Mount Macedon
High household resources, sparse housing and an older resident base define Mount Macedon more than rapid expansion. Its population is 1,450 across 34.02 sq km, with a median age of 48, which is 8.0 years above the national comparison. Separate houses account for 99.2% of dwellings, while household income sits at the 94.3rd percentile. The 43.4% work-from-home share helps explain why a low-density setting can support professional and managerial households. Compared with nearby Macedon and Woodend, it is the setting to investigate when a buyer prioritises acreage and detached housing. Its 0.3% annual growth trend points to a steadier market than a new-release corridor.
Local council: Macedon Ranges
Population
1,450
Median Age
48.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,647/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$1.4M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Mount Macedon suits buyers prioritising large detached homes, privacy and established neighbourhood character, but entry cost is high. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 46.1% of the stock and separate houses represent 99.2%, so apartment-style choice is effectively limited. Mortgage costs equal 22.7% of household income, with no mortgage-stress flag, while outright ownership is 43.9% and mortgaged ownership 45.5%. Prices are 11.2% below the 2021 peak but 117.5% above 2013, making value more dependent on land and amenity than short-term discounting. Compared with nearby Macedon and Woodend, buyers should budget for a premium detached-home proposition and verify road, bushfire and maintenance requirements.
For Buyers
Mount Macedon suits buyers prioritising large detached homes, privacy and established neighbourhood character, but entry cost is high. Four-bedroom-plus homes make up 46.1% of the stock and separate houses represent 99.2%, so apartment-style choice is effectively limited. Mortgage costs equal 22.7% of household income, with no mortgage-stress flag, while outright ownership is 43.9% and mortgaged ownership 45.5%. Prices are 11.2% below the 2021 peak but 117.5% above 2013, making value more dependent on land and amenity than short-term discounting. Compared with nearby Macedon and Woodend, buyers should budget for a premium detached-home proposition and verify road, bushfire and maintenance requirements.
For Investors
Investment fundamentals are mixed rather than purely yield-led. Vacancy is 15.2%, higher than tightly occupied markets, which can lengthen letting periods despite the suburb's low 2.5% unemployment rate. There was 1 development application in the last 12 months, reducing the immediate supply pipeline, but the 0.3% annual growth trend and Balanced migration outlook point to gradual rather than speculative demand. Rent growth of 24.5% supports the income case, yet the high vacancy rate means investors should stress-test seasonal or intermittent occupancy and maintenance costs before relying on headline rent.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Macedon
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Mount Macedon Primary School
Demographics
Mount Macedon has an older, highly educated and relatively settled population. Median age is 48, or 8.0 years above the national comparison, while 47.9% of residents hold university qualifications, 17.8 percentage points higher than the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 18.8%, 2.8 points below the national comparison, so the profile is more Anglo-leaning than migrant-led. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 614, 265 and 196, while 785 people report no religion and 489 Christianity. Household size averages 2.6, only 0.1 above national, with 48.7% of families being couples without children and 44.4% couples with children. Mobility is low: 86.1% stayed at the same address, supporting an established community profile. Compared with nearby Macedon and Woodend as alternative centres, the strongest local signals are the older age profile and high university share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.2%
Houses
0.8%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Mount Macedon's housing stock is unusually concentrated in detached, larger homes. Separate houses account for 99.2%, semi-detached dwellings 0.8%, and 4-bedroom-plus homes 46.1%, compared with only 2.5% of 0-1 bedroom dwellings and 9.2% of two-bedroom homes. Tenure is balanced between 43.9% outright ownership and 45.5% mortgages, while renting is just 7.0%, below either owner category. A 15.2% vacancy rate matters because it can weaken the link between advertised rents and everyday local demand. Comparisons with nearby Macedon and Woodend should therefore account for different housing mixes rather than price alone.
Mortgage / mo
$2,604
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
$1,075
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.2%
Unoccupied
92
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.4%
Couples with children
48.7%
Couples, no children
6.1%
Single parent
423
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mount Macedon combines high household resources with a professional employment base. Household income is $2,647 a week at the 94.3rd percentile, personal income is $1,075, and the unemployment rate is 2.5% from a labour force of 725. Professionals number 237 and managers 154, while the largest industries are Professional/Tech at 15.4% and 82 workers, Healthcare at 14.1% and 75, Education at 11.3% and 60, Public Admin at 10.7% and 57, and Construction at 9.0% and 48. SEIFA places the area in decile 9 for education and occupation, decile 10 for economic resources, decile 10 for low disadvantage and decile 9 for advantage. The 61.9% participation rate is lower than a younger labour market might produce because 374 people are outside the labour force and the median age is 48. Work-from-home at 43.4% helps connect residents to jobs beyond the local area.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
725
Unemployed
18
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.4%
Part-time
31.5%
Participation
61.9%
Employed
707
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
47.9%
Postgraduate
15.7%
Born Overseas
18.8%
Dwellings
511
Transport to Work
Livability centres on space, home-based work and car access rather than frequent public transport. Car drivers account for 49.0% of residents, compared with 0.7% using public transport and 2.5% walking or cycling, while 43.4% work from home. This transport mix follows a low-density setting of 42.6 people per sq km. One local primary school is identified, Mount Macedon Primary School, in the government sector; families should check enrolment zones and travel times against the exact address because secondary options may sit outside the suburb. Safety is a relative strength, with 32 recorded offences and a rate of 22.1 per 1,000, led by 16 property and deception offences and 12 crimes against the person. Socioeconomic measures are high, including an IRSAD decile of 9 and an IRSD decile of 10, placing the area above many lower-resource locations. The trade-off is that services and errands are more practical by car than on foot.
Drive
49.0%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
43.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth is likely to be measured rather than explosive. The forecast annual trend is 0.3%, slower than a high-growth corridor, and the primary migration driver is Balanced. The wider area records 10.6% population change over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 6.7 percentage points and the working share down 6.0 points. Rent growth of 24.5% shows housing costs can move faster than the resident base, because the suburb has 99.2% separate houses and only 1 development application in the last 12 months. Gentrification signals are mixed: the shift indicator is 39 and labelled Early signs, but the current gentrification score is 0 and labelled Not gentrifying. The affordability trend is labelled Improving, moving from 43.2 in 2011 to 36.4 in 2021, supporting gradual renewal rather than rapid expansion.
Population trend: Macedon Ranges council area
Mount Macedon sits in the Macedon Ranges council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mount Macedon's.
Residents 2025
54,464
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.4%/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
32
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
22.1
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 Mount Macedon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Macedon a good suburb to live in?
Yes, particularly for households seeking detached homes and a quiet, low-density setting. Mount Macedon has 1,450 residents across 34.02 sq km, a 22.1 per 1,000 crime rate and 43.4% working from home. The trade-offs are 0.7% public transport use and a median age of 48, above the national comparison.
What schools are in Mount Macedon?
Mount Macedon Primary School is the local school identified, and it is a government primary school. Because 1 local school is identified, families seeking secondary or non-government options should check enrolment zones, transport and nearby campuses against the exact address rather than assuming all stages are within the suburb.
Is Mount Macedon safe?
Mount Macedon records 32 offences and a crime rate of 22.1 per 1,000. Property and deception offences account for 16 cases and crimes against the person for 12. That rate is a useful comparison point, but buyers should still review the exact street, property security and bushfire preparedness before purchasing.
Is Mount Macedon good for property investment?
It can suit a long-term, land-focused investor, but the numbers call for caution. Weekly rent is $330, vacancy is 15.2%, and renting is only 7.0%, below both outright ownership at 43.9% and mortgages at 45.5%. Rent growth of 24.5% helps, while only 1 development application limits immediate new supply.
How is Mount Macedon's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 10.6% over 10 years, but the forecast annual trend is 0.3%, indicating gradual growth rather than a surge. The trajectory is labelled Aging, senior share has increased 6.7 points and working share has fallen 6.0 points. Balanced migration points to a mixed demand base.
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).
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