Marong
With a median age of 31, Marong's resident base skews 9 years younger than the national figure, an unusual combination with a $660,000 median house price and 97.8% detached housing stock. The suburb sits at the 74.6th percentile for household income nationally, yet only 11.4% of dwellings are rented, far below state and national averages. The dominant tenure profile, 64.6% on mortgages and 58.1% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms, signals a community of younger families who have committed to ownership across a 76 square kilometre catchment spanning regional Victoria's farming fringe north of Bendigo.
Population
2,005
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,989/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$660K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $660,000 median house price as of April-June 2024 reflects a 112.9% gain since 2013 when the median sat at $310,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% over 14 years. Prices peaked at $675,000 in January-March 2024, sitting 2.2% above the current level, which is a modest correction rather than a structural decline. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.1% is well below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers more headroom than in most metropolitan markets. The stock is almost entirely separate houses, at 97.8%, with 58.1% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, making Marong particularly suitable for families seeking larger floor plans compared to the inner-urban norm of 2-3 bedroom apartments.
For Buyers
The $660,000 median house price as of April-June 2024 reflects a 112.9% gain since 2013 when the median sat at $310,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% over 14 years. Prices peaked at $675,000 in January-March 2024, sitting 2.2% above the current level, which is a modest correction rather than a structural decline. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.1% is well below the 30% stress threshold, giving buyers more headroom than in most metropolitan markets. The stock is almost entirely separate houses, at 97.8%, with 58.1% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, making Marong particularly suitable for families seeking larger floor plans compared to the inner-urban norm of 2-3 bedroom apartments.
For Investors
The rental market in Marong is thin by design: only 11.4% of dwellings are rented, and weekly rents average $350. Against the $660,000 median, that implies a gross yield of roughly 2.8%, lower than regional Victoria benchmarks but consistent with an owner-occupier dominated suburb. The vacancy rate of 5.9% is elevated, indicating that the small rental pool has excess availability. Development activity is limited to 8 applications in the past 12 months, pointing to steady rather than speculative construction. The 73.2% residential stay rate indicates low turnover, meaning investor churn is infrequent. The investment case here rests on long-run capital growth, underpinned by the 5.5% CAGR since 2013, rather than rental income.
Development Activity
Total DAs
11
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
Schools in Marong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Marong Primary School
Prep-6 · 235 students
Demographics
Marong's population of 2,005 skews notably young, with a median age of 31, which is 9 years below the national median. Only 6.4% of residents were born overseas, a figure 15.2 percentage points below the national average, giving the suburb one of the more locally-born populations in Victoria. Ancestry follows a strongly Anglo-Celtic pattern, led by English (831), Irish (222) and Scottish (184). University qualifications reach 22.0% of residents, which is 8.1 points below the national rate, consistent with a trade and services workforce rather than a professional one. Average household size is 3.0, half a person above the national figure, because the suburb is structured around couples with children, who account for 1,048 of 1,781 families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.8%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Marong is almost entirely freestanding: 97.8% of dwellings are separate houses, well above the national proportion. The bedroom profile is skewed large, with 58.1% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and just 5.0% having only 2 bedrooms. Tenure is heavily weighted toward mortgage holders at 64.6%, while outright owners represent 24.0% and renters just 11.4%, a renter share significantly lower than national averages. The median house price has risen from $310,000 in 2013 to $660,000 in April-June 2024 across 15 quarters of data, with rent-to-income at 17.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress line. The combination of low renter share and large dwelling sizes points to a deeply owner-occupier suburb oriented toward family formation.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,560
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$900
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
41
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.2%
Couples, no children
1,781
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading employer in Marong at 21.1% of the workforce, with 140 residents working in the sector, followed by Construction at 14.0% (93 workers) and Education at 11.6% (77 workers). Manufacturing contributes 10.7% and Public Administration 8.1%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers are the largest group at 147, closely followed by Professionals at 140, Clerical and Administrative at 137, Managers at 130, and Labourers at 118, a broader spread than many commuter suburbs. The unemployment rate is 2.0%, well below the national average, and the full-time employment rate of 66.4% is solid. Weekly household income of $1,989 places Marong at the 74.6th percentile nationally, above the median despite the suburb's regional character.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.4%
Part-time
31.6%
Participation
67.7%
Employed
963
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.0%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
6.4%
Dwellings
649
Transport to Work
Car dependence is the defining transport characteristic: 93.1% of residents drive to work, with only 1.6% walking or cycling and public transport data not separately recorded, reflecting the suburb's rural-fringe geography across 76.1 square kilometres. Crime totals 74 incidents annually, a rate of 36.9 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 55 of those cases and only 6 crimes against persons. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, meaning families travel to nearby Bendigo for primary and secondary education. The volunteering rate of 15.3% and the low need-for-assistance figure of 3.9% (75 residents) indicate a relatively self-sufficient and engaged community. Mortgage and rent stress indicators are below threshold, with housing costs consuming 18.1% and 17.6% of income respectively.
Drive
93.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
74
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
36.9
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 Marong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Marong a good suburb to live in?
Marong suits families seeking large homes and low housing costs compared to metropolitan areas. Household income sits at the 74.6th percentile nationally, mortgage repayments average $1,560 a month (18.1% of income), and the crime rate is 36.9 per 1,000 residents. The trade-off is 93.1% car dependence and a 76 square kilometre area with no recorded schools inside the boundary.
What is the median house price in Marong?
The median house price is $660,000 as of April-June 2024. Prices have risen 112.9% since 2013 when the median was $310,000, a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,560, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Marong?
No schools are recorded inside the Marong suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in Marong's 2,005-person community typically travel to Bendigo for primary and secondary education. The local university qualification rate is 22.0%, which is 8.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the trade and services nature of the local workforce.
Is Marong safe?
Marong recorded 74 crime incidents in the latest year, a rate of 36.9 per 1,000 residents. The majority are property and deception offences (55 incidents), while crimes against the person total just 6. Drug offences account for 4 incidents. The low need-for-assistance rate of 3.9% (75 residents) is consistent with a relatively stable community.
Is Marong good for property investment?
Marong offers long-run capital growth rather than strong yields. The median house price grew 112.9% from $310,000 in 2013 to $660,000 in 2024, a 5.5% annual compound rate. However, weekly rents average $350 and only 11.4% of dwellings are rented, giving a gross yield near 2.8% and a vacancy rate of 5.9%, so the market is better suited to owner-occupiers than landlords.
How is Marong's population changing?
Marong's current population is 2,005, with a median age of 31, which is 9 years below the national median. The suburb has a stay rate of 73.2%, meaning most residents remain year to year. The household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above the national figure, reflecting the prevalence of family households with children, which points to stable rather than declining population.
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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