Swan Hill
Swan Hill reads first as an affordable regional service centre, with a $480,000 median house price, 83.1% separate houses and a population of 11,186 across a low 88.4 people per sq km. Compared with nearby Lake Boga and Nyah, it carries more of the district's retail, health and schooling role. The trade-off is that household income sits at the 39.6 percentile and crime is elevated at 118.1 offences per 1,000 people. Overseas-born residents are 14.1%, which is 7.5 points below the national share.
Population
11,186
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,390/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$480K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers get a detached-house market rather than an apartment market: 83.1% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments are only 7.8%. The median house price was $480,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, 3.4% below the $497,000 peak in Jan-Mar 2024, giving buyers some relief from the recent high. The layout suits families because 50.7% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 27.5% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs absorb 21.6% of income, so affordability is helped by low prices but constrained by household incomes below the national midpoint.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a detached-house market rather than an apartment market: 83.1% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments are only 7.8%. The median house price was $480,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, 3.4% below the $497,000 peak in Jan-Mar 2024, giving buyers some relief from the recent high. The layout suits families because 50.7% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 27.5% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs absorb 21.6% of income, so affordability is helped by low prices but constrained by household incomes below the national midpoint.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed rental picture. Renting is common at 32.8% of households and weekly rent is $235, but the 8.8% vacancy rate is higher than a tight-market setting, so tenant demand needs to be checked street by street. Rent growth has been stronger, with the forecast shift showing 34.3% rental growth, while only 8 development applications in 12 months point to limited new supply pressure. Compared with fast-growth metro fringes, Swan Hill's appeal is yield and entry price rather than population momentum.
Development Activity
Total DAs
33
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+10.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Swan Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 603 students
St Mary MacKillop College
7-12 · 540 students
Swan Hill Christian School
Prep-6 · 29 students
Swan Hill College
7-12 · 747 students
Swan Hill Primary School
Prep-6 · 516 students
Demographics
Swan Hill's median age is 38, which is 2.0 years lower than the national benchmark, but its education and migration profile is below big-city levels. University attainment is 21.4%, 8.7 percentage points below national, and overseas-born residents are 14.1%, 7.5 points lower. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 4,176 people, followed by Irish at 1,332 and Scottish at 1,094. Punjabi is the largest non-English language count at 102, so cultural change exists but from a modest base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.1%
Houses
8.5%
Townhouse
7.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is broad, low-rise and owner-heavy. Outright owners are 36.1%, mortgage holders 31.0% and renters 32.8%, giving a more balanced tenure mix than a purely investor-led market. The median house price has risen from $225,000 in 2013 to $480,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 113.3% gain and 5.6% CAGR over 14 years. Prices are 3.4% below the $497,000 peak, so the latest quarter looks like a mild pullback rather than a reset. Mortgage stress is muted at 21.6% of income because debt levels remain moderate.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$235
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$754
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
417
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples, no children
8,238
Total families
Economy & Employment
The economy is anchored by services that support the wider district. Healthcare employs 676 people or 22.0%, followed by education at 418 or 13.6%, construction at 299 or 9.8%, agriculture at 219 or 7.1% and manufacturing at 205 or 6.7%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 899, with labourers at 782 and managers at 718. Unemployment is low at 3.2%, yet participation is 56.0% and all 4 SEIFA measures sit in decile 3, indicating incomes and advantage remain below the national middle despite steady local jobs.
Unemployment
1.3%
Labour Force
5,590
Unemployed
73
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.2%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
56.0%
Employed
4,898
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.4%
Postgraduate
3.6%
Born Overseas
14.1%
Dwellings
4,341
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-based, with 84.8% driving to work, only 0.2% using public transport and 7.1% walking or cycling. School choice is a strength for a regional centre: 6 local schools span Government, Catholic and Independent sectors, with ICSEA scores from 926 to 1036. St Mary's School leads at 1036, followed by St Mary MacKillop College at 1023 and Swan Hill Christian School at 1017. The main livability caution is safety, with 1,321 recorded offences and 118.1 per 1,000 people, while IRSAD decile 3 sits below the national midpoint.
Drive
84.8%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.13%/yr
(+14 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is expected to stay slow. The trend forecast is only 0.13% a year, equal to about 14 people annually, with the medium path moving from 11,023 in 2026 to 11,091 in 2031. Migration explains the drag: overseas migration is the primary driver at +59 people a year, but average net internal migration is -200 a year. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, compared with the earlier shift signal of 40 and Early signs. Rent growth of 34.3% shows pressure, but population momentum is weak.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+59
Net Internal / yr
-200
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -200/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,321
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
118.1
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 Swan Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Swan Hill a good suburb to live in?
Swan Hill can suit buyers wanting a regional centre with services, schools and detached homes at a $480,000 median price. The trade-off is a car-dependent lifestyle, with 84.8% driving to work, and a crime rate of 118.1 offences per 1,000 people.
What is the median house price in Swan Hill?
The median house price in Swan Hill was $480,000 in Apr-Jun 2024. That is 3.4% below the $497,000 peak recorded in Jan-Mar 2024, but still 113.3% higher than the $225,000 level recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Swan Hill?
Swan Hill has 6 local schools across Government, Catholic and Independent sectors. The highest ICSEA scores are St Mary's School at 1036, St Mary MacKillop College at 1023 and Swan Hill Christian School at 1017.
Is Swan Hill safe?
Swan Hill recorded 1,321 offences, equal to 118.1 per 1,000 people. The largest category was property and deception offences with 472 incidents, followed by crimes against the person with 349, so safety checks should be local and street-specific.
Is Swan Hill good for property investment?
Swan Hill has a renter share of 32.8% and weekly rent of $235, but the 8.8% vacancy rate is a caution for investors. With forecast growth at only 0.13% a year, the case is more about affordable entry and yield than rapid capital growth.
How is Swan Hill's population changing?
Swan Hill's recent population moved from 10,905 in 2023 to 10,747 in 2025, before the medium forecast rises to 11,091 by 2031. The trend is slow at 0.13% a year, with +59 overseas migration offset by -200 net internal migration annually.
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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