Numurkah
A $402,500 median house price sits alongside a 10.2% vacancy rate in this Goulburn Valley town, and both numbers trace back to a thin, aging population of 4,604 people spread across 192.51 km2. The median age of 49 runs 9.0 years above the national figure, and only 15.9% hold a university qualification, 14.2 points below national. Household income falls in the 18.2nd percentile nationally, which keeps prices low: the median is roughly a fifth of premium metro markets. The crime rate of 111.2 per 1,000 residents is elevated, driven by property and deception offences, while just 7.8% of residents were born overseas, far below the national share.
Population
4,604
Median Age
49.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,117/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$402K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $402,500 median, Numurkah is among regional Victoria's more affordable entry points, and the price is effectively flat: it sits 0.6% below the $405,000 peak of Apr-Jun 2023, having recovered from a $350,000 dip in early 2024. The stock suits families wanting space, with 88.6% separate houses and apartments almost absent at 0.6%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.6% and four-plus-bedroom homes make up 26.7%, so larger detached living is the norm rather than the exception. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income in the 18.2nd percentile. That affordability exists because low incomes cap what local buyers will pay, not because the housing is poor quality.
For Buyers
At a $402,500 median, Numurkah is among regional Victoria's more affordable entry points, and the price is effectively flat: it sits 0.6% below the $405,000 peak of Apr-Jun 2023, having recovered from a $350,000 dip in early 2024. The stock suits families wanting space, with 88.6% separate houses and apartments almost absent at 0.6%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 52.6% and four-plus-bedroom homes make up 26.7%, so larger detached living is the norm rather than the exception. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold despite household income in the 18.2nd percentile. That affordability exists because low incomes cap what local buyers will pay, not because the housing is poor quality.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $210 against the $402,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.7%, higher than premium metro markets but modest in absolute terms. The 22.8% renter share gives a usable tenant pool, yet the 10.2% vacancy rate signals soft demand and real letting risk, well above a healthy 2-3% market. Rent-to-income sits at a manageable 18.8%, so tenants are not stretched. Demand support is weak: net internal migration runs at minus 59 a year against just 33 from overseas, and development is thin at 9 applications in 12 months, mostly small subdivisions rather than new dwellings. With annual population growth near 0.02%, the case rests on yield and the 31.2% rent growth recorded over the period rather than capital appreciation or tenant scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
16
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+400.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Numurkah iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 248 students
Numurkah Secondary College
7-12 · 263 students
Numurkah Primary School
Prep-6 · 152 students
Demographics
The median age of 49 is 9.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is firmly aging: the senior share rose 4.8 points while the young share fell 2.9 points over the decade. The population is strongly Anglo, led by English (1,946), Irish (561) and Scottish (465) ancestry, and only 7.8% of residents were born overseas, 13.8 points below national. University qualifications reach 15.9%, which is 14.2 points below national, reflecting a workforce weighted toward trades and labour rather than degrees. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, consistent with the older couples-without-children profile that makes up 35.5% of families. Religion is overwhelmingly Christian (2,287 residents), with Buddhism a distant second at 33.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.6%
Houses
10.0%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans heavily toward outright ownership: 46.0% own their home with no mortgage, 31.2% carry a mortgage and 22.8% rent. The high outright share reflects the aging, long-settled resident base rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 88.6% separate houses and just 0.6% apartments, so detached family homes define the market. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 52.6% and four-plus-bedroom homes 26.7%, while one and two-bedroom options are scarce at 2.8% and 17.8%. The median rose from a $195,000 trough in 2013 to $402,500 in 2024, a 106.4% lift over the period, yet it now sits 0.6% below the recent peak. Mortgage-to-income at 22.4% and rent-to-income at 18.8% both stay below stress thresholds, a function of low prices relative to even the 18.2nd-percentile incomes here.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (Apr-Jun 2024)
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$210
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$613
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.2%
Unoccupied
210
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.5%
Couples, no children
3,272
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce is anchored by Healthcare, which leads at 22.8% of jobs (253 workers), followed by Education at 11.1% (123) and Agriculture at 9.5% (105), with Manufacturing at 8.7% and Construction at 8.1%. By occupation, Labourers (286) edge out Professionals (270) and Managers (249), a blue-collar tilt that aligns with the decile 3 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.0% and full-time employment runs at 63.1%, but participation is only 44.4% because 1,653 residents, many of them retirees, sit outside the labour force. SEIFA reads decile 3 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD and decile 4 on IER, placing the town in the more disadvantaged tiers nationally, though real incomes still grew 18.1% over the decade.
Unemployment
2.5%
Labour Force
6,188
Unemployed
157
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.1%
Part-time
32.9%
Participation
44.4%
Employed
1,653
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.9%
Postgraduate
2.2%
Born Overseas
7.8%
Dwellings
1,851
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total, with 88.6% driving to work and only 0.4% using public transport, far below metro reliance on rail and bus, while 6.4% walk or cycle across the spread-out 192.51 km2 footprint. No schools are recorded inside the town boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the wider Moira shire. The crime rate of 111.2 per 1,000 residents is elevated, led by 187 property and deception offences and 159 justice procedures offences out of 512 total, which is higher than many regional peers. The town scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, among the lower tiers nationally, and 9.8% of residents (409 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 49 and the volunteering rate of 19.1%.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.02%/yr
(+2 people/yr)
EstablishedNumurkah is effectively static, with annual population growth near 0.02% and a 10-year change of just 2.4%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth town. The aging shift is the defining force: the senior share climbed 4.8 points while the working-age share fell 1.5 points, narrowing the local labour base. Overseas migration is the only positive driver at 33 people a year, but it is more than offset by net internal outflow of minus 59 annually, so natural growth is barely positive. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, consistent with a market sitting at decile 3 advantage and showing no upward pressure. Affordability improved from 36.5% in 2011 to 33.0% in 2021, leaving the town relatively accessible compared with most Victorian markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+33
Net Internal / yr
-59
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
512
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
111.2
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 Numurkah compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Numurkah a good suburb to live in?
Numurkah suits buyers wanting an affordable, quiet regional base, with a $402,500 median house price and mortgage-to-income at 22.4%, below the 30% stress line. The trade-offs are a decile 3 IRSAD score, among the lower advantage tiers nationally, and a crime rate of 111.2 per 1,000 residents.
What is the median house price in Numurkah?
The median house price is $402,500 as of Apr-Jun 2024, sitting 0.6% below the $405,000 peak. Prices rose 106.4% from a $195,000 trough in 2013. Weekly rent averages $210 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,083, a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.4%.
What schools are in Numurkah?
No schools are recorded inside the Numurkah town boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools across the wider Moira shire. The local education profile is modest, with university qualifications at 15.9%, which is 14.2 points below the national figure.
Is Numurkah safe?
The crime rate is 111.2 per 1,000 residents, with 512 total offences led by 187 property and deception offences and 159 justice procedures offences. The town scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, among the lower tiers nationally, so caution is warranted.
Is Numurkah good for property investment?
Rent of $210 a week against the $402,500 median gives a gross yield near 2.7%, higher than metro markets but modest. The 10.2% vacancy rate signals soft demand, and net internal migration of minus 59 a year means returns depend on yield rather than capital growth.
How is Numurkah's population changing?
Population growth is near 0.02% annually with a 2.4% rise over 10 years, classifying Numurkah as slow-growth. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.8 points and the young share down 2.9 points over the decade, leaving a median age of 49.
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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