Clunes
At a median age of 51, Clunes residents are 11 years older than the national average, making this one of regional Victoria's most distinctly aged communities. Household income sits at just the 14.3rd percentile nationally, yet 50.2% of households own their homes outright, well above typical rates, reflecting long-term owner-occupiers who paid down debt before retirement rather than current wealth. The median house price of $515,000 is affordable compared to metropolitan benchmarks, and the suburb covers 150.6 square kilometres with only 1,844 residents, giving it a density of 12.2 people per square kilometre.
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
$515K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price reached $515,000 in the April-June 2024 quarter, down 10.4% from the peak of $575,000 in late 2023, offering buyers a re-entry point below recent highs. Over 14 years the median climbed from $219,000, a 135.2% gain equivalent to a 6.3% compound annual growth rate, which is a solid long-run track record for a small regional town. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 95.5%, with 3-bedroom homes at 49.7% and 4-bedroom-plus at 24.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,127, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. With 50.2% of households owning outright versus just 35.7% with mortgages, the buyer base skews toward established residents rather than recent purchasers.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $515,000 in the April-June 2024 quarter, down 10.4% from the peak of $575,000 in late 2023, offering buyers a re-entry point below recent highs. Over 14 years the median climbed from $219,000, a 135.2% gain equivalent to a 6.3% compound annual growth rate, which is a solid long-run track record for a small regional town. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 95.5%, with 3-bedroom homes at 49.7% and 4-bedroom-plus at 24.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,127, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 25.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. With 50.2% of households owning outright versus just 35.7% with mortgages, the buyer base skews toward established residents rather than recent purchasers.
For Investors
The 14.1% renter share is low compared to most rental markets, which constrains tenant demand. Weekly rent averages $220, and the vacancy rate is a high 18.3%, indicating supply comfortably exceeds current renter demand. Development activity is minimal, with just 1 application in the past 12 months, so no near-term supply pressure exists. The long-run capital growth story is stronger than the yield case: a 135.2% price rise over 14 years at a 6.3% CAGR outpaces many regional peers, though the recent 10.4% drop from the peak suggests the post-COVID regional premium has corrected. Income at the 14.3rd percentile nationally limits the rent-paying capacity of the local population, so investors targeting yield rather than growth face structural headwinds.
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 iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Clunes Primary School
Prep-6 · 96 students
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11.0 years above the national figure, placing Clunes firmly in the aging-resident category. Overseas-born residents make up 15.2% of the population, which is 6.4 percentage points below the national rate, reflecting the predominantly Anglo-Celtic heritage: English (790), Irish (252) and Scottish (238) are the top ancestries. University qualifications reach 26.2%, sitting 3.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a working and retired community rather than a knowledge-economy hub. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and couples without children account for 38.2% of families, a profile typical of a post-family retirement-leaning town. Volunteering runs at a notable 19.9% of residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.5%
Houses
1.3%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 95.5%, with apartments accounting for just 0.4% of dwellings, giving Clunes one of the most detached-house-concentrated stocks in regional Victoria. Tenure is notable: 50.2% of households own outright, compared to just 14.1% who rent, a ratio reflecting decades of low turnover and long-term ownership. The median house price of $515,000 as of April-June 2024 is 10.4% below the October-December 2023 peak of $575,000, and the price has grown 135.2% from $219,000 in 2013. Three-bedroom homes make up 49.7% of stock and 4-bedroom-plus a further 24.4%. Housing stress is not evident: mortgage repayments at $1,127 per month represent 25.1% of income, and rent at $220 per week is 21.2% of renter income, both below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,127
Rent / wk
$220
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
38.2%
Couples, no children
1,357
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 21.8% of local workers (101 people), followed by Education at 15.1% (70 people) and Construction at 9.3% (43 people), a pattern typical of a regional service-centre economy. By occupation, Professionals lead at 144 workers, followed by Labourers (100) and Community and Personal Service workers (96). The unemployment rate is 8.6%, above typical regional rates, and labour force participation is just 42.7%, low because a large share of the 1,844 residents are retired or not seeking work. SEIFA scores place Clunes at decile 4 on IRSD, IRSAD and IEO, indicating below-average relative advantage on all three indexes compared to the national distribution. Household income at the 14.3rd percentile nationally confirms the below-average economic base.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.9%
Part-time
35.5%
Participation
42.7%
Employed
619
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.2%
Postgraduate
7.4%
Born Overseas
15.2%
Dwellings
795
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 89.4% of workers commuting by car, consistent with a rural town where public transport options are limited. Walking and cycling account for 5.6% of commutes, a modest active transport share. The crime rate is 52.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 37 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 29. On IRSAD decile 4, Clunes sits in the lower-middle range of relative advantage nationally, meaning it has fewer economic and social resources than the majority of Australian suburbs. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby towns. The need-for-assistance rate is 9.5%, higher than average because of the older resident profile with a median age of 51.
Drive
89.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
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 suits retirees and owner-occupiers seeking affordable, low-density living. With 50.2% of households owning outright and a median house price of $515,000, entry costs are manageable. SEIFA IRSAD decile 4 places it below average on relative advantage nationally, and car ownership is essential as 89.4% of residents commute by car.
What is the median house price in Clunes?
The median house price is $515,000 as of April-June 2024, down 10.4% from the peak of $575,000 in late 2023. Over 14 years the price has grown 135.2% from $219,000, a 6.3% compound annual growth rate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,127.
What schools are in Clunes?
No schools are recorded within the Clunes suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schooling in nearby regional centres. The local workforce includes 70 workers in the Education industry, suggesting education services are available in the wider area, though not within the suburb itself.
Is Clunes safe?
The crime rate is 52.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 97 total recorded incidents. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 37 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 29 and crimes against the person at 25. At SEIFA IRSD decile 4, the suburb sits in the lower-middle range of relative disadvantage nationally.
Is Clunes good for property investment?
The long-run capital growth case is reasonable, with a 6.3% compound annual growth rate over 14 years and 135.2% total price gain from $219,000 to $515,000. However, yield potential is limited: rent averages $220 per week, the vacancy rate is a high 18.3%, and only 14.1% of households rent. Income at the 14.3rd percentile nationally constrains rent growth.
How is Clunes's population changing?
Clunes has a stable but aging population of 1,844, with a median age of 51 that is 11 years above the national average. The turnover rate is low at 18.8%, with 81.2% of residents not moving in the five years before the Census. The high proportion of older residents points to gradual natural population decline without offsetting 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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