Warrnambool
At 31,308 residents, Warrnambool has a median age of 42, which is 2 years above the national median, and a housing stock dominated by separate houses at 82.2%. That combination supports a settled regional lifestyle with strong demand from families, older residents and local service workers. Compared with nearby Dennington's newer fringe setting, Warrnambool reads as the more established urban centre, with healthcare, education and retail supporting daily needs. The trade-off is a crime rate of 99.6 per 1,000 residents, higher than a low-crime regional profile, while household income sits at the 39.4th percentile nationally.
Population
31,308
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,385/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
53
Median House
$646K
October to December 2025
Warrnambool suits buyers seeking conventional family housing because 82.2% of dwellings are separate houses, while 47.0% have 3 bedrooms and 27.7% have 4 or more. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,408 represents 23.5% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with the 2016 price base, the long-term rise is substantial, so buyers should allow for a higher entry cost than the suburb's earlier market. Smaller households may find the 21.6% share of 2-bedroom homes more practical than the dominant family formats.
For Buyers
Warrnambool suits buyers seeking conventional family housing because 82.2% of dwellings are separate houses, while 47.0% have 3 bedrooms and 27.7% have 4 or more. A monthly mortgage figure of $1,408 represents 23.5% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with the 2016 price base, the long-term rise is substantial, so buyers should allow for a higher entry cost than the suburb's earlier market. Smaller households may find the 21.6% share of 2-bedroom homes more practical than the dominant family formats.
For Investors
Warrnambool presents a mixed rental case. The weekly rent is $290 and 30.1% of households rent, creating a meaningful tenant base, but the 8.2% vacancy rate is above a tightly held rental-market setting and may limit short-term rent pressure. Rent has grown by 32.7% across the longer shift period, while the annual growth trend is 0.98%, so income performance depends on buying well rather than assuming rapid capital gains. There were 48 development applications in the past 12 months, which can expand local supply and give tenants more choice. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, although the aging trajectory may favour accessible homes and low-maintenance properties over highly specialised stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
117
Last 12 Months
53
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+96.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Warrnambool
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
King's College
Merrivale Primary School
St Joseph's School
Warrnambool East Primary School
Warrnambool Primary School
Demographics
Warrnambool has an older age profile, with a median age of 42 that is 2 years above the national median. University attainment is 28.6%, 1.5 percentage points below the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 10.7%, 10.9 points below the national figure. Average household size is 2.3, or 0.2 below the national comparison, helping explain the strong presence of couples without children, who represent 42.7% of families. English ancestry is recorded by 12,828 residents, followed by Irish at 5,932 and Scottish at 3,944. Christianity has 14,920 adherents and no religion 13,365. Compared with nearby Dennington, Warrnambool's older and more established profile is a stronger consideration for buyers planning around healthcare, downsizing or long-term stability.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
82.2%
Houses
12.5%
Townhouse
5.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is relatively balanced: 37.4% of homes are owned outright, 30.6% are mortgaged and 30.1% are rented. The 82.2% separate-house share is far above the 5.0% apartment share, with semi-detached homes at 12.5%. Compared with nearby Dennington's newer fringe setting and Warrnambool East's established residential streets, the suburb provides a broad, detached-dominant market, but the 646,500 median means affordability is lower than in its earlier cycle.
Mortgage / mo
$1,408
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $290.
$500
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $550 · units $420
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$749
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
1,129
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.8%
Couples with children
42.7%
Couples, no children
17.8%
Single parent
8,272
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Warrnambool's largest industry at 26.2%, or 2,531 workers, well above education at 13.3% and 1,288 workers. Construction accounts for 8.8%, manufacturing 7.7% and retail 7.3%, giving the economy a practical mix of care, public services, trades and local commerce. Professionals number 3,119, while labourers total 2,119, community and personal service workers 2,038, trades 2,025 and managers 1,628. The unemployment rate is 3.2%, participation is 60.1% and full-time employment is 55.0%. Socio-economic results are mixed rather than uniformly strong: IEO and IER both sit at decile 4, IRSD at decile 5 and IRSAD at decile 4, below the national midpoint for advantage, consistent with a regional workforce spanning professional and manual occupations.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
15,624
Unemployed
502
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.0%
Part-time
38.1%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
15,122
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.6%
Postgraduate
6.0%
Born Overseas
10.7%
Dwellings
12,549
Transport to Work
Daily travel is strongly car-based: 76.4% drive as the main mode, compared with only 0.6% using public transport, while 5.5% walk or cycle and 10.8% work from home. Families have access to 10 local schools spanning 5 primary, 3 secondary, 1 special and 1 combined Pri/Sec campus across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Exact enrolment zones should still be checked against the address because they can cut across suburb boundaries. Recorded crime totals 3,118 offences, including 1,233 property and deception offences, with a rate of 99.6 per 1,000 residents, above a low-crime setting. The IRSAD score is 964 at decile 4, below the national midpoint, so household resources and access to services can vary across the suburb.
Drive
76.4%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
5.5%
Work from Home
10.8%
Population Forecast
+0.98%/yr
(+226 people/yr)
EstablishedWarrnambool's forecast annual growth trend is 0.98%, above zero but moderate for a regional centre. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the wider area's population change is 14.7% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is labelled Aging, supported by a senior-share increase of 5.2% and a young-share decline of 2.4%, so future demand is likely to favour services, accessible housing and healthcare-linked employment. Gentrification is scored 5 and labelled Not gentrifying, although the separate shift indicator records a score of 33 and Early signs. That combination points to gradual change rather than a rapid reinvention of the housing market. Improving affordability, moving from 42.2% in 2011 to 39.5% in 2021, may help sustain migration without creating a high-growth profile.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+135
Net Internal / yr
-41
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +16% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
3,118
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
99.6
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 Warrnambool compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warrnambool a good suburb to live in?
Warrnambool can suit households wanting established services, detached housing and a regional employment base. Its population is 31,308, the median age is 42, and 82.2% of homes are separate houses. The main cautions are car dependence and a crime rate of 99.6 per 1,000 residents.
What schools are in Warrnambool?
Warrnambool has 10 listed schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors. The mix includes 5 primary schools, 3 secondary schools, 1 special school and 1 combined Pri/Sec campus, including Warrnambool College, Brauer Secondary College, Warrnambool Primary School and King's College.
Is Warrnambool safe?
Safety varies by location and offence type. There were 3,118 recorded offences, equal to 99.6 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 1,233 incidents, while crimes against the person totalled 600, so buyers should inspect the immediate street and compare current local conditions.
Is Warrnambool good for property investment?
Warrnambool has a 30.1% renting share, a weekly rent of $290 and an 8.2% vacancy rate. The vacancy figure is above a tightly held rental setting, but rent growth of 32.7% and an annual forecast trend of 0.98% provide a reasonable base for careful investors. The 48 development applications may increase future supply.
How is Warrnambool's population changing?
Warrnambool's current population is 31,308, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 14.7%. The forecast trend is 0.98% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.2% and the young share down 2.4%.
What development is happening in Warrnambool?
There were 48 development-related applications recorded over the past 12 months, including planning permit activity. That level suggests ongoing development interest, but an application does not guarantee construction or a particular number of new dwellings. Buyers should confirm approvals, timing and the effect on the immediate street.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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