Rushworth
At a median house price of $296,300 and a household income sitting in just the 5.9th percentile nationally, Rushworth is one of regional Victoria's most affordable towns, though affordability here reflects constrained incomes as much as low prices. The suburb spans 172.56 square kilometres with a population of 1,411 and a density of 8.2 people per square kilometre, far below the national average. The median age of 56 is 16 years above the national figure, making Rushworth one of Victoria's most aged communities by this measure. IRSAD and IRSD deciles both sit at 2, placing the suburb in the bottom tier nationally for both relative advantage and disadvantage.
Population
1,411
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$850/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$296K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $296,300 as of Apr-Jun 2024 is well below the national median, but the price history shows volatility: the suburb peaked at $405,000 in Jan-Mar 2024 before pulling back 26.8%. From 2013 the price rose 84.0% over 14 years, a compound annual growth rate of 4.5%, which modestly outpaces inflation. Monthly mortgage repayments average $997, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1% sits below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes that rank in just the 5.9th percentile nationally. Detached houses dominate at 94.2% of stock, with 3-bedroom homes making up 52.8% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes at 18.1%, giving buyers a standard family-home choice at accessible price points.
For Buyers
The median house price of $296,300 as of Apr-Jun 2024 is well below the national median, but the price history shows volatility: the suburb peaked at $405,000 in Jan-Mar 2024 before pulling back 26.8%. From 2013 the price rose 84.0% over 14 years, a compound annual growth rate of 4.5%, which modestly outpaces inflation. Monthly mortgage repayments average $997, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.1% sits below the 30% stress threshold despite household incomes that rank in just the 5.9th percentile nationally. Detached houses dominate at 94.2% of stock, with 3-bedroom homes making up 52.8% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes at 18.1%, giving buyers a standard family-home choice at accessible price points.
For Investors
The rental market in Rushworth is thin. Weekly rent of $190 against a $296,300 median implies a gross yield near 3.3%, modest for a regional town. The vacancy rate of 13.7% is very high compared to healthy market levels around 2-3%, signalling limited rental demand. Only 13.9% of dwellings are rented, below the national average, while 55.4% are owned outright, indicating a settled long-term owner base. Development activity is negligible at 1 application in the past 12 months, limiting prospects for capital gain from new supply cycles. Net annual migration averages 11 internal and 8 overseas arrivals, a balanced but very small inflow that provides minimal demand growth for rental properties.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rushworth iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 40 students
Rushworth P-12 College
Prep-12 · 171 students
Demographics
The median age of 56 is 16 years above the national figure and the senior share rose 4.9 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 0.9 points, confirming an aging trajectory. The overseas-born share of 12.6% is 9.0 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry where English (581 residents), Scottish (160) and Irish (145) dominate. University qualifications reach only 11.5%, which is 18.6 percentage points below national, reflecting the working-class and agricultural occupational base. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, consistent with the older couples-without-children profile where 42.9% of families are couples with no children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.2%
Houses
2.2%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Outright ownership at 55.4% is high relative to Australian norms, reflecting the older resident base and long tenancy periods: 83.9% of residents did not move in the prior year. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 94.2%, with semi-detached at 2.2%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 52.8%, followed by 4-plus bedroom at 18.1% and 2-bedroom at 21.3%. The trough price was $158,000 in 2014 and the peak was $405,000 in Jan-Mar 2024, a 156% rise from trough to peak before the current $296,300 reading, which is 26.8% below peak. Rent-to-income sits at 22.4% and mortgage-to-income at 27.1%, both below stress thresholds, because most residents own outright and are not carrying housing costs at all.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$997
Rent / wk
$190
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$486
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.7%
Unoccupied
95
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.9%
Couples, no children
903
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 21.6% of the local workforce (59 workers), a figure that reflects the community's age profile and the role of the town as a regional service centre. Agriculture is second at 12.1% (33 workers), consistent with the surrounding Campaspe region farming landscape. Education follows at 9.5% and Manufacturing at 9.2%. By occupation, Labourers lead at 94 workers, followed by Managers (68) and Professionals (60), a mix that skews toward manual and supervisory roles rather than knowledge-sector work. The unemployment rate of 4.4% is close to the national average, though the participation rate of only 37.1% is low, because 593 residents are not in the labour force, driven by the high proportion of retirees. IRSAD and IRSD both score at decile 2, placing Rushworth among the more disadvantaged communities nationally.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
1,966
Unemployed
61
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.1%
Part-time
39.5%
Participation
37.1%
Employed
435
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.5%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
12.6%
Dwellings
603
Transport to Work
Car dependence is very high with 81.7% of residents driving to work, and 8.5% walk or cycle. No public transport share is recorded, which reflects the isolated character of a town with a density of 8.2 people per square kilometre. No schools are recorded in the dataset for this suburb, so families would rely on nearby centres. The crime rate of 55.3 incidents per 1,000 residents is notable, with crimes against the person accounting for 26 of 78 recorded offences, followed by justice procedures offences (21) and property and deception offences (18). The IRSAD decile of 2 places Rushworth in the bottom tier nationally for relative advantage. Volunteering at 20.4% is above the national average, and 11.8% of residents need daily assistance, which is higher than most metro suburbs and linked to the aged population profile.
Drive
81.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
8.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.02%/yr
(-1 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth over 10 years was 2.2%, very slow, and the annual trend is effectively flat at negative 0.02%, or minus 1 person per year. The medium forecast holds the population near 4,141 through 2031, suggesting no meaningful recovery. The shift data shows an aging trajectory with senior share up 4.9 points over the decade, which will constrain labour supply and consumer spending. The gentrification score of 29 shows early signs on some metrics, but the formal assessment is not gentrifying, consistent with IRSAD decile 2. Real income grew 17.8% over the period and rent grew 37.9%, meaning rents have outpaced income growth, gradually increasing housing pressure for the small renter cohort despite low absolute rent levels of $190 per week.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+8
Net Internal / yr
+11
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
78
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
55.3
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 Rushworth compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rushworth a good suburb to live in?
Rushworth suits buyers seeking very affordable rural living, with a median house price of $296,300 and mortgage repayments averaging $997 per month. The trade-offs are limited services, high car dependence, and a IRSAD decile of 2, placing it in the bottom tier nationally for relative advantage. The volunteering rate of 20.4% suggests an engaged community despite those constraints.
What is the median house price in Rushworth?
The median house price was $296,300 in Apr-Jun 2024. The suburb reached a peak of $405,000 in Jan-Mar 2024 before pulling back 26.8%. From 2013 the price has risen 84.0% in total, a CAGR of 4.5% over 14 years. Weekly rent is $190 and monthly mortgage repayments average $997.
What schools are in Rushworth?
No schools are recorded inside the Rushworth boundary in this dataset. The local university qualification rate is 11.5%, which is 18.6 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the town's working-class and agricultural occupational base. Families typically access secondary schooling in larger regional centres nearby.
Is Rushworth safe?
Rushworth recorded 78 offences in the reference period, giving a crime rate of 55.3 per 1,000 residents. The top categories were crimes against the person (26 offences), justice procedures offences (21) and property and deception offences (18). As a comparison, this rate is higher than many low-density regional towns, though the small population means a few incidents move the per-capita figure significantly.
Is Rushworth good for property investment?
The investment case is cautious. Gross rental yield is near 3.3% based on $190 weekly rent against a $296,300 median, but the vacancy rate of 13.7% is high compared to a healthy market level of around 2-3%. Only 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months and population growth is near zero, limiting demand drivers for future capital gain.
How is Rushworth's population changing?
The 10-year population change was 2.2% and the annual trend is minus 0.02%, effectively flat. Medium forecasts project a population near 4,141 by 2031, down slightly from the current level. The suburb has an aging trajectory, with the senior share rising 4.9 points and the working-age share falling 0.9 points over the decade.
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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