Orbost
At a median age of 53, Orbost sits 13 years above the national figure, making it one of regional Victoria's most aged communities. Household income lands in the 4.4th percentile nationally, and the suburb ranks at SEIFA decile 2 on both the IRSD and IRSAD indexes, placing it among the most disadvantaged 20% of Australian suburbs on multiple measures. Against that backdrop, the $278,500 median house price reflects genuine affordability, with a 14-year price CAGR of 4.2% from $156,000. The area covers 208 square kilometres of East Gippsland at a density of just 10.9 persons per square kilometre, and 55.3% of households own their home outright, well above national norms.
Population
2,264
Median Age
53.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$785/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$278K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $278,500 median house price is well below Victorian and national medians, and the long-run record shows the market has been consistent rather than speculative. Prices rose 78.5% from $156,000 in 2013 to the current level, a 14-year CAGR of 4.2%. The peak was $357,000 in Jan-Mar 2024, and the most recent quarter came in 22% below that peak, signalling recent softening. Separate houses make up 93.6% of dwellings, which is among the highest detached-house concentrations in the region, with three-bedroom homes dominant at 59.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. However, the low income base (4.4th percentile nationally) means credit access rather than repayment capacity is the practical constraint for buyers.
For Buyers
The $278,500 median house price is well below Victorian and national medians, and the long-run record shows the market has been consistent rather than speculative. Prices rose 78.5% from $156,000 in 2013 to the current level, a 14-year CAGR of 4.2%. The peak was $357,000 in Jan-Mar 2024, and the most recent quarter came in 22% below that peak, signalling recent softening. Separate houses make up 93.6% of dwellings, which is among the highest detached-house concentrations in the region, with three-bedroom homes dominant at 59.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. However, the low income base (4.4th percentile nationally) means credit access rather than repayment capacity is the practical constraint for buyers.
For Investors
Rental yield arithmetic is reasonably favourable at Orbost's price point. At $190 per week rent against a $278,500 median, gross yield sits around 3.5%, above many metropolitan markets. Rent grew 35.7% over the measured period, outpacing general inflation, because the local supply of rental stock is thin. The 22.6% renter share is modest, and the 13.6% vacancy rate is high, meaning available rentals sit empty longer than average. Net internal migration averages 31 persons a year and overseas migration adds 11, but annual population growth is effectively flat at -0.06%. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, so no new supply pressure is building. The investment case depends on the rental income stream rather than capital growth, given the slow population trajectory.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
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 Orbost iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 26 students
Orbost Community College
Prep-12 · 347 students
Demographics
The median age of 53 is 13 years above the national figure, and the aging trajectory is entrenched: the senior share rose 9.4 points and the working-age share fell 3.7 points over the decade. The young adult share declined 4.3 points over the same period. University qualifications reach 14.6%, which is 15.5 percentage points below the national average, and the overseas-born population at 10.1% is 11.5 points below national. Ancestry is heavily Anglo-Celtic: English (918), Scottish (228) and Irish (207) are the three largest groups. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, consistent with an older, post-family profile where 36.7% of families are couples without children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.6%
Houses
3.8%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Orbost's housing market is owner-occupier dominated and heavily weighted to freestanding homes. Outright ownership at 55.3% is significantly higher than national norms, reflecting a long-settled population that has paid down debt. Mortgage holders account for 22.1% and renters 22.6%. The stock is 93.6% separate houses with apartments at just 2.3%, so buyers choosing Orbost are almost always buying a house on land. Three-bedroom homes account for 59.7% of stock. The 14-year price history runs from $145,000 (2015 trough) to a $357,000 peak in early 2024, before settling at $278,500 most recently, a 22% correction from peak. The trough-to-peak gain of 146% over roughly a decade compressed into a cycle that has since partially unwound.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wk
$190
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$489
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.6%
Unoccupied
152
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.7%
Couples, no children
1,476
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 28.0% of local employment, reflecting the role Orbost Base Hospital plays as a regional service anchor for East Gippsland. Education follows at 11.6% and Construction at 10.8%, with Agriculture at 8.7% and Retail at 7.7% completing the top five. By occupation, Labourers (123) and Community and Personal Service workers (113) are the two largest groups, while the Managers (91) and Professionals (87) cohorts are smaller than in more commercially active centres. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is elevated compared to most VIC regional towns, and the participation rate of 37.9% is low because 922 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the aged demographic profile. SEIFA decile 2 on IRSAD places the suburb in the bottom 20% nationally for economic resources.
Unemployment
6.4%
Labour Force
3,101
Unemployed
200
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.2%
Part-time
43.0%
Participation
37.9%
Employed
673
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.6%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
10.1%
Dwellings
964
Transport to Work
Car ownership is near-universal: 82.3% of residents drive to work and 9.3% walk or cycle. Public transport usage data is not recorded, reflecting limited service options in this rural East Gippsland setting. The crime rate of 194.8 incidents per 1,000 residents is high by Victorian rural standards, with property and deception offences (136 incidents) and justice procedures offences (130) as the two largest categories. SEIFA IRSAD decile 2 puts Orbost in the bottom 20% nationally for relative advantage, and 10.9% of residents (218 people) need daily assistance, above the national average. Rent-to-income at 24.2% and mortgage-to-income at 25.5% both remain below the 30% stress threshold, so housing costs are not adding to the disadvantage load despite the low income base.
Drive
82.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
9.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.06%/yr
(-4 people/yr)
EstablishedOrbost is effectively stable but slowly declining: the annual population trend is -0.06%, or roughly 4 fewer persons per year. The broader SA2 population sits at 6,727 and medium-scenario forecasts project a gradual decline to 6,612 by 2031. Net internal migration averages 31 arrivals per year, partially offset by overseas migration of 11, but natural decrease dominates. The 10-year population change was 0.3%, essentially flat. The gentrification score is 15 and the stage reads not gentrifying, which aligns with flat real income growth of 10.3% over the decade and affordability holding steady at 35.9% in both 2011 and 2021. No gentrification signals are present, and no meaningful development pipeline exists.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+11
Net Internal / yr
+31
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
441
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
194.8
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 Orbost compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Orbost a good suburb to live in?
Orbost suits people seeking affordable, quiet rural life in East Gippsland. The $278,500 median house price is well below VIC and national medians, and 55.3% of residents own their home outright. The trade-offs are a SEIFA IRSAD decile 2 disadvantage ranking (bottom 20% nationally), a crime rate of 194.8 per 1,000 residents, and limited public transport in a car-dependent setting.
What is the median house price in Orbost?
The median house price in Orbost is $278,500, based on Apr-Jun 2024 data. This is well below Victorian and national medians. The market peaked at $357,000 in early 2024 and has since corrected 22%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $867, and the 14-year price CAGR is 4.2% from a $156,000 starting point in 2013.
What schools are in Orbost?
No individual school records appear in this dataset for the Orbost postcode 3888. Education accounts for 11.6% of local employment (48 workers), suggesting school-sector jobs are present in the area. Families should check directly with East Gippsland school directories for current enrolments and school zones.
Is Orbost safe?
Orbost has an elevated crime rate of 194.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 441 total recorded offences. Property and deception offences (136 incidents) and justice procedures offences (130) are the two largest categories. This rate is higher than many comparable Victorian rural towns, and safety should be a considered factor for prospective residents.
Is Orbost good for property investment?
At $190 weekly rent against a $278,500 median, the gross yield is around 3.5%, above metropolitan averages. Rent grew 35.7% over the measured period. However, the 13.6% vacancy rate is high, population growth is near zero at -0.06% annually, and zero development applications were lodged in the past 12 months. Income returns are the main driver; capital growth prospects are modest.
How is Orbost's population changing?
Orbost has an almost flat population trend of -0.06% annually, equating to about 4 fewer residents per year. The broader SA2 population of 6,727 is forecast to decline to 6,612 by 2031 under medium projections. The suburb is aging rapidly, with the senior share up 9.4 points and the working-age share down 3.7 points over the past decade.
What industries drive Orbost's economy?
Healthcare is by far the largest employer at 28.0% of the local workforce, anchored by Orbost Base Hospital. Education follows at 11.6%, Construction at 10.8%, Agriculture at 8.7% and Retail at 7.7%. The unemployment rate of 6.8% is above state norms, and the labour force participation rate is 37.9%, held down by the large number of residents aged out of work.
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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