North Wonthaggi
Two numbers define North Wonthaggi's character: 99% of dwellings are separate houses, and 46% of residents own them outright with no mortgage. That ownership depth is unusually high compared to the national average, pointing to a long-settled, low-debt community of 3,475 people. Household income sits at the 22.5th percentile nationally, making this a lower-income suburb by national standards, yet mortgage-to-income at 25.8% stays below the 30% stress threshold because the median house price of $545,500 is accessible relative to Australian capital city benchmarks. The identity here is affordable, detached-house-dominant, and working-class in its employment mix.
Population
3,475
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,162/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
12
Median House
$546K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price is $545,500 as of April to June 2024, down from a peak of $665,000 in 2022, a decline of 18% from the peak. For buyers, that correction means purchasing at a more rational entry point. The long-run trajectory is still positive: prices grew from $230,000 in 2013 to the current level, a compound annual growth rate of 6.4% over 14 years. Virtually every home (99%) is a separate house, which suits buyers seeking traditional residential stock rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.1%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 37.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and mortgage-to-income sits at 25.8%, below the 30% stress benchmark, making entry affordable compared to most metropolitan markets.
For Buyers
The median house price is $545,500 as of April to June 2024, down from a peak of $665,000 in 2022, a decline of 18% from the peak. For buyers, that correction means purchasing at a more rational entry point. The long-run trajectory is still positive: prices grew from $230,000 in 2013 to the current level, a compound annual growth rate of 6.4% over 14 years. Virtually every home (99%) is a separate house, which suits buyers seeking traditional residential stock rather than apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.1%, with four-plus bedroom homes at 37.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and mortgage-to-income sits at 25.8%, below the 30% stress benchmark, making entry affordable compared to most metropolitan markets.
For Investors
The rental market in North Wonthaggi is thin by national standards. Only 20.7% of residents rent, compared to much higher shares in metropolitan areas, and weekly rent sits at $300. The vacancy rate of 7.5% is elevated, suggesting the rental market faces some demand softness. Development activity is moderate at 10 applications in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision work rather than new dwelling construction. The suburb's low-income profile (22.5th percentile nationally for household income) limits rental price growth, though the $545,500 median does produce a gross yield around 2.8% at $300 per week. Long-term investors are more likely to benefit from the 6.4% compound annual price growth since 2013 than from rental income alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
23
Last 12 Months
12
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
Demographics
The median age is 42, which is 2.0 years above the national average, reflecting an older-than-average community. Only 14.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 7.2 percentage points below the national figure, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (1,573 residents), Irish (390) and Scottish (374) are the top three groups, with Italian (239) as the main non-English European heritage. University-qualified residents make up just 18.2% of the population, which is 11.9 points below the national figure, consistent with a workforce concentrated in hands-on trades and services rather than knowledge professions. Average household size is 2.4, slightly below the national figure of 2.5.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.0%
Houses
0.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
North Wonthaggi is almost entirely a suburb of separate houses, with 99% of dwellings in that category and apartments below 1%. This detached-house dominance is unusual even by outer-suburban standards. Tenure is weighted toward outright ownership: 46.1% own without a mortgage, 33.2% have a mortgage, and 20.7% rent. The outright ownership rate far exceeds the national average, indicating many long-term residents who purchased decades ago. Prices ran from $230,000 in 2013 to a peak of $665,000 in 2022 before settling to $545,500 in the April to June 2024 quarter, sitting 18% below that peak. The price-to-weekly-household-income ratio is around 9x at the current median, higher than the income level alone might suggest, because many households have modest earnings at the 22.5th income percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$584
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
110
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.2%
Couples, no children
2,747
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 26.5% of the local workforce (220 workers), well above its share in most comparable suburbs, driven by South Gippsland's regional health services. Construction follows at 15.1% (125 workers), consistent with ongoing residential development in the area. Retail (9.8%) and Education (8.4%) round out the top four. By occupation, Community and Personal Service Workers (220) and Labourers (210) are the two largest groups, a mix that reflects the healthcare and trades focus. The unemployment rate is 5.2%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 49.6% is low, partly because a significant proportion of residents (1,180 people) are outside the labour force, which aligns with the older median age of 42 and a substantial retiree cohort.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.9%
Part-time
39.9%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
1,344
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.2%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
14.4%
Dwellings
1,354
Transport to Work
North Wonthaggi is deeply car-dependent, with 89.2% of residents driving to work compared to the national average where public transport use is much higher. Public transport is used by only 0.4% of commuters, reflecting the limited service frequency typical of regional VIC towns. Walking and cycling accounts for 3.8% of commutes, a reasonable share for a low-density suburb. Crime sits at 91.5 incidents per 1,000 residents annually, with property and deception offences the top category at 132 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 94. That rate warrants attention relative to lower-crime regional areas. On the positive side, mortgage and rent stress indicators are both below the 30% threshold, and 15% of residents volunteer, pointing to community participation. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset.
Drive
89.2%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
318
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
91.5
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 North Wonthaggi compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Wonthaggi a good suburb to live in?
North Wonthaggi suits buyers who want a detached house at an accessible price point. The median of $545,500 is well below Melbourne's median and mortgage-to-income sits at 25.8%, below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-offs are limited public transport (0.4% of commuters), a crime rate of 91.5 per 1,000, and household income in the 22.5th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in North Wonthaggi?
The median house price is $545,500 as of April to June 2024. This is down 18% from the 2022 peak of $665,000 but up 137% from $230,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 6.4% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300.
What schools are in North Wonthaggi?
No schools are recorded within the North Wonthaggi suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area rely on schools in neighbouring Wonthaggi and other parts of the Bass Coast region. Only 18.2% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 11.9 points below the national average.
Is North Wonthaggi safe?
Crime data shows 318 incidents recorded, at a rate of 91.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences are the largest category with 132 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 94. This rate is higher than lower-crime regional towns and worth factoring into any decision to buy or rent.
Is North Wonthaggi good for property investment?
The suburb offers a 6.4% compound annual growth rate over 14 years, but prices are currently 18% below the 2022 peak at $545,500. The rental yield is around 2.8% at $300 per week, and the 7.5% vacancy rate points to soft rental demand. The 20.7% renter share is lower than most metropolitan investment markets.
How is North Wonthaggi's population changing?
The current population is 3,475. Resident stability is high, with 79.2% of residents having not moved in the previous year, a turnover rate of 20.8% typical for settled regional areas. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national average, suggesting a slowly aging demographic profile over time.
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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