VIC · Horsham Council

Lower Norton, 3401

Est. population · Jun 2025

229

Growth (1 yr)

-0.4%

Growth (5 yr)

-1.7%

Median age

45

Median income

$2,295/wk

Employment rate

66.5%

Languages at home

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

45.5/100
Average

Top 46% of Victoria's suburbs

Verified 52% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • National parks
  • High desirability
What Lower Norton is known for: National parks, High desirability

Suburb profile

Lower Norton offers a slower smaller community life in Horsham Council, with open surrounds and a close-knit community feel. The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Everyday life leans local, with a handful of trusted shops, a familiar main street and neighbours who know your name.

Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. A car helps for most daily errands, with fewer amenities clustered within an easy walk. Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers.

Reported crime has been falling recently. Tree-lined streets and established homes set the tone, with little pressure to reinvent the neighbourhood.

Desirability lands around average here: softer local dining and lifestyle amenities weighing on the result versus similar regional towns, even with community and employment holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.

At a glance

Lower Norton snapshot

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

No data available

Median rent

No data available

Population (ERP)

229

-0.4% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

8.1%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#59

among Country & regional · Mature

Safety

1st

percentile in state (higher = safer)

Pop. growth

2nd

percentile in VIC

Advantage (IRSAD)

9/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
45.5/100 — Average
State standing
Top 46% of Victoria's suburbs
National rank
2837th in Australia
State rank
581st in VIC
Peer rank
#59 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#175 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
52%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability indexSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

229(June 2025)

-0.4% annual · -1.7% over 5 years · 2th percentile in VIC

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
-0.4%
5-year growth
-1.7%
Change in 1 year
-1
Change in 5 years
-4
Growth rank in VIC
2th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~250), extrapolated at -0.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
236
Median age
45
Median household income / week
$2,295
Dwelling vacancy
8.1%
Unoccupied private dwellings
7 of 86
Median monthly mortgage
$1,517
Employment rate
66.5%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
78 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident PopulationAustralian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Community & culture

No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community ProfileAustralian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2026)
1
Against the person
0
Against property
0
Rate per 1,000 residents
4.4
State safety percentile
1.2th (lower crime is better)
Decrease (daily rate)
-94.1%

Most common offence types

  • D35 Improper Movement On Public Or Private Space1

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Crime rate and year-on-year trend

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insightsSuburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenitiesOpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • John Smith Memorial Flora ReserveNature reserve

Data sources & freshness

Health access

Nearest hospital
Wimmera Base Hospital (16.0 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)

Hospitals and GP clinics

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
4
Participants per 1,000 residents
17.5

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
27° / 11°
Rainfall
86 mm · ~11 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
20° / 8°
Rainfall
138 mm · ~17 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
13° / 4°
Rainfall
220 mm · ~28 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
19° / 7°
Rainfall
178 mm · ~22 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normalsWorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Planning & development

Development applications from PPARS statewide register (lodged 2020–2022). Free public PPARS MapServer — applications through ~2022 (service last updated Feb 2024).

3 planning-related records

2021· 3 proposals
  • June 2021

  • Deck extension of outdoor area for Cellar Door
    758 Plush Hannans RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • May 2021

  • Dwelling and farm shed
    593 HORSHAM NORADJUHA ROAD LOWER NORTON 3401Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
  • Use and Development of a Dwelling & associated works.
    284 DARRAGAN PIT ROAD LOWER NORTON 3401Permit issued by a delegate of the RA

Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)

Development and planning activity

Data sources & freshness

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
No overlay at centroid

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via Victorian Bushfire Management Overlay mapping.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)

Bushfire hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Hazard planning overlaysState government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Mallee
Member of Parliament
Anne WEBSTER (The Nationals)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
121,604
Turnout (2025)
91.5%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
-0.1 pp toward Coalition

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 69.0%Labor 31.0%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 40.8 km away).

Coalition 68.4%Labor 31.6%

0.6 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: -0.9 pp toward Coalition

Nearest polling places

  • HavenLabor 27.4% · Coalition 72.7% TPP (2025)11.9 km away
  • Horsham WestLabor 36.6% · Coalition 63.4% TPP (2025)13.5 km away
  • NatimukLabor 26.7% · Coalition 73.3% TPP (2025)13.7 km away
  • HorshamLabor 36.3% · Coalition 63.7% TPP (2025)15.1 km away
  • Horsham EastLabor 32.4% · Coalition 67.6% TPP (2025)15.4 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
9/10
IRSD decile (2021)
10/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)

Data sources & freshness

This suburb ranks highly for

More in Horsham Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.