Longwarry
At 34 years, Longwarry's median age sits 6 years below the national figure, making it one of the younger communities in outer Gippsland. The suburb spans 49 km2 with a population of 2,436 and a density of just 49.6 people per km2, which is low even by regional Victorian standards. The workforce skews toward hands-on trades: Healthcare (16%) and Construction (16%) each account for roughly equal shares, with over 90% of commuters relying on private vehicles.
Local council: Baw Baw (82% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
2,436
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,464/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
9
Median House
$628K
October to December 2025
Mortgage repayments average $1,473 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers retain reasonable financial headroom. Separate houses dominate at 90.2% of the stock, which is higher than the national average, and 38.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, supporting growing families.
For Buyers
Mortgage repayments average $1,473 per month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2% sits below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers retain reasonable financial headroom. Separate houses dominate at 90.2% of the stock, which is higher than the national average, and 38.9% of dwellings have four or more bedrooms, supporting growing families.
For Investors
Longwarry's rental market reflects its regional character: weekly rent runs at $330, lower than Melbourne suburban averages, and the vacancy rate sits at 7.8%, which is elevated compared to tighter metro markets. The renter share of 20.9% is below the national average, signalling that most households prefer ownership. Development activity is measured, with 4 applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a 36-lot subdivision that points to incremental land supply rather than a speculative surge.
Development Activity
Total DAs
24
Last 12 Months
9
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+350.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Longwarry
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Longwarry Primary School
Demographics
Longwarry's median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, driven by a concentration of couples with children: 833 family households include children versus 468 couples without. The overseas-born share of 11.5% sits 10.1 percentage points below the national average, and English-ancestry residents (991 people) account for the largest ancestry group, followed by Irish (254) and Scottish (218). University qualifications reach only 14.5% of residents, which is 15.6 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the trade-heavy occupational profile. Average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national average, reflecting the family-oriented composition.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
5.9%
Townhouse
3.5%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure mix favours owner-occupiers heavily: 52.2% hold a mortgage and 26.9% own outright, while renters account for just 20.9%, which is below the national renter share. Separate houses make up 90.2% of dwellings, apartments only 3.5%, so buyers and renters have limited choice outside the detached market. The four-plus bedroom category at 38.9% is large compared to most suburban areas, reflecting the family demographic and relatively affordable block sizes at this density.
Mortgage / mo
$1,473
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$330
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$733
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.8%
Unoccupied
74
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.8%
Couples with children
35.0%
Couples, no children
18.8%
Single parent
642
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare and Construction each employ roughly 16% of the local workforce, followed by Education at 12.1% and Manufacturing at 8.4%. By occupation, Labourers (157 workers) lead, with Community and Personal Service (134), Clerical and Admin (127), Professionals (125) and Managers (124) close behind, indicating a distributed occupational spread rather than a single dominant skill cluster. Household income sits at the 45th percentile nationally, indicating a below-average but not severely disadvantaged community. Full-time employment accounts for 64.6% of employed residents and the unemployment rate is 5.4%, slightly above state and national benchmarks. SEIFA scores are not available for this suburb in the dataset.
Unemployment
4.9%
Labour Force
1,165
Unemployed
57
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.3%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
62.2%
Employed
1,108
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.5%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
11.5%
Dwellings
867
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 91.6% of residents drive to work and only 2% use public transport, compared to significantly higher public transport rates in metropolitan Melbourne. Crime totals 227 incidents, giving a rate of 93.2 per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences account for the largest share at 85 incidents. The housing stress indicators are positive: mortgage-to-income at 23.2% and rent-to-income at 22.5% both fall below the 30% stress threshold, meaning most households are not under financial pressure from housing costs. Volunteering runs at 14.5%, suggesting reasonable community engagement.
Drive
77.6%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
15.3%
Growth Outlook
Active subdivision activity, including a 36-lot application lodged in February 2026 and a 26-lot staged permit certified in late 2025, signals that land supply is expanding in response to demand from the Pakenham growth corridor. The suburb's workforce participation rate of 56.5% is below national averages, which partly reflects younger households with one parent out of the labour force while raising children rather than structural unemployment. Population density of 49.6 per km2 leaves significant room for infill before the suburb approaches regional urban norms.
Population trend: Baw Baw council area
About 82% of Longwarry sits in Baw Baw; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Longwarry's.
Residents 2025
62,784
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.6%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
227
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
93.2
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 Longwarry compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Longwarry a good suburb to live in?
Longwarry suits families and trades workers who prioritise affordability and space over urban amenity. The trade-offs are high car dependence at 91.6% and limited public transport options with only 2% of commuters using transit.
What schools are in Longwarry?
Families in this suburb typically access primary and secondary schools in nearby Pakenham and Drouin, both within reasonable driving distance given that 91.6% of residents commute by car. University qualifications among local adults sit at 14.5%.
Is Longwarry safe?
Longwarry recorded 227 crime incidents in the reference period, giving a rate of 93.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for the largest share at 85 incidents, followed by justice procedures offences at 68 and crimes against the person at 37. This rate is higher than low-crime suburban benchmarks and worth factoring into location decisions.
Is Longwarry good for property investment?
The renter share of 20.9% is below the national average, limiting the tenant pool. Recent subdivision activity including a 36-lot application signals future land supply, which may cap short-term capital gains.
How is Longwarry's population changing?
Longwarry's current population of 2,436 is spread across 49 km2, giving a density of 49.6 per km2 with room for growth. Active subdivision permits including staged lots in 2025 and 2026 point to incremental residential expansion. The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national average, suggesting a younger community still in household formation rather than contraction.
What industries employ people in Longwarry?
Healthcare leads at 16% of local workers (103 people), matched closely by Construction at 15.9% (102 people). Education employs 12.1% (78 workers) and Manufacturing 8.4% (54 workers). By occupation, Labourers are the largest group at 157 workers, which is higher than the national occupational profile, consistent with the suburb's trade-focused workforce.
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).
Explore Longwarry on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map