Trafalgar
With 40.9% of households owning their home outright, Trafalgar sits well above the national average for debt-free ownership, a signal that this Gippsland town draws long-settled residents rather than a transient population. The median house price of $575,000 is substantially below Melbourne metro levels, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Household income ranks in the 43.9th percentile nationally, reflecting a working-class economy anchored in healthcare and construction rather than white-collar professions. Population grew 18.2% over the decade and is forecast to continue adding roughly 112 persons per year, a pace that signals genuine demand without the overheating pressure found in peri-urban growth corridors.
Population
4,349
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,448/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$575K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $575,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 represents strong long-run appreciation: prices have more than doubled from $283,000 in 2013, a 103.2% gain over 14 years with a 5.2% CAGR. The peak was $590,000 in 2022, and the current figure sits just 2.5% below that high, indicating the market stabilised without a deep correction. Separate houses dominate at 93.7% of dwellings, so buyers get genuine detached housing stock rather than units. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.3% and 4-plus bedroom homes for 33.9%, making the suburb well suited to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,432, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8% stays well below the 30% stress benchmark, meaning serviceability is meaningfully better here than in higher-priced markets.
For Buyers
The $575,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 represents strong long-run appreciation: prices have more than doubled from $283,000 in 2013, a 103.2% gain over 14 years with a 5.2% CAGR. The peak was $590,000 in 2022, and the current figure sits just 2.5% below that high, indicating the market stabilised without a deep correction. Separate houses dominate at 93.7% of dwellings, so buyers get genuine detached housing stock rather than units. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.3% and 4-plus bedroom homes for 33.9%, making the suburb well suited to families. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,432, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.8% stays well below the 30% stress benchmark, meaning serviceability is meaningfully better here than in higher-priced markets.
For Investors
Trafalgar's rental market is relatively thin: renters account for 21.6% of households, below the national average, and weekly rent sits at $300. Against the $575,000 median, that implies a gross yield around 2.7%, modest but higher than many coastal Victorian markets. The vacancy rate of 7.2% is elevated and warrants attention, suggesting supply currently runs ahead of tenant demand in this town of 4,349 residents. Net internal migration averages 34 persons per year and net overseas migration adds 18 annually, providing a balanced demand base. Seven subdivision applications were lodged in the past 12 months, a low volume that limits near-term supply pressure. The 10-year population growth of 18.2% shows structural demand is real, but investors should price in the higher vacancy when modelling holding costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
20
Last 12 Months
7
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 Trafalgar iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 103 students
Trafalgar High School
7-12 · 682 students
Trafalgar Primary School
Prep-6 · 359 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, consistent with the aging-trajectory signal in the data: the senior share rose 6.2 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 3.8 points. University qualifications reach 22.2%, which is 7.9 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the trade and service-oriented employment base. The overseas-born share of 10.3% is 11.3 points below national, making Trafalgar one of the more Anglo-leaning communities in the state. Ancestry is led by English (1,891), Scottish (493) and Irish (485), in keeping with the wider Gippsland settlement pattern. Average household size of 2.4 is marginally below national. The volunteering rate of 19.1% is relatively high, pointing to an engaged local community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.7%
Houses
6.0%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Trafalgar's tenure profile leans heavily toward owner-occupiers: 40.9% own outright and 37.6% carry a mortgage, leaving only 21.6% renting, well below the national renter average. The outright ownership rate is particularly notable and suggests a long-settled base of debt-free households. Separate houses make up 93.7% of all dwellings, with semi-detached at 6.0% and apartments at just 0.3%, so the stock is almost entirely detached. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 51.3% and 4-plus bedroom at 33.9%, giving buyers a choice between family-sized and larger properties. The median price of $575,000 in Apr-Jun 2024 reflects a CAGR of 5.2% from $283,000 in 2013, with a peak of $590,000 in 2022. Rent-to-income at 20.7% and mortgage-to-income at 22.8% both sit below stress thresholds, making Trafalgar one of the more financially manageable markets in Victoria.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,432
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$728
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.2%
Unoccupied
130
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.3%
Couples, no children
3,389
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates local employment at 19.9% (242 workers), more than the national proportion for regional Victoria, because Trafalgar functions as a service centre for the surrounding Gippsland area. Education follows at 13.6% (166 workers) and Construction at 12.0% (146 workers), with Public Administration at 8.8% and Manufacturing at 6.9% rounding out the top five. By occupation, Professionals lead at 338, but Labourers (236), Community/Personal (234), Clerical/Admin (234) and Managers (231) are closely clustered, indicating a broad mid-skill workforce. The unemployment rate is 3.8% and full-time employment reaches 61.3% of those employed. Household income ranks in the 43.9th percentile nationally, below the state median but typical for a regional Gippsland centre of this size. Real income growth of 16.2% over the decade shows wages kept pace with inflation.
Unemployment
2.6%
Labour Force
4,518
Unemployed
116
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.3%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
52.6%
Employed
1,758
Occupations
Top Industries
University
22.2%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
10.3%
Dwellings
1,656
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 88.1% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average, and only 1.0% use public transport, reflecting the regional setting without rail access to Melbourne. Walking and cycling accounts for 4.1% of commutes. The crime rate of 73.8 incidents per 1,000 residents is driven primarily by property and deception offences (183 incidents) and crimes against the person (79 incidents). On the SEIFA indexes, Trafalgar scores decile 4 on IEO (education and occupation advantage), decile 4 on IRSAD (relative advantage overall), and decile 5 on IRSD (disadvantage), indicating a below-median but not severely disadvantaged profile nationally. The SEIFA IER score reaches decile 6, suggesting economic resources are slightly above the midpoint, likely because high outright ownership reduces financial stress. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring townships. The housing stress metrics are positive: rent-to-income at 20.7% and mortgage-to-income at 22.8% both remain below the 30% threshold.
Drive
88.1%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.3%/yr
(+112 people/yr)
EstablishedTrafalgar has grown 18.2% over the decade and is adding roughly 112 persons per year at a 1.3% annual rate, above the national average for established regional towns. The medium population forecast for the broader SA2 area reaches 9,389 by 2031, up from 8,618 in 2025. Migration is balanced, with 34 net internal arrivals and 18 net overseas arrivals annually, suggesting growth comes from both lifestyle movers and new immigrants rather than either driver alone. Rent has grown 50% over the measured period, significantly outpacing income growth of 16.2%, which means affordability has tightened even as house prices remain lower than metro benchmarks. The gentrification score of 7 classifies Trafalgar as not gentrifying in the traditional sense, though the population growth of 20% since 2011 signals rising desirability. Affordability measured by housing-cost ratios was 39.6 in 2011 and 41.6 in 2021, a stable trend that contrasts with sharper deterioration seen in peri-urban markets.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+18
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
321
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
73.8
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 Trafalgar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trafalgar a good suburb to live in?
Trafalgar suits buyers who want detached housing at regional prices: 93.7% of dwellings are separate houses and the $575,000 median is well below Melbourne metro benchmarks. Mortgage-to-income sits at 22.8%, below the 30% stress threshold. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 5 places the suburb at roughly the national midpoint for disadvantage, with the 43.9th percentile household income reflecting a working-class rather than professional base.
What is the median house price in Trafalgar?
The median house price is $575,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024. That represents more than double the $283,000 recorded in 2013, a 5.2% CAGR over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,432. The market peaked at $590,000 in 2022 and has since eased just 2.5% from that high.
What schools are in Trafalgar?
No schools are recorded inside the Trafalgar suburb boundary in this dataset. Families in the area typically access schools in nearby Gippsland towns. The local university qualification rate is 22.2%, which is 7.9 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a trade and service-sector employment base.
Is Trafalgar safe?
The recorded crime rate is 73.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 321 total incidents. Property and deception offences account for 183 of those, and crimes against the person for 79. As a broader indicator, the SEIFA IRSD decile of 5 places Trafalgar at the national midpoint for disadvantage, neither in the high-risk nor the low-risk tier.
Is Trafalgar good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $300 against a $575,000 median implies a gross yield around 2.7%, below typical regional benchmarks. The vacancy rate of 7.2% is elevated and should be factored into holding-cost projections. On the upside, rent grew 50% over the measured period and prices have delivered a 5.2% annual CAGR from 2013. Population is growing at 1.3% per year with balanced internal and overseas migration driving demand.
How is Trafalgar's population changing?
The population grew 18.2% over the past decade and is currently rising at around 1.3% annually, adding approximately 112 persons per year. The broader SA2 area is forecast to reach 9,389 residents by 2031, up from 8,618 in 2025. The demographic trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 6.2 points and the working-age share falling 3.8 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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