Daylesford
Daylesford’s most striking feature is its 31.4% vacancy rate alongside a population of 2,781, suggesting a substantial holiday-home and short-stay presence. The resident base is older than average, with a median age of 55, while 89.4% of dwellings are separate houses. Compared with nearby Hepburn Springs, buyers weighing Daylesford should focus on year-round services, turnover and the role of visitor demand. The suburb’s 37.97 square kilometres and density of 73.2 people per square kilometre support a low-density, town-and-hinterland setting.
Local council: Hepburn
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
14
Median House
$792K
October to December 2025
Daylesford suits buyers seeking detached housing, smaller household settings and a lifestyle market, but the entry cost is high. Separate houses account for 89.4% of stock, with 47.6% three-bedroom and 16.6% four-bedroom-plus homes, so choice leans toward established houses rather than apartments. Mortgage payments are listed at $1,532 monthly, with mortgage-to-income at 29.9%, below the reported stress threshold. Compared with nearby Hepburn Springs, inspect insurance, maintenance and resale depth as closely as the house itself.
For Buyers
Daylesford suits buyers seeking detached housing, smaller household settings and a lifestyle market, but the entry cost is high. Separate houses account for 89.4% of stock, with 47.6% three-bedroom and 16.6% four-bedroom-plus homes, so choice leans toward established houses rather than apartments. Mortgage payments are listed at $1,532 monthly, with mortgage-to-income at 29.9%, below the reported stress threshold. Compared with nearby Hepburn Springs, inspect insurance, maintenance and resale depth as closely as the house itself.
For Investors
Daylesford presents a mixed investment case. That vacancy can reflect visitor accommodation and second homes, meaning rental income may be less dependable than the headline rent suggests. The suburb has 26.2% renting and 13 development matters recorded over 12 months, including subdivision activity, which is active enough to monitor but not a large construction pipeline. Rents have grown 50.0% across the longer shift period, yet the recent price is 17.4% below the 2025 peak. Compared with a lower-priced regional market, investors should prioritise verified long-term tenancy demand, planning constraints and operating costs over tourism assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
14
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 Daylesford
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Daylesford Dharma School
Daylesford Primary School
St Michael's School
Daylesford Secondary College
Demographics
Daylesford has an older, smaller-household profile: median age is 55, which is 15 years above the national figure, and average household size is 1.9, or 0.6 below the national benchmark. Couples without children make up 57.0% of families, while couples with children account for 24.1%; this helps explain demand for smaller homes, downsizer stock and services rather than a strongly family-growth pattern. University attainment is 37.3%, 7.2 percentage points above the national comparison, supporting a sizeable professional cohort. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are the largest recorded groups at 1,196, 491 and 452 people. No religion is the largest religious response at 1,447, compared with 884 identifying with Christianity. Overseas-born residents account for 20.5%, 1.1 points below the national share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.4%
Houses
9.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Daylesford’s housing market is detached and ownership-heavy, but recent prices have eased from their high. Outright owners represent 46.3% of households, mortgage holders 24.6% and renters 26.2%, while 89.4% of dwellings are separate houses. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 47.6%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 28.8%. Compared with apartment-oriented inner markets, Daylesford has far less apartment stock at 0.3%, so buyers should expect land, upkeep and heating costs to matter more than body-corporate fees.
Mortgage / mo
$1,532
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$331
Census 2021
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
24.1%
Couples with children
57.0%
Couples, no children
18.1%
Single parent
714
Total families
Economy & Employment
Daylesford’s economy is anchored by care, visitor activity and public-facing services. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.9% and 155 workers, followed by hospitality at 17.0% and 140, while professional and technology work contributes 9.2% and education 8.6%. Public administration adds 8.5%, giving the town a broader base than tourism alone. Employment conditions are relatively firm, with 1,221 people in the labour force, 4.1% unemployment and a 49.6% participation rate, although 1,034 people are outside the labour force. Professionals number 266, managers 197 and trades workers 175, compared with 122 labourers. SEIFA places education and occupation in decile 7, above the income decile 6 and IRSAD decile 6, indicating stronger skills than broad economic resources. Household income sits at the 23.8 percentile nationally, below average.
Unemployment
4.1%
Labour Force
1,221
Unemployed
50
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
47.3%
Part-time
46.3%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
1,171
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.3%
Postgraduate
10.6%
Born Overseas
20.5%
Dwellings
1,262
Transport to Work
Daylesford is best suited to residents comfortable with a car-oriented regional town and a mature population. Car driving accounts for 54.0% of travel to work, while 9.1% walked or cycled and 31.8% worked from home, so flexible work is a meaningful local advantage but daily mobility still leans toward private vehicles. Four nearby schools cover government, Catholic and independent sectors across primary and secondary years, giving families a basic local choice; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety requires context: 226 recorded offences equate to 81.3 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 127, ahead of crimes against the person at 51. SEIFA IRSAD is decile 6, above the middle of the scale, while need for assistance is 7.9%. Compared with denser urban suburbs, the 37.97 square kilometre area and density of 73.2 provide more space but fewer transport alternatives.
Drive
54.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
9.1%
Work from Home
31.8%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than explosive. The annual trend is 1.1%, and population change across the wider area is 18.6% over 10 years, with migration labelled Balanced rather than driven by one dominant stream. Daylesford is also on an Aging trajectory: the senior share has risen 9.6 percentage points, while the working-age share has fallen 5.0 points and the young share 3.4 points. The gentrification score is 33, at the Early signs stage, while the shift score is 48, marked Active, so the signals are mixed rather than uniformly advanced. Real incomes rose 24.0% and rent growth reached 50.0%, but affordability stayed broadly Stable, moving from 47.7% in 2011 to 46.9% in 2021. Compared with a high-growth fringe, this points to measured demand shaped by aging, lifestyle appeal and balanced migration.
Population trend: Hepburn council area
Daylesford sits in the Hepburn council area. These are the council area's residents, not Daylesford'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
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?
It can suit buyers who value a small-town setting, detached housing and access to local schools. The median age is 55, 89.4% of homes are separate houses and 31.8% of workers work from home. Compared with denser suburbs, car dependence and a density of 73.2 people per square kilometre are important lifestyle trade-offs.
What schools are in Daylesford?
Four schools serve Daylesford across primary and secondary years, with government, Catholic and independent options represented. The local mix includes 3 primary schools and 1 secondary college, so families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and year-level availability before buying or renting.
Is Daylesford safe?
Safety varies by offence type and time, so inspect the exact street and recent local conditions. Daylesford recorded 226 offences, or 81.3 per 1,000 residents, including 127 property and deception offences and 51 crimes against the person. Property offences were therefore the largest recorded category.
How is Daylesford's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 18.6% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.1% and migration described as Balanced. Daylesford itself has an aging trajectory: the senior share rose 9.6 percentage points while the young share fell 3.4 points. This points to gradual growth with an older resident profile.
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).
Explore Daylesford on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map