Howqua VIC 3723
Howqua is a rural locality in Victoria, 215 km from Melbourne CBD, around 3 hours 5 minutes by car. Population is 158; the median age is 15 and the median household income is $97,500 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 40% nationally. Population grew 43.6% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median monthly mortgage of $1,192. The area shows high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the locality boundary, and walkability is low.
This locality is too small to rate.
The Liveability Rating is calculated for suburbs of 500 residents or more, and this one has 158. Below that the school, census and safety figures behind the score cover too few people to rank fairly against the rest of the state. The individual measures further down this page are still shown.
How do you rate the liveability in Howqua?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
Not enough data to score this locality.
Residents say
…
Is Howqua safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Howqua sits in the low band, with 2 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 60% on the prior year.
2 offences
60.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20252 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the locality carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
One school serves Howqua, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
Combined
Walkability
Howqua is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Howqua.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 32
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
Mansfield: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this locality alone — this locality's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Howqua is home to 158 residents, and skews young, with a median age of 15 against the national 38. Median household income runs at $98,000 a year, with unemployment at 0.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
158
Median Age
15
Median Household Income
$97,500/yr
Census Median Rent
—
Census Median Mortgage
$1,192/mo
Avg Household Size
2.5
Median Personal Income
$21,840/yr
Unemployment Rate
0.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
108.3%
Total Dwellings
24
Owner-Occupier Rate
100.0%
Houses
70.8%
Rental Stress
—
Mortgage Stress
14.7%
Work From Home
14.3%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 79.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 72.8%
- Employment Rate
- 40.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 25.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,697 a year through Mansfield based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Parks and recreation 61%
- Rural and farming 39%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the locality around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Mansfield
In the year to August 2026, 76 new dwellings were approved across Mansfield. That mix is 69 houses and 7 units. Approvals are down 50.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Taungurung Land and Waters Council Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2009).
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 Mount Buller, 24.3 kmHigh rainfall — mild summers, frosty winters.
- Elevation
- 465 m
- above sea level, at the locality centre
- Annual rainfall
- 1,633 mm
- 130 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 17.1°C
- 0 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- -2.1°C
- 136 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the locality 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.
EV adoption
In postcode 3723, 24 of 3,968 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.0% (40 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3723, 899 rooftop-solar systems totalling 6.3 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,729 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 44 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.
1 first-home grant was paid in postcode 3723 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 23, in 2002-03.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Helen Haines Independent
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Helen Haines | 43.3% | 56.7% | -1.4 |
| 2022 | Helen Haines | 44.7% | 55.3% | -7.5 |
| 2019 | Helen Haines | 37.3% | 62.7% | +7.7 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact locality's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Cindy McLeish Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cindy McLeish LP | 53.3% | 42.9% | 57.1% |
| 2018 | Cindy McLeish LP | 50.2% | 47.6% | 52.4% |
| 2014 | Cindy McLeish LP | 51.7% | 46.2% | 53.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this locality's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Howqua?
Every figure above is a locality 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 158 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.
Nearby suburbs
Jamieson VIC 3723
Mount Buller VIC 3723
Boorolite VIC 3723
Macs Cove VIC 3723
Piries VIC 3723
Howqua Inlet VIC 3723
Compare Howqua 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 Howqua
Is Howqua a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Howqua is low (11/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Howqua?
Howqua has a high recorded bushfire history (98/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a low share of it (39/100). These are locality-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
What is the population of Howqua?
Howqua, VIC had a population of 158 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Howqua, VIC?
The postcode for Howqua, VIC is 3723.
How far is Howqua from Melbourne?
Howqua is 215 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 184 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Howqua?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Howqua was $97,500 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median age in Howqua?
The median age of residents in Howqua was 15 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Howqua at risk of bushfire?
Howqua has a high recorded bushfire history (98/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the locality 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 Howqua?
There is 1 school inside the Howqua boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
What is the weather like in Howqua?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Howqua, Mount Buller (24.3 km away), summer days average 17.1°C, winter nights -2.1°C, 1,633 mm of rain a year over 130 rainy days, and 0 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Howqua?
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 Howqua belong to?
Howqua sits within the Mansfield local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Howqua?
The average residential rates bill through Mansfield is $1,697 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Howqua?
Across Mansfield, 76 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 50.0% 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 Howqua in?
Howqua sits within the federal Division of Indi, currently held by Helen Haines (Independent).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- 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.