Red Cliffs
The suburb has 5,294 residents, a median age of 41, and 92.0% separate houses. Compared with nearby Mildura's larger regional-centre role, Red Cliffs has a more agricultural and detached-house profile, reflected in its 13.5% agriculture workforce share and slow 0.36% annual growth rate.
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
7
Median House
$406K
October to December 2025
Red Cliffs suits buyers seeking detached, family-oriented housing without the price pressure found in larger markets. A typical mortgage repayment is listed at $1,083 per month, while mortgage costs equal 19.4% of household income, below a level that signals widespread mortgage stress.
For Buyers
Red Cliffs suits buyers seeking detached, family-oriented housing without the price pressure found in larger markets. A typical mortgage repayment is listed at $1,083 per month, while mortgage costs equal 19.4% of household income, below a level that signals widespread mortgage stress.
For Investors
The rental market has a relatively large tenant base, with 24.8% of occupied dwellings rented, weekly rent of $240 and a vacancy rate of 9.1%. Compared with a tighter low-vacancy market, that vacancy level may give renters more choice and limit short-term rent pressure, although rents have still risen 50.0% across the recorded shift period. Seven development matters were recorded in the latest 12 months, so supply activity is present but modest. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, while the 0.36% annual trend points to a gradual rather than rapid investment cycle.
Development Activity
Total DAs
15
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+133.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Red Cliffs
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Red Cliffs East Primary School
Red Cliffs Primary School
St Joseph's School
Red Cliffs Secondary College
Demographics
Red Cliffs has a median age of 41, which is 1.0 year above the national figure, while 14.7% of residents hold a university qualification, 15.4 percentage points below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 10.6%, or 11.0 percentage points below the national level. English ancestry is recorded for 2,052 people, followed by Scottish at 533 and Irish at 434. Population stability is notable: 81.0% stayed at the same address over the reference period and turnover was 19.0%. Compared with Mildura's broader regional setting, this supports a more settled profile, with local continuity helping sustain family and older-household networks.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.0%
Houses
6.4%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and family-sized: 92.0% of dwellings are separate houses, compared with 6.4% semi-detached homes and just 0.6% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 53.4% of stock and homes with 4 or more bedrooms account for 26.7%, supporting households that need space rather than apartment living. Tenure is split between 36.3% owning outright, 36.5% paying a mortgage and 24.8% renting. Compared with nearby Mildura's regional-centre housing role, Red Cliffs remains more strongly detached and lower-density.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$240
Census 2021
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
40.3%
Couples with children
41.0%
Couples, no children
17.0%
Single parent
1,345
Total families
Economy & Employment
Red Cliffs' economy combines essential services with production industries. Healthcare is the largest industry at 16.3%, followed by agriculture at 13.5%, education at 11.2%, construction at 9.6% and manufacturing at 9.5%. This mix helps explain the prominence of labourers at 381 people, trades at 339 and managers at 331. The labour force is 2,410, with 133 unemployed and a 5.5% unemployment rate; participation is 55.6% and the full-time rate is 58.1%. Weekly household income is $1,290, placing the suburb at the 30th percentile, while IEO, IRSD and IRSAD are all in decile 2 and IER is in decile 3. Compared with national education levels, the 14.7% university rate is 15.4 points lower, consistent with a more trade, service and agricultural employment base.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
2,410
Unemployed
133
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.1%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
55.6%
Employed
2,277
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.7%
Postgraduate
2.4%
Born Overseas
10.6%
Dwellings
1,919
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-dependent: 78.6% of commuters drive, compared with 1.0% using public transport and 2.9% walking or cycling; 9.6% work from home. Families have access to 4 local schools, comprising 3 primary schools and 1 secondary college, with 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because school access can cross suburb boundaries. Recorded crime totals 357 incidents, including 159 property and deception offences, 87 crimes against the person and 68 justice procedures offences, equal to 67.4 offences per 1,000 residents. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Red Cliffs requires more reliance on private vehicles, while an IRSAD decile of 2 indicates lower relative socioeconomic advantage and makes affordability an important part of livability.
Drive
78.6%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
9.6%
Population Forecast
+0.36%/yr
(+22 people/yr)
EstablishedRed Cliffs is growing gradually rather than following a rapid expansion pattern. The forecast annual trend is 0.36%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while the wider-area population change measure is 13.6% over 10 years. The trajectory is Mixed because gradual population movement sits alongside a 50.0% rent-growth signal and a 1.9 percentage point rise in the senior share, while the young share fell 1.3 points. Compared with a high-growth corridor, the pace is restrained. Gentrification indicators also diverge: the forecast stage is Not gentrifying with a score of 4, while the shift measure records a score of 55 and an Active stage. That combination points to change without a clear redevelopment-led transformation.
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
What schools are in Red Cliffs?
Red Cliffs has 4 local schools: 3 primary schools and 1 secondary college. The sector mix is 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school. Families should confirm the relevant enrolment zone for an address, particularly where primary and secondary options have different catchments.
Is Red Cliffs safe?
Red Cliffs recorded 357 offences, equal to 67.4 offences per 1,000 residents. The largest categories were property and deception offences at 159, crimes against the person at 87 and justice procedures offences at 68. Review recent street-level patterns and local conditions before making a safety decision.
How is Red Cliffs's population changing?
Population change is gradual and mixed. The forecast annual trend is 0.36%, overseas migration is the primary driver and the wider-area 10-year population change measure is 13.6%. The young share fell 1.3 percentage points while the senior share rose 1.9 points, indicating measured ageing alongside continued migration.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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