Nicholson
At a median age of 47, Nicholson's residents are 7 years older than the national average, making it one of East Gippsland's most established owner-occupier communities. Spread across 68 square kilometres at a density of just 19 people per km2, the 1,322 residents occupy a landscape dominated by detached houses, with 93.7% of dwellings in that category. Ownership is the defining tenure here: 51.8% own their home outright, well above typical national levels, and only 7.7% rent. Household income sits at the 39.6th percentile nationally, below the national median, yet mortgage stress is absent because most residents are debt-free long-term owners.
Population
1,322
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,390/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median house price data is not available for Nicholson in current records, reflecting the small transaction volume in this 1,322-person locality. The clearest affordability signal comes from the monthly mortgage repayment figure of $1,733 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.8%, which sits just below the 30% stress threshold. That ratio compares favourably with higher-density VIC suburbs where mortgage burdens often exceed 35%. The stock strongly favours larger homes: 44.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.3% have 3 bedrooms, so buyers seeking space will find supply. Separate houses account for 93.7% of all dwellings. With 51.8% of residents already owning outright and only 40.5% carrying a mortgage, the suburb draws buyers who plan to hold long-term rather than trade frequently.
For Buyers
Median house price data is not available for Nicholson in current records, reflecting the small transaction volume in this 1,322-person locality. The clearest affordability signal comes from the monthly mortgage repayment figure of $1,733 and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.8%, which sits just below the 30% stress threshold. That ratio compares favourably with higher-density VIC suburbs where mortgage burdens often exceed 35%. The stock strongly favours larger homes: 44.6% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 39.3% have 3 bedrooms, so buyers seeking space will find supply. Separate houses account for 93.7% of all dwellings. With 51.8% of residents already owning outright and only 40.5% carrying a mortgage, the suburb draws buyers who plan to hold long-term rather than trade frequently.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 7.7% of dwellings are rented, well below state and national averages, and weekly rent sits at $300, a modest figure reflecting the rural Gippsland setting. The vacancy rate of 9.8% is elevated compared to healthy market benchmarks of 2-3%, signalling limited rental demand relative to available stock. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, indicating minimal new supply entering the market. Income at the 39.6th percentile nationally is below average, which constrains rent growth upside. The investment case rests on lifestyle appeal and land size rather than yield: the combination of low rent, high vacancy, and no recorded price data means investors should treat Nicholson as a long-hold, capital-growth-dependent asset in a low-liquidity market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
Last 12 Months
0
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-100.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Nicholson iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Nicholson Primary School
Prep-6 · 70 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, placing Nicholson firmly in the older end of Victorian demographics. University qualifications reach 19.1% of residents, which is 11 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a regional, trade-oriented community. Overseas-born residents comprise 11.4%, sitting 10.2 percentage points below the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (618), Scottish (156) and Irish (136) lead the counts from a population of 1,322. Average household size of 2.5 matches the national average exactly. Couples with children (444 families) outnumber couples without children (381), and one-parent families are absent from the recorded data. The volunteering rate of 18.3% indicates strong civic participation for a community of this size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership dominates Nicholson's tenure profile to a degree uncommon in many parts of Victoria. At 51.8% outright ownership versus 40.5% with a mortgage, the suburb reflects an older, settled cohort who have paid down debt. Only 7.7% rent, far below the national average, limiting the private rental pool. The dwelling mix is nearly uniform: 93.7% are separate houses, with no significant apartment or semi-detached presence recorded. Bedroom distribution skews large, with 44.6% of homes at 4-plus bedrooms and 39.3% at 3 bedrooms, only 11.1% at 2 bedrooms and 5% at 0-1 bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.8% remains below the 30% stress threshold, meaning buyers who do carry debt are not systemically stretched relative to income at the 39.6th percentile nationally.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$667
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.8%
Unoccupied
54
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.3%
Couples, no children
1,080
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employing industry at 19.5% of the workforce (74 workers), above the share seen in most small rural localities, likely tied to aged care demand from an older population. Construction follows at 16.9% (64 workers), and Education accounts for 12.1% (46 workers). By occupation, Professionals (85), Labourers (81), Community/Personal service workers (80) and Clerical/Admin (75) are closely matched, reflecting a mixed rather than specialised local economy. The unemployment rate of 4.5% is low, and full-time employment runs at 62.3% of those employed. Participation at 52.6% is below national norms, because 413 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age. Household income at the 39.6th percentile nationally sits below average, partly because many residents are retirees not drawing employment income.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
52.6%
Employed
547
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.1%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
11.4%
Dwellings
491
Transport to Work
Car dependency is the defining transport characteristic: 91.4% of residents drive to work, compared to national averages closer to 70%, a direct consequence of the 68 square kilometre rural setting with minimal public transit. Only 0.9% use public transport. No schools are recorded within Nicholson's boundary, so families depend on services in neighbouring localities. The crime rate of 72.6 incidents per 1,000 residents covers 96 total incidents, with justice procedure offences (49) and property offences (24) the leading categories. Rent-to-income sits at 21.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 28.8% is also manageable. The need-assistance rate of 6.2% (79 residents) is modest. SEIFA index scores are not available at this small-area level, but the income percentile of 39.6 and the below-national education rate of 19.1% indicate moderate socioeconomic standing.
Drive
91.4%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
96
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
72.6
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 Nicholson compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nicholson a good suburb to live in?
Nicholson suits buyers seeking a quiet, rural lifestyle with large detached homes and high ownership rates. 51.8% of residents own outright with no mortgage, and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 28.8%, below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-off is limited services: no schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, car dependency is high at 91.4%, and income sits at the 39.6th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Nicholson?
Median house price data is not available for Nicholson in current records due to the small number of transactions in this 1,322-person locality. The best affordability indicator is the average monthly mortgage repayment of $1,733, which gives a mortgage-to-income ratio of 28.8%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Nicholson?
No schools are recorded inside the Nicholson suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring East Gippsland localities. The local university qualification rate is 19.1%, which is 11 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the regional character of the community.
Is Nicholson safe?
Nicholson recorded 96 total crime incidents, giving a rate of 72.6 per 1,000 residents. The largest category was justice procedures offences (49 incidents), followed by property and deception offences (24) and crimes against the person (12). Context matters: the small population of 1,322 means a handful of incidents can move the per-1,000 rate significantly.
Is Nicholson good for property investment?
The investment fundamentals are cautious: weekly rent averages $300, vacancy sits at 9.8% which is well above a healthy 2-3% benchmark, and no development activity was recorded in the past 12 months. Income at the 39.6th percentile nationally limits rent growth. With only 7.7% of dwellings rented and no price history available, Nicholson suits long-hold, lifestyle-oriented investors rather than yield seekers.
How is Nicholson's population changing?
Suburb-level population forecasts are not available for Nicholson in current data. The strongest indicator of stability is the mobility rate: 79.4% of residents stayed at the same address for 5 years, a turnover of only 20.6%, well below growth-corridor norms. Zero development applications in the past 12 months further points to minimal change, consistent with an aging community at median age 47, which is 7 years above national.
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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