Donald
A median house price of $280,000 and a population of 1,472 spread across 312 square kilometres tell the story of Donald: an affordable, low-density agricultural town in Victoria's Wimmera region where 52.1% of dwellings are owned outright, well above the national norm. Household income sits in just the 14.8th percentile nationally, reflecting the town's reliance on agriculture and healthcare rather than high-wage knowledge industries. The median resident age of 52 is 12 years above the national figure, making Donald one of Victoria's more age-skewed communities. A 13.4% dwelling vacancy rate and a crime rate of 91.7 incidents per 1,000 residents, driven heavily by drug offences, are the two sharpest signals for prospective buyers and investors to weigh.
Population
1,472
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,044/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$280K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $280,000 as of April-June 2024 sits dramatically below the Victorian state median, making Donald one of the more affordable entry points in the region. Monthly mortgage repayments average $815, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 93.6% of the stock, so buyers are almost always acquiring a detached home rather than competing for the rare apartment or semi-detached. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 56.6% of stock, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 21.4%, offering reasonable size for families. The 52.1% outright ownership rate is notably higher than the national average, suggesting a settled, long-standing resident base rather than a high-churn market.
For Buyers
The median house price of $280,000 as of April-June 2024 sits dramatically below the Victorian state median, making Donald one of the more affordable entry points in the region. Monthly mortgage repayments average $815, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 18.0%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 93.6% of the stock, so buyers are almost always acquiring a detached home rather than competing for the rare apartment or semi-detached. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 56.6% of stock, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 21.4%, offering reasonable size for families. The 52.1% outright ownership rate is notably higher than the national average, suggesting a settled, long-standing resident base rather than a high-churn market.
For Investors
Donald's 20.8% renter share and $180 weekly rent point to thin yield on any purchase near the $280,000 median, equating to a gross yield around 3.3%. The 13.4% vacancy rate is a key risk signal, sitting well above the standard 3% healthy-market threshold, which means rental demand is structurally weak relative to available stock. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, consistent with a static, low-growth market rather than a supply-driven compression story. Internal mobility is low, with 85.9% of residents having stayed in the same address compared to higher-turnover metro suburbs. The investment case depends on long-term capital growth: prices have doubled from $140,000 in 2013 to $280,000 in 2024, a 5.1% compound annual growth rate over 14 years, which compares favourably to cash but lags high-growth metro markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
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 Donald iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 28 students
Donald High School
7-12 · 93 students
Donald Primary School
Prep-6 · 81 students
Demographics
The median age of 52 is 12.0 years above the national figure, making Donald's age profile one of the most distinctive aspects of the community. Only 8.9% of residents were born overseas, which is 12.7 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the town's predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry: English (635), Irish (195) and Scottish (195) are the top three ancestries. University qualifications reach just 16.8%, which is 13.3 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with an economy anchored in agriculture, trades and healthcare rather than professional services. Average household size is 2.1, slightly below the national average of 2.5. About 36.5% of families are couples without children, reflecting the older age profile. The volunteering rate of 30.8% is high, suggesting strong community participation in a small regional town.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.6%
Houses
1.3%
Townhouse
4.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Donald's housing market is defined by affordable prices and high outright ownership. The $280,000 median has risen from a trough of $120,000 in 2014 and an earliest recorded price of $140,000 in 2013, doubling over 14 years at a 5.1% compound annual growth rate. Outright owners account for 52.1% of dwellings, far higher than the national norm, while mortgage holders are 27.1% and renters 20.8%. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 93.6%, with apartments at just 4.0% and semi-detached at 1.3%, typical of a regional Victorian town. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 56.6%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 21.4% and 2-bedroom at 17.7%. Rent-to-income sits at 17.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning rental costs are manageable for the local wage base despite low weekly rents of $180.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$815
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$604
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.4%
Unoccupied
94
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.5%
Couples, no children
1,005
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry in Donald at 20.1% of workers (63 people), followed closely by Agriculture at 19.2% (60 workers), then Education at 13.1% (41 workers), Hospitality at 8.0% (25 workers) and Construction at 6.7% (21 workers). This pattern is typical of a regional service town: a hospital or aged care facility anchors local employment alongside farm operations in the surrounding Wimmera district. Labourers (101) and Managers (98) are the two largest occupation groups, followed by Professionals (87), reflecting the mix of hands-on agricultural and trade work alongside farm management. The unemployment rate is 4.3%, close to the national average, but the labour force participation rate is only 44.6%, well below national norms, because a high proportion of the older population is not in the workforce. Household income in the 14.8th percentile nationally confirms the wage levels are well below typical Australian standards.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.3%
Part-time
32.4%
Participation
44.6%
Employed
528
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.8%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
8.9%
Dwellings
605
Transport to Work
Donald is a car-dependent community, with 81.7% of residents driving to work, consistent with its regional location 340 kilometres from Melbourne. Public transport data is not recorded, confirming limited service options. Walking or cycling accounts for 14.8% of commutes, reasonably high for a regional town where distances are short. No schools are recorded within Donald's boundary in the dataset, though the town itself has primary and secondary schools serving the broader district. The crime rate of 91.7 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated, driven primarily by drug offences (96 of 135 total incidents), which is notably higher than typical low-density regional communities. About 11.8% of residents (160 people) need daily assistance with core activities, above the national average, consistent with the older median age of 52. The volunteering rate of 30.8% is well above the national average, reflecting strong community engagement in a small regional setting.
Drive
81.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
14.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
135
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
91.7
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 Donald compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Donald a good suburb to live in?
Donald suits people who value affordability and community over urban amenity. The $280,000 median house price is well below the Victorian state median, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.0% is comfortable. The main drawbacks are a 13.4% vacancy rate, a crime rate of 91.7 per 1,000 residents driven by drug offences, and household income in just the 14.8th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Donald?
The median house price in Donald is $280,000 as of April-June 2024. Prices have risen from $140,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 5.1% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $815, and weekly rent is $180.
What schools are in Donald?
No schools are recorded inside Donald's suburb boundary in this dataset. The broader Donald district in the Buloke Shire does have primary and secondary schooling options serving the town's 1,472 residents, and 13.1% of local workers are employed in education, indicating educational services are present in the area.
Is Donald safe?
Donald recorded 135 criminal incidents at a rate of 91.7 per 1,000 residents, which is elevated compared to many regional Victorian towns. Drug offences account for 96 of those 135 incidents, making them the dominant category by far. Property and deception offences totalled 25 incidents, and crimes against the person were 8.
Is Donald good for property investment?
Donald offers a low entry price of $280,000 and a 5.1% compound annual growth rate over 14 years. However, the 13.4% vacancy rate is well above the healthy 3% threshold, weekly rent of $180 implies a gross yield around 3.3%, and 0 development applications in the past 12 months signals a static market. Investors should treat this as a long-hold, capital-growth play rather than a yield story.
How is Donald's population changing?
Donald's population is 1,472 across a 312.7 square kilometre area, giving a density of just 4.7 people per square kilometre. The median age of 52 is 12 years above the national figure, and 85.9% of residents have stayed in the same address, suggesting low new arrivals. The aging profile and high vacancy rate of 13.4% point to gradual population decline rather than growth.
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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