Carisbrook
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, and 85.2% of residents stayed in the same address over the period, pointing to a stable, established community rather than one in flux. Household income sits at the 25th percentile nationally, yet mortgage-to-income at 20.9% remains below the stress threshold, because prices here are still moderate compared to metro markets.
Local council: Central Goldfields (90% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
1,192
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,205/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$465K
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.
Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.9%, so buyers are not competing across property types. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.2%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 30.1%, giving families genuine room. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,092, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable regional Victorian towns. Outright owners at 45.8% outnumber those with a mortgage at 41.1%, a sign that much of the housing stock is held by long-term, debt-free residents rather than recent entrants.
For Buyers
Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.9%, so buyers are not competing across property types. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.2%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 30.1%, giving families genuine room. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,092, which produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold and lower than most comparable regional Victorian towns. Outright owners at 45.8% outnumber those with a mortgage at 41.1%, a sign that much of the housing stock is held by long-term, debt-free residents rather than recent entrants.
For Investors
The rental market in Carisbrook is thin: only 13.1% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national renter share of around 30%, and weekly rent sits at $223. The vacancy rate of 8.6% is elevated and signals weak rental demand, so investors relying on occupancy should note the risk. Development activity is minimal with just 2 applications in the past 12 months, both subdivision permits rather than new dwellings, so no supply pipeline will dilute values.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
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 Carisbrook
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Carisbrook Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, which explains the low participation rate of 51.2% and the 372 residents not in the labour force. Overseas-born residents make up 7.4% of the population, which is 14.2 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile led by English (578), Irish (148) and Scottish (128). University qualifications reach only 16.7% of residents, which is 13.4 points below the national average, reflecting the regional and working-class character of local employment. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national figure. Volunteering stands at 22.4%, which is above typical metro benchmarks, suggesting strong civic participation despite the relatively small population of 1,192.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.9%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupancy is the defining tenure feature: 45.8% own outright and 41.1% carry a mortgage, leaving only 13.1% renting. This ownership concentration is notably higher than the national average and reflects a long-settled population with a turnover rate of just 14.8%. The stock is 94.9% separate houses with 4.0% semi-detached and no significant apartment component, making it one of the most detached-dominant housing markets in regional Victoria. Rent stress is absent with rent-to-income at 18.5% and mortgage stress is also absent at 20.9%, meaning housing costs remain affordable relative to incomes at both ends of the tenure spectrum.
Mortgage / mo
$1,092
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$223
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$603
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
42
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.3%
Couples with children
43.6%
Couples, no children
12.1%
Single parent
321
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 25.3% of workers (71 people), followed by Agriculture and Education tied at 10.7% each (30 workers apiece), then Public Administration at 10.0% and Construction at 8.9%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service roles lead at 82 workers, followed by Managers (69) and Labourers (67), a mix consistent with a regional service-and-farming economy. The unemployment rate is 4.3%, broadly in line with national figures, and the full-time employment rate among those working is 55.2%. Household income sits at the 25th percentile nationally, which is low, but housing costs track income, keeping mortgage and rent stress below threshold. SEIFA decile data is not available for this suburb.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
537
Unemployed
21
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.6%
Part-time
41.1%
Participation
55.6%
Employed
516
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.7%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
7.4%
Dwellings
447
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 89.4% of residents drive to work and public transport accounts for just 1.0%, which is typical for a regional town 116 kilometres from Melbourne. Walking and cycling together account for 2.5%. Crime data shows 105 total incidents at a rate of 88.1 per 1,000 residents, led by property and deception offences (51 incidents) and justice procedures offences (22). The 7.0% rate of residents needing daily assistance (79 people) is above the national average, consistent with the older median age of 45. No schools are recorded within the Carisbrook boundary in the dataset, so families draw on facilities in neighbouring towns. The housing stress indicators are positive: rent-to-income at 18.5% and mortgage-to-income at 20.9% both sit comfortably below the 30% threshold.
Drive
81.4%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
8.9%
Growth Outlook
Population at 1,192 is small, and the 85.2% residential stability rate suggests growth is driven by external buyer demand rather than in-migration. Development activity is near zero, with only 2 subdivision applications in the past 12 months and no new dwelling permits on record. The low density of 10.3 people per square kilometre and the 116 square kilometre area suggest the suburb is unlikely to attract large-scale residential development, which limits supply-side pressure on prices.
Population trend: Central Goldfields council area
About 90% of Carisbrook sits in Central Goldfields; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Carisbrook's.
Residents 2025
13,753
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.5%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
105
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
88.1
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 Carisbrook compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Carisbrook a good suburb to live in?
Carisbrook suits buyers seeking space, low housing costs and stability. With 94.9% detached houses, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9% and 85.2% of residents staying in place, it is a settled community. The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure and public transport is limited at 1.0%, so car ownership is essential.
What schools are in Carisbrook?
No schools are recorded within the Carisbrook suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area rely on schools in nearby towns. Locally, 16.7% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 13.4 percentage points below the national average.
Is Carisbrook safe?
Carisbrook recorded 105 total crime incidents at a rate of 88.1 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for the largest share at 51 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 22. Context matters: the suburb has a population of only 1,192, so individual incidents weigh more heavily on the per-1,000 rate than in larger towns.
Is Carisbrook good for property investment?
Only 13.1% of dwellings are rented versus the national average of around 30%, weekly rent is $223, and the vacancy rate is 8.6%.
How is Carisbrook's population changing?
The population stands at 1,192 across a 116 square kilometre area at a density of 10.3 people per square kilometre. Residential stability is high at 85.2% staying in place. No population forecast data is available for this suburb, and development activity is minimal with only 2 applications in the past 12 months.
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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