Red Cliffs
A $340,000 median house price puts Red Cliffs among Victoria's most affordable detached markets, and the structure of the suburb explains why. Household income sits in the 30th percentile nationally, and university qualifications reach just 14.7%, which is 15.4 points below the national figure, so SEIFA scores all four indexes in decile 2 or 3. Detached houses make up 92.0% of dwellings across a sprawling 206.67 km2 of Mallee farmland at only 25.6 residents per km2. The 5,294 residents skew older at a median age of 41, one year above national, and only 10.6% were born overseas, 11.0 points below the national share.
Population
5,294
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,290/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$340K
Apr-Jun 2024
At a $340,000 median, Red Cliffs costs a fraction of metropolitan Melbourne, and the affordability is real rather than cosmetic. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here carry far less repayment pressure than the national average. The stock is overwhelmingly family housing: 92.0% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 53.4% and four-plus bedroom homes add another 26.7%, leaving apartments at a negligible 0.6%. Prices have eased from the $400,000 peak in early 2024 to $340,000, a 15.0% pullback, yet the longer arc is strong, with the median up 108.6% from $163,000 in 2013, a 5.4% compound annual gain. Outright owners (37.2%) and mortgage holders (37.4%) split the market almost evenly.
For Buyers
At a $340,000 median, Red Cliffs costs a fraction of metropolitan Melbourne, and the affordability is real rather than cosmetic. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here carry far less repayment pressure than the national average. The stock is overwhelmingly family housing: 92.0% are separate houses, three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 53.4% and four-plus bedroom homes add another 26.7%, leaving apartments at a negligible 0.6%. Prices have eased from the $400,000 peak in early 2024 to $340,000, a 15.0% pullback, yet the longer arc is strong, with the median up 108.6% from $163,000 in 2013, a 5.4% compound annual gain. Outright owners (37.2%) and mortgage holders (37.4%) split the market almost evenly.
For Investors
Weekly rent of $240 against the $340,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.7%, higher than most Melbourne suburbs where steep prices compress returns. The renter pool is modest at 25.4% of households, below the share in metropolitan markets, which reflects the owner-occupier character of a farming town. A 9.1% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand, so landlords compete for a thin tenant base rather than enjoying scarcity. Demand drivers are limited: forecast population growth is just 0.36% a year, net internal migration runs negative at 55 people annually, and only 25 net overseas arrivals offset it. Development is light at 6 applications in the past 12 months, though one subdivision certified 30 lots. The case rests on yield and low entry cost more than capital growth velocity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Red Cliffs iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 87 students
Red Cliffs Primary School
Prep-6 · 138 students
Red Cliffs East Primary School
Prep-6 · 126 students
Red Cliffs Secondary College
U, 7-12 · 348 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 sits 1.0 year above the national figure, and the profile is anglo-leaning: English ancestry leads at 2,052 residents, followed by Scottish (533) and Irish (434), with Italian (352) the most notable continental thread. Only 10.6% of residents were born overseas, 11.0 points below national, so the suburb is far less migrant-driven than urban Australia. Italian (38 speakers) and Mandarin (26) are the most common non-English languages, a small share consistent with the low overseas-born base. University qualifications reach 14.7%, which is 15.4 points below national, reflecting a workforce built on trades and agriculture rather than knowledge sectors. Average household size is 2.5, level with the national average, and couples with children (1,529 families) outnumber couples without children (1,100).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.0%
Houses
6.4%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily owner-occupied: 37.2% own outright and 37.4% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at 25.4%, below the national renter share. The stock is almost entirely detached, with separate houses at 92.0% and apartments at just 0.6%, so the market offers little choice beyond standalone family homes. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 53.4% and four-plus bedroom homes 26.7%, confirming a family-housing footprint. The median rose from $163,000 in 2013 to $340,000 in 2024, a 108.6% gain at a 5.4% compound annual rate, though it has fallen 15.0% from the $400,000 peak in early 2024. With household income in the 30th percentile, the low price-to-income setting keeps both rent-to-income (18.6%) and mortgage-to-income (19.4%) comfortably below stress levels, a rare combination in current markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$240
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$674
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.1%
Unoccupied
192
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
3,895
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans practical: Healthcare leads industries at 16.3% (210 workers), Agriculture follows at 13.5% (173) and Education at 11.2% (144), with Construction (9.6%) and Manufacturing (9.5%) rounding out the top five. By occupation, Labourers (381) outnumber Managers (331) and Professionals (258), the inverse of knowledge-economy suburbs and a direct cause of the decile 2 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment runs at 5.9%, above the national rate, and participation is low at 51.7%, partly because 1,531 residents are not in the labour force in this older population. All four SEIFA indexes land in the bottom tier, IEO decile 2, IRSAD decile 2, IRSD decile 2 and IER decile 3, placing Red Cliffs well below the national midpoint on socioeconomic advantage. Real incomes did grow 29.5% over the decade.
Unemployment
1.7%
Labour Force
3,161
Unemployed
55
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
51.7%
Employed
2,108
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.7%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
10.6%
Dwellings
1,919
Transport to Work
The suburb runs on cars: 87.0% drive to work while public transport carries just 1.1% and only 3.2% walk or cycle, reflecting a dispersed 206.67 km2 footprint at 25.6 residents per km2 where services are spread thin. Crime totals 357 offences at a rate of 67.4 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences (159) and crimes against the person (87) the largest categories, a moderate profile for a regional centre. The IRSAD score sits in decile 2, the lower tier of relative advantage nationally, which aligns with the 30th-percentile household income. Volunteering reaches 14.4% and 9.3% of residents (449 people) need daily assistance, slightly above what the median age of 41 alone would predict. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in nearby Mildura.
Drive
87.0%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.36%/yr
(+22 people/yr)
EstablishedRed Cliffs is an established, slow-growth town: forecast annual population growth is 0.36%, about 22 people a year, well below the rates of metropolitan growth corridors. The population has climbed 13.6% over the past decade and reached 6,055 in 2025, with medium projections lifting it to 6,249 by 2031. Growth depends on a fragile mix, because net internal migration is negative at 55 residents a year while overseas migration adds only 25, leaving overseas arrivals as the primary driver of any expansion. The dedicated gentrification model scores the suburb 4 and classifies it as not gentrifying, consistent with SEIFA deciles stuck at 2 and a workforce anchored in agriculture and trades rather than rising professional incomes. Affordability improved from 37.5% in 2011 to 35.3% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+25
Net Internal / yr
-55
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +11% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
357
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
67.4
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 Red Cliffs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Red Cliffs a good suburb to live in?
Red Cliffs suits owner-occupiers who value affordability, with a $340,000 median house price and a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 19.4%, well below stress levels. The trade-offs are SEIFA scores in decile 2 across all four indexes and household income in the 30th percentile nationally.
What is the median house price in Red Cliffs?
The median house price is $340,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 15.0% from the $400,000 peak in early 2024 but up 108.6% from $163,000 in 2013. Weekly rent averages $240 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,083, a 5.4% compound annual price gain over 14 years.
What schools are in Red Cliffs?
No schools are recorded inside the Red Cliffs boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in nearby Mildura. The local profile shows university qualifications at 14.7%, which is 15.4 points below the national figure, reflecting a trades and agriculture workforce.
Is Red Cliffs safe?
Red Cliffs recorded 357 offences at a rate of 67.4 per 1,000 residents, a moderate level for a regional centre. The largest categories are property and deception offences at 159 and crimes against the person at 87, with public order offences a smaller 29.
Is Red Cliffs good for property investment?
Rent of $240 a week against a $340,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.7%, higher than most Melbourne suburbs. However the 9.1% vacancy rate signals soft demand and population growth is only 0.36% a year, so the case favours yield over capital growth.
How is Red Cliffs's population changing?
The population reached 6,055 in 2025 and is forecast to grow 0.36% a year, about 22 people, to 6,249 by 2031. Net internal migration is negative at 55 residents annually, offset by only 25 net overseas arrivals, leaving overseas migration the main growth driver.
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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