Wonthaggi
At 55, Wonthaggi's median age sits 15 years above the national figure, making its aging resident base the clearest market signal. Detached homes account for 85.9% of stock, while vacancy is 11.3%. Compared with coastal Inverloch, Wonthaggi presents a more inland, service-oriented housing choice, with healthcare and construction central to local work.
Population
5,215
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$852/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$508K
October to December 2025
The stock is practical, with 85.9% separate houses and 44.9% three-bedroom homes, while only 0.7% are apartments. The trade-off is that affordability depends on income, not just the headline price.
For Buyers
The stock is practical, with 85.9% separate houses and 44.9% three-bedroom homes, while only 0.7% are apartments. The trade-off is that affordability depends on income, not just the headline price.
For Investors
For investors, Wonthaggi combines a $270 weekly rent with 29.6% of households renting, but the 11.3% vacancy rate calls for conservative holding assumptions. Rent growth of 29.6% supports the income case, while 32 development applications over 12 months matter because extra supply can increase tenant choice. Internal migration is the main growth driver, so demand is tied to incoming households as well as local employment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
71
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+166.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wonthaggi
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
St Joseph's School
Wonthaggi North Primary School
Wonthaggi Primary School
Bass Coast College
Bass Coast Specialist School
Demographics
Wonthaggi has a median age of 55, which is 15 years above the national comparison, and its average household size is 2.0, or 0.5 below the national figure. The population is 15.8% overseas-born, 5.8 percentage points below the national level, while university attainment is 18.5%, 11.6 points below national. English ancestry is recorded for 2,249 residents, followed by Scottish at 666 and Irish at 535. With 78.6% staying at the same address, compared with 21.4% turnover, the social pattern is more settled than mobile because long-term residents shape local demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.9%
Houses
8.8%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached: separate houses make up 85.9%, compared with 0.7% apartments and 8.8% semi-detached dwellings. Tenure is also relatively settled, with 46.8% owned outright, 21.7% mortgaged and 29.6% rented. The 44.9% share of three-bedroom homes supports family demand, while the 31.7% rent-to-income ratio shows why lower prices do not automatically mean low housing pressure.
Mortgage / mo
$1,198
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$270
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$515
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.3%
Unoccupied
301
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.7% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.5% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.1%
Couples with children
49.7%
Couples, no children
22.1%
Single parent
1,329
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 25.2% and 272 workers, followed by construction at 14.0% and 151, retail at 9.6% and 104, education at 9.1% and 98, and hospitality at 5.7% and 62. This service mix fits an older resident base because care and community demand support local jobs. Trades lead occupations at 299, ahead of professionals at 266 and community/personal work at 257. Unemployment is 5.2%, participation is 41.4%, and household income is at the 6.3rd percentile, below the national middle. SEIFA education and occupation rank at decile 4, economic resources at 5, and both disadvantage and advantage at 4, pointing to less capacity than higher-income areas.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
1,886
Unemployed
98
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
44.6%
Part-time
46.4%
Participation
41.4%
Employed
1,788
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.5%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
15.8%
Dwellings
2,358
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 74.3% drive to work, compared with 8.6% who walk or cycle, while 11.8% work from home. That pattern fits a 53.39 sq km suburb with density of 97.7 people per sq km, where trips are more spread out than in a compact centre. Families have access to 5 local schools: 3 primary schools, including 1 Catholic primary, 1 government secondary college and 1 government specialist school. Safety deserves attention, with 1,129 recorded offences and a rate of 216.5 per 1,000 people; property and deception offences total 439, above drug offences at 78. IRSAD is decile 4, below the strongest socioeconomic areas.
Drive
74.3%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
8.6%
Work from Home
11.8%
Population Forecast
+2.07%/yr
(+606 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is active but its shape is older and internally driven. The annual trend is 2.07%, with Internal migration named as the primary driver, while the trajectory is Aging. Senior share has risen 5.5 percentage points, against a young-share fall of 1.9 points and working-share fall of 2.6 points. Gentrification is scored at 55 and classified as Active, while the wider area records 33.8% population change over 10 years. Compared with the 2011 affordability measure of 49.4, the 2021 result of 48.2 is lower, so price access is broadly Stable even as rent growth reached 29.6%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+86
Net Internal / yr
+576
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +44% since 2011, Net internal migration +576/yr, Accelerating: 11% → 30%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,129
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
216.5
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 Wonthaggi compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wonthaggi a good suburb to live in?
Wonthaggi can suit buyers wanting detached housing and local services, especially if an older, quieter profile fits. The median age is 55, 85.9% of homes are separate houses, and 74.3% commute by car, so it is less suited to a highly walkable lifestyle than a compact urban centre.
What schools are in Wonthaggi?
Wonthaggi has 5 local schools: 3 primary schools, including 1 Catholic primary, 1 government secondary college and 1 government specialist school. Check the exact address against enrolment zones, because practical access can differ between school types and year levels.
Is Wonthaggi safe?
Safety is mixed and should be assessed street by street. Recorded offences total 1,129, equal to a rate of 216.5 per 1,000 people; property and deception offences account for 439, compared with 229 crimes against the person. Review current local patterns before renting or buying.
How is Wonthaggi's population changing?
The population trend is growing but aging. Annual growth is 2.07%, Internal migration is the primary driver, and the wider area recorded 33.8% population change over 10 years. Senior share rose 5.5 points while young share fell 1.9 points, so growth is different from a young-family boom.
What development is occurring in Wonthaggi?
Development activity is material, with 32 applications recorded over the past 12 months. Recent examples include subdivision proposals for 3 lots and 26 lots, which could add choice but may also increase competition for established homes. Check permit status, timing and infrastructure before relying on a project pipeline.
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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