Morwell
A population of 14,389 gives Morwell the scale of a regional service suburb, but its profile is older and less affluent than the national pattern: the median age is 43, or 3 years above national, while household income sits at the 10.2nd percentile. That combination supports an affordable, established market, although an 11.0% unemployment rate tempers demand. Compared with nearby Traralgon, Morwell is more suited to buyers prioritising established detached housing and lower entry cost than premium amenity. Trade-offs include car dependence, a crime rate of 334.1 per 1,000, and an IRSAD score in decile 1.
Population
14,389
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$942/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$392K
October to December 2025
Three-bedroom homes account for 54.0%, so the stock aligns with families and downsizers who want manageable land rather than apartment living. A typical mortgage payment is listed at $953 per month, while mortgage costs equal 23.4% of household income compared with rent-to-income at 22.8%. Affordability is supported by 38.4% outright ownership, but the 25.8% mortgage share shows a sizeable owner-occupier base. Nearby Traralgon is a useful comparison when inspecting value, but Morwell's detached mix suits budget-led searches.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom homes account for 54.0%, so the stock aligns with families and downsizers who want manageable land rather than apartment living. A typical mortgage payment is listed at $953 per month, while mortgage costs equal 23.4% of household income compared with rent-to-income at 22.8%. Affordability is supported by 38.4% outright ownership, but the 25.8% mortgage share shows a sizeable owner-occupier base. Nearby Traralgon is a useful comparison when inspecting value, but Morwell's detached mix suits budget-led searches.
For Investors
Morwell's investor case is built on low purchase cost and a large renter base, not scarcity. Vacancy is 10.0%, higher than a tightly supplied market, because the established housing stock is substantial and tenant demand may be uneven. Rent growth of 43.3% improves the income story, but investors should allow for leasing downtime and property-specific maintenance. Development activity reached 35 applications in 12 months, including subdivision and utility works, which may broaden future supply rather than support immediate rent pressure. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, while the 0.16% annual trend is slow compared with high-growth markets. Detached housing at 86.0% favours family rentals, but the 54.0% three-bedroom share makes street and condition selection important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
71
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+57.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Morwell
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Morwell Central Primary School
Morwell Park Primary School
Sacred Heart School
Kurnai College
Demographics
Morwell has an older, lower-tertiary-attainment profile than the national average. Median age is 43, 3.0 years above national, while the university-qualified share is 12.8%, 17.3 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents account for 18.2%, also 3.4 points below national, and average household size is 2.2 people, 0.3 below national. English ancestry is recorded for 5,217 residents, followed by Scottish at 1,328 and Irish at 1,156; no religion is the largest stated affiliation at 6,368, ahead of Christianity at 5,588. Household structure helps explain demand for established homes: 41.0% of couples have no children, while one-parent families represent 25.9% of families. Compared with nearby Traralgon, Morwell's profile points more clearly to an aging, settled population, with 81.4% staying at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.0%
Houses
6.3%
Townhouse
7.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Morwell's housing is predominantly detached and owner-occupied, which keeps the suburb oriented to conventional family houses rather than apartments. Separate houses make up 86.0% of dwellings, apartments 7.3%, and semi-detached homes 6.3%. Ownership is split between 38.4% outright, 25.8% with a mortgage and 34.9% renting, so renters remain a substantial part of the market. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 54.0%, while 4-plus-bedroom stock is 19.1%. A 10.0% vacancy rate is high for a rental investor, but it can give tenants more choice than in a tightly held market. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, Morwell's separate-house share is the defining feature.
Mortgage / mo
$953
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $215.
$380
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $400 · units $320
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$522
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.0%
Unoccupied
647
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.9%
Couples with children
41.0%
Couples, no children
25.9%
Single parent
3,500
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors Morwell's employment base at 22.7% and 591 workers, well ahead of Education at 9.4% and 244. Public administration contributes 9.2% and 239, followed by Construction at 8.6% and 223, and Retail at 7.6% and 198. This mix provides essential-service jobs because the suburb functions as a regional service centre, but it also leaves households exposed to public-sector and local-demand cycles. The unemployment rate is 11.0% across a labour-force participation rate of 44.4%, while full-time employment is 51.7%, pointing to a weaker labour-market position than the national norm. Labourers count 732 and trades 708, ahead of professionals at 535, reinforcing a practical occupational profile. IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD all sit in decile 1, the lowest national decile, because disadvantage compounds employment and income constraints.
Unemployment
11.0%
Labour Force
5,276
Unemployed
580
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.7%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
44.4%
Employed
4,696
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.8%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
18.2%
Dwellings
5,810
Transport to Work
Morwell is most practical for households with a car. A total of 78.4% drive to work, compared with 1.4% using public transport, while 10.2% work from home. Local education access includes four schools: three government campuses and one Catholic school, with three primary options and one secondary college. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cross suburb edges. Safety requires active due diligence: the crime rate is 334.1 per 1,000, with property and deception offences at 1,781, higher than drug offences at 320. The suburb's IRSAD decile is 1, the lowest national decile, and need for assistance is 12.4%, so service access matters. Compared with a walkable inner suburb, Morwell's 44.79 square kilometres and density of 321.2 people per square kilometre create a more spread-out daily pattern.
Drive
78.4%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.1%
Work from Home
10.2%
Population Forecast
+0.16%/yr
(+23 people/yr)
EstablishedMorwell's growth outlook is steady rather than rapid. The annual trend is 0.16%, while population change across the wider area is 3.0% over 10 years, a slower profile than fast-growth markets. The primary migration driver is overseas migration. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 3.6 percentage points while the young share has fallen 1.2 points. That matters because a more settled age profile can support healthcare and local services while limiting demand for fast household formation. Affordability is worsening, moving from 38.4% in 2011 to 41.1% in 2021, even though real income growth reached 8.7%. Gentrification is currently labelled Not gentrifying with a score of 0, although the shift profile is tagged Early signs at 25 points, suggesting any uplift is modest rather than established. Thirty-five development applications in 12 months add activity, but do not change the slow-growth trajectory.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+50
Net Internal / yr
-16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
4,808
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
334.1
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 Morwell compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Morwell?
Morwell has 4 listed schools: Sacred Heart School, Kurnai College, Morwell Central Primary School and Morwell Park Primary School. The mix is 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school, covering 3 primary settings and 1 secondary college, so check the exact enrolment zone before buying.
Is Morwell safe?
Safety is a material consideration: Morwell recorded 4,808 offences, equal to 334.1 offences per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences numbered 1,781, compared with 800 crimes against the person and 320 drug offences. Review the exact street and recent local conditions.
How is Morwell's population changing?
Morwell's population is 14,389 today, and the wider area's ten-year change is 3.0%. The forecast trend is 0.16% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 3.6 points and young share down 1.2, so growth is slow and age-shifting rather than rapid.
What development is planned in Morwell?
Thirty-five development applications were recorded in 12 months, including a multi-lot subdivision, transport access works and a proposed data-centre utility installation. These projects may improve land-use flexibility and activity, but application counts do not guarantee completion, so check approvals, timing and address-specific impacts.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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