St Arnaud
A median age of 52 is the standout feature of St Arnaud, sitting 12 years above the national benchmark and shaping demand toward quieter, service-led living. Because the population is older, healthcare accounts for 26.8% of employment. The town has 2,318 residents across 68.97 square kilometres, with density of 33.6 people per square kilometre. With 50.2% of homes owned outright, buyers comparing St Arnaud with nearby Donald or Charlton should weigh its lower density and ageing profile against detached housing and local services.
Local council: Northern Grampians
Population
2,318
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$920/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$262K
October to December 2025
St Arnaud suits buyers prioritising space and manageable repayments over apartment choice. Separate houses account for 94.4% of dwellings, including 54.3% with 3 bedrooms and 20.2% with 4 or more. Compared with nearby Donald or Charlton, check exact condition, block size and services because a low headline price does not remove property-specific trade-offs.
For Buyers
St Arnaud suits buyers prioritising space and manageable repayments over apartment choice. Separate houses account for 94.4% of dwellings, including 54.3% with 3 bedrooms and 20.2% with 4 or more. Compared with nearby Donald or Charlton, check exact condition, block size and services because a low headline price does not remove property-specific trade-offs.
For Investors
St Arnaud presents a low-rent, high-vacancy investment case rather than a scarcity play. Weekly rent is $188 and 20.4% of dwellings are rented, but vacancy is 13.3%, a higher hurdle for landlords seeking reliable letting speed. Rents have grown 40.0% across the measured period, yet Balanced migration and an annual trend of -0.5% point to modest underlying demand. Only 1 development was lodged in the past 12 months, a lower pipeline than a growth corridor, although the application describes a 9-lot subdivision stage. Returns depend on buying well because tenant depth is constrained by a population of 2,318 and an ageing trajectory.
Development Activity
Total DAs
5
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in St Arnaud
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Arnaud Primary School
St Patrick's School
St Arnaud Secondary College
Demographics
St Arnaud has an older and less university-qualified profile than Australia overall. Median age is 52, or 12 years above the national comparison, while university attainment is 15.2%, 14.9 percentage points below the national figure. Only 6.9% of residents were born overseas, 14.7 points below the national comparison, and English, Scottish and Irish ancestry counts are 1,034, 295 and 290. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below the national measure. Residential stability is notable: 85.1% stayed at the same address, while volunteering reached 25.2%. Compared with nearby Donald and Charlton, this points to an older service-town social mix because fewer young adults and migrants are represented.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.4%
Houses
4.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached ownership dominates St Arnaud housing. Separate houses comprise 94.4% of dwellings, while 50.2% are owned outright, 28.0% carry a mortgage and 20.4% are rented. The stock is mainly 3-bedroom homes at 54.3%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 20.2% and 2-bedroom dwellings at 19.9%, so the market is better suited to conventional houses than apartments, which account for just 0.3%. Compared with nearby Donald or Charlton, this is a lower-density, ownership-heavy option because detached supply dominates the local stock.
Mortgage / mo
$867
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$188
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$560
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.3%
Unoccupied
160
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.0%
Couples with children
48.5%
Couples, no children
17.7%
Single parent
581
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is St Arnaud's leading employment base at 26.8% and 136 workers, followed by agriculture at 12.8% and 65, retail at 8.9% and 45, education at 7.9% and 40, and public administration at 6.7% and 34. The occupational mix includes 176 labourers, 147 community and personal workers, 125 managers, 113 trades workers and 108 professionals. Unemployment is 3.9% across a labour force of 959, while participation is 48.0%. Household income sits at the 9.3 percentile, and SEIFA places disadvantage at decile 3 for IRSD and decile 2 for IRSAD, both below the middle range. Lower participation and income are consistent with an older population because 881 people are outside the labour force.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
959
Unemployed
37
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.7%
Part-time
38.4%
Participation
48.0%
Employed
922
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.2%
Postgraduate
1.7%
Born Overseas
6.9%
Dwellings
1,038
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 78.8% drive to work, compared with 0.5% using public transport and 11.0% walking or cycling. Families have access to 3 local schools, spanning 2 primary options and 1 government secondary college across Catholic and government sectors; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety is a higher-priority consideration, with 250 recorded offences and a crime rate of 107.9 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences totalled 88, crimes against the person 77, and justice procedures offences 62. Social disadvantage is also above middle-range benchmarks, with IRSAD in decile 2 and IRSD in decile 3. The town's 68.97 square kilometres and 33.6 people per square kilometre make a car useful because services are spread across a low-density setting.
Drive
78.8%
Public Transport
0.5%
Walk / Cycle
11.0%
Work from Home
4.2%
Growth Outlook
St Arnaud's growth outlook is subdued and ageing. The annual trend is -0.5%, while population change across the wider area is -3.8% over 10 years. Migration is labelled Balanced, so neither a strong inflow nor a single source is driving momentum. The shift trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 6.5% and the working share down 2.3%, which helps explain why demand may remain steadier than expansionary. Gentrification is scored 0 and staged as Not gentrifying, although another shift indicator records 33 and Early signs. Compared with faster-growing regional centres, St Arnaud sits below a growth-led path because its 2,318 residents are older and only 1 development was lodged in 12 months.
Population trend: Northern Grampians council area
St Arnaud sits in the Northern Grampians council area. These are the council area's residents, not St Arnaud's.
Residents 2025
11,804
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.0%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
250
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
107.9
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 St Arnaud compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in St Arnaud?
St Arnaud has 3 local schools: 2 primary schools, including Catholic and government options, plus 1 government secondary college. Families should check the enrolment zone for the exact address because school access can differ across town. The local mix is broader than a locality with only 1 primary campus, but sector and location alone do not establish school performance.
Is St Arnaud safe?
Safety is a material consideration. The recorded crime rate is 107.9 offences per 1,000 people, with 250 total offences; property and deception offences accounted for 88 and crimes against the person for 77. The rate makes safety a higher-priority check for buyers, who should inspect the immediate street and recent local trends before deciding.
Is St Arnaud good for property investment?
Investment prospects are mixed. Weekly rent is $188 and 20.4% of dwellings are rented, but vacancy is 13.3%, a higher risk for landlords than in tightly supplied markets. Rents have grown 40.0%, while only 1 development was lodged in 12 months and the annual trend is -0.5%. Low entry pricing helps, but tenant depth and resale growth should be tested carefully.
How is St Arnaud's population changing?
St Arnaud's population is 2,318 today, with an ageing direction rather than expansion. Median age is 52, the senior share has risen 6.5%, and population change across the wider area is -3.8% over 10 years. The annual trend is -0.5% and migration is Balanced, so change is slower than in growth-led areas. An 85.1% same-address rate also points to a settled resident base.
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).
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