Leongatha
Two facts define this South Gippsland town: a $520,000 median house price that sits well below most of metropolitan Victoria, and a median age of 45, which is 5.0 years above the national figure. The two are linked, because an aging, established resident base of 5,869 turns over slowly at 19.5% and 45.6% own their homes outright, so little stock reaches the market. Housing is 94.8% separate houses on a 41.38 km2 footprint at just 141.8 people per km2. Household income ranks in the 23.7th percentile nationally, and the crime rate of 132.9 per 1,000 runs high for a town this size, driven by 373 property and deception offences.
Population
5,869
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,183/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Median House
$520K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $520,000 median, Leongatha is far cheaper than metropolitan Melbourne, and the entry point has actually fallen 13.2% from the $598,800 peak in early 2024. That said, the longer arc is up: prices rose 73.3% from $300,000 in 2013, a 4.0% compound annual rate over 14 years. Stock heavily favours families, with separate houses at 94.8% and three or four-plus bedroom homes making up 80.2% of dwellings, while apartments are just 1.3%. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,430 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here carry less repayment strain than in higher-priced markets despite local household incomes sitting in the 23.7th percentile.
For Buyers
At a $520,000 median, Leongatha is far cheaper than metropolitan Melbourne, and the entry point has actually fallen 13.2% from the $598,800 peak in early 2024. That said, the longer arc is up: prices rose 73.3% from $300,000 in 2013, a 4.0% compound annual rate over 14 years. Stock heavily favours families, with separate houses at 94.8% and three or four-plus bedroom homes making up 80.2% of dwellings, while apartments are just 1.3%. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,430 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here carry less repayment strain than in higher-priced markets despite local household incomes sitting in the 23.7th percentile.
For Investors
Renters make up 23.4% of households, a smaller tenant pool than city markets, and weekly rent of $270 against the $520,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.7%, modest but stronger than premium metro suburbs. Rent has grown 28.6% over the measured period, which supports income returns more than the slow capital story. The 8.4% vacancy rate is on the higher side and points to thin rental demand, a caution for investors. Demand drivers are balanced rather than strong, with net internal migration of 54 a year and net overseas migration of 40, and only 26 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply stays low and competition for tenants is limited rather than fierce.
Development Activity
Total DAs
50
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Leongatha iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Laurence O'Toole School
Prep-6 · 180 students
Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College
7-12 · 544 students
Leongatha Primary School
Prep-6 · 582 students
Leongatha Secondary College
7-12 · 607 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 runs 5.0 years above national, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 7.1 points while the working-age share fell 3.8 points over the decade. The town is far less multicultural than the country as a whole, with 11.6% born overseas, which is 10.0 points below national, and ancestry skews Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,657), Scottish (738) and Irish (730). University qualifications reach 23.1%, which is 7.0 points below the national figure, consistent with a regional workforce weighted toward trades and care roles. Average household size is 2.3, marginally below national, and couples without children account for 32.2% of families, a share that fits the older age profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
2.9%
Townhouse
1.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily to outright ownership at 45.6%, well above the share carrying a mortgage (30.9%) or renting (23.4%), a pattern typical of an established town where long-term residents have paid down debt. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 94.8% separate houses, with apartments at only 1.3%, and three-bedroom homes lead at 50.7% ahead of four-plus at 29.5%. The median house price of $520,000 sits 13.2% below the early-2024 peak of $598,800 but 73.3% above the 2013 level of $300,000. With household income in the 23.7th percentile, the price-to-income picture is eased by low repayments: mortgage-to-income runs 27.9% and rent-to-income 22.8%, both below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,430
Rent / wk
$270
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$641
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
222
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.2%
Couples, no children
4,442
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment leans on care and building trades: Healthcare leads at 21.3% (324 workers), Education follows at 13.7% (209) and Construction at 12.9% (196), with Manufacturing at 6.6%. By occupation, Professionals (427) top the list ahead of Community and Personal Service workers (317) and Labourers (317), reflecting the town's role as a regional service hub rather than a commuter base. Unemployment is low at 2.9%, though the participation rate of 49.6% is held down by 2,001 residents not in the labour force, a direct result of the older age profile. SEIFA scores are mid-pack: IRSAD sits at decile 4 and IEO at decile 4, while IER reaches decile 6, the higher reading reflecting the large base of debt-free outright owners.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
5,953
Unemployed
151
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.8%
Part-time
39.3%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
2,307
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.1%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
11.6%
Dwellings
2,421
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent regional town: 85.8% drive to work and public transport use is negligible at 0.2%, well below city levels, while 7.9% walk or cycle. The headline livability concern is safety, with a crime rate of 132.9 per 1,000, high for a town of this scale, and 780 recorded offences led by 373 property and deception crimes and 224 justice procedure matters. On the social side, volunteering runs at 21.4%, above what many metro areas record, and 8.2% of residents (459 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the median age of 45. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families draw on institutions across the wider South Gippsland area.
Drive
85.8%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.65%/yr
(+76 people/yr)
EstablishedLeongatha is an established, slow-growth town: the broader area grew 9.2% over 10 years and the forecast trend adds about 0.65% a year, roughly 76 people annually. Medium projections lift the population from 11,840 in 2026 to 12,219 by 2031, steady rather than rapid. Growth is balanced across sources, with net internal migration of 54 a year and net overseas migration of 40, so neither dominates. The gentrification score of 22 places it at early signs only, and the aging trajectory is clear, with the senior share up 7.1 points and the young share down 1.8 points over the decade. Affordability has held stable at 40.4% in 2021 against 40.9% in 2011.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+40
Net Internal / yr
+54
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal migration +54/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
780
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
132.9
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 Leongatha compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Leongatha a good suburb to live in?
Leongatha suits buyers who value space and affordability, with a $520,000 median house price well below metro Victoria and 94.8% detached houses. SEIFA sits mid-pack at decile 4 on IRSAD. The main trade-off is a crime rate of 132.9 per 1,000, high for a regional town of 5,869 residents.
What is the median house price in Leongatha?
The median house price is $520,000 as of the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, down 13.2% from the $598,800 peak in early 2024 but up 73.3% from $300,000 in 2013. That works out to a 4.0% compound annual growth rate over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $270.
What schools are in Leongatha?
No schools are recorded inside the Leongatha boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools across the wider South Gippsland area. University qualifications among adults sit at 23.1%, which is 7.0 points below the national figure, reflecting a regional, trade-weighted workforce.
Is Leongatha safe?
Leongatha records a crime rate of 132.9 per 1,000 residents, high for a town its size, with 780 total offences. The largest category is property and deception at 373 offences, followed by justice procedures at 224 and crimes against the person at 133, so property security is the main concern.
Is Leongatha good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $270 against a $520,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.7%, stronger than premium metro suburbs but modest overall. Rent grew 28.6% over the period, yet the 8.4% vacancy rate signals thin demand, and only 26 development applications were lodged in 12 months.
How is Leongatha's population changing?
The wider area grew 9.2% over 10 years, and the forecast trend adds about 0.65% a year, lifting the population from 11,840 in 2026 toward 12,219 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.1 points and the working-age share down 3.8 points over the decade.
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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