Daylesford
A $910,000 median house price combined with household income at the 23.8th percentile nationally makes Daylesford one of Victoria's most unusual markets: expensive yet income-modest. The median age of 55 is 15 years above the national figure, and the 31.4% vacancy rate signals a large holiday and second-home component in the 37.97 km2 footprint. University qualifications reach 37.3%, which is 7.2 points above national, and the population has grown 18.6% over the decade, showing that demand for the area has been consistent despite the affordability tension.
Population
2,781
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,185/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$910K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $910,000 median house price is at the peak reached in Apr-Jun 2024, up from $385,000 in 2013, a 136.4% gain over 14 years at a 6.3% compound annual rate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,532, yet household income sits at only the 23.8th percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.9%. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 89.4% are separate houses, with semi-detached at 9.7% and apartments at just 0.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.6% and four-plus 16.6%, so family-sized homes dominate. Outright owners at 47.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 25.3%, consistent with an older, wealth-holding resident base rather than recent first-home buyers.
For Buyers
The $910,000 median house price is at the peak reached in Apr-Jun 2024, up from $385,000 in 2013, a 136.4% gain over 14 years at a 6.3% compound annual rate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,532, yet household income sits at only the 23.8th percentile nationally, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.9%. The stock is overwhelmingly detached: 89.4% are separate houses, with semi-detached at 9.7% and apartments at just 0.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 47.6% and four-plus 16.6%, so family-sized homes dominate. Outright owners at 47.7% outnumber mortgage holders at 25.3%, consistent with an older, wealth-holding resident base rather than recent first-home buyers.
For Investors
Rental demand is thin relative to the price level. Weekly rent of $331 against a $910,000 median implies a gross yield around 1.9%, low by regional Victoria standards. The 31.4% vacancy rate is exceptionally high and reflects the holiday and second-home character of the market rather than structural tenant shortage. The renter share is 27%, well below state norms. Rent grew 50% over the measurement period, outpacing income growth of 24%, which narrows affordability for long-term tenants. Net internal migration averages 90 residents a year and overseas migration adds 53 more, providing a population base that has grown 18.6% over 10 years and supports the medium forecast of reaching 10,971 residents by 2031, up from 10,342 today.
Development Activity
Total DAs
24
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+120.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Daylesford iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Daylesford Dharma School
Prep-6 · 21 students
St Michael's School
Prep-6 · 86 students
Daylesford Primary School
Prep-6 · 192 students
Daylesford Secondary College
7-12 · 417 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 sits 15 years above the national figure, and the trajectory reinforces this: the senior share rose 9.6 points and the working-age share fell 5.0 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents represent 20.5%, which is 1.1 points below the national rate. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,196), Irish (491) and Scottish (452). Average household size of 1.9 is 0.6 below national, consistent with the 45.5% of families who are couples without children. Volunteering reaches 22.4%, above typical community rates, and 7.9% of residents need some daily assistance, reflecting the aging profile. The participation rate of 46.5% is low, because 1,034 residents are not in the labour force.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.4%
Houses
9.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tells the key story: 47.7% of dwellings are owned outright, the highest tier, compared with just 25.3% mortgaged and 27% renting. Outright ownership nearly double that of mortgage holders points to long-held properties accumulated by an older cohort rather than active turnover. The stock is 89.4% separate houses, among the highest detached shares in regional Victoria, with semi-detached at 9.7% and apartments under 0.4%. The median house price has grown from $385,000 in 2013 to $910,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 136.4% total gain. Rent-to-income sits at 27.9%, just under the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 29.9% is similarly near the line, indicating affordability pressure at current prices against local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,532
Rent / wk
$331
HH Size
1.9
Personal Income / wk
$715
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
31.4%
Unoccupied
578
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.5%
Couples, no children
1,764
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 18.9% (155 workers), followed by Hospitality at 17.0% (140), reflecting the spa-town and tourism economy. Professional and Technical services contribute 9.2% and Education 8.6%, adding a knowledge-economy layer. By occupation, Professionals (266) and Managers (197) are the top two groups, yet the SEIFA IEO decile is 7, above average nationally, while IRSD and IRSAD both score decile 6, reflecting moderate relative advantage. The anomaly is that household income sits at the 23.8th percentile despite higher educational attainment: many residents are likely self-employed, semi-retired or employed part-time in hospitality and wellness. The full-time employment rate of 50.5% and part-time at 542 workers nearly matching full-time at 554 confirm this flexible work structure.
Unemployment
2.2%
Labour Force
5,271
Unemployed
116
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.5%
Part-time
45.1%
Participation
46.5%
Employed
1,096
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.3%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
20.5%
Dwellings
1,262
Transport to Work
Active transport is strong for a regional town: 13.4% of residents walk or cycle to work, reflecting the compact town centre, while 79.1% drive. The suburb scores decile 7 on IEO (education and occupation advantage), above the national median, and decile 6 on IRSAD, indicating moderate overall advantage. The crime rate of 81.3 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated compared with many Victorian suburbs, with property and deception offences the largest category at 127 cases. No schools are recorded inside the Daylesford boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring localities. Volunteering at 22.4% is a positive community indicator, and rent-to-income at 27.9% keeps tenants below the 30% stress threshold despite the limited rental stock.
Drive
79.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
13.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.1%/yr
(+114 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has grown 18.6% over the 10-year period, above many comparable regional Victorian towns, driven by a balanced migration mix of 90 net internal arrivals and 53 net overseas arrivals per year. The current SA2 population of 10,342 is forecast to reach 10,971 by 2031 under the medium scenario, an annual growth rate of 1.1% or roughly 114 persons per year. The gentrification score is 33 with an early-signs classification, supported by population growth of over 20% since 2011 and accelerating internal migration. The young adult share fell 3.4 points while the senior share rose 9.6 points, so growth is demographic aging rather than new-family influx. Rent grew 50% over the period compared with real income growth of 24%, compressing affordability for renters.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+53
Net Internal / yr
+90
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +20% since 2011, Net internal migration +90/yr, Accelerating: 6% → 13%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
226
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
81.3
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 Daylesford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Daylesford a good suburb to live in?
Daylesford scores decile 7 on the IEO index, above the national median for education and occupational advantage, and 37.3% of residents hold university qualifications, 7.2 points above the national rate. The median age of 55 and the 22.4% volunteering rate reflect a settled, community-oriented population. The main trade-offs are a $910,000 median house price against incomes at the 23.8th percentile nationally, and a crime rate of 81.3 per 1,000.
What is the median house price in Daylesford?
The median house price is $910,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, up from $385,000 in 2013, a 136.4% gain over 14 years at a 6.3% CAGR. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,532 and weekly rent averages $331. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 29.9%, near the 30% stress threshold given that household income sits at the 23.8th percentile nationally.
What schools are in Daylesford?
No schools are recorded inside the Daylesford boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring localities. Locally, 37.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 7.2 points above the national figure, suggesting a well-educated resident base that likely values access to quality schooling in nearby areas.
Is Daylesford safe?
Daylesford recorded 226 total incidents in the most recent period, giving a crime rate of 81.3 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 127 cases, followed by crimes against the person at 51. This rate is higher than many comparable Victorian towns and is worth factoring into a decision to live or invest here.
Is Daylesford good for property investment?
The $910,000 median house price against weekly rent of $331 implies a gross yield near 1.9%, low for regional Victoria. The 31.4% vacancy rate is exceptionally high due to the holiday home character of the market. Capital growth has been strong at a 6.3% CAGR over 14 years from $385,000, and population is forecast to grow to 10,971 by 2031. Returns here depend heavily on capital appreciation rather than rental yield.
How is Daylesford's population changing?
The SA2 population reached 10,342 in 2025, up 18.6% over 10 years, and is forecast to grow to 10,971 by 2031 at 1.1% annually. Net internal migration averages 90 residents per year and overseas migration adds 53 more. The trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 9.6 points and the working-age share fell 5.0 points over the decade, with a median age of 55 that is 15 years above the national figure.
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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