White Hills
At $485,000, White Hills sits well below the national median for detached housing while delivering a suburb where 90.8% of homes are separate houses, a figure higher than most comparable VIC suburbs. The household income percentile of 39.9 nationally signals a working-class catchment, yet mortgage-to-income sits at just 21.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, so the affordability equation actually works here. Three identity signals define the area: entry-level ownership, Anglo-Celtic demographic base, and a dominant detached dwelling stock. Population of 3,620 across 5.76 km2 produces a density of 629 residents per km2, lower than most urban VIC benchmarks, giving the suburb a spacious, low-density character.
Population
3,620
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,395/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
11
Median House
$485K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $485,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 is down 11.3% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $547,000, giving buyers more room than existed 18 months ago. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and mortgage-to-income at 21.5% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold compared to tighter outer-Melbourne markets. Separate houses account for 90.8% of the stock, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 54.3% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes at 29.2%, suiting families who need space. Semi-detached homes fill 8.7% of supply. Outright owners (32.5%) and mortgage holders (33.5%) are nearly equal in share, suggesting a stable, established owner base alongside first or second homebuyers entering the market.
For Buyers
The $485,000 median house price as of Apr-Jun 2024 is down 11.3% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $547,000, giving buyers more room than existed 18 months ago. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, and mortgage-to-income at 21.5% stays comfortably below the 30% stress threshold compared to tighter outer-Melbourne markets. Separate houses account for 90.8% of the stock, with three-bedroom homes the most common at 54.3% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes at 29.2%, suiting families who need space. Semi-detached homes fill 8.7% of supply. Outright owners (32.5%) and mortgage holders (33.5%) are nearly equal in share, suggesting a stable, established owner base alongside first or second homebuyers entering the market.
For Investors
Renters make up 34.0% of White Hills households, providing a steady tenant pool at a weekly rent of $300. Against the $485,000 median, that implies a gross yield near 3.2%, modest but higher than many VIC growth corridors. The vacancy rate of 6.5% is elevated and warrants monitoring, suggesting some softness in rental demand relative to available stock. Development activity logged 11 applications in the past 12 months, including a 4-lot subdivision with 3 new dwellings, indicating modest but real supply growth. The 10-year price track shows a 73.2% gain from $280,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 4.0%, lower than inner-Melbourne but consistent with Bendigo-region suburban patterns. Investors buying for long-term yield over capital upside will find the fundamentals more defensible than the vacancy rate alone suggests.
Development Activity
Total DAs
16
Last 12 Months
11
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+266.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in White Hills iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Holy Rosary School
Prep-6 · 295 students
White Hills Primary School
Prep-6 · 586 students
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national average, pointing to a younger-than-typical resident mix. Overseas-born residents represent just 11.5% of the population, which is 10.1 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile: English (1,548), Irish (521), and Scottish (424) are the three leading ancestries. University qualifications reach 26.4%, which is 3.7 points below national, reflecting the area's trade and services employment base. Average household size is 2.4, marginally below national. Couples with children (1,022 families) outnumber couples without children (805), and the volunteering rate of 14.5% suggests moderate civic participation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.8%
Houses
8.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The price history tells a measured story: from $280,000 in 2013 to a peak of $547,000 in Oct-Dec 2023, then a pullback to $485,000 by Apr-Jun 2024, a peak-to-latest decline of 11.3%. The 14-year CAGR of 4.0% is below the national average for capital cities but typical of regional VIC centres such as Bendigo. Tenure splits are unusually balanced: 32.5% own outright, 33.5% carry a mortgage, and 34.0% rent, each roughly a third, which is less owner-dominated than the VIC state average. Separate houses dominate at 90.8% of dwellings, meaning the suburb has little apartment or medium-density stock by comparison to urban centres. Three-bedroom homes at 54.3% and four-plus at 29.2% reflect a family-sized housing base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$750
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.5%
Unoccupied
102
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.6%
Couples, no children
2,811
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 28.8% of local workers (317 people), well above its share in most suburban economies and reflecting Bendigo Health's catchment role for the region. Construction follows at 9.1%, then Manufacturing at 7.9%, Education at 7.8%, and Public Admin at 7.6%, a broad public-sector and trade employment base rather than a knowledge-economy mix. By occupation, Professionals lead at 366 workers, followed by Community/Personal Service (252) and Clerical/Admin (219). The unemployment rate is 4.9% and full-time employment at 60.4% is solid. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 5 places White Hills at the national median for disadvantage, and the IRSAD decile of 4 is marginally below average, consistent with below-median household income at the 39.9th percentile nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
34.7%
Participation
57.8%
Employed
1,617
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.4%
Postgraduate
5.4%
Born Overseas
11.5%
Dwellings
1,456
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 88.6% of residents drive to work and only 1.0% use public transport, lower than most VIC suburban benchmarks, which means access to Bendigo CBD relies almost entirely on private vehicles. Walking and cycling account for 3.6% of commutes, a small but non-zero share. Crime recorded 308 incidents in the reference period, a rate of 85.1 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 174 the largest category, followed by crimes against the person at 62. The 8.0% of residents needing daily assistance (276 people) is slightly above average. No schools are recorded inside the White Hills boundary in this dataset, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring Bendigo suburbs. Rent-to-income at 21.5% is comfortable and below the 30% stress threshold, keeping tenant affordability in a reasonable range.
Drive
88.6%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
3.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
308
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
85.1
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 White Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is White Hills a good suburb to live in?
White Hills suits buyers and families who prioritise space and affordability over walkability. The $485,000 median house price is accessible, mortgage repayments average $1,300 per month, and mortgage-to-income sits at 21.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. The trade-off is strong car dependency, with 88.6% of residents driving to work and public transport usage at just 1.0%.
What is the median house price in White Hills?
The median house price is $485,000 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 11.3% from the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $547,000. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,300. The 14-year price history shows a 73.2% gain from $280,000 in 2013.
What schools are in White Hills?
No schools are recorded inside the White Hills boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Bendigo suburbs. Locally, 26.4% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 3.7 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the area's trade and services employment base.
Is White Hills safe?
White Hills recorded 308 crimes in the reference period, a rate of 85.1 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 174 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 62. The IRSD decile of 5 places the suburb at the national median for relative disadvantage.
Is White Hills good for property investment?
Renters are 34.0% of households and weekly rent is $300, implying a gross yield near 3.2% against the $485,000 median, higher than many VIC growth corridors. The vacancy rate of 6.5% is elevated and warrants caution. The 14-year CAGR of 4.0% is below capital-city benchmarks but steady, and 11 development applications in the past 12 months show modest new supply.
How is White Hills's population changing?
White Hills has a population of 3,620 with a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below the national average, indicating a relatively younger base. The resident turnover rate of 22.7% means over one in five residents moved in the prior five years. No formal population forecast is available in this dataset, but the age profile and steady development activity suggest moderate ongoing demand.
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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