Golden Square VIC 3555
Golden Square sits 148 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 45 minutes by car. Census data records 9,220 residents with a median age of 39 and a median household income of $69,888 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the lower-middle tier nationally. Population grew 4.5% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $295 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,300. The area shows high crime risk. 2 schools sit within the suburb boundary, and walkability is moderate.
Is Golden Square a good suburb?
Golden Square scores a C (40/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit.
Mixed results
2 schools
Very walkable
Walkability 67/100 · 148.5 km · 106 min drive to Melbourne
Around the state median
Median $609K · Cheaper than 80% of VIC
Moderate crime risk
Fire 20/100 · Crime 69/100 · Flood 44/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 39 · 9,220 residents
Liveability Rating
40 / 100 · Ranked #565 in VICEach bar is Golden Square's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Golden Square?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
40 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataGolden Square's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $609,000, roughly 22% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$609,000
In line with its 6 neighbours (median $623,000)
Based on 260 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 25 days — median across 102 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 33 sales $470K
- 3 bed 148 sales $591K
- 4 bed 64 sales $727K
- 5 bed 10 sales $768K
Units
$472,125
10% above its 3 neighbours (median $427,500)
Based on 16 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 35 days — median across 7 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 11 sales $467K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Golden Square are currently listed at around $674,000 on average. Based on 88 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$674K
88 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$446K
8 units listed in the last 6 months.
96 of the suburb's 3,752 dwellings (2.6%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Golden Square rent for around $530 a week on average, based on 68 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$530/wk
68 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$450/wk
5 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
73 rentals advertised against an estimated 1,336 rented homes (5.5%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025102 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 29% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3555.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$530/week ($28,000 a year) on a $674,000 median
$450/week ($23,000 a year) on a $446,000 median
Based on a small sample (5 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Golden Square safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Golden Square sits in the moderate band, with 544 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 12% on the prior year.
544 offences
12.4% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202536 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Two schools serve Golden Square, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 496 students across 2 schools (avg 248)
- • ICSEA 934-967, median 950 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Golden Square Primary School (262 students)
Primary
Universities nearby
1.1% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Golden Square is somewhat walkable on foot — at 67/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Golden Square.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 106.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 83.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 37.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 15.0 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Golden Square.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 42%
- Premises covered
- 4,934
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Greater Bendigo: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 21 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 6 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Golden Square is home to about 9,200 residents, with a median age of 39, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $70,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
9,220
Median Age
39
Median Household Income
$69,888/yr
Census Median Rent
$295/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,300/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$37,492/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
7.8%
Total Dwellings
3,752
Owner-Occupier Rate
64.4%
Houses
91.4%
Rental Stress
21.9%
Mortgage Stress
22.3%
Work From Home
15.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
130 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 50 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,303 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 85.3%
- English Spoken at Home
- 87.9%
- Employment Rate
- 56.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 36.5%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
211 residents (2.3%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
6.3% of residents (550) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (446).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 8,683 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (57 of 4,295).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 3,151 people work here; 4,295 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.7 per resident). At least 25% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,949 a year through Greater Bendigo based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 64%
- Infrastructure and transport 11%
- Commercial 8%
- Industrial 7%
- Parks and recreation 7%
- Other and special use 4%
Rezoned since Oct 2025
- General Residential Zone → Industrial 3 Zone · C270gben, May 2026 5.3 ha
- Industrial 1 Zone → Industrial 3 Zone · C270gben, May 2026 0.9 ha
Proposed rezonings
- General Residential Zone → Public Park and Recreation Zone · C285gben, exhibited Oct 2025 7.1 ha
Land in this suburb moved from one zone to another by a planning scheme amendment (Vicmap Planning, CC BY 4.0). Exhibited amendments are proposals and can change or lapse.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Greater Bendigo
In the year to August 2026, 885 new dwellings were approved across Greater Bendigo. That mix is 797 houses and 88 units. Approvals are up 28.0% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 24 homes
- Lots in approved subdivisions, not yet titled 24 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Climate & Setting
from Castlemaine Prison, 34.2 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 233 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Near high-voltage lines
- 6.4% of addresses
- 360 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 598 mm
- 83 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.9°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 3.7°C
- 19 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
5 facilities within 5 km- 2.6 kmRail Passenger TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 3.6 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 4.3 kmTextile Floor Covering ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 4.7 kmMilk and Cream ProcessingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 4.9 kmOther Electricity GenerationTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 3555, 70 of 17,137 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.9% (320 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.3%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3555, 3,442 rooftop-solar systems totalling 20.7 MW have been installed since 2001, against 9,159 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 144 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
2 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3555 in 2025-26, rank 176 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 216, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
5 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 11 across postcode 3555.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $609,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Lisa Chesters Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lisa Chesters | 51.4% | 48.6% | +51.4 |
| 2022 | Lisa Chesters | 62.1% | 37.9% | -3.3 |
| 2019 | Lisa Chesters | 59.0% | 41.0% | -5.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Maree Edwards Australian Labor Party - Victorian Branch
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Maree Edwards ALP | 50.7% | 64.3% | 35.6% |
| 2018 | Maree Edwards ALP | 53.5% | 68.5% | 31.4% |
| 2014 | Maree Edwards ALP | 50.4% | 62.2% | 37.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Golden Square?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 9,220 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Featured in
- #1 in Bendigo suburbs with the most apartments
- #2 in Best Bendigo suburbs for first-home buyers (houses)
- #2 in Best Bendigo suburbs for first-home buyers (units)
- #3 in Best Bendigo suburbs for good public primary schools
- #3 in Highest-yielding Bendigo suburbs (units)
- #4 in Bendigo suburbs with the largest Sikh community
- #6 in Best Bendigo suburbs to rent in
- #7 in Bendigo suburbs where seniors live
- #8 in Bendigo suburbs with the deepest rental markets
- #8 in Bendigo suburbs with the largest non-religious population
- #8 in Bendigo suburbs with the best public transport
- #8 in Bendigo suburbs that suit young professionals
- #9 in Bendigo suburbs with the biggest house blocks
- #9 in Most walkable suburbs in Bendigo
- #10 in Bendigo suburbs that added the most residents, 2016-2021
- #10 in The most liveable suburbs in Bendigo
- #10 in Sportiest Bendigo suburbs
- #11 in Highest-yielding Bendigo suburbs (houses)
- #12 in Bendigo's most educated suburbs
- #12 in Bendigo suburbs where the most residents moved from a capital city
- #12 in The safest suburbs in Bendigo
- #12 in Bendigo suburbs where young families live
- #13 in Bendigo suburbs that grew fastest, 2016-2021
- #14 in Bendigo's highest-income suburbs
- #15 in Bendigo suburbs with the most parkland nearby
- #15 in Bendigo suburbs with the best NBN connectivity
- #15 in Bendigo suburbs where the most homes are owned outright
- #15 in Bendigo's most owner-occupied suburbs
Nearby suburbs
Kangaroo Flat VIC 3555
Bendigo VIC 3550
Maiden Gully VIC 3551
Quarry Hill VIC 3550
Ironbark VIC 3550
West Bendigo VIC 3550
Compare Golden Square to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Golden Square
Is Golden Square a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Golden Square is moderate (69/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Golden Square?
Golden Square has a low recorded bushfire history (20/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (44/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Golden Square a good place to live?
Golden Square has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (40/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Golden Square?
Golden Square, VIC had a population of 9,220 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Golden Square, VIC?
The postcode for Golden Square, VIC is 3555.
How far is Golden Square from Melbourne?
Golden Square is 148 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 106 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Golden Square?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Golden Square was $69,888 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Golden Square?
The median advertised rent in Golden Square is $530 a week for houses (68 listings) and $450 a week for units (5 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Golden Square?
The median age of residents in Golden Square was 39 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Golden Square at risk of bushfire?
Golden Square has a low recorded bushfire history (20/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Golden Square?
There are 2 schools inside the Golden Square boundary: 2 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Golden Square walkable?
Golden Square scores 67/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Golden Square?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Golden Square, Castlemaine Prison (34.2 km away), summer days average 27.9°C, winter nights 3.7°C, 598 mm of rain a year over 83 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Golden Square?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Golden Square belong to?
Golden Square sits within the Greater Bendigo local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Golden Square?
The average residential rates bill through Greater Bendigo is $1,949 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Golden Square?
Across Greater Bendigo, 885 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 28.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Golden Square in?
Golden Square sits within the federal Division of Bendigo, currently held by Lisa Chesters (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.