Milton
A 55-year median age and a 51.7% outright ownership rate give Milton a settled profile, while its 10.6% vacancy rate suggests meaningful intermittent occupancy. The 1,801 residents are spread across 16.48 square kilometres at 109.3 people per square kilometre. Milton's age profile sits 15.0 years above the national comparison, while household income ranks at the 33.1 percentile, below a mid-market benchmark. Inland from Mollymook and Ulladulla, it has a more detached, low-density setting than the coastal strip. Forecast growth is 1.89% annually and is driven by overseas migration, but the trajectory is Aging rather than gentrifying.
Local council: Shoalhaven
Population
1,801
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,325/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
53
Homebuyers are looking at a detached market: 90.2% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 4.5% semi-detached homes. Larger households are supported by 39.8% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 38.3% having 3 bedrooms. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,733 a month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.2%, with mortgage stress flagged. Outright ownership at 51.7% is higher than the 28.1% mortgaged share, which points to an established owner base rather than a heavily leveraged market. A 55 median age may suit buyers seeking a quieter setting, but affordability should be tested against a household income percentile of 33.1.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are looking at a detached market: 90.2% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 4.5% semi-detached homes. Larger households are supported by 39.8% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms and 38.3% having 3 bedrooms. The typical mortgage repayment is $1,733 a month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 30.2%, with mortgage stress flagged. Outright ownership at 51.7% is higher than the 28.1% mortgaged share, which points to an established owner base rather than a heavily leveraged market. A 55 median age may suit buyers seeking a quieter setting, but affordability should be tested against a household income percentile of 33.1.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed rental picture. Weekly rent is $383 and rent absorbs 28.9% of income, below the 30.2% mortgage burden, while the 10.6% vacancy rate is high for a market where 16.7% of households rent. That vacancy level can reflect seasonal or non-permanent occupancy, so leasing assumptions should be conservative. Rent growth of 16.7% is higher than real income growth of 2.6%. Fifty-five development applications in 12 months add activity, but a gentrification score of 17 and Not gentrifying stage temper the upside. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the Aging trajectory makes tenant mix important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
284
Last 12 Months
53
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Milton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Milton's median age is 55, or 15.0 years above the national comparison, making the age profile materially older than the broader benchmark. Overseas-born residents account for 14.2%, 7.4 percentage points below the national comparison, while university attainment is 29.4%, 0.7 points below the national figure. Average household size is 2.4 people, 0.1 below the national comparison, consistent with 52.4% of families being couples without children and 34.4% couples with children. English ancestry is recorded for 792 residents, followed by Irish at 241 and Scottish at 225. Christianity counts 863 people versus 775 reporting no religion. The 77.0% who stayed at the same address reinforces a more settled profile than a highly transient suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
4.5%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Milton's housing stock is strongly detached, with 90.2% separate houses against 2.4% apartments and 4.5% semi-detached dwellings. That form suits established owner households: 51.7% own outright, 28.1% are paying a mortgage and 16.7% rent. The outright share is higher than the mortgaged share, while the 10.6% vacancy rate is high for a suburb with a relatively small rental base. Bedroom supply is weighted to family-sized homes, with 39.8% offering 4 or more bedrooms and 38.3% offering 3. The $383 weekly rent sits alongside a $1,733 monthly mortgage, so buyers should compare holding costs with the household income percentile of 33.1. Compared with coastal Mollymook and Ulladulla, Milton's low-density form is the clearer housing distinction.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$383
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$602
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
79
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.2% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.4%
Couples with children
52.4%
Couples, no children
11.0%
Single parent
483
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare accounts for 16.6% of industry activity and 81 workers, followed by Construction at 13.8% and 67, Professional/Tech at 11.9% and 58, Education at 11.5% and 56, and Public Administration at 9.7% and 47. This mix gives Milton a service and essential-work base, with construction adding a practical trades link. Professionals are the largest occupation at 167 people, higher than Managers at 109 and Trades at 105. The labour force is 699, unemployment is 2.6% or 18 people, and participation is 45.7%, while 726 are not in the labour force. The low participation rate is consistent with a median age of 55, and household income at the 33.1 percentile is below a middle-income benchmark.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
699
Unemployed
18
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
44.9%
Part-time
46.7%
Participation
45.7%
Employed
681
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.4%
Postgraduate
7.6%
Born Overseas
14.2%
Dwellings
665
Transport to Work
Milton supports a car-led lifestyle: 64.5% of residents drive to work, compared with 9.6% who walk or cycle, while 20.9% work from home. That pattern suits a spread-out 16.48 square kilometre suburb, but daily errands and regional trips are likely to require more planning than in a compact centre. Two local government schools provide a primary option and a Schools for Specific Purposes setting, with enrolment zones best checked against the exact address. The 109.3 people per square kilometre density is lower than a dense urban benchmark, reinforcing the quieter layout. Volunteering is 20.0%, and 11.5% of residents need assistance, making community services and accessible housing relevant.
Drive
64.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
9.6%
Work from Home
20.9%
Growth Outlook
Milton's forecast trend is 1.89% annual growth, with overseas migration named as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 43.3% over 10 years, while the local trajectory is Aging. Senior share is rising 4.0 percentage points, a larger movement than the 3.2 point fall in young share, so demand is likely to become more age-sensitive because the resident base is getting older. Affordability is labelled Improving, moving from 37.9% in 2011 to 35.1% in 2021. Gentrification remains Not gentrifying, with a score of 17, so growth looks more migration-led and established than upgrade-led.
Population trend: Shoalhaven council area
Milton sits in the Shoalhaven council area. These are the council area's residents, not Milton's.
Residents 2025
111,755
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Milton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Milton a good suburb to live in?
Milton can suit buyers who value a quieter, established setting: the median age is 55, 51.7% own outright and 90.2% of homes are separate houses. Car use is high at 64.5%, while 20.9% work from home, so lifestyle fit depends on transport needs.
What is the median house price in Milton?
A current median should be checked against recent settled sales and a local valuation, because Milton's stock spans 90.2% separate houses, 39.8% 4 or more bedroom homes and only 2.4% apartments. Those property differences can make a single suburb figure less representative.
What schools are in Milton?
Milton has 2 local government schools: Milton Public School, a primary school, and Budawang School, a Schools for Specific Purposes setting. Check the enrolment zone for the exact address, since catchments can affect access and nearby options.
Is Milton safe?
Check current NSW Police crime information and the exact street before deciding, as conditions can vary within a community of 1,801 residents. Milton's density is 109.3 people per square kilometre and its vacancy rate is 10.6%, so street activity may differ between occupied and intermittently used properties.
Is Milton good for property investment?
Milton may suit a selective investor rather than a high-growth speculator. Weekly rent is $383, rent growth is 16.7% and 55 development applications were recorded in 12 months, but vacancy is 10.6% and the forecast gentrification stage is Not gentrifying. Test leasing demand and holding costs carefully.
How is Milton's population changing?
Milton has 1,801 residents today, while population change across the wider area is 43.3% over 10 years and annual growth is 1.89%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 4.0 points and young share is down 3.2 points.
What development is occurring in Milton?
Development activity is material, with 55 applications in the past 12 months. Examples include complying development certificates for a dwelling house, alterations or additions, and residential accommodation, including one application for 1 dwelling. The pattern points to incremental change rather than a large estate rollout.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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