Trentham
At a median age of 56, Trentham's resident base is 16 years older than the national figure, the single most distinctive feature of this Macedon Ranges township. Only 1,382 people occupy 51 square kilometres at a density of 26.9 per km2, making it genuinely sparse by any state comparison. A 22.7% vacancy rate and 55.6% outright-ownership rate together signal a population that arrived long ago and largely stayed, with 76.9% of residents in the same address they occupied five years prior.
Local council: Hepburn (90% of the suburb; the rest sits in a neighbouring council)
Population
1,382
Median Age
56.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,489/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$860K
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.
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and mortgage-to-income sits at 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so purchase costs are manageable relative to local incomes. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.5%, with semi-detached at 3.4%, meaning apartment-style entry-level options are essentially absent. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.9% of dwellings.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,733 and mortgage-to-income sits at 26.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, so purchase costs are manageable relative to local incomes. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 95.5%, with semi-detached at 3.4%, meaning apartment-style entry-level options are essentially absent. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 50.9% of dwellings.
For Investors
At 11.7%, the renter share is well below the VIC state average and the national norm, meaning the rental pool is thin. The 22.7% vacancy rate is the clearest risk signal: a high proportion of dwellings are unoccupied, likely holiday homes or tree-change properties used intermittently rather than full-time rentals. Only 4 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, all subdivision certifications, so new supply is minimal.
Development Activity
Total DAs
20
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Trentham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Trentham District Primary School
Demographics
The median age of 56 is 16 years above the national median, making Trentham one of the older communities in VIC. University qualifications reach 37.8%, which is 7.7 percentage points above the national average, an unusually high rate for a small rural township. This combination of older age and high education aligns with the professional-retiree and tree-change profile common to the Macedon Ranges. Overseas-born residents account for 19.5%, 2.1 points below the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (644), Irish (288) and Scottish (213). Average household size is 2.2, 0.3 below national, consistent with the couples-without-children majority at 48.9% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.5%
Houses
3.4%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners account for 55.6% of dwellings, well above the national average, while mortgagees are at 32.8% and renters at just 11.7%. This tenure profile reflects a settled, long-term resident base rather than a transient rental market. The stock is 95.5% separate houses, 3.4% semi-detached, with virtually no apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 50.9% and four-plus bedroom homes 23.2%, giving an above-average proportion of larger family-sized stock. Mortgage repayments average $1,733 per month and the rent-to-income ratio is 25.9%, both within comfortable ranges relative to local incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$386
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$723
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
22.7%
Unoccupied
163
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.3%
Couples with children
62.2%
Couples, no children
9.4%
Single parent
392
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 16.8% (72 workers), ahead of Professional and Technical services at 13.6% (58) and Education at 10.5% (45). Construction and Public Administration each contribute around 10%, reflecting a diversified small-town employment mix rather than dependence on a single sector. By occupation, Professionals (156) and Managers (123) together are the two largest groups, consistent with the 37.8% university qualification rate, which is 7.7 points above the national average. The unemployment rate is 2.6% and the participation rate is 45.0%, low compared to younger suburbs because 496 residents are not in the labour force, driven by the older median age of 56. Volunteering reaches 28%, nearly double what would be expected nationally, signalling strong civic engagement among retired and semi-retired residents.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
595
Unemployed
14
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
51.1%
Part-time
39.8%
Participation
49.4%
Employed
581
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.8%
Postgraduate
11.9%
Born Overseas
19.5%
Dwellings
555
Transport to Work
Car dependency is pronounced: 88.5% of residents drive to work, above both state and national averages, and public transport data is not recorded for this locality, reflecting the absence of rail services. Walking or cycling accounts for 8.6% of commuters, higher than many rural towns because the township core is compact. The recorded crime rate is 30.4 offences per 1,000 residents, based on 42 total offences, with property and deception offences (20) and crimes against the person (11) the two leading categories. This rate is low in absolute terms, though the small population means individual incidents move the per-1,000 figure noticeably. Volunteering at 28% is one of the strongest community participation rates in regional VIC.
Drive
50.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
4.9%
Work from Home
43.1%
Growth Outlook
The vacancy rate of 22.7% points to a population that holds multiple properties or uses Trentham part-time, a pattern common to Macedon Ranges townships popular with Melbourne weekenders. Residential mobility is low, with 76.9% of residents at the same address as five years earlier, suggesting the core population is stable rather than growing. Only 4 DA applications were filed in the past 12 months.
Population trend: Hepburn council area
About 90% of Trentham sits in Hepburn; the rest is in a neighbouring council. These are the council area's residents, not Trentham's.
Residents 2025
17,011
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.1%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
42
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.4
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 Trentham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Trentham a good suburb to live in?
Trentham suits older residents and those seeking a quiet rural lifestyle. The median age is 56, which is 16 years above the national figure. Volunteering runs at 28%, well above the national average, reflecting an engaged community.
What schools are in Trentham?
Families typically access schools in neighbouring Macedon Ranges towns. Despite limited local schooling, 37.8% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 7.7 percentage points above the national average.
Is Trentham safe?
Trentham recorded 42 total offences in the latest period, giving a crime rate of 30.4 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences (20 incidents) were the most common, followed by crimes against the person (11). The absolute number is low, consistent with a small population of 1,382 across 51 square kilometres.
How is Trentham's population changing?
Trentham has a stable, slowly aging population of 1,382 with low mobility: 76.9% of residents have stayed at the same address for five years. The median age of 56 is 16 years above the national figure. Only 4 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, all subdivision works, signalling minimal new residential construction.
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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