Orbost
Orbost stands out as a low-density town with 2,264 residents spread across 208.62 square kilometres. Its median age of 53 is 13 years above the national comparison, while 93.6% of dwellings are separate houses. Compared with nearby Lakes Entrance, Orbost has a more detached-house-led and settled residential profile, supported by 54.1% outright ownership. The trade-off is slower momentum: the annual trend is -0.06%, vacancy is 13.6%, and the population is moving through an aging trajectory rather than a high-growth cycle.
Local council: East Gippsland
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
2
Median House
$369K
October to December 2025
Housing is strongly family-home oriented, with 93.6% separate houses and 59.7% containing 3 bedrooms, compared with 17.8% with 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage costs equal 25.5% of household income, while rent takes 24.2%, so neither measure is flagged as housing stress. Compared with Lakes Entrance, Orbost's housing choices are more clearly detached and land-oriented, although buyers should allow for car dependence and a smaller local employment base.
For Buyers
Housing is strongly family-home oriented, with 93.6% separate houses and 59.7% containing 3 bedrooms, compared with 17.8% with 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage costs equal 25.5% of household income, while rent takes 24.2%, so neither measure is flagged as housing stress. Compared with Lakes Entrance, Orbost's housing choices are more clearly detached and land-oriented, although buyers should allow for car dependence and a smaller local employment base.
For Investors
Orbost's investment case is based on low purchase prices and modest rental demand rather than rapid capital growth. Median rent is $190 per week, and 22.1% of occupied dwellings are rented, but the 13.6% vacancy rate is high and may reduce competition between tenants. Only 2 development applications were recorded over 12 months, limiting evidence of a major supply pipeline. The forecast trend is -0.06% annually and migration is labelled Balanced, so investors should prioritise property condition, tenant appeal and achievable rent rather than assume strong near-term growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
2
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
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Orbost Community College
St Joseph's School
Demographics
Orbost has an older and more settled demographic profile than the national comparison. The median age is 53, or 13 years above national levels, while the average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below the national comparison. Only 14.6% of residents have a university qualification, 15.5 percentage points below the national figure, and 10.1% were born overseas, 11.5 points below national levels. Residential stability is high, with 79.9% of residents staying at the same address and turnover of 20.1%. English ancestry is recorded for 918 people, followed by Scottish at 228 and Irish at 207. Compared with nearby Lakes Entrance, Orbost's profile points to a more settled local population, shaped by aging households, lower mobility and a smaller overseas-born share.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.6%
Houses
3.8%
Townhouse
2.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Orbost's housing market has delivered long-run growth but remains below its latest peak. Tenure is ownership-heavy: 54.1% of dwellings are owned outright, compared with 21.7% under mortgage and 22.1% rented. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 93.6%, with 59.7% containing 3 bedrooms and only 2.3% apartments. Compared with Lakes Entrance, Orbost is more strongly detached-house led, because its low density and established ownership base support conventional standalone homes.
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$190
Census 2021
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
30.5%
Couples with children
48.6%
Couples, no children
18.6%
Single parent
554
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Orbost's dominant industry at 28.0%, representing 116 workers, followed by education at 11.6% and 48 workers, construction at 10.8% and 45, agriculture at 8.7% and 36, and retail at 7.7% and 32. The occupational mix includes 123 labourers, 113 community and personal service workers, 91 managers, 87 professionals and 78 clerical or administrative workers. Unemployment is 6.3%, participation is 40.8% and only 46.4% of employed residents work full time, consistent with an older population and a service-based economy. Socioeconomic measures sit below the midpoint: IEO is decile 3, IER decile 2, IRSD decile 2 and IRSAD decile 2. Household income is at the 4.4th percentile, below most areas, because lower-paid care, service, seasonal and part-time work offsets the presence of professional and management roles.
Unemployment
6.3%
Labour Force
777
Unemployed
49
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
46.4%
Part-time
46.0%
Participation
40.8%
Employed
728
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.6%
Postgraduate
2.3%
Born Overseas
10.1%
Dwellings
964
Transport to Work
Orbost is highly car-oriented because its density is only 10.9 people per square kilometre across 208.62 square kilometres. Some 72.1% of residents drive to work, compared with 8.2% who walk or cycle and 12.4% who work from home. Families have access to 2 local school options: a Catholic primary school and a government provider covering primary and secondary years. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety is a key consideration, with 441 recorded offences and a rate of 194.8 per 1,000 residents; the largest categories were property and deception offences at 136, justice procedures at 130 and crimes against the person at 108. IRSAD and IRSD are both in decile 2, below the middle of the scale, so household budgets and access to services matter when weighing livability.
Drive
72.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
8.2%
Work from Home
12.4%
Growth Outlook
Orbost is following an established and aging trajectory rather than a strong expansion cycle. The annual forecast trend is -0.06%, lower than a positive-growth market, while the primary migration driver is labelled Balanced. Population change across the wider area is 0.3% over 10 years, indicating near stability rather than a rapid increase. Demographic change is more pronounced: the senior share has risen by 9.4 percentage points, while the young share has fallen by 4.3 points and the working-age share by 3.7 points. Rent growth of 35.7% contrasts with stable affordability, recorded at 35.9% in both 2011 and 2021. Gentrification is not evident, with a score of 0 and a stage labelled Not gentrifying, so future demand is more likely to depend on services, retirees and local employment than redevelopment-led change.
Population trend: East Gippsland council area
Orbost sits in the East Gippsland council area. These are the council area's residents, not Orbost's.
Residents 2025
49,669
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.0%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
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
What schools are in Orbost?
Orbost has 2 local school options: St Joseph's School, a Catholic primary school, and Orbost Community College, a government school covering primary and secondary years. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can affect eligibility and travel arrangements.
Is Orbost safe?
Orbost recorded 441 offences, equal to 194.8 offences per 1,000 residents. The largest categories were property and deception offences with 136 incidents, justice procedures offences with 130, and crimes against the person with 108. Residents should check current local updates and consider property security when comparing streets.
How is Orbost's population changing?
Orbost has a current population of 2,264. Population change across the wider area is 0.3% over 10 years, while the annual trend is -0.06%. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased by 9.4 percentage points, while the young share has fallen by 4.3 points, pointing to demand shaped more by older households than rapid population growth.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Orbost on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map