Newtown
With only 189 residents across 12.37 square kilometres, Newtown records a density of just 15.3 people per km2. The median age of 45 sits 5.0 years above the national figure, and 91.9% of residents stayed put between census periods. Household income lands at the 13.7th percentile nationally, well below average, yet 56.2% of dwellings are owned outright, suggesting long-held debt-free properties rather than a struggling renter base. Every dwelling is a separate house, and 92.9% of commuters drive, making this a self-contained, car-dependent rural locality.
Population
10,445
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,092/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
No median sale price is on record for Newtown VIC 3351, reflecting thin transaction volumes in a 189-person community. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3% is just below the 30% stress threshold, comparing favourably to larger Ballarat suburbs. Stock is entirely separate houses: 46.3% have 3 bedrooms, 31.3% have 2 bedrooms and 22.4% have 4 or more. With 56.2% owned outright, above the national benchmark, and 43.8% carrying a mortgage, buyer competition is limited. The 6.5% vacancy rate is above the 3% balanced-market level, worth noting for anyone buying with resale plans.
For Buyers
No median sale price is on record for Newtown VIC 3351, reflecting thin transaction volumes in a 189-person community. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3% is just below the 30% stress threshold, comparing favourably to larger Ballarat suburbs. Stock is entirely separate houses: 46.3% have 3 bedrooms, 31.3% have 2 bedrooms and 22.4% have 4 or more. With 56.2% owned outright, above the national benchmark, and 43.8% carrying a mortgage, buyer competition is limited. The 6.5% vacancy rate is above the 3% balanced-market level, worth noting for anyone buying with resale plans.
For Investors
Newtown presents a cautious picture for investors. Weekly rent of $103 is well below Victorian state medians, and with no recorded median price, gross yield cannot be calculated. The 6.5% vacancy rate is above the 1% to 3% range seen in healthy rental markets, pointing to softer demand. Only 12 planning permit applications were lodged in the past 12 months. Household income at the 13.7th percentile nationally constrains rent growth, and annual residential turnover of 8.1% is low compared with growth corridors nationally, reducing resale liquidity. The investment case rests on capital stability from the broader Ballarat region rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
18
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$283K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Newtown iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
The Geelong College
Prep-12 · 1573 students
Chilwell Primary School
Prep-6 · 408 students
Fyans Park Primary School
Prep-6 · 405 students
Sacred Heart College
7-12 · 1450 students
St Robert's School
Prep-6 · 261 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5.0 years above the national figure. The overseas-born share of 13.8% is 7.8 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born population. English ancestry leads at 72 residents, followed by Irish (19), Scottish (9) and Dutch (8). University qualifications reach 26.3%, which is 3.8 points below the national average, while the participation rate of 50.0% is lower than state norms because 58 residents are outside the labour force. Average household size of 2.6 is marginally above national, and couples with children (71) outnumber couples without children (55) among 162 total families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.0%
Houses
20.6%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Every dwelling in Newtown is a separate house, a 100% detached rate above state and national averages where medium-density stock has expanded. Outright ownership at 56.2% is above the national benchmark, with mortgage holders at 43.8% and no significant renter cohort recorded. Bedroom configuration centres on 3-bedroom homes at 46.3%, ahead of 2-bedroom at 31.3% and 4-plus at 22.4%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3% stays just below the 30% stress line. Weekly rent of $103 produces a rent-to-income ratio of 10.0%, well below Victorian state norms.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $360.
$500
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $570 · units $440
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,001
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
360
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.6%
Couples, no children
8,102
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction and Healthcare each account for 14.6% of local employment, the joint leading industries, followed by Utilities at 12.5% and Transport and Professional/Tech at 8.3% each. Labourers lead by occupation with 12 workers, ahead of Sales (10) and Managers at 9. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is above the national average, and the participation rate of 50.0% is lower than state norms because 58 residents are outside the labour force. Household income at the 13.7th percentile nationally places Newtown well below state median earnings, with personal weekly income averaging $522 and full-time employment rate of 60.3%.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
8,221
Unemployed
420
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.2%
Part-time
37.0%
Participation
62.5%
Employed
5,075
Occupations
Top Industries
University
50.5%
Postgraduate
13.4%
Born Overseas
15.0%
Dwellings
4,013
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total with 92.9% of commuters driving, well above national averages, because the density of 15.3 residents per km2 makes public transport impractical. The crime count of 574 offences yields a rate of 3,037 per 1,000 residents, inflated by the tiny 189-person denominator rather than typical neighbourhood risk. Property and deception offences account for 408 of the 574 incidents. Mortgage-to-income at 29.3% stays just below the 30% stress threshold, and rent-to-income of 10.0% is well below Victorian state norms.
Drive
83.2%
Public Transport
1.8%
Walk / Cycle
9.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.61%/yr
(+83 people/yr)
EstablishedNewtown's indicators point to consolidation rather than expansion. Residential turnover is just 8.1% annually, with 91.9% of residents staying put, a stability rate higher than most growth-oriented suburbs nationally. The median age of 45, which is 5.0 years above the national average, and a need-for-assistance rate of 10.8% covering 19 residents both point to aging-in-place dynamics rather than new family formation. Only 12 planning permits were lodged over the past 12 months. Household income at the 13.7th percentile nationally and a 6.5% vacancy rate are not conditions that typically attract investment-led inflow.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+217
Net Internal / yr
-179
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +10% since 2011, Net internal outflow -179/yr, Strong overseas inflow +217/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
574
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
3037.0
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 Newtown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Newtown a good suburb to live in?
Newtown VIC suits owner-occupiers seeking space and stable housing costs. All dwellings are separate houses, 56.2% are owned outright above the national average, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 29.3% is just below the 30% stress threshold.
What is the median house price in Newtown?
No median sale price is recorded for Newtown VIC 3351 because transaction volumes are too low in this 189-person community. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300 and weekly rent averages $103, both well below Victorian state medians. The outright ownership rate of 56.2%, above the national benchmark, suggests most holders acquired their properties many years ago.
What schools are in Newtown?
The local university qualification rate of 26.3% is 3.8 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades, labouring and sales roles rather than professional occupations.
Is Newtown safe?
Newtown recorded 574 total offences, led by property and deception incidents (408), justice procedures (62), crimes against the person (51) and drug offences (32). The headline rate of 3,037 per 1,000 is heavily inflated by the tiny 189-person resident population and reflects broader LGA-level data, so direct comparison with larger suburbs overstates local personal risk.
Is Newtown good for property investment?
Investment prospects are limited. Weekly rent of $103 is well below Victorian state medians, the 6.5% vacancy rate exceeds the 3% healthy-market threshold, and no median sale price is available to calculate gross yield. Household income at the 13.7th percentile nationally constrains rent growth, and an annual residential turnover of 8.1% reduces resale liquidity compared with larger markets.
How is Newtown's population changing?
Newtown's 189-person base is highly stable: 91.9% of residents stayed at the same address between census periods, and annual turnover is just 8.1%, well below national mobility rates. The median age of 45 is 5.0 years above the national figure, and 10.8% of residents (19 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a community aging in place rather than attracting significant new arrivals.
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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