Cohuna
With a median age of 55, Cohuna sits 15 years above the national figure, making it one of regional Victoria's most distinctly older communities. The 2,415 residents are spread across 161 square kilometres at a density of just 15 people per km2, a pattern that shapes everything from housing stock to local services. Household income lands at the 18th percentile nationally, yet 56% of homeowners hold their properties outright with no mortgage, reflecting decades of accumulated equity rather than current high incomes. That combination of low debt and affordable entry, with a median house price of $340,000, defines Cohuna's character as a low-cost, equity-rich agricultural town.
Population
2,415
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,112/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$340K
Apr-Jun 2024
At $340,000 for the median house price, Cohuna sits well below state and national medians, making entry accessible for buyers priced out of regional centres. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.8%, with 3-bedroom homes accounting for 57.5% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes at 25.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $997 represent a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Price history shows the market peaked at $350,000 in late 2023 and has since eased 2.9% to $340,000, suggesting the post-pandemic surge has stabilised. For buyers seeking affordability and low debt-servicing costs compared to metropolitan markets, the numbers are straightforward.
For Buyers
At $340,000 for the median house price, Cohuna sits well below state and national medians, making entry accessible for buyers priced out of regional centres. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.8%, with 3-bedroom homes accounting for 57.5% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes at 25.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $997 represent a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Price history shows the market peaked at $350,000 in late 2023 and has since eased 2.9% to $340,000, suggesting the post-pandemic surge has stabilised. For buyers seeking affordability and low debt-servicing costs compared to metropolitan markets, the numbers are straightforward.
For Investors
Cohuna's investor case is defined by affordability, not yield volume. Weekly rent of $185 against a $340,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.8%, low but higher than capital-city benchmarks in absolute rent terms. The vacancy rate at 9.9% is elevated, signalling limited rental demand in a town where 56% of residents own outright and only 18.6% rent. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, confirming this is a stable, non-speculative market rather than a growth corridor. The long-run price history is more compelling: the median has risen 144.6% since 2013, equivalent to a 6.6% compound annual growth rate over 14 years, a rate higher than many better-known regional markets during the same period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cohuna iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 92 students
Cohuna Consolidated School
Prep-6 · 156 students
Cohuna Secondary College
7-12 · 188 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 is 15 years above the national average, placing Cohuna firmly in the older-community bracket. Only 6% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.6 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,090), Irish (270) and Scottish (256). University qualifications reach 17.3%, some 12.8 points below the national rate, consistent with an agricultural and trades-oriented workforce. Average household size is 2.1, below the national 2.5, driven by the prevalence of older couples without children, who account for 41.9% of families. The community is stable with 84.8% of residents remaining in the same location year on year.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
4.5%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock in Cohuna is almost entirely separate houses at 94.8%, a share that is higher than the overwhelming majority of VIC suburbs, with semi-detached dwellings at just 4.5% and apartments a negligible 0.4%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.5%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 25.5%, making the stock well suited to families despite the older resident profile. Tenure is the standout: 56% own outright, 25.3% carry a mortgage and only 18.6% rent. This ratio of outright owners to mortgagors is unusual and reflects long settlement by residents who bought decades ago at much lower prices. Since 2013, the median has grown from $139,000 to $340,000, a 144.6% rise, though recent prices have eased 2.9% from the 2023 peak.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$997
Rent / wk
$185
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$594
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.9%
Unoccupied
114
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.9%
Couples, no children
1,707
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 18% of the local workforce (95 workers), followed by Construction at 12.9% (68 workers) and Agriculture at 9.1% (48 workers), a distribution typical of a service-dependent rural town where farming underpins the broader economy but directly employs fewer people than it once did. Education and Public Admin together account for another 16.5%, reflecting the institutional base that sustains smaller regional communities. The unemployment rate is very low at 2.6%, with 548 residents employed full-time and 327 part-time. However, the participation rate of 43.2% is well below national norms because 974 residents are not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the median age of 55 and the large retired cohort. Weekly personal income of $594 places households at the 18th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.6%
Part-time
34.8%
Participation
43.2%
Employed
875
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.3%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
6.0%
Dwellings
1,026
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 89.4% of residents commuting by car, which is expected for a town covering 161 square kilometres without urban public transport infrastructure. Walking and cycling account for 7.3%, a relatively healthy share for a rural area, likely reflecting the compact town centre. The crime rate is 55.5 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 69 of 134 total recorded crimes. A volunteering rate of 23.2% is notably high compared to metropolitan suburbs and reflects the community cohesion typical of rural towns. Rent-to-income at 16.6% means renters face no financial stress by national standards. No schools are recorded in the suburb dataset, so families rely on schools in nearby centres serving the Cohuna district.
Drive
89.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
134
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
55.5
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 Cohuna compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cohuna a good suburb to live in?
Cohuna suits buyers and retirees seeking affordability and low living costs. Household income sits at the 18th percentile nationally, but 56% of residents own their homes outright and rent-to-income is just 16.6%, well below stress levels. The trade-offs are limited public transport, high car dependency at 89.4%, and a vacancy rate of 9.9% that reflects modest rental demand.
What is the median house price in Cohuna?
The median house price is $340,000 as of April-June 2024, down 2.9% from the peak of $350,000 in late 2023. Monthly mortgage repayments average $997, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.7%, below the 30% stress threshold. Since 2013, prices have risen 144.6% from $139,000, a compound annual growth rate of 6.6% over 14 years.
What schools are in Cohuna?
No schools are recorded within the Cohuna suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the district typically rely on schools in the surrounding Cohuna area and nearby regional centres. The local university qualification rate is 17.3%, which is 12.8 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with a trades and agriculture-oriented community.
Is Cohuna safe?
Cohuna recorded 134 crimes in the most recent period, a rate of 55.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for the largest share at 69 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 23. Crimes against the person totalled 14. The volunteering rate of 23.2% indicates strong community participation, which is associated with lower social disadvantage.
Is Cohuna good for property investment?
The long-run price record is solid: a 144.6% gain since 2013, equal to 6.6% CAGR over 14 years, which is competitive against many regional markets. Weekly rent of $185 against a $340,000 median implies roughly 2.8% gross yield. The 9.9% vacancy rate is elevated and there were zero development applications in the past 12 months, pointing to a stable hold rather than a speculative opportunity.
How is Cohuna's population changing?
Cohuna has a population of 2,415 with a median age of 55, which is 15 years above the national figure. Resident stability is high, with 84.8% staying in place year on year and a turnover rate of just 15.2%. The aging demographic structure and lack of development activity suggest the population is unlikely to grow significantly in the near term.
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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