Tongala
The suburb spans 112 sq km with a population of only 1,973, giving a density of 17.6 people per km2, far lower than metropolitan benchmarks. Household income falls in the 26.4th percentile nationally, reflecting an economy anchored in healthcare (20.1% of workers) and agriculture (14.0%), two sectors that define the surrounding Campaspe Shire. Outright ownership at 37.4% is a notable feature, meaning a large share of residents carry no mortgage, an unusual position for a community with median incomes below the national average.
Local council: Campaspe
Population
1,973
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,220/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$495K
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Three-bedroom dwellings account for 55.8% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes add another 26.2%, so buyers find predominantly family-sized houses rather than compact units. Separate houses make up 89.8% of all dwellings, a higher detached share than most Victorian country towns. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,127 against median household income of $1,220 per week, putting the mortgage-to-income ratio at 21.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
For Buyers
Three-bedroom dwellings account for 55.8% of stock and 4-plus bedroom homes add another 26.2%, so buyers find predominantly family-sized houses rather than compact units. Separate houses make up 89.8% of all dwellings, a higher detached share than most Victorian country towns. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,127 against median household income of $1,220 per week, putting the mortgage-to-income ratio at 21.3%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
For Investors
The 6.8% vacancy rate is elevated compared to tight metropolitan markets, signalling that demand does not always absorb available rental stock. Renters account for 23.1% of households, a lower share than the national average, which limits the depth of the tenant pool. Development activity is minimal with only 1 planning permit lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term pressure. The suburb's 7.3% CAGR over 14 years demonstrates long-run capital growth, though investors should weigh that against the current vacancy rate and thin population base of 1,973.
Development Activity
Total DAs
7
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Tongala
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Patrick's School
Tongala Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 41 is roughly in line with the national figure, about 1 year above it, suggesting neither a particularly young nor old skew. University qualifications reach only 14.0% of residents, which is 16.1 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with the blue-collar and agricultural occupational base. Overseas-born residents represent 8.2% of the population, 13.4 points below the national average, and ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic: English (792), Scottish (220) and Irish (194) are the top three groups. Average household size of 2.4 is marginally below the national figure. A volunteering rate of 19.1% is relatively high for a community this size, pointing to active civic participation in a small rural town.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.8%
Houses
6.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tongala's housing stock is almost entirely detached: 89.8% are separate houses and 6.6% semi-detached, with no measurable apartment presence. Tenure is split between outright owners (37.4%), mortgage holders (39.5%) and renters (23.1%), with outright ownership running higher than many comparable rural towns. The current price is at its historical peak. Mortgage-to-income sits at 21.3% and rent-to-income at 16.4%, both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs consume a manageable share of income whether renting or buying. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.8% of the stock.
Mortgage / mo
$1,127
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$200
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$656
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
54
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.4%
Couples with children
43.4%
Couples, no children
17.4%
Single parent
507
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the single largest employer at 20.1% of the workforce (105 workers), followed by agriculture at 14.0% (73 workers) and manufacturing at 12.1% (63 workers). This mix is characteristic of a regional service centre for surrounding farmland, where the local hospital or clinic anchors the employment base. The full-time employment rate of 61.6% and unemployment of 4.9% are broadly in line with state norms. By occupation, labourers (156) and managers (136) are the two largest groups, a pairing that reflects hands-on agricultural and food-processing work alongside farm owners and small business operators. Household income in the 26.4th percentile nationally means earnings are substantially lower than the Australian average, a direct consequence of industry mix rather than a tight labour market.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
925
Unemployed
41
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.4%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
59.1%
Employed
884
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
14.0%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
8.2%
Dwellings
737
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high even by rural standards: 87.2% of residents drive to work, well above the national average, reflecting the limited public transport in a 112 sq km suburb. No schools are recorded in the dataset for Tongala itself, so families rely on nearby towns for primary and secondary education. Crime records 118 incidents in the period, a rate of 59.8 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences (45 incidents) the leading category. Rent-to-income at 16.4% and mortgage-to-income at 21.3% are both below stress thresholds, easing financial pressure on households. Housing assistance needs are modest, with 9.2% of residents (170 people) requiring some daily help, consistent with the area's median age of 41.
Drive
75.5%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
6.0%
Work from Home
13.5%
Growth Outlook
That long-run growth rate compares favourably with the broader regional VIC context, driven partly by the affordability gap relative to metropolitan Melbourne. Population sits at 1,973, and the community stability indicator is high: 82.5% of residents have not moved in the past year, a turnover rate of only 17.5%. Low mobility typically signals entrenched demand rather than speculative churn. Development activity is very thin at 1 permit in 12 months, so the market is supply-constrained in the sense that little new stock is being added, which historically supports prices when underlying demand holds.
Population trend: Campaspe council area
Tongala sits in the Campaspe council area. These are the council area's residents, not Tongala's.
Residents 2025
37,954
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
-0.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
118
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
59.8
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 Tongala compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Tongala?
No schools are recorded inside the Tongala suburb boundary in this dataset, so families typically travel to neighbouring towns in the Campaspe Shire for schooling. University qualifications among residents stand at 14.0%, which is 16.1 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the area's trade and agricultural workforce.
Is Tongala safe?
Tongala recorded 118 incidents over the period, a crime rate of 59.8 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences (45 incidents) are the leading category, followed by justice procedure offences (29) and crimes against the person (22). Context matters: small populations amplify per-capita rates, so absolute numbers are modest.
How is Tongala's population changing?
Tongala's population stands at 1,973 and the suburb shows high residential stability: 82.5% of residents did not move in the past year, giving a turnover rate of just 17.5%. The demographics lean toward established households, with 37.4% owning outright and a median age of 41, which is close to the national figure.
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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