Railton
With 99.3% of dwellings as separate houses and a population of 1079 spread across 70.66 sq km, Railton is defined by space, ownership and an older resident base. The median age is 45, which is 5.0 years above the national figure, while household income sits at the 17.1 percentile. Compared with nearby Sheffield and Latrobe, its identity is more residential because 43.8% of homes are owned outright and daily travel is mostly by car.
Local council: Kentish
Population
1,079
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,091/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers are buying into a house market rather than a unit market: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, with 59.1% having 3 bedrooms and 15.8% having 4 or more. The median mortgage payment is $975 a month and mortgage costs use 20.6% of income, below the stress flag. That matters because the local household income percentile is only 17.1, so affordability depends more on modest debt than on high wages.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are buying into a house market rather than a unit market: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses, with 59.1% having 3 bedrooms and 15.8% having 4 or more. The median mortgage payment is $975 a month and mortgage costs use 20.6% of income, below the stress flag. That matters because the local household income percentile is only 17.1, so affordability depends more on modest debt than on high wages.
For Investors
Investors should treat Railton as a yield and tenant-depth question rather than a large rental pool. Renting covers 18.2% of households, lower than the 43.8% owned outright and 36.7% with a mortgage, so turnover can be thinner. Weekly rent is $255 and rent takes 23.4% of income, with no rent stress flag. A 6.6% vacancy rate and 0 recent developments point to careful tenant selection rather than quick supply-led uplift.
Demographics
Railton's population profile is older and more locally born than Australia overall. The median age is 45, 5.0 years above the national figure, and 8.4% were born overseas, 13.2 percentage points below national. University attainment is 10.0%, sitting 20.1 points below national, which lines up with a workforce tilted to trades, labouring and driving. English ancestry is the largest count at 483, followed by Irish at 125 and Scottish at 89.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.3%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Railton is overwhelmingly detached and established, with 99.3% separate houses and 0 recent development approvals. Ownership is the main tenure: 43.8% own outright and 36.7% have a mortgage, both higher than the 18.2% renting share. That creates limited new stock because development is not adding alternatives. The bedroom mix is led by 3-bedroom homes at 59.1%, then 2-bedroom homes at 19.8%. Median mortgage costs are $975 a month and rent is $255 a week.
Mortgage / mo
$975
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$255
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$539
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
29
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.7%
Couples with children
47.3%
Couples, no children
19.3%
Single parent
300
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 15.5%, followed by Transport and Other Services at 10.5% each, Agriculture at 9.1% and Manufacturing at 7.8%. Occupations are similarly practical, with 77 trades workers, 72 labourers and 61 machinery or driver roles. Unemployment is 6.9% and participation is 48.5%, partly because 372 residents are not in the labour force. SEIFA shows constraint: IEO decile 2, IRSAD decile 2 and IRSD decile 3, while IER decile 5 is higher.
Unemployment
6.9%
Labour Force
433
Unemployed
30
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.3%
Part-time
33.7%
Participation
48.5%
Employed
403
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
10.0%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
8.4%
Dwellings
403
Transport to Work
Daily life in Railton is strongly car-based: 83.0% drive to work, compared with 1.2% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. That pattern fits the 70.66 sq km footprint and 15.3 people per sq km, because services and jobs are spread out. Working from home is 6.8%, helpful but not dominant. IRSAD decile 2 points to lower socio-economic advantage, while 15.9% volunteering and 8.3% needing assistance shape local service demand.
Drive
83.0%
Public Transport
1.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
6.8%
Growth Outlook
Growth runs at 0.8% a year, steady rather than speculative, with the migration driver labelled Balanced. The broader shift trajectory is Aging, backed by a 6.8 point rise in senior share and a -4.4 point change in young share. Population change over the past 10 years is 8.6%, so momentum exists without a boom feel. The gentrification score is 15 and stage is Not gentrifying, lower than the separate shift marker of 45, despite rent growth of 27.8% and improving affordability from 45.7 to 38.1.
Population trend: Kentish council area
Railton sits in the Kentish council area. These are the council area's residents, not Railton's.
Residents 2025
6,866
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Railton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Railton a good suburb to live in?
Railton can suit buyers who want space and ownership stability: 99.3% of dwellings are separate houses and 43.8% are owned outright. It is more car-based than transit-focused, with 83.0% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Railton?
A current median house price is not available for Railton. Affordability can still be read through costs: the median mortgage is $975 a month, median rent is $255 a week and mortgage costs take 20.6% of income.
What schools are in Railton?
There are 0 schools listed within Railton itself, so school choice depends on nearby towns and commute patterns. The suburb's travel profile is car-led, with 83.0% driving to work and 1.2% using public transport.
Is Railton safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not available for Railton, so safety should be checked with current police maps and local inspections. Daily movement is mostly by car, with 83.0% driving and 1.5% walking or cycling.
Is Railton good for property investment?
Railton is a cautious investment case rather than a high-turnover rental market. Renters make up 18.2% of households, vacancy is 6.6%, weekly rent is $255 and there were 0 recent development approvals.
How is Railton's population changing?
Railton has 1079 residents today and growth is measured rather than rapid. The trend is 0.8% a year, population change over 10 years is 8.6%, and the trajectory is Aging with a 6.8 point lift in senior share.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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