Warracknabeal
At $180,000, Warracknabeal sits at a price point that is among the most affordable in regional Victoria, yet that low entry comes with structural context worth understanding. The population of 2,359 carries a median age of 50, which is 10 years above the national figure, and 52.8% of dwellings are owned outright, meaning the market is dominated by long-term residents rather than active buyers and sellers. Household income is in the 16.6th percentile nationally, reflecting a working-class and agricultural base. A 15.0% rental vacancy rate and a crime rate of 120.8 per 1,000 residents are the two sharpest risk signals for anyone considering entry.
Population
2,359
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,079/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$180K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $180,000 is a fraction of metropolitan benchmarks, and mortgage repayments average $737 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 15.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.2%, with 57.6% having three bedrooms and 20.4% having four or more. Prices peaked at $262,500 in mid-2023 before falling 31.4% to the current level. Over 14 years the CAGR is 3.8%, rising from $107,500 in 2013. Outright owners at 52.8% far outnumber mortgage holders at 26.9%, which keeps transaction volumes thin.
For Buyers
The median house price of $180,000 is a fraction of metropolitan benchmarks, and mortgage repayments average $737 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 15.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 94.2%, with 57.6% having three bedrooms and 20.4% having four or more. Prices peaked at $262,500 in mid-2023 before falling 31.4% to the current level. Over 14 years the CAGR is 3.8%, rising from $107,500 in 2013. Outright owners at 52.8% far outnumber mortgage holders at 26.9%, which keeps transaction volumes thin.
For Investors
The rental case is constrained. Weekly rent sits at $180, and with a median price of $180,000 that implies a gross yield near 5.2%, which is higher than most metro markets but offset by a 15.0% vacancy rate that is well above healthy norms. The renter share is 20.3%, relatively small for an investment-grade suburb, and the tenant pool is limited by a town population of only 2,359. Just 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a concern, but neither is demand growth. Prices are down 31.4% from the 2023 peak, so timing the bottom matters more than yield calculation. Income in the 16.6th percentile nationally caps rental growth capacity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Warracknabeal iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 74 students
Warracknabeal Secondary College
7-12 · 175 students
Warracknabeal Primary School
Prep-6 · 111 students
Demographics
The median age of 50 is 10 years above the national figure, making Warracknabeal one of regional Victoria's older communities. Born-overseas residents are 7.2%, which is 14.4 percentage points below the national average. Ancestry leads with English (943 residents), Scottish (241), Irish (238) and German (221). University qualifications reach just 15.3%, some 14.8 points below national, consistent with an economy built on agriculture and personal services. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, pointing to a significant empty-nester cohort. Volunteering runs at 26.6%, above typical metropolitan rates.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.2%
Houses
3.7%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 94.2% of stock, well above the national average for comparable towns, with apartments at just 0.8%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 57.6%, followed by four-plus at 20.4% and two-bedroom at 17.6%. Tenure skews toward debt-free owners: 52.8% own outright, 26.9% hold a mortgage and 20.3% rent. The price grew from $107,500 in 2013 to a 2023 peak of $262,500, then corrected to $180,000 by mid-2024. Rent-to-income at 16.7% and mortgage-to-income at 15.8% are both low, meaning neither tenants nor owners face housing stress. The 15.0% vacancy rate reflects subdued rental demand.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$737
Rent / wk
$180
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$637
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.0%
Unoccupied
179
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.0%
Couples, no children
1,583
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates at 29.2% of workers (169 people), typical of rural towns serving as regional service hubs. Education accounts for 11.1% (64 workers) and Agriculture for 9.9% (57 workers), with Retail at 7.8% and Construction at 6.1%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers lead at 171, followed by Professionals at 133 and Managers at 129. Unemployment is 3.0%, comparable to national levels, but labour force participation at 45.0% is low because 811 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older median age. Household income in the 16.6th percentile nationally reflects the wage structure of healthcare, education and agricultural roles rather than high-paying professional sectors.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.6%
Part-time
36.4%
Participation
45.0%
Employed
868
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.3%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
7.2%
Dwellings
1,018
Transport to Work
Car dependence runs at 83.8% of commuters, above the national average, with 11.9% walking or cycling and no public transport data recorded. The crime rate of 120.8 per 1,000 residents is elevated compared to most metropolitan suburban norms, led by property and deception offences at 162 incidents out of 285 total. Rent-to-income at 16.7% and mortgage-to-income at 15.8% keep housing affordable relative to local incomes. No schools are recorded in this dataset. Volunteering at 26.6% is high, while 11.1% of residents need daily assistance, reflecting care demands from a population with a median age of 50.
Drive
83.8%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
11.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
285
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
120.8
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 Warracknabeal compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warracknabeal a good suburb to live in?
Warracknabeal suits buyers seeking affordability and space. The median house price is $180,000, mortgage repayments average $737 per month, and 94.2% of homes are detached houses. The trade-offs are a crime rate of 120.8 per 1,000, a 15.0% rental vacancy rate, and a median age of 50 that reflects a predominantly older, established community.
What is the median house price in Warracknabeal?
The median house price is $180,000 as of April-June 2024. Prices peaked at $262,500 in mid-2023 and have fallen 31.4% since. Over 14 years the market has grown at a 3.8% CAGR from $107,500 in 2013. Monthly mortgage repayments average $737 and rent runs $180 per week.
What schools are in Warracknabeal?
No schools are recorded inside the Warracknabeal boundary in this dataset. Despite this, the town functions as a regional service centre, with 11.1% of workers employed in education (64 people), suggesting educational facilities serve the broader surrounding region.
Is Warracknabeal safe?
The crime rate is 120.8 incidents per 1,000 residents, which is elevated compared to most metropolitan suburbs. The largest category is property and deception offences at 162 incidents, followed by justice procedure offences at 60 and crimes against the person at 46 out of 285 total recorded incidents.
Is Warracknabeal good for property investment?
The gross yield calculation at $180 rent against a $180,000 median is near 5.2%, above most metro markets, but the 15.0% vacancy rate indicates weak rental demand. The renter share is only 20.3% of a town of 2,359, and prices are down 31.4% from the 2023 peak. Investors face a thin tenant pool and limited price growth prospects given income in the 16.6th percentile nationally.
How is Warracknabeal's population changing?
The population sits at 2,359 with a median age of 50, which is 10 years above the national figure. Residential turnover is very low at 13.2%, with 86.8% of residents having stayed put over the past year. The aging demographic profile and just 1 development application in 12 months point to a stable but slowly contracting community rather than growth.
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.
Explore Warracknabeal on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map