Chiltern - Indigo Valley
Statistical Area - sa2

Chiltern - Indigo Valley has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Chiltern-Indigo Valley's population was 3,184 as of Aug 2021. By Aug 2025, it is around 3,263, an increase of 79 people (2.5%). This growth is inferred from ABS' June 2024 estimate of 3,267 and 35 new addresses validated since the Census date. The population density is 6.4 persons per square kilometer. Chiltern-Indigo Valley's 2.5% growth since Aug 2021 compares with the SA3 area's 3.6%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 65.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, though all drivers were positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, it utilises Vic State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the area is forecasted to increase by 760 persons, recording a gain of 23.4% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Chiltern - Indigo Valley according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Chiltern-Indigo Valley has seen approximately 18 new home approvals each year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with a total of 91 approvals in the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25 and an additional 5 so far in FY-26. On average, about 1.9 people have moved to the area annually for each dwelling built over these five financial years. This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, supporting stable conditions.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $451,000. There has been $10.7 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Rest of Vic., Chiltern-Indigo Valley has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 55th percentile nationally.

All new construction has consisted of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes. The estimated population density is 490 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts indicate a gain of 764 residents by 2041, and development pace appears to be keeping up with projected growth, although increasing competition among buyers may result from the expanding population.

Chiltern - Indigo Valley has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified six projects that are expected to impact this particular area. Notable projects include the Advanced Manufacturing Centre of Excellence, Hydrogen Park Murray Valley Facility, Wodonga Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion, and Wodonga Solar Farm. The following list details those projects likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Chiltern - Indigo Valley has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Chiltern-Indigo Valley has a diverse workforce with both white and blue-collar jobs. Key sectors include healthcare & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

As of June 2025, 1,741 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, slightly higher than Rest of Vic.'s 3.8%. Workforce participation is at 62.0%, comparable to the regional average. The area specializes in manufacturing, with employment share 1.6 times the regional level, but construction shows lower representation at 7.8% versus regional average of 10.4%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally based on Census data comparison.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.4%, labour force by 1.4%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point unemployment rise. In contrast, Rest of Vic. saw employment decline of 0.9% and labour force decline of 0.4%. State-wide in Victoria as of Sep-25, employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest a growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Chiltern-Indigo Valley's employment mix indicates potential local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Chiltern-Indigo Valley had a median taxpayer income of $48,880 and an average of $57,865 in financial year 2022, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of postcode level ATO data. These figures were lower than the national averages of $48,741 (median) and $60,693 (average) for Rest of Vic. By March 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $53,822 (median) and $63,715 (average), accounting for a 10.11% growth in wages since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census placed household, family, and personal incomes in Chiltern-Indigo Valley between the 35th and 39th percentiles. The earnings profile showed that 36.1% of individuals earned between $1,500 - 2,999, similar to the surrounding region's 30.3%. Housing costs were manageable with 88.2% retained, but disposable income was below average at the 40th percentile, and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

Chiltern - Indigo Valley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

As per the latest Census evaluation in Chiltern - Indigo Valley, 94.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 5.1% comprising semi-detached properties, apartments, and other types. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 91.6% houses and 8.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chiltern - Indigo Valley stood at 43.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.1% and rented ones at 10.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,389, lower than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,473. The median weekly rent in the area was $260, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $280. Nationally, Chiltern - Indigo Valley's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,389 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Chiltern - Indigo Valley has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 71.6% of all households, including 28.7% couples with children, 34.9% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 28.4%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households making up 2.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Vic.

Chiltern - Indigo Valley shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 18.6%, significantly lower than the VIC average of 33.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 12.2%, followed by graduate diplomas at 3.7% and postgraduate qualifications at 2.7%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 11.2% and certificates at 32.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.7% in secondary education, 9.1% in primary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education. Chiltern - Indigo Valley's 4 schools have a combined enrollment of 170 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 984) with balanced educational opportunities. The 4 schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Local school capacity is limited at 5.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.6, leading many families to travel for schooling.

Transport servicing is very low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Transport analysis indicates four active stops operating within Chiltern-Indigo Valley, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by five individual routes, collectively facilitating 82 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated moderate, with residents typically situated 595 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 11 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 20 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Chiltern - Indigo Valley is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Chiltern - Indigo Valley, with notable prevalence of common conditions across both younger and older age groups. Approximately 49% (~1,595 people) have private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (10.8%) and mental health issues (9.6%). Around 60.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.1% in Rest of Vic.. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 21.7% (708 people), versus 20.7% in Rest of Vic.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges despite performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Chiltern - Indigo Valley placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Chiltern-Indigo Valley had a cultural diversity below average, with 91.7% of its population being Australian citizens, 91.5% born in Australia, and 98.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 50.4% of people, compared to 48.2% across Rest of Vic., as of 2016. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (35.1%), English (32.6%), and Irish (9.8%).

Notably, Dutch (1.7%) and German (4.4%) ancestry was overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.6% and 4.8%, respectively. Hungarian ancestry at 0.3% was also higher than the regional average of 0.2%.

Chiltern - Indigo Valley hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Chiltern-Indigo Valley's median age is 46, slightly higher than Victoria's figure of 43 and significantly above Australia's national norm of 38. The 55-64 age group is strongly represented at 16.8%, compared to Victoria's 12.9%, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 9.3%. Nationally, the 55-64 age group comprises 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 15 to 24 age group grew from 10.2% to 12.1%, while the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 15.2% to 13.8% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 11.5% to 10.3%. By 2041, Chiltern-Indigo Valley's age composition is expected to shift notably. The 35 to 44 group will grow by 47%, reaching 512 people from 347, while the 15 to 24 cohort will grow modestly by 7% (29 people).