Morwell VIC 3840
Morwell sits 153 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 1 hour 50 minutes by car. Census data records 14,389 residents with a median age of 43 and a median household income of $48,984 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the bottom 20% nationally. The suburb grew 4.5% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $215 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $953. Morwell is characterised by high bushfire risk and high crime risk. Of 7 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is moderate.
Is Morwell a good suburb?
Morwell scores a D (22/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit and prices, weaker on safety and community.
Mixed results
7 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 64/100 · 153.4 km · 111 min drive to Melbourne
More affordable than most
Median $395K · Cheaper than 94% of VIC
High bushfire risk
Fire 98/100 · Crime 95/100 · Flood 69/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 1/10 · median age 43 · 14,389 residents
Liveability Rating
22 / 100 · Ranked #806 in VICEach bar is Morwell's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Morwell?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
22 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMorwell's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $395,000, roughly 29% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$395,000
Based on 531 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 52 days — median across 175 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 78 sales $320K
- 3 bed 345 sales $395K
- 4 bed 92 sales $523K
- 5 bed 10 sales $550K
Units
$330,000
Based on 39 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 65 days — median across 22 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 38 sales $328K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Morwell are currently listed at around $487,000 on average. Based on 196 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$487K
196 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$335K
17 units listed in the last 6 months.
213 of the suburb's 5,816 dwellings (3.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Morwell rent for around $450 a week on average, based on 171 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$450/wk
171 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$350/wk
14 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
185 rentals advertised against an estimated 2,047 rented homes (9.0%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025126 Acceptable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 24% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3840.
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$450/week ($23,000 a year) on a $487,000 median
$350/week ($18,000 a year) on a $335,000 median
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 Morwell safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Morwell sits in the high band, with 3,259 incidents recorded in 2026 — down about 2% on the prior year.
3,259 offences
1.7% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202548 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
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
Seven schools serve Morwell, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Morwell Park Primary School leads the pack.
- • 2,370 students across 5 schools (avg 474)
- • Sectors: 4 Government, 2 Catholic, 1 Independent
- • ICSEA 888-1001, median 917 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Kurnai College (1,302 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
0.7% 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
Morwell is somewhat walkable on foot — at 64/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car. Within the suburb there are 3 supermarkets, 45 parks and 3 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Morwell.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 193.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 160.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 152.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 21.5 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 40 min wait
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 Morwell.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 46%
- Premises covered
- 8,390
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
Latrobe (Vic.): 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 34 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Morwell is home to about 14,400 residents, with a median age of 43, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $49,000 a year, with unemployment at 11.0%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
14,389
Median Age
43
Median Household Income
$48,984/yr
Census Median Rent
$215/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$953/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$27,144/yr
Unemployment Rate
11.0%
Unoccupied Dwellings
11.1%
Total Dwellings
5,816
Owner-Occupier Rate
64.8%
Houses
85.9%
Rental Stress
22.8%
Mortgage Stress
23.3%
Work From Home
10.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
275 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 87 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 1,962 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 72.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 78.3%
- Employment Rate
- 39.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 26.2%
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.
238 residents (1.7%) 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.
7.7% of residents (1,038) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (925).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 13,568 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 (40 of 4,694).
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 9,741 people work here; 4,694 employed residents live here.
A jobs hub: 2.1 jobs for every working resident. At least 50% of the people who work here must live elsewhere.
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 $1,746 a year through Latrobe (Vic.) based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Other and special use 33%
- Rural and farming 20%
- Residential 20%
- Industrial 12%
- Infrastructure and transport 9%
- Parks and recreation 4%
- Commercial 2%
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: Latrobe (Vic.)
In the year to August 2026, 529 new dwellings were approved across Latrobe (Vic.). That mix is 509 houses and 20 units. Approvals are up 65.5% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 1,481 homes
- Lots in approved subdivisions, not yet titled 290 homes
- Land zoned for housing, not yet subdivided 1,191 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 Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2017).
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.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 7.7 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 2 days exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 15.9 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.56 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Traralgon monitoring station, 10.9 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport), 5.6 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 109 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.4% of addresses
- 36 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 700 mm
- 102 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.7°C
- 11 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 4.1°C
- 15 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
6 facilities within 5 km- 2.4 km
- 2.8 kmWaste Treatment and Disposal ServicesTop reported: Chlorine & compounds · Ammonia (total) · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.8 kmOther Petroleum and Coal Product ManufacturingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 3.5 kmCheese and Other Dairy Product ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 3.6 km
EV adoption
In postcode 3840, 51 of 15,692 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.7% (267 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 2.0%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3840, 2,675 rooftop-solar systems totalling 19.2 MW have been installed since 2001, against 7,523 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 159 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.
9 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3840 in 2025-26, rank 96 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 210, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
2 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
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 $395,000 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 Darren Chester The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Darren Chester | 30.6% | 69.4% | +1.2 |
| 2022 | Darren Chester | 29.4% | 70.6% | +3.9 |
| 2019 | Darren Chester | 33.3% | 66.7% | -1.5 |
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 Martin Cameron The Nationals
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Martin Cameron NP | 54.4% | 45.6% | 54.4% |
| 2018 | Russell Northe IND | 51.8% | 52.4% | 47.6% |
| 2014 | Russell Northe NP | 51.8% | 48.2% | 51.8% |
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 Morwell?
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 14,389 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
Traralgon VIC 3844
Hazelwood North VIC 3840
Hernes Oak VIC 3825
Hazelwood VIC 3840
Yallourn VIC 3825
Driffield VIC 3840
Compare Morwell 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 Morwell
Is Morwell a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Morwell is high (95/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident). Offences against shops, venues and visitors are divided by the people who live here, so suburbs with large daytime or visitor populations rank higher than living there may feel.
What natural hazards affect Morwell?
Morwell has a high recorded bushfire history (98/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a moderate share of it (69/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Morwell a good place to live?
Morwell has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (22/100), 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 Morwell?
Morwell, VIC had a population of 14,389 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Morwell, VIC?
The postcode for Morwell, VIC is 3840.
How far is Morwell from Melbourne?
Morwell is 153 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 111 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Morwell?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Morwell was $48,984 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 Morwell?
The median advertised rent in Morwell is $450 a week for houses (171 listings) and $350 a week for units (14 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Morwell?
The median age of residents in Morwell was 43 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Morwell at risk of bushfire?
Morwell 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 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 Morwell?
There are 7 schools inside the Morwell boundary: 1 above, 1 at, and 3 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Morwell walkable?
Morwell scores 64/100 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 air quality in Morwell?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Morwell (Traralgon) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 7.7 µg/m³ and PM10 of 15.9 µg/m³. That puts Morwell below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Morwell?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Morwell, Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) (5.6 km away), summer days average 26.7°C, winter nights 4.1°C, 700 mm of rain a year over 102 rainy days, and 11 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Morwell?
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 Morwell belong to?
Morwell sits within the Latrobe (Vic.) local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Morwell?
The average residential rates bill through Latrobe (Vic.) is $1,746 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Morwell?
Across Latrobe (Vic.), 529 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 65.5% 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 Morwell in?
Morwell sits within the federal Division of Gippsland, currently held by Darren Chester (The Nationals).
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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
- Air quality · 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.
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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.