Churchill
Its 4,924 residents have a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national figure, while household income sits at the 17.9th percentile. For buyers weighing Churchill against nearby Morwell and Traralgon, its 96.7% separate-house share and 80.8% car commuting define a house-focused, car-dependent option. The 30.0% renting share and 7.8% vacancy rate provide choice, but the aging trajectory and lower-than-national university share of 17.8% suggest a stable, practical market rather than a fast-changing lifestyle precinct.
Population
4,924
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,109/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$448K
October to December 2025
Mortgage repayments are listed at $997 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 20.8% of household income, lower than the 30.0% share renting. Compared with apartment-oriented parts of larger regional centres, Churchill gives families more house choice, but 80.8% commute by car and only 0.9% use public transport. Check maintenance, insurance and commute costs alongside the headline price.
For Buyers
Mortgage repayments are listed at $997 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 20.8% of household income, lower than the 30.0% share renting. Compared with apartment-oriented parts of larger regional centres, Churchill gives families more house choice, but 80.8% commute by car and only 0.9% use public transport. Check maintenance, insurance and commute costs alongside the headline price.
For Investors
Churchill presents a rental profile with reasonable entry pricing but a meaningful vacancy risk. Weekly rent is $230, 30.0% of households rent and vacancy is 7.8%, higher than a tightly supplied market would usually be, so investors should allow for leasing time and property-specific appeal. The forecast names overseas migration as the primary growth driver. Compared with Morwell and Traralgon, the 96.7% separate-house share may suit family tenants, but Churchill's crime rate of 128.4 per 1,000 warrants careful street-level due diligence and insurance review.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
15
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+650.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Churchill
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Churchill North Primary School
Churchill Primary School
Lumen Christi School
Demographics
Churchill has 4,924 residents, a median age of 38 that is 2 years below the national figure, and an average household size of 2.3, also 0.2 below the national measure. English, Scottish and Irish are the leading reported ancestries, at 1,905, 520 and 486 people respectively, while 13.3% were born overseas, 8.3 percentage points below the national share. University attainment is 17.8%, 12.3 points below the national comparison, helping explain the strong representation of community/personal roles, trades and labourers. No religion is the largest stated affiliation at 2,539 people, compared with 1,745 identifying with Christianity. Turnover is 17.2%, so 82.8% staying at the same address indicates greater residential continuity than a high-turnover area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.7%
Houses
0.8%
Townhouse
2.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Churchill's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached, with 96.7% separate houses, 2.5% apartments and 0.8% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 71.6%, followed by 4 or more bedrooms at 23.1%, because the market is shaped more by family houses than compact formats. Tenure is split between 38.5% outright owners, 30.9% mortgage holders and 30.0% renters. Outright ownership is higher than renting, which helps explain the suburb's established feel. Mortgage costs equal 20.8% of household income, while the household income percentile of 17.9 indicates less financial capacity than the national middle. Compared with apartment-heavy areas, this is a conventional family-home market.
Mortgage / mo
$997
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$230
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$577
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
162
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.7%
Couples with children
41.1%
Couples, no children
24.1%
Single parent
1,326
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Churchill's largest industry at 22.4% and 256 workers, followed by education at 13.5% and 154, construction at 10.7% and 122, then retail and public administration at 8.1% and 92 each. This mix creates a practical service, education and trades base rather than reliance on one office sector. Labour force participation is 49.6%, unemployment is 8.2%, and 53.1% of employed residents work full time. Community/personal roles lead occupations at 271 people, ahead of trades at 264 and professionals at 262. The household income percentile is 17.9, below the national middle. SEIFA results are uneven: IEO is decile 3, IER 5, IRSD 4 and IRSAD 3. The IER result sits at the middle decile, while the other measures rank lower, so economic conditions are not uniform across the suburb.
Unemployment
8.2%
Labour Force
1,979
Unemployed
163
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.1%
Part-time
38.9%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
1,816
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.8%
Postgraduate
3.9%
Born Overseas
13.3%
Dwellings
1,925
Transport to Work
Churchill is practical for households with cars: 80.8% drive to work, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 0.8% walking or cycling. A further 13.1% work from home, which can soften the impact of longer commutes. Families have access to 3 primary schools in the suburb, comprising 2 government schools and 1 Catholic school; check the exact enrolment zone against the address because boundaries can cross suburb lines. The crime rate is 128.4 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 632 total offences, so safety due diligence matters more here than in a lower-rate area. Socioeconomic measures are mixed: IRSAD is decile 3, IRSD 4, IER 5 and IEO 3. IRSAD and IEO sit below the national middle, while IER reaches decile 5. Volunteering is 15.8%, supporting local participation, but public transport remains far lower than car use.
Drive
80.8%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
13.1%
Population Forecast
+0.97%/yr
(+70 people/yr)
EstablishedChurchill is classified as an established suburb, with forecast growth of 0.97% a year, driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 15.2% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 4.5 percentage points and the young share is down 1.1 points. Affordability improved from 46.8 in 2011 to 38.2 in 2021, alongside real income growth of 3.2%, so demand may be supported by relative value rather than rapid gentrification. The gentrification score is 6 and the stage is Not gentrifying, while the separate shift score is 19. Rent growth of 3.4% is above the 0.97% population trend, suggesting rental pressure may outpace demographic growth. Fifteen development applications in 12 months point to incremental change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+27
Net Internal / yr
-30
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +18% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
632
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
128.4
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 Churchill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Churchill?
Churchill has 3 primary schools: 2 government schools, Churchill North Primary School and Churchill Primary School, plus 1 Catholic school, Lumen Christi School. That gives families more sector choice than a suburb with one provider. Families should check secondary options and the exact enrolment zone before buying or renting.
Is Churchill safe?
Churchill recorded 632 offences, equal to a crime rate of 128.4 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences led with 258, followed by justice procedures offences at 176 and crimes against the person at 155. The rate is higher than a low-crime area, so inspect the immediate street, lighting and security needs.
How is Churchill's population changing?
Churchill has 4,924 residents today. The wider area's forecast annual growth is 0.97%, with 15.2% population change over 10 years and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points while the young share has fallen 1.1 points. That points to slower demographic turnover than a fast-growing young-family area, despite ongoing 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), 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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