Nathalia
At a population of 1,982 across 189 square kilometres, Nathalia is one of Victoria's lower-density rural towns, with just 10.4 residents per km2 compared to state urban averages many times higher. The median age of 47 runs 7 years above the national figure, and 47.7% of dwellings are owned outright, well above the national average, reflecting a settled, long-term resident base. Household income sits in the 23rd percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $428,800 has grown 159.9% since 2013, a compound annual rate of 7.1%. Healthcare dominates local employment at 23.3% of workers, which is twice the share of any other single sector.
Population
1,982
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,169/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$429K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $428,800 as at Apr-Jun 2024 represents a significant rise from $390,000 in Oct-Dec 2023, and has grown from $165,000 in 2013, a compound annual rate of 7.1% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,100, which translates to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than many metropolitan markets. Separate houses make up 92.2% of the housing stock, so buyers have a clear and dominant choice of dwelling type. Three-bedroom homes account for 50.3% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes for 30.1%, meaning the supply skews toward family-sized properties. With 47.7% of dwellings owned outright compared to 33.3% carrying a mortgage, the resident base is predominantly debt-free, which reduces forced selling pressure.
For Buyers
The median house price of $428,800 as at Apr-Jun 2024 represents a significant rise from $390,000 in Oct-Dec 2023, and has grown from $165,000 in 2013, a compound annual rate of 7.1% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,100, which translates to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold and lower than many metropolitan markets. Separate houses make up 92.2% of the housing stock, so buyers have a clear and dominant choice of dwelling type. Three-bedroom homes account for 50.3% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes for 30.1%, meaning the supply skews toward family-sized properties. With 47.7% of dwellings owned outright compared to 33.3% carrying a mortgage, the resident base is predominantly debt-free, which reduces forced selling pressure.
For Investors
Nathalia's renter share of 19.0% is below the national average, limiting the tenant pool compared to metropolitan areas. Weekly rent of $194 against a $428,800 median implies a gross yield around 2.4%, modest but higher than most capital city markets. The vacancy rate of 9.7% is elevated, signalling that rental properties can sit empty for meaningful periods, which is a key risk for landlords in this market. Only 8 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, indicating very low new supply. The town's residence stability is high, with 82.4% of residents having stayed in the same address for at least a year, which points to low organic churn in the rental market. Long-term capital growth has been strong at 7.1% CAGR since 2013, though rural towns can be more sensitive to agricultural cycles than urban markets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+700.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Nathalia iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary of the Angels College
7-12 · 562 students
St Francis' School
Prep-6 · 97 students
Nathalia Primary School
Prep-6 · 165 students
Nathalia Secondary College
7-12 · 120 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national average, placing Nathalia firmly in the aging segment of Australian communities. Only 6.9% of residents were born overseas, which is 14.7 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the predominantly locally-born character of inland Victorian towns. University qualifications are held by 19.0% of residents, 11.1 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades, agriculture and manual occupations rather than professional services. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (881 residents), Irish (290) and Scottish (226). The volunteering rate of 26.5% is a notable figure, above the national average, suggesting strong civic engagement. Average household size of 2.3 is 0.2 below the national figure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.2%
Houses
4.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The $428,800 median house price sits substantially below the VIC state median, reflecting Nathalia's rural inland location rather than metropolitan demand. The long-run price growth of 159.9% since 2013 is strong in absolute terms, with a 7.1% CAGR over 14 years. Outright ownership at 47.7% significantly exceeds the national average, indicating a community of established, debt-free homeowners. By contrast, only 19.0% rent, below national averages, because the population is stable and long-resident. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.3%, followed by 4-plus bedroom homes at 30.1%, with 2-bedroom homes at 14.2%. The separate house rate of 92.2% leaves semi-detached at just 4.6%, so dwelling type choice is essentially binary. Mortgage-to-income at 21.7% and rent-to-income at 16.6% both sit below standard stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,100
Rent / wk
$194
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$628
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
87
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.8%
Couples, no children
1,453
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer in Nathalia at 23.3% of workers (118 people), a share considerably higher than in most urban centres and typical for a service town with hospital and aged care facilities serving the surrounding agricultural region. Manufacturing and Education each contribute 11.6% (59 workers), followed by Agriculture at 10.8% (55 workers) and Construction at 9.3% (47 workers). By occupation, Managers lead at 148 workers, reflecting farm and business ownership in a rural context, while Labourers (128) and Professionals (126) follow closely. The unemployment rate is 4.7% and the participation rate is 51.2%, which is lower than the national rate because of the older age profile, with 661 residents not in the labour force. Household weekly income of $1,169 places the town at the 23rd percentile nationally, below average but consistent with rural Victorian towns reliant on agriculture and public services.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.8%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
51.2%
Employed
811
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.0%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
6.9%
Dwellings
811
Transport to Work
Nathalia is overwhelmingly car-dependent, with 83.2% of residents commuting by car, compared to much lower national rates in urban areas. However, 12.3% walk or cycle, a relatively high share for a regional town that reflects the compact, flat township layout. Public transport use at 0.4% is negligible, consistent with most rural Victorian towns. The crime rate of 73.7 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated relative to many suburban areas; the top categories are justice procedures offences (44 incidents) and property and deception offences (42 incidents). No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, though Nathalia's township services the broader local government area. Housing affordability is strong, with rent-to-income at 16.6% and mortgage-to-income at 21.7%, both below stress thresholds compared to metropolitan benchmarks. The need-for-assistance rate of 9.0% (169 residents) is above average, reflecting the older age profile.
Drive
83.2%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
12.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
146
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
73.7
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 Nathalia compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nathalia a good suburb to live in?
Nathalia suits buyers who value affordability and stability over urban amenity. Housing costs are manageable, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.7% and rent-to-income of 16.6%, both below stress thresholds. The median age of 47, which is 7 years above the national figure, signals a settled rather than growth-driven community.
What is the median house price in Nathalia?
The median house price is $428,800 as at Apr-Jun 2024, up from $382,500 in the prior quarter. Since 2013 the median has risen 159.9%, at a compound annual rate of 7.1% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,100.
What schools are in Nathalia?
No schools are recorded inside the Nathalia suburb boundary in this dataset. Nathalia is the main service town for the local government area and would typically have primary and secondary facilities nearby, but educational attainment data shows 19.0% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 11.1 percentage points below the national rate.
Is Nathalia safe?
Nathalia recorded 146 criminal incidents in the period covered, a rate of 73.7 per 1,000 residents. The largest categories are justice procedures offences (44 incidents) and property and deception offences (42 incidents). This rate is higher than many low-density suburban areas and worth weighing against the town's affordable housing costs.
Is Nathalia good for property investment?
Long-term capital growth is strong at 7.1% CAGR since 2013, outperforming many regional benchmarks. Weekly rent of $194 against a $428,800 median implies a gross yield near 2.4%. However, the vacancy rate of 9.7% is elevated and the renter share of 19.0% is below national averages, so investor demand is limited and vacancy risk is real.
How is Nathalia's population changing?
The population of 1,982 is spread across 189 square kilometres at a density of 10.4 per km2. The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national average, and 82.4% of residents stayed at the same address for at least a year, indicating low population turnover. These signals point to a stable rather than growing community.
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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