Echuca
Its 15,056 residents have a median age of 45, or 5.0 years above the national figure, while household income sits at the 33.9th percentile. Housing is strongly detached, with 86.4% of dwellings being separate houses, and 38.4% are owned outright. Compared with Moama's cross-border setting or Rochester's smaller-town feel, buyers may prefer Echuca when they want an established local base with primary, secondary and specialist schools. The 28.7% renter share, 9.2% vacancy rate and 79.1% residential retention point to a settled community, although the older age profile and modest 21.9% university share distinguish it from younger metropolitan markets.
Population
15,056
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,335/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
15
Median House
$600K
October to December 2025
Buyers are mainly choosing detached stock because 86.4% of homes are separate houses, compared with only 0.3% apartments and 12.5% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes account for 47.3% of stock and four-bedroom or larger homes 32.2%, supporting family and downsizer demand. The monthly mortgage estimate is $1,468, equal to 25.4% of income, with no mortgage stress flag. Compared with apartment-led markets, Echuca provides more land-oriented housing, but buyers should allow for car dependence and property-specific maintenance costs.
For Buyers
Buyers are mainly choosing detached stock because 86.4% of homes are separate houses, compared with only 0.3% apartments and 12.5% semi-detached dwellings. Three-bedroom homes account for 47.3% of stock and four-bedroom or larger homes 32.2%, supporting family and downsizer demand. The monthly mortgage estimate is $1,468, equal to 25.4% of income, with no mortgage stress flag. Compared with apartment-led markets, Echuca provides more land-oriented housing, but buyers should allow for car dependence and property-specific maintenance costs.
For Investors
Echuca has a meaningful tenant base, with 28.7% of households renting and weekly rent at $285. That renter share is below the 38.4% outright ownership rate, so tenant demand operates alongside a strong owner-occupier presence rather than dominating the market. The 9.2% vacancy rate provides a reason to use conservative leasing assumptions, because available stock can affect letting time and rent competition. Rent growth is 42.5%, but the current yield still depends heavily on the purchase price, insurance, repairs and vacancy allowance. There were 16 development records in the past 12 months, creating some future supply consideration without indicating a large construction pipeline. The established forecast identifies overseas migration as the primary growth driver and annual growth of 0.59%, so investors should prioritise durable tenant needs over rapid capital-growth assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
36
Last 12 Months
15
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 Echuca
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Echuca East Primary School
Echuca Primary School
Echuca Twin Rivers Primary School
St Mary's School
Echuca College
Demographics
Echuca has an older and more settled population profile than the national average. The median age is 45, which is 5.0 years above the national figure, while 21.9% of residents have a university qualification, 8.2 percentage points below the national comparison. Only 8.9% of residents were born overseas, 12.7 points below the national result, and average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national figure. English ancestry is recorded for 6,464 residents, followed by Irish at 1,805 and Scottish at 1,680. Christianity accounts for 7,223 people and no religion for 6,436. Residential stability is high, with 79.1% staying at the same address and turnover at 20.9%. This helps explain the sizeable couples-without-children share of 45.7%, compared with 35.1% for couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.4%
Houses
12.5%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Echuca's housing market has delivered long-term growth but has eased from its recent high. Tenure is split between 38.4% owned outright, 31.0% with a mortgage and 28.7% rented, indicating more outright ownership than mortgaged occupancy. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 86.4%, versus 12.5% semi-detached dwellings and 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 47.3%, while four-bedroom or larger homes account for 32.2%. Compared with denser housing markets, Echuca provides more detached choice, but that also means upkeep and land costs are more important to the buying decision.
Mortgage / mo
$1,468
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $285.
$470
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $520 · units $420
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$710
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.2%
Unoccupied
605
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.1%
Couples with children
45.7%
Couples, no children
17.9%
Single parent
4,052
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Echuca's largest industry, employing 1,008 people or 23.8% of the workforce, more than double retail's 7.3% share and 311 workers. Construction accounts for 11.6%, education 10.7% and manufacturing 9.1%, giving the local economy a practical mix of care, building, teaching and production roles. Occupations are similarly broad, led by professionals at 1,145, trades at 1,075, community and personal service workers at 984, labourers at 860 and managers at 851. Unemployment is 3.7%, participation is 56.9% and the full-time rate is 56.0%, alongside 2,466 part-time workers. Household income is $1,335 per week, at the 33.9th percentile. The combination of low unemployment and an IRSAD decile of 3 suggests that income levels and workforce composition matter more than joblessness alone, with relative disadvantage below higher-decile areas.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
7,127
Unemployed
265
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.0%
Part-time
35.9%
Participation
56.9%
Employed
6,862
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.9%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
8.9%
Dwellings
5,920
Transport to Work
Echuca has seven local schools spanning five government providers and two Catholic providers, with four primary campuses, two secondary schools and one specialist school. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can affect practical access. Daily mobility is strongly car-based: 78.2% travel as car drivers, compared with only 0.2% using public transport, while 5.4% walk or cycle and 9.8% work from home. That makes parking, road access and proximity to services more important than in transit-oriented suburbs. Safety requires active due diligence, with 2,404 recorded offences and a crime rate of 159.7 per 1,000; property and deception offences account for 1,331 and justice procedures offences 591. Echuca's IRSAD, IRSD and IEO scores are all in decile 3, with IER in decile 4, while volunteering reaches 15.3%. Compared with public transport access, car reliance is the clearest everyday trade-off.
Drive
78.2%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
5.4%
Work from Home
9.8%
Population Forecast
+0.59%/yr
(+91 people/yr)
EstablishedThe established forecast puts Echuca's annual growth rate at 0.59%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change over 10 years is 10.2%, while the trajectory is labelled Aging rather than young expansion. The shift is reflected in a 6.0 percentage point increase in the senior share, a 4.0 point decline in the young share and a 1.4 point fall in the working share. Affordability is labelled Stable, moving from 39.3 in 2011 to 40.0 in 2021, while rent growth is 42.5%. Gentrification is scored at 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, so compared with rapidly transforming inner markets, Echuca's change is more likely to come through gradual ageing, migration and service demand. Buyers should therefore assess future value through local amenity and rental fundamentals rather than assuming a sudden demographic reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+52
Net Internal / yr
-94
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,404
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
159.7
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 Echuca compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Echuca a good suburb to live in?
Echuca can suit households seeking detached housing, established schools and a slower-paced regional setting. The median age is 45 and 86.4% of homes are separate houses. The trade-offs are car dependence at 78.2%, public transport use of 0.2% and a crime rate of 159.7 per 1,000.
What schools are in Echuca?
Echuca has 7 local schools across government and Catholic sectors. The mix includes 4 primary schools, 2 secondary schools and 1 specialist school, with 5 government providers and 2 Catholic providers. Check the enrolment zone for the exact property, because school access can vary by address.
Is Echuca safe?
Safety should be checked at street level before buying or renting. Echuca recorded 2,404 offences and a crime rate of 159.7 per 1,000. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 1,331, followed by justice procedures offences at 591 and crimes against the person at 289.
Is Echuca good for property investment?
Echuca may suit investors seeking a lower entry price and established rental demand. Weekly rent is $285, 28.7% of households rent and vacancy is 9.2%. However, 16 development records were lodged in 12 months and annual forecast growth is 0.59%, so returns should be tested against vacancy, repairs and conservative capital-growth assumptions.
How is Echuca's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 10.2% over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.59% and overseas migration as the primary driver. Echuca's trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 6.0 percentage points while the young share has fallen 4.0 points. The forecast gentrification score is 0, labelled Not gentrifying.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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