Wonthaggi
A $590,000 median house price sits alongside a median age of 55, which is 15.0 years above the national figure, and the two facts reinforce each other in this former coal town on the Bass Coast. Household income lands in the 6.3rd percentile nationally, well below average, yet 47.7% of dwellings are owned outright, a sign that older, debt-free residents anchor the market rather than high earners. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 85.9%, apartments are almost absent at 0.7%, and the 53.39 km2 footprint holds just 97.7 residents per km2. University qualifications reach only 18.5%, which is 11.6 points below national, while the crime rate of 216.5 per 1,000 runs high for a town of 5,215.
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
27
Median House
$590K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $590,000 median is affordable by Victorian standards and reflects a long climb: prices rose 162.2% from $225,000 in 2013, a 7.1% compound annual rate over 14 years, though the latest figure sits 2.0% below the 2022 peak of $602,000. Buyers get space for the money, with 85.9% of dwellings separate houses and only 0.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes the most common at 44.9% ahead of two-bedroom at 27.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average just $1,198, low in absolute terms, but the mortgage-to-income ratio still reaches 32.5% because household income sits in the 6.3rd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 47.7% more than double the 22.1% carrying a mortgage, so much of the housing is held free of debt by established residents rather than recent purchasers.
For Buyers
The $590,000 median is affordable by Victorian standards and reflects a long climb: prices rose 162.2% from $225,000 in 2013, a 7.1% compound annual rate over 14 years, though the latest figure sits 2.0% below the 2022 peak of $602,000. Buyers get space for the money, with 85.9% of dwellings separate houses and only 0.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes the most common at 44.9% ahead of two-bedroom at 27.5%. Monthly mortgage repayments average just $1,198, low in absolute terms, but the mortgage-to-income ratio still reaches 32.5% because household income sits in the 6.3rd percentile nationally. Outright owners at 47.7% more than double the 22.1% carrying a mortgage, so much of the housing is held free of debt by established residents rather than recent purchasers.
For Investors
Renters make up 30.2% of households and weekly rent averages $270, giving a gross yield near 2.4% against the $590,000 median, modest but stronger than premium metro markets. The harder signal is the 11.3% vacancy rate, well above a balanced market, which points to soft rental demand despite rent growth of 29.6% over the period. Development is thin at 23 applications in 12 months, mostly subdivision and consolidation rather than new dwellings, so supply is not expanding fast. Demand is the brighter side: the surrounding area draws net internal migration averaging 576 people a year, the primary growth driver, far ahead of 86 net overseas arrivals. The case rests on affordability-led population inflow and rent escalation more than on yield, since the high vacancy rate caps short-term rental income.
Development Activity
Total DAs
63
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+145.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Wonthaggi iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's School
Prep-6 · 315 students
Wonthaggi Primary School
Prep-6 · 371 students
Bass Coast College
7-12 · 1687 students
Wonthaggi North Primary School
Prep-6 · 151 students
Demographics
The median age of 55 is 15.0 years above the national figure, the defining demographic fact, and the trajectory is aging further: the senior share rose 5.5 points while the working-age share fell 2.6 points. Overseas-born residents reach only 15.8%, which is 5.8 points below national, and ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,249), Scottish (666) and Irish (535). University qualifications at 18.5% run 11.6 points below national, consistent with a town built on trades rather than knowledge work. Average household size is 2.0, which is 0.5 below national, because couples without children make up 38.0% of families (1,317) against 966 couples with children. Italian (22 speakers) and Malayalam (16) are the only notable non-English languages, underscoring how Anglo the resident base remains.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.9%
Houses
8.8%
Townhouse
0.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure skews heavily to ownership: 47.7% own outright, 22.1% carry a mortgage and 30.2% rent, so outright owners more than double mortgage holders, a marker of long-held, debt-free wealth rather than recent buyer churn. The stock is 85.9% separate houses with apartments at just 0.7% and semi-detached at 8.8%, leaving little diversity for downsizers in an aging town. Three-bedroom homes lead at 44.9%, two-bedroom at 27.5% and four-plus at 20.8%. The median rose from $225,000 in 2013 to $590,000 in 2024, up 162.2% at a 7.1% annual rate, though it now sits 2.0% below the 2022 peak. Both stress flags are tripped: mortgage-to-income at 32.5% and rent-to-income at 31.7% both exceed the 30% threshold, because incomes in the 6.3rd percentile are low relative even to modest prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,198
Rent / wk
$270
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
38.0%
Couples, no children
3,467
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare dominates the local workforce at 25.2% (272 workers), reflecting Wonthaggi's role as the Bass Coast regional service hub, with Construction second at 14.0% (151), Retail at 9.6% and Education at 9.1%. By occupation, Professionals (266) narrowly lead Community and Personal service workers (257) and Sales (243), a spread typical of a service town rather than a professional enclave. The unemployment rate is 5.7%, above the national level, and participation is low at 37.9% because 2,289 residents are not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the median age of 55. SEIFA places the suburb in decile 4 on IRSAD, IRSD and IEO and decile 5 on IER, below the midpoint nationally, with the economic-resources score (decile 5) sitting slightly above the others because high outright ownership lifts household assets.
Unemployment
3.5%
Labour Force
13,387
Unemployed
472
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
49.0%
Part-time
45.3%
Participation
37.9%
Employed
1,627
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.5%
Postgraduate
3.3%
Born Overseas
15.8%
Dwellings
2,358
Transport to Work
Daily life leans heavily on the car, with 84.2% driving to work against only 9.7% walking or cycling, expected for a low-density town at 97.7 residents per km2 spread across 53.39 km2. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the wider Wonthaggi township and Bass Coast area. The crime rate of 216.5 per 1,000 is high, with 1,129 offences led by property and deception (439) and justice procedures (313), a figure that weighs on the SEIFA decile 4 disadvantage ranking. On the support side, 12.9% of residents (630 people) need daily assistance, well above what a balanced age profile would show, a direct result of the median age of 55 and the aging trajectory.
Drive
84.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
9.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.07%/yr
(+606 people/yr)
EstablishedThe wider Bass Coast catchment is forecast to grow 2.07% a year, adding about 606 people annually and lifting the SA2 population from roughly 29,333 in 2025 toward 32,642 by 2031, faster than most established regions. Internal migration is the engine at a net 576 a year, dwarfing 86 net overseas arrivals, as affordability and a coastal lifestyle pull buyers from pricier Melbourne markets. Real incomes grew only 7.8% over the decade, well below price growth, so the inflow is value-driven rather than wealth-driven. The gentrification reading is active at a score of 55, with population up sharply since 2011, though affordability stayed stable, easing from 49.4% in 2011 to 48.2% in 2021. The aging trajectory persists alongside this growth, with the senior share up 5.5 points.
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 suits buyers seeking affordability and space, with a $590,000 median house price and 85.9% of dwellings detached houses. It is the Bass Coast service hub, with healthcare employing 25.2% of workers. The trade-offs are a high crime rate of 216.5 per 1,000 and SEIFA decile 4, below the national midpoint.
What is the median house price in Wonthaggi?
The median house price is $590,000 as of mid-2024, up 162.2% from $225,000 in 2013, a 7.1% annual rate. It sits 2.0% below the 2022 peak of $602,000. Weekly rent averages $270 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,198, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 32.5%.
What schools are in Wonthaggi?
No schools are recorded inside the Wonthaggi suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools across the wider township and Bass Coast area. Education employs 9.1% of the local workforce (98 workers), pointing to schooling capacity within the broader region.
Is Wonthaggi safe?
Wonthaggi records a crime rate of 216.5 per 1,000 residents, high for a town of 5,215, with 1,129 total offences. Property and deception offences lead at 439, followed by justice procedures at 313. The suburb sits in SEIFA decile 4 for disadvantage, below the national midpoint.
Is Wonthaggi good for property investment?
Rent of $270 a week against a $590,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.4%, modest but above premium metro markets. The 11.3% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand, though net internal migration of 576 a year into the area supports longer-term capital growth more than yield.
How is Wonthaggi's population changing?
The suburb has 5,215 residents with a median age of 55, 15.0 years above national, and the profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.5 points. The wider Bass Coast catchment is forecast to grow 2.07% a year, driven by net internal migration of 576 people annually.
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 Wonthaggi on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map