Clunes
A median age of 51, a detached-house share of 95.5% and an 18.3% vacancy rate define Clunes more clearly than its population of 1,844. The age profile sits 11 years above the national median, while household income is at the 14.3rd percentile nationally, pointing to an affordable but economically constrained market. Compared with nearby Creswick, Clunes puts more emphasis on a village-scale, low-density setting and local service access.
Local council: Hepburn
Population
1,844
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,037/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$540K
October to December 2025
A typical monthly mortgage is $1,127, equal to 25.1% of household income, with mortgage stress flagged false. Outright ownership is 48.8%, higher than the 34.8% mortgage share. Compared with nearby Creswick, Clunes suits buyers prioritising village scale and detached housing over apartment choice.
For Buyers
A typical monthly mortgage is $1,127, equal to 25.1% of household income, with mortgage stress flagged false. Outright ownership is 48.8%, higher than the 34.8% mortgage share. Compared with nearby Creswick, Clunes suits buyers prioritising village scale and detached housing over apartment choice.
For Investors
Investors face a low-rent, high-vacancy proposition rather than a straightforward yield play. Weekly rent is $220, while 13.7% of dwellings are rented and vacancy is 18.3%, a combination that needs more caution than the headline rent suggests. Rent growth is 47.1% over the longer-term comparison period, but tenant demand, management and maintenance costs still need testing. New development activity is limited to 1 subdivision matter in 12 months, reducing evidence of a large construction pipeline. Balanced migration and 0.36% annual growth point to steadier conditions than a rapidly expanding regional market. Detached houses make up 95.5% of stock, favouring simple, affordable rental formats.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-66.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Clunes
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Clunes Primary School
Demographics
Clunes has an older and more settled profile than Australia overall: the median age is 51, or 11 years above the national comparison, and 81.2% of residents stayed at the same address over the mobility period. Average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national figure, matching a family structure where 49.9% of families are couples without children and 28.6% are couples with children. English, Irish and Scottish ancestries count 790, 252 and 238 people. No religion and Christianity account for 943 and 683 people. Overseas-born residents are 15.2%, 6.4 points below the national comparison, while the university share is 26.2%, 3.9 points lower. This supports a stable, older population with less turnover than larger regional centres.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.5%
Houses
1.3%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Clunes's housing stock is heavily detached: separate houses make up 95.5% of dwellings, compared with 0.4% apartments and 1.3% semi-detached homes. The typical home has 3 bedrooms, with 49.7% of stock in that category and 24.4% at 4-plus bedrooms, so family-sized houses shape the market. Ownership is concentrated, with 48.8% owned outright and 34.8% under mortgage, versus 13.7% rented. The 4.9% annualised increase over 19 years suggests the long-run trend is steadier than recent quarter-to-quarter swings.
Mortgage / mo
$1,127
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$220
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$503
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
18.3%
Unoccupied
178
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.6%
Couples with children
49.9%
Couples, no children
18.2%
Single parent
521
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is anchored by healthcare at 21.8% and 101 workers, education at 15.1% and 70, construction at 9.3% and 43, public administration at 7.3% and 34, and retail at 7.1% and 33. That service-heavy base helps explain why professionals number 144 and community or personal workers 96, alongside 108 trades workers, 100 labourers and 84 managers. The unemployment rate is 7.7% and participation is 47.4%, while weekly personal, family and household incomes are $503, $1,339 and $1,037. Household income sits at the 14.3rd percentile, below broader national levels, consistent with IEO, IRSD and IRSAD all sitting at decile 4. IER is higher at decile 5, which may reflect professionals and managers despite lower overall income. Employment is therefore more locally service-based than high-income.
Unemployment
7.7%
Labour Force
751
Unemployed
58
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.9%
Part-time
39.4%
Participation
47.4%
Employed
693
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.2%
Postgraduate
7.4%
Born Overseas
15.2%
Dwellings
795
Transport to Work
Clunes's low density, at 12.2 people per square kilometre across 150.6 square kilometres, makes a car-led routine practical: 71.3% drive as car drivers, compared with 4.5% who walk or cycle, while 20.3% work from home. This can suit residents seeking space, but access is less convenient than in denser centres when a second car, regional services or longer commutes are needed. Schooling centres on Clunes Primary School, a government primary campus; families should check secondary options and enrolment zones against the exact address. Safety needs a balanced reading: 97 offences equate to 52.6 per 1,000 residents, led by 37 property and deception offences, 29 justice procedure offences and 25 crimes against the person. Volunteering is 19.9%, and IRSAD is in decile 4, below the highest socioeconomic deciles, so local connection and service access matter to day-to-day liveability.
Drive
71.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.5%
Work from Home
20.3%
Growth Outlook
Clunes sits on an established, slow-growth path: annual forecast growth is 0.36%, with migration classified as Balanced. Population change across the wider area was 8.9% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 7.2 percentage points and the young share down 2.1 points. The working-age share also fell 2.9 points, so demand is more likely to reflect steady replacement and lifestyle moves than a large employment surge. This is weaker momentum than a high-growth regional corridor and favours gradual service planning over rapid expansion. The aging pattern is consistent with a median age of 51, which is 11 years above the national median.
Population trend: Hepburn council area
Clunes sits in the Hepburn council area. These are the council area's residents, not Clunes's.
Residents 2025
17,011
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
97
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
52.6
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 Clunes compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Clunes a good suburb to live in?
Clunes can suit buyers seeking a small, older, detached-house community, with a median age of 51 and 95.5% separate houses. The trade-offs are car dependence, limited local schooling and a 52.6 per 1,000 crime rate, so the right choice depends on service access and lifestyle priorities.
What schools are in Clunes?
Clunes has 1 local government primary campus, Clunes Primary School. Families should confirm enrolment zones and plan secondary schooling beyond the town, because the local school mix is narrower than in larger regional centres. Address-specific checks matter when comparing nearby options.
Is Clunes safe?
Reported crime totalled 97 offences, or 52.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 37, followed by 29 justice procedure offences and 25 crimes against the person. These figures support checking the exact street and recent local conditions rather than relying on a simple safe or unsafe label.
Is Clunes good for property investment?
Property investment is possible, but it is not a high-conviction rental market. Weekly rent is $220, vacancy is 18.3% and only 13.7% of dwellings are rented, while forecast growth is 0.36% annually. A conservative investor would stress-test vacancy and costs because balanced migration offers less momentum than a major growth corridor.
How is Clunes's population changing?
Clunes has an aging trajectory rather than rapid expansion. Population change across the wider area was 8.9% over 10 years, while the forecast trend is 0.36% annually and migration is classified as Balanced. The senior share rose 7.2 percentage points and the young share fell 2.1 points, so demand is likely to shift toward established households and age-related services.
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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