Stawell
At $315,000, the median house price here sits far below almost any metropolitan market, and that affordability is the defining fact rather than a footnote. Household income lands in the 21st percentile nationally, the median age of 47 runs 7.0 years above the national figure, and the suburb scores decile 2 on both IEO and IRSAD, near the bottom of the advantage scale. Detached houses make up 90.2% of dwellings across a sprawling 93.14 sq km footprint, and the 10.6% vacancy rate is high. Prices have actually fallen 11.3% from their 2022 peak of $355,000, an unusual retreat that reframes the cheap entry point as a market still working through a correction.
Population
6,220
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,127/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$315K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $315,000 median makes Stawell one of Victoria's most accessible markets, and the entry cost is low because incomes and demand are both modest, with household income in the 21st percentile nationally. Stock heavily favours owner-occupiers chasing space: 90.2% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.5% and four-plus bedroom dwellings reach 24.8%, while apartments are just 5.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $973, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here are not overextended. Outright owners at 46.0% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.2%, which signals a settled, debt-free ownership base rather than a churn of recent purchasers. The catch for buyers is that the median has slipped 11.3% from the 2022 peak, so timing matters more than affordability alone.
For Buyers
The $315,000 median makes Stawell one of Victoria's most accessible markets, and the entry cost is low because incomes and demand are both modest, with household income in the 21st percentile nationally. Stock heavily favours owner-occupiers chasing space: 90.2% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.5% and four-plus bedroom dwellings reach 24.8%, while apartments are just 5.3%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $973, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 19.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold, so buyers here are not overextended. Outright owners at 46.0% outnumber mortgage holders at 28.2%, which signals a settled, debt-free ownership base rather than a churn of recent purchasers. The catch for buyers is that the median has slipped 11.3% from the 2022 peak, so timing matters more than affordability alone.
For Investors
Rent of $210 a week against the $315,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.5%, materially higher than the sub-2% yields typical of capital-city markets, which is the core of the investment case here. A 25.8% renter share gives a workable tenant pool, but the 10.6% vacancy rate is high and points to soft demand rather than scarcity. Demand drivers are thin: net overseas migration adds 42 residents a year while internal migration removes 39, leaving population growth flat at 0.0% annually. Development activity is minimal at 7 applications in 12 months. Rent has still grown 42.7% over the decade, faster than most affordable markets, so the play rests on yield and rent escalation rather than capital growth, especially given prices remain 11.3% below their 2022 peak.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+300.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Stawell iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Patrick's School
Prep-6 · 150 students
Stawell Primary School
Prep-6 · 259 students
Stawell Secondary College
7-12 · 333 students
Stawell West Primary School
Prep-6 · 93 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.2 points while the young share fell 2.4 points over the decade. University qualifications reach just 18.1%, which is 12.0 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and care roles. Overseas-born residents are 12.1%, some 9.5 points below national, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,484), Scottish (672) and Irish (631). The top non-English languages are Mandarin (47 speakers) and Punjabi (18), a small international footprint. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below national, and couples without children make up 36.3% of families, slightly more than couples with children at a count of 1,455, a profile typical of an older regional town.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.2%
Houses
3.8%
Townhouse
5.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure leans firmly toward ownership: 46.0% own outright, 28.2% carry a mortgage and 25.8% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free homes rather than a market of recent buyers. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 90.2%, with apartments at 5.3% and semi-detached at 3.8%, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 53.5%. The median house price reached $315,000 in mid-2024, up 93.8% from $162,500 in 2013 for a compound annual rate of 4.8%, yet down 11.3% from the 2022 peak of $355,000. Mortgage-to-income sits at 19.9% and rent-to-income at 18.6%, both comfortably below the 30% stress line, because purchase and rental costs are low relative even to incomes in the 21st percentile.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$973
Rent / wk
$210
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$658
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.6%
Unoccupied
305
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.3%
Couples, no children
4,333
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce is concentrated in essential-service and production sectors rather than knowledge work: Healthcare leads at 26.2% (395 workers), Manufacturing follows at 13.1% (197) and Public Admin at 10.3% (155), with Education at 8.5% and Construction at 6.8%. By occupation, Labourers (529) and Community/Personal workers (441) outnumber Professionals (321) and Managers (295), which aligns with the decile 2 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.7% and the full-time rate is 61.2%, though participation reads just 48.1% because the aging profile leaves 2,039 residents not in the labour force. Real incomes still grew 17.8% over the decade. The IER score sits at decile 3, a notch above the decile 2 IEO and IRSAD, because the high outright-ownership rate of 46.0% lifts the economic-resources measure relative to education and occupation.
Unemployment
1.7%
Labour Force
4,269
Unemployed
71
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.2%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
48.1%
Employed
2,416
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.1%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
12.1%
Dwellings
2,584
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total, with 83.5% driving to work and only 0.2% using public transport, far below metropolitan levels and typical of a regional centre, while 7.7% walk or cycle. The suburb scores decile 3 on IRSD for relative disadvantage and decile 2 on IRSAD, meaning a larger share of residents face deprivation than in most of Australia. Crime runs at 97.9 offences per 1,000 residents from 609 total, with property and deception offences the largest category at 229, well above what compact wealthy suburbs report. No schools are recorded inside the 93.14 sq km boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions nearby. Volunteering at 17.9% and a need-for-assistance rate of 8.3% reflect the older, community-oriented regional profile.
Drive
83.5%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
0.0%/yr
EstablishedPopulation is effectively flat, with annual growth at 0.0% and a 10-year change of just 2.8%, classifying Stawell as an established, slow-growth town. Medium forecasts hold the population near 8,383 through 2031, so little expansion is expected over the period. Overseas migration of 42 residents a year is the only positive driver, offset by a net internal outflow of 39, leaving natural movement close to neutral. The gentrification reading is early signs at a score of 31, modest but more than the zero registered by truly static suburbs. Affordability has barely moved, easing from 32.2% in 2011 to 31.7% in 2021, a stable trend that reflects how prices have tracked incomes rather than racing ahead, especially with the median still 11.3% below its 2022 peak.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+42
Net Internal / yr
-39
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
609
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
97.9
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 Stawell compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stawell a good suburb to live in?
Stawell suits buyers prioritising affordability, with a median house price of $315,000 and mortgage costs at 19.9% of income, well below the 30% stress line. The trade-offs are a decile 2 IRSAD score, a crime rate of 97.9 per 1,000, and an older population with a median age of 47, which is 7.0 years above national.
What is the median house price in Stawell?
The median house price is $315,000 as of mid-2024, low by Victorian standards. Prices rose 93.8% from $162,500 in 2013, a compound rate of 4.8% a year, but have fallen 11.3% from the 2022 peak of $355,000. Weekly rent averages $210 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $973.
What schools are in Stawell?
No schools are recorded inside the 93.14 sq km Stawell boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in the surrounding area. University qualifications among residents reach 18.1%, which is 12.0 points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce weighted toward trades and care roles.
Is Stawell safe?
Crime runs at 97.9 offences per 1,000 residents, with 609 recorded in total, higher than many metropolitan suburbs. Property and deception offences are the largest category at 229, followed by crimes against the person at 149. The suburb also scores decile 3 on the IRSD disadvantage index.
Is Stawell good for property investment?
Rent of $210 a week against the $315,000 median gives a gross yield near 3.5%, above the sub-2% returns in capital cities. However the 10.6% vacancy rate is high and population growth is 0.0% annually, so returns lean on yield and the 42.7% decade rent growth rather than capital gains.
How is Stawell's population changing?
Population growth is 0.0% annually with a 2.8% rise over 10 years, an established, slow-growth profile. Net overseas migration adds 42 residents a year, offset by 39 leaving internally. The town is aging, with the senior share up 6.2 points and the young share down 2.4 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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