Winchelsea
With 2,456 residents, a median age of 41 and 94.8% separate houses, the town suits buyers seeking space and a mortgage-led ownership base. Compared with coastal Torquay, Winchelsea is more inland and detached, with 73.3% driving to work and only 1.0% using public transport. Growth is forecast at 1.26% annually, pointing to gradual rather than rapid change.
Local council: Surf Coast
Population
2,456
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,442/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$640K
October to December 2025
A monthly mortgage estimate of $1,560 represents 25.0% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Detached homes account for 94.8% of stock, while 50.8% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 32.3% have 4 or more, a higher share than smaller 2-bedroom homes at 13.7%. The 43.4% mortgage tenure share indicates a substantial owner-occupier buyer pool, but purchasers should still test repayments against the $1,442 weekly household income.
For Buyers
A monthly mortgage estimate of $1,560 represents 25.0% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged. Detached homes account for 94.8% of stock, while 50.8% of dwellings have 3 bedrooms and 32.3% have 4 or more, a higher share than smaller 2-bedroom homes at 13.7%. The 43.4% mortgage tenure share indicates a substantial owner-occupier buyer pool, but purchasers should still test repayments against the $1,442 weekly household income.
For Investors
Winchelsea's 20.0% renting share is below its 43.4% mortgage share, so the market is more owner-occupier led than rental led. Weekly rent is $295 and the vacancy rate is 8.1%, making tenant demand and achievable rent important checks rather than assumptions. Rents have grown 50.0% in the shift indicators, which supports the income side of the case, while balanced migration provides neither a strongly positive nor negative demand signal. Three planning permits were recorded in 12 months, including subdivisions of 2 and 12 lots, suggesting a limited development pipeline rather than a large release program.
Development Activity
Total DAs
22
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-16.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Winchelsea
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Winchelsea Primary School
Demographics
Winchelsea has a median age of 41, which is 1.0 year above the national comparison, while university attainment is 20.8%, or 9.3 percentage points below national levels. Overseas-born residents account for 9.5%, 12.1 points below the national comparison, reinforcing an Anglo-leaning profile shaped by English ancestry at 1,030 people, Irish at 300 and Scottish at 283. No religion is recorded for 1,169 residents and Christianity for 999. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below the national comparison, while 79.1% stayed at the same address, supporting established local ties and an aging trajectory.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
4.5%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is strongly detached, with 94.8% separate houses, 4.5% semi-detached homes and no published apartment share. The 3-bedroom segment accounts for 50.8% of dwellings, above the 32.3% share for 4 or more bedrooms and well above 2-bedroom homes at 13.7%. Tenure is split between 34.9% owned outright, 43.4% with a mortgage and 20.0% renting, so mortgage holders form the largest group.
Mortgage / mo
$1,560
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$295
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$749
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.1%
Unoccupied
84
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.7%
Couples with children
45.1%
Couples, no children
14.5%
Single parent
678
Total families
Economy & Employment
Winchelsea's employment base is led by healthcare at 21.1% and 157 workers, followed by construction at 13.3% and 99, education at 10.5% and 78, agriculture at 9.1% and 68, and professional or technical work at 6.7% and 50. The occupational mix is similarly practical, with 214 trades workers, 187 professionals, 165 managers and 143 labourers. Unemployment is 2.2%, participation is 57.1% and full-time employment is 56.2%, supporting a functioning regional labour market. SEIFA deciles are 7 for education and occupation, 9 for economic resources, 8 for disadvantage and 7 for advantage and disadvantage, all above decile 5, although household income sits at the 43.7th percentile.
Unemployment
2.2%
Labour Force
1,154
Unemployed
25
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.2%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
57.1%
Employed
1,129
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.8%
Postgraduate
3.5%
Born Overseas
9.5%
Dwellings
954
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-dependent: 73.3% travel as car drivers, far higher than the 1.0% using public transport, while 4.6% walk or cycle and 17.1% work from home. There is 1 local school, Winchelsea Primary School, a government primary school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 110 offences, or 44.8 per 1,000 residents, led by 63 property and deception offences, followed by 22 justice procedures and 20 crimes against the person. IRSAD is decile 7 and IRSD decile 8, above decile 5, but practical amenity depends on access to a car and regional services.
Drive
73.3%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
4.6%
Work from Home
17.1%
Growth Outlook
Winchelsea's forecast trend is 1.26% annual growth, with Balanced migration as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 16.2% over 10 years, a positive rate but more gradual than a high-growth corridor. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 4.5 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 2.0 points and the working share 1.9 points. Gentrification is rated Early signs with a score of 31, so change is emerging rather than advanced. Rent growth of 50.0% adds pressure to housing costs, while affordability moved from 38.1% in 2011 to 36.3% in 2021 and is labelled Stable.
Population trend: Surf Coast council area
Winchelsea sits in the Surf Coast council area. These are the council area's residents, not Winchelsea's.
Residents 2025
40,265
Growth, 5 yr average
+2.4%/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
110
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
44.8
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 Winchelsea compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Winchelsea a good suburb to live in?
Winchelsea suits households wanting detached housing, space and a quieter regional setting. About 94.8% of homes are separate houses, 73.3% of workers drive and 17.1% work from home. Buyers should weigh that lifestyle against only 1.0% public transport use and the need to travel for some services.
What schools are in Winchelsea?
Winchelsea has 1 listed local school: Winchelsea Primary School, a government primary school. Families should confirm the enrolment zone for the exact property address, because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries and may affect access for children in different year levels.
Is Winchelsea safe?
There were 110 recorded offences, equal to 44.8 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 63 incidents, justice procedures for 22 and crimes against the person for 20. Those figures provide context, but address-level checks and recent local information remain important before deciding.
Is Winchelsea good for property investment?
Winchelsea has a 20.0% renting share, $295 weekly rent and an 8.1% vacancy rate. Rent growth is recorded at 50.0%, while migration is Balanced rather than strongly positive. Three planning permits in 12 months, including 2-lot and 12-lot subdivisions, indicate some future supply.
How is Winchelsea's population changing?
Winchelsea has 2,456 residents today. The wider area records 16.2% population change over 10 years, with forecast growth of 1.26% annually and Balanced migration. The trajectory is Aging, reflected in a 4.5 percentage point rise in the senior share and a 2.0 point fall in the young share.
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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