Mansfield
At 269.74 square kilometres with just 20.5 residents per square kilometre, Mansfield is one of Victoria's largest and least dense profiled localities, a rural alpine-gateway town rather than a commuter pocket. The median age of 47 runs 7.0 years above the national figure, the clearest signal of an aging resident base. Detached houses make up 93.0% of dwellings and apartments only 0.4%, so the market is almost entirely standalone homes. Household income sits in the 35th percentile nationally, below the median, yet the population has grown 29.1% over the past decade, an unusual pairing of modest incomes with strong inward demand from internal migration.
Population
5,541
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,356/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$740K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $740,000 is the headline buyers should read in context: it has fallen 17.8% from the $900,000 peak in late 2023, while still sitting 103.3% above the 2013 level of $364,000, a 5.2% compound annual rate over 14 years. Buyers face an almost pure detached-house market, with separate houses at 93.0% and apartments at just 0.4%, so there is little entry-level stock. Larger family homes dominate: 44.8% have three bedrooms and 36.6% have four or more, versus only 16.4% two-bedroom. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,603 keep the mortgage-to-income ratio at 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, which is why no mortgage stress flag is triggered despite incomes in the 35th percentile.
For Buyers
The median house price of $740,000 is the headline buyers should read in context: it has fallen 17.8% from the $900,000 peak in late 2023, while still sitting 103.3% above the 2013 level of $364,000, a 5.2% compound annual rate over 14 years. Buyers face an almost pure detached-house market, with separate houses at 93.0% and apartments at just 0.4%, so there is little entry-level stock. Larger family homes dominate: 44.8% have three bedrooms and 36.6% have four or more, versus only 16.4% two-bedroom. Average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,603 keep the mortgage-to-income ratio at 27.3%, below the 30% stress threshold, which is why no mortgage stress flag is triggered despite incomes in the 35th percentile.
For Investors
Investors should weigh a thin rental market against strong population momentum. Only 22.3% of dwellings are rented while 45.1% are owned outright, the lowest renter share you would expect in a town where owner-occupiers and retirees dominate. Weekly rent of $331 against the $740,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.3%, low and reflecting the holiday and lifestyle nature of the stock rather than a yield play. The reported 15.0% vacancy rate is high and consistent with seasonal or second homes sitting empty between uses. Demand support comes from internal migration, the primary driver at a net 147 residents a year versus 73 from overseas, and 23 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, including a 31-lot subdivision, pointing to gradual new supply.
Development Activity
Total DAs
77
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+47.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mansfield iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mansfield Rudolf Steiner School
Prep-12 · 219 students
Mansfield Primary School
Prep-6 · 508 students
Mansfield Secondary College
7-12 · 481 students
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 134 students
Demographics
Mansfield skews older and more Australian-born than the nation. The median age of 47 is 7.0 years above national, and the senior share has risen 7.0 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.4 points, a clear aging trajectory. Only 11.3% of residents were born overseas, 10.3 points below national, and university qualifications reach 23.6%, 6.5 points lower than the national figure. Ancestry is heavily Anglo, led by English (2,387), Irish (853) and Scottish (760), with German (15) and Mandarin (11) the only notable non-English languages spoken. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national average, and couples without children make up 36.5% of the 4,051 families, consistent with the older, settled profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.0%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans firmly toward outright ownership: 45.1% own their home outright, 32.6% carry a mortgage and only 22.3% rent, a structure that points to long-held, debt-free local wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 93.0% separate houses with apartments at 0.4%, and family-sized homes prevail, with 44.8% three-bedroom and 36.6% four or more bedrooms. The median house price of $740,000 has retreated 17.8% from its $900,000 peak yet remains 103.3% above the 2013 figure. Both housing-cost ratios stay below stress thresholds, with mortgage-to-income at 27.3% and rent-to-income at 24.4%, lower than many metropolitan markets, because purchase prices have eased while local incomes, though in the 35th percentile, still cover repayments comfortably.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,603
Rent / wk
$331
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$758
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.0%
Unoccupied
381
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.5%
Couples, no children
4,051
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce reflects a rural service-town economy rather than a knowledge hub. Construction leads at 14.9% (259 workers), followed by Healthcare at 14.2% (247) and Education at 12.7% (220), with Retail at 8.5% and Hospitality at 8.1%, the latter tied to the town's tourism role. By occupation, Managers (424) narrowly outnumber Professionals (417), with Community and Personal Service workers (322) prominent, fitting the care and hospitality mix. Unemployment is very low at 1.8%, well below national, though the participation rate of 53.5% is depressed because the aging profile leaves 1,634 residents not in the labour force. SEIFA places Mansfield mid-range: IRSAD decile 5, IRSD decile 6, IEO decile 5 and IER decile 6, all near the national midpoint with no extreme advantage or disadvantage.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
5,696
Unemployed
158
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.9%
Part-time
40.3%
Participation
53.5%
Employed
2,386
Occupations
Top Industries
University
23.6%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
11.3%
Dwellings
2,154
Transport to Work
Mansfield is a car-dependent rural town: 83.8% of residents drive to work and only 0.6% use public transport, with 9.7% walking or cycling, reflecting the dispersed 269.74 square kilometre footprint. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on town and district institutions rather than a single catchment. The crime rate of 55.4 per 1,000 residents covers 307 recorded offences, led by property and deception (120) and justice procedures (108), a profile weighted toward property rather than violent crime. SEIFA sits mid-range at IRSAD decile 5 and IRSD decile 6, neither notably advantaged nor disadvantaged, and a strong volunteering rate of 23.2% signals an engaged community typical of smaller regional towns.
Drive
83.8%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
9.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.88%/yr
(+213 people/yr)
EstablishedMansfield is classified as an established locality yet growing faster than that label suggests. Annual population growth runs at 1.88%, about 213 residents a year, and the population has climbed 29.1% over the past decade. Internal migration is the primary engine, adding a net 147 residents annually against 73 from overseas, a lifestyle-migration pattern away from cities. Medium forecasts project continued expansion through 2031. The gentrification stage reads Active, with real incomes up 18.3% over the decade and rents up 68.4%, though affordability has worsened from 38.3% in 2011 to 44.3% in 2021. The combination of inward migration and rising rents against modest incomes explains why affordability is deteriorating even as prices have eased from their peak.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+73
Net Internal / yr
+147
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +38% since 2011, Net internal migration +147/yr, Accelerating: 9% → 27%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
307
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
55.4
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 Mansfield compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mansfield a good suburb to live in?
Mansfield suits buyers wanting a rural alpine-gateway lifestyle. Household income sits in the 35th percentile nationally and SEIFA scores are mid-range at IRSAD decile 5, neither advantaged nor disadvantaged. Strengths include a low 1.8% unemployment rate and a 23.2% volunteering rate, with the trade-off of heavy car dependence at 83.8% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Mansfield?
The median house price is $740,000, down 17.8% from the $900,000 peak in late 2023 but still 103.3% above the 2013 level of $364,000, a 5.2% compound annual growth rate over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $331 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,603.
What schools are in Mansfield?
No schools are recorded inside the Mansfield boundary in this dataset, so families rely on town and district schools nearby. The local population is less university-qualified than average at 23.6%, which is 6.5 points below the national figure, reflecting a rural service-town profile.
Is Mansfield safe?
Mansfield recorded 307 offences for a crime rate of 55.4 per 1,000 residents. The mix is weighted toward property and deception offences (120) and justice procedures (108), with crimes against the person lower at 50, a profile more about property than violence, typical of a regional town.
Is Mansfield good for property investment?
Rent of $331 a week against a $740,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.3%, low, and the 15.0% vacancy rate signals many seasonal or second homes sit empty. Demand is supported by net internal migration of 147 residents a year, so the case rests on lifestyle-driven capital growth more than rental yield.
How is Mansfield's population changing?
Population growth runs at 1.88% a year, about 213 residents, and has risen 29.1% over the past decade. Internal migration is the primary driver, adding a net 147 residents annually versus 73 from overseas. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 7.0 points and the working-age share down 3.4 points.
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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