Inverleigh
A population of 1,746 spread across 210 square kilometres defines the scale of Inverleigh, one of the most sparsely settled localities in Victoria's Geelong hinterland at just 8.3 people per km2. What stands out is the income profile: household income sits at the 82.2nd percentile nationally, well above average for a rural area of this density. The workforce skews toward construction, healthcare and agriculture, and 89.8% of residents stayed in the same address between census periods, a stability rate higher than most urban suburbs. With 99.5% separate houses and 50.5% of dwellings carrying 4 or more bedrooms, the housing stock is almost entirely large detached homes rather than the medium-density mix typical of growth corridors.
Population
1,746
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,160/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
No recent median sale price is recorded in the brief for Inverleigh, which reflects the thin transaction volume of a small rural locality with only 1,746 residents. The tenure data gives clearer signals: 58.7% of homes carry a mortgage and 35.2% are owned outright, while only 6.2% are rented, far lower than the state average. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is almost exclusively large detached homes, with 50.5% offering 4 or more bedrooms and 43.0% offering 3 bedrooms. Buyers get space, but the trade-off is near-total car dependency at 91.1%, with limited public transport compared to metropolitan areas.
For Buyers
No recent median sale price is recorded in the brief for Inverleigh, which reflects the thin transaction volume of a small rural locality with only 1,746 residents. The tenure data gives clearer signals: 58.7% of homes carry a mortgage and 35.2% are owned outright, while only 6.2% are rented, far lower than the state average. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Stock is almost exclusively large detached homes, with 50.5% offering 4 or more bedrooms and 43.0% offering 3 bedrooms. Buyers get space, but the trade-off is near-total car dependency at 91.1%, with limited public transport compared to metropolitan areas.
For Investors
Inverleigh presents a low-yield rental story typical of owner-occupier-dominated rural localities. With only 6.2% of dwellings rented and weekly rent at $300, the tenant pool is thin, and a vacancy rate of 5.3% means roughly 1 in 19 rentable properties sits empty. Two planning permit applications in the past 12 months, both subdivision proposals, point to land supply rather than dwelling construction as the current development activity. Household income at the 82.2nd national percentile supports local purchasing power, but the lack of median price data and the low renter share mean investors are operating with limited comparable evidence. The attraction is land in a high-income rural area rather than rental yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
6
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Inverleigh iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Inverleigh Primary School
Prep-6 · 194 students
Demographics
Inverleigh has a median age of 38, which is 2.0 years below the national figure, signalling a relatively young profile for a rural locality of this density. Overseas-born residents make up just 9.2% of the population, which is 12.4 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born community. Ancestry concentrates heavily in English (717), Scottish (233) and Irish (206) heritage, consistent with colonial-era pastoral settlement. University qualifications reach 29.6%, roughly in line with national rates. Average household size is 3.0, compared to the national figure of 2.5, driven by the high share of couples with children (824 families versus 376 couples without children).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.5%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
0.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is nearly uniform: 99.5% separate houses, and 0.5% apartments, with semi-detached dwellings effectively absent. Dwelling size tilts large, with 50.5% at 4 or more bedrooms and 43.0% at 3 bedrooms, reflecting the rural property character of the area. Tenure splits 35.2% owned outright and 58.7% under mortgage, with renting at just 6.2%, lower than the Victorian state average by a substantial margin. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,950 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.8%, well below stress levels. Rent at $300 per week is modest, and rent-to-income at 13.9% means tenants face no rental stress. Vacancy sits at 5.3%, a moderate level for such a small rental market.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$852
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
31
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
24.0%
Couples, no children
1,564
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local employment at 14.2% (97 workers), followed by Healthcare at 13.5% (92), Education at 12.9% (88) and Agriculture at 10.4% (71). This mix is unusual: most rural localities show agriculture as the clear top sector, but Inverleigh's workforce is more diversified into services, likely reflecting commuters drawing wages from Geelong or the Golden Plains service economy. Unemployment is 2.2%, well below the national rate, and the participation rate reaches 65.4%. Full-time employment accounts for 60.5% of those working. Managers (158) and Professionals (196) are the two largest occupation groups, consistent with the household income sitting at the 82.2nd national percentile. Volunteering at 23.4% indicates strong community participation relative to comparable localities.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.5%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
65.4%
Employed
841
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.6%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
9.2%
Dwellings
558
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 91.1% of residents driving to work, and public transport use is not recorded, consistent with the rural character of the area. Walking and cycling account for 4.6% of commutes, modest but not negligible for a low-density locality. Crime is low: 26 total incidents recorded, at a rate of 14.9 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 15 incidents. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families commute to nearby centres, a common trade-off in localities of this scale. Just 4.5% of residents (75 people) need daily assistance, and the volunteering rate of 23.4% exceeds that of many comparable rural communities. Rent stress at 13.9% and mortgage stress at 20.8% are both below the thresholds that signal financial hardship.
Drive
91.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
26
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
14.9
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 Inverleigh compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Inverleigh a good suburb to live in?
Inverleigh suits buyers who prioritise space, stability and a rural setting within reach of Geelong. Household income sits at the 82.2nd national percentile, mortgage-to-income is 20.8%, and 89.8% of residents stay from census to census. The trade-off is high car dependency at 91.1% and no recorded schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Inverleigh?
No median house price is recorded in current data for Inverleigh, reflecting the thin transaction volume of a locality with only 1,746 residents. As an indicator, monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.8%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent is $300.
What schools are in Inverleigh?
No schools are recorded within the Inverleigh suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area typically travel to nearby towns for schooling. The local population has a university qualification rate of 29.6%, broadly in line with national figures.
Is Inverleigh safe?
Crime is low in Inverleigh, with just 26 incidents recorded at a rate of 14.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 15 of those, while crimes against the person total only 4 incidents. The small population and high residential stability (89.8% staying put) are consistent with a low-crime environment.
Is Inverleigh good for property investment?
Inverleigh is an owner-occupier-dominated market with only 6.2% renting and a vacancy rate of 5.3%, limiting the rental investor case. Weekly rent of $300 is modest, and there is no recent median price to calculate yield. Household income at the 82.2nd national percentile and low mortgage stress support underlying demand, making land subdivision the primary active development play rather than rental yield.
How is Inverleigh's population changing?
No population growth forecast is recorded for Inverleigh in current data. Structural signals point to stability: 89.8% of residents stayed at the same address between census periods and turnover is just 10.2%, both lower than most urban and peri-urban markets. Two subdivision applications in the past 12 months suggest incremental land supply growth.
What industries employ people in Inverleigh?
Construction is the largest employing sector at 14.2% of workers (97 people), followed by Healthcare at 13.5% (92), Education at 12.9% (88) and Agriculture at 10.4% (71). The dominance of construction, healthcare and education over agriculture is unusual for a rural area and suggests significant commuter employment in Geelong and the wider Golden Plains region.
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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