancy rate signals limited rental demand. However, prices more than doubled since 2013 at a 5.3% CAGR and rent grew 26.9% over the decade, so the investment case rests on long-term capital growth rather than yield.
How is Buninyong's population changing?
The suburb grows at 0.74% annually, adding around 55 residents per year. The 10-year population rise was 9.9%. Overseas migration contributes a net 55 arrivals per year, partly offset by a net internal outflow of 37. The medium forecast projects the broader SA2 reaching around 7,842 by 2031.
What is the demographic profile of Buninyong?
The median age is 45, which is 5 years above the national figure. Just 10% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.6 points below the national rate. Anglo-Celtic ancestry dominates, with English (1,659), Irish (662) and Scottish (609) as the top 3 groups. The senior share rose 7.6 points over the decade, reinforcing the aging trajectory.
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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