Median house price
—
No data available
VIC · Baw Baw Council
Thorpdale, 3835
Est. population · Jun 2025
489
Growth (1 yr)
+0.6%
Growth (5 yr)
+5.4%
Median age
46
Median income
$1,220/wk
Employment rate
58.2%
Languages at home
5.1%non-English
Most common: Italian
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- Education hub
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Thorpdale is a quieter smaller community in Baw Baw Council, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. Long-term locals and family households define much of the community, 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.
Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. Day-to-day life is more car-oriented here than in denser, more walkable pockets. Property prices are middling for the area: fair relative to what is nearby.
Reported crime has been falling recently. A trickle of new development is refreshing selected pockets without changing the overall feel.
Versus similar regional towns, the suburb reads below average on desirability, chiefly because local dining and lifestyle amenities, plus growth momentum trail behind. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Thorpdale snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
—
No data available
Population (ERP)
489
+0.6% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
10.8%
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
#180
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
31st
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
57th
percentile in VIC
Advantage (IRSAD)
4/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
29th
percentile among schools with ICSEA
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
- 36.2/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4433rd in Australia
- State rank
- 863rd in VIC
- Peer rank
- #180 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #391 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Population
Estimated resident population
489(June 2025)
+0.6% annual · +5.4% over 5 years · 57th percentile in VIC
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.6%
- 5-year growth
- +5.4%
- Change in 1 year
- +3
- Change in 5 years
- +25
- Growth rank in VIC
- 57th 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 (~500), extrapolated at +1.3% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 475
- Median age
- 46
- Median household income / week
- $1,220
- Dwelling vacancy
- 10.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 22 of 204
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,300
- Employment rate
- 58.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 184 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian 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 Profile — Australian 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)
- 17
- Against the person
- 2
- Against property
- 4
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 34.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 238 residents
- State safety percentile
- 31.3th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -19%
Most common offence types
- A211 Fv Serious Assault1
- B21 Criminal Damage2
- C32 Drug Possession2
- D12 Prohibited And Controlled Weapons Offences2
- E21 Breach Family Violence Order6
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- Recorded offences by suburb/town — Crime Statistics Agency (Victoria) · 2025 · Updated
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 961
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 29th
School list
- Thorpdale Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 961 · 29th percentile · LBOTE 2% · 45 students · Top SEA quarter 7% · 1.8 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
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 insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
1 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Pioneer ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 6
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Maryvale Private Hospital (23.8 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 16
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 32.7
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
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
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
- 25° / 12°
- Rainfall
- 197 mm · ~25 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 20° / 9°
- Rainfall
- 228 mm · ~28 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 13° / 5°
- Rainfall
- 261 mm · ~33 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 18° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 304 mm · ~38 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 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).
15 planning-related records
2021· 5 proposals
April 2021
- Building and works to construct an agricultural building.68 CHILDERS-THORPDALE ROAD THORPDALE 3835Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
February 2021
- Buildings and works to construct a dwelling extension83 Bishops RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct a carport, verandah and extend the existing outbuilding1445 Mirboo North-Trafalgar RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2021
- Minor amendments to the existing permit for the construction of an outbuilding206 SAVIGES ROAD THORPDALE 3835Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Building and works to construct a two storey dwelling1819 Mcdonalds TrackWithdrawn
2020· 10 proposals
October 2020
- Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwelling206 Saviges RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Buildings and works to construct a replacement dwelling122 Narracan Connection RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
September 2020
- Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building2041 Mcdonalds TrackPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
August 2020
- Buildings and works to construct an agricultural building.109 Chute RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
June 2020
- Amendment to Adjust permitted boundaries220 Chute RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Re-subdivision of land into two (2) lots and use and development of a dwelling.1963 MCDONALDS TRACK THORPDALE 3835Permit issued by a delegate of the RA
March 2020
- Agricultural Outbuildings261 Chute RoadNo permit required
- Building and works to construct an outbuilding379 Childers-Thorpdale RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
January 2020
- Buildings and works to construct an agricultural outbuilding.103 Dingley Dell RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
- Use and development of a dwelling598 Trafalgar South RoadPermit issued by a delegate of the RA
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- PPARS planning permit activity (statewide) — Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria) · 2020–2022 · Updated · MapServer through FY 2022–23; newer data needs council/API access
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 overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Monash
- Member of Parliament
- Mary ALDRED (Liberal)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 116,463
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.5%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -1.2 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 54.1%Labor 45.9%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 16.5 km away).
Coalition 61.6%Labor 38.4%
7.5 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +1.6 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- ThorpdaleLabor 37.0% · Coalition 63.0% TPP (2025)2.3 km away
- NarracanLabor 28.2% · Coalition 71.8% TPP (2025)6.9 km away
- Mirboo NorthLabor 48.9% · Coalition 51.1% TPP (2025)10.5 km away
- TrafalgarLabor 49.5% · Coalition 50.5% TPP (2025)10.6 km away
- Moe CentralLabor 61.7% · Coalition 38.3% TPP (2025)14.6 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
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 4/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
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
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Baw Baw Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Victoria.