Flora Hill
With 51.2% of households renting, Flora Hill is one of Bendigo's most renter-dominant suburbs, a profile that follows from its proximity to La Trobe University and a median house price of $525,000 sitting well below the national median. The suburb sits at SEIFA IRSD decile 5 nationally, placing it at the midpoint for relative disadvantage. The median age is 32, eight years below the national figure, reflecting the strong student and young adult population. Income at the household level lands at the 34.6th percentile nationally, below the majority of Australian suburbs, yet mortgage and rent stress indicators both show households are managing within their means.
Population
3,989
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,347/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$525K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $525,000 median house price is accessible relative to most capital city markets, and the price history shows a 69.4% gain from $310,000 in 2013 at a 3.8% CAGR over 14 years. From the peak of $565,000 in April to June 2023, prices have retreated 7.1% to $525,000 in the most recent quarter. Separate houses dominate the stock at 81.4%, with semi-detached homes at 17.5% and apartments at just 1.1%, so buyers have good access to freestanding dwellings. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 53.1%, followed by 2-bedroom at 25.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting entry-level purchasing remains manageable compared to many urban markets.
For Buyers
The $525,000 median house price is accessible relative to most capital city markets, and the price history shows a 69.4% gain from $310,000 in 2013 at a 3.8% CAGR over 14 years. From the peak of $565,000 in April to June 2023, prices have retreated 7.1% to $525,000 in the most recent quarter. Separate houses dominate the stock at 81.4%, with semi-detached homes at 17.5% and apartments at just 1.1%, so buyers have good access to freestanding dwellings. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 53.1%, followed by 2-bedroom at 25.6%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting entry-level purchasing remains manageable compared to many urban markets.
For Investors
A 51.2% renter share gives Flora Hill one of the higher rental occupancy rates in regional Victoria, well above the national owner-occupier majority. Weekly rent is $290 and the vacancy rate of 10.3% is elevated, signalling that supply currently exceeds demand and limiting upward rent pressure. Development activity is modest at 10 applications in the past 12 months. Rent grew 26.1% over the past decade, ahead of real income growth of 21.6%. The student and young professional tenant base is tied to La Trobe University Bendigo, making occupancy partly dependent on enrolment trends.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+900.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 32 is 8 years below the national figure, making Flora Hill considerably younger than the Australian average. University qualifications reach 35.9% of residents, 5.8 percentage points above the national rate, consistent with the suburb's university adjacency. By contrast, overseas-born residents are at 12.5%, which is 9.1 points below the national figure, reflecting the suburb's predominantly local student and Anglo-Celtic resident base. English ancestry leads at 1,619 residents, followed by Irish (601) and Scottish (449). Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national average by 0.2, in line with the high share of single-person and couple households typical near universities. Volunteering participation runs at 17.3%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.4%
Houses
17.5%
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Flora Hill's tenure structure is strongly renter-oriented: 51.2% rent, 25.2% carry a mortgage and 23.6% own outright. The outright ownership figure at 23.6% is lower than many comparable suburbs, reflecting the younger age profile and the prevalence of investment properties held by landlords. Separate houses account for 81.4% of the dwelling stock, which is high for a suburb with such a large rental population, indicating that investors tend to hold detached homes here rather than apartments. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 53.1%. Price history shows the median moved from $310,000 in 2013 to $525,000 in mid-2024, a 69.4% gain. The rent-to-income ratio sits at 21.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning renters in aggregate are not under severe financial pressure.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$290
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$705
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.3%
Unoccupied
182
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.9%
Couples, no children
2,563
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant local industry at 26.7% of workers (366 people), more than double the second-ranked Education sector at 13.1% (179 people). Construction follows at 8.9% and Retail at 8.4%, with Public Administration at 8.2%. By occupation, Professionals are the largest group at 507 workers, followed by Community and Personal Service at 333 and Sales at 227. The unemployment rate is 6.9%, above the national average, which is partly structural given the student population. Full-time employment among the workforce runs at 55.2%. SEIFA scores show a contrast: the IEO (education and occupation) decile of 7 reflects the university-educated workforce, while the IER (economic resources) decile of 2 reflects the lower household wealth typical of renter-heavy, student-adjacent areas.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
5,180
Unemployed
193
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.2%
Part-time
37.9%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
1,848
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.9%
Postgraduate
8.3%
Born Overseas
12.5%
Dwellings
1,575
Transport to Work
Car use dominates transport at 86.1% of commuters, above the national average, reflecting Bendigo's regional city layout where public transport covers 2.2% of trips. Walking and cycling account for 5.1% of journeys, which is above typical regional city rates. The crime rate of 83.2 incidents per 1,000 residents is notable, with property and deception offences as the top category at 164 incidents. The IRSAD decile of 5 places Flora Hill at the national midpoint for advantage and disadvantage. Rent-to-income at 21.5% keeps housing costs manageable for renters. Need for assistance affects 7.5% (281 people), somewhat above average for a suburb of this age profile, and the SEIFA IER decile of 2 flags below-average economic resources relative to other Australian suburbs. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
5.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.17%/yr
(+16 people/yr)
EstablishedFlora Hill's population of 3,989 is part of an SA2 unit tracking around 9,534 residents in 2025, up just 2.7% over the past 10 years. Annual growth is 0.17%, adding roughly 16 persons per year, compared to much faster growth in Bendigo's outer greenfield suburbs. The suburb is classified as established with an aging trajectory: the senior share rose 3.7 points and the working-age share gained 2.4 points over the decade, while the young adult share edged down 0.4 points. Overseas migration of 68 per year and internal outflows of 66 nearly cancel out, leaving natural increase as the marginal driver. Gentrification shows early signs with a score of 26 from the data brief's shift indicators, including affordability improving from 44.7% in 2011 to 37.7% in 2021. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching 9,639 by 2031.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+68
Net Internal / yr
-66
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
332
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
83.2
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 Flora Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Flora Hill a good suburb to live in?
Flora Hill suits young adults, students and renters well, with a median age of 32 (8 years below national) and 35.9% holding university qualifications. The IRSAD decile of 5 places it at the national midpoint. The main trade-offs are a crime rate of 83.2 per 1,000 residents and limited public transport at 2.2% of commuter trips.
What is the median house price in Flora Hill?
The median house price is $525,000 as of April to June 2024, down 7.1% from the peak of $565,000 in 2023. Prices have risen 69.4% from $310,000 in 2013, a 3.8% annual growth rate over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $290 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300.
What schools are in Flora Hill?
No schools are recorded within the Flora Hill suburb boundary in this dataset. La Trobe University's Bendigo campus is located in Flora Hill, which explains the suburb's high university qualification rate of 35.9% and the large student rental population of 51.2% of households.
Is Flora Hill safe?
Flora Hill recorded 332 crimes in the reference period, giving a rate of 83.2 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 164 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 78 and crimes against the person at 54. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national midpoint for relative disadvantage.
Is Flora Hill good for property investment?
The 51.2% renter share provides a deep tenant pool, but the 10.3% vacancy rate signals current oversupply. Weekly rent of $290 against a $525,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%. Rent grew 26.1% over the past decade and the suburb sits adjacent to La Trobe University Bendigo, supporting long-term rental demand. Population growth is slow at 0.17% annually.
How is Flora Hill's population changing?
Flora Hill's SA2 population was 9,534 in 2025, up 2.7% over 10 years. Annual growth is 0.17% per year, or about 16 people. Overseas migration adds 68 residents annually while internal migration removes 66, nearly cancelling out. Medium forecasts project the area reaching 9,639 residents by 2031.
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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