Most expensive council rates in Victoria, all 79 councils ranked
Nillumbik Shire charges an average of $2,696 per property assessment, the highest of Victoria's 79 councils. Loddon Shire charges $1,353, the lowest. The surprise is where the dear ones are. Regional City councils carry a higher median than metropolitan Melbourne, and inside Melbourne itself the gap between the dearest and cheapest council runs $1,161.
Nillumbik Shire has the highest council rates in Victoria at $2,696 per property assessment, followed by Hobsons Bay City at $2,677 and Strathbogie Shire at $2,476. The lowest is Loddon Shire at $1,353. Across all 79 councils the median is $1,937. These are 2024-25 figures, the most recent audited year.
Key statistics
- Councils ranked
- 79
- Highest
- $2,696 (Nillumbik Shire)
- Lowest
- $1,353 (Loddon Shire)
- Median
- $1,937
- Melbourne metro median
- $1,880
- Regional City median
- $2,124
Methodology
Every figure on this page is the average rate per property assessment, indicator FIM-E4 of the Victorian Local Government Performance Reporting Framework, for the 2024-25 reporting year. It divides a council's general rates, municipal charges and supplementary rates by its number of rateable properties as at 1 July. Waste and other service charges sit outside it, and the indicator is audited.
Two things follow from that definition and both matter. It covers every rateable property, so commercial, industrial and farm assessments are included alongside residential ones. There is no residential-only indicator in the framework. And it is an average, so a council with many low-value assessments can report a lower figure than a council with fewer, higher-value ones, regardless of what any individual owner pays.
This measure cannot be compared with the figures SuburbCost publishes for the other two states. New South Wales reports an average residential rate. Queensland councils publish a minimum residential general rate, which is a floor rather than a typical bill. Three states, three different statistics. They are ranked separately for that reason.
Victoria caps rates through the Fair Go Rates System. The Minister for Local Government sets the cap before 31 December each year on Essential Services Commission advice, and it is 2.75% for 2026-27, after 3.00% for 2025-26. The cap applies to a council's average rate per rateable property rather than to any single rates notice, so an individual bill can move by more. It covers general rates and municipal charges, while waste and other service charges, special rates and the fire services levy sit outside it. A council can apply to the commission for a higher cap.
Where a 2026-27 column appears it is each council's own forecast, published November 2025. Forecasts track the standard rate cap and therefore do not capture councils later approved for a higher cap, so they are shown as context rather than ranked on. Glen Eira's forecast is not shown at all, because the Essential Services Commission approved a 5% higher cap for that council for 2026-27 on 18 May 2026, against the standard 2.75%, so its November 2025 forecast is known to understate the year. No property prices, medians or capital growth figures appear anywhere on this page.
The short version
- Nillumbik Shire is highest at $2,696, Loddon Shire lowest at $1,353, a gap of $1,343 across the state
- The median Victorian council charges $1,937 per assessment
- Regional City councils have the highest median of any group at $2,124, above metropolitan Melbourne at $1,880
- Inside Melbourne the range runs $1,516 to $2,677, so the spread within one city is $1,161
- Two of Melbourne's cheapest councils, Stonnington at $1,647 and Glen Eira at $1,577, cover some of its most established inner suburbs
Top 10 most expensive council rates in Victoria
Ranked on 2024-25 actuals. Each council's own 2026-27 forecast is shown alongside for context, not ranked on. Glen Eira's forecast is not shown, because it was later approved for a 5% higher cap for 2026-27.
| Rank | Council | Group | 2024-25 actual | 2026-27 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nillumbik Shire | Interface | $2,696 | $2,886 |
| 2 | Hobsons Bay City | Metro | $2,677 | $2,840 |
| 3 | Strathbogie Shire | Small Shire | $2,476 | $2,626 |
| 4 | Maribyrnong City | Metro | $2,450 | $2,631 |
| 5 | Greater Shepparton | Regional City | $2,449 | $2,647 |
| 6 | Borough of Queenscliffe | Small Shire | $2,387 | $2,528 |
| 7 | Melbourne City | Metro | $2,345 | $2,465 |
| 8 | Mildura Rural City | Regional City | $2,340 | $2,516 |
| 9 | Corangamite Shire | Large Shire | $2,335 | $2,501 |
| 10 | Swan Hill Rural City | Large Shire | $2,333 | $2,436 |
The 10 cheapest Victorian councils
| Rank | Council | Group | 2024-25 actual | 2026-27 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | Loddon Shire | Small Shire | $1,353 | $1,445 |
| 78 | Whitehorse City | Metro | $1,516 | $1,590 |
| 77 | Central Goldfields Shire | Small Shire | $1,555 | $1,617 |
| 76 | Glen Eira City | Metro | $1,577 | Not shown |
| 75 | Pyrenees Shire | Small Shire | $1,584 | $1,648 |
| 74 | Moyne Shire | Large Shire | $1,613 | $1,673 |
| 73 | Stonnington City | Metro | $1,647 | $1,737 |
| 72 | Mornington Peninsula Shire | Interface | $1,659 | $1,756 |
| 71 | Hindmarsh Shire | Small Shire | $1,660 | $1,764 |
| 70 | Mansfield Shire | Small Shire | $1,697 | $1,791 |
Average council rates in Melbourne, all 22 metro councils
The median metropolitan Melbourne council charges $1,880 per assessment. The spread across the city is $1,161, which is most of the $1,343 spread across the whole state. Glen Eira's 2026-27 forecast is not shown, because it was later approved for a 5% higher cap.
| Rank | Council | 2024-25 actual | 2026-27 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hobsons Bay City | $2,677 | $2,840 |
| 2 | Maribyrnong City | $2,450 | $2,631 |
| 3 | Melbourne City | $2,345 | $2,465 |
| 4 | Boroondara City | $2,253 | $2,397 |
| 5 | Greater Dandenong City | $2,123 | $2,263 |
| 6 | Bayside City | $2,086 | $2,099 |
| 7 | Moonee Valley City | $2,027 | $2,132 |
| 8 | Manningham City | $2,000 | $2,114 |
| 9 | Kingston City | $1,940 | $2,075 |
| 10 | Yarra City | $1,937 | $2,052 |
| 11 | Merri-bek City | $1,914 | $1,997 |
| 12 | Brimbank City | $1,847 | $1,960 |
| 13 | Frankston City | $1,795 | $1,891 |
| 14 | Banyule City | $1,787 | $1,861 |
| 15 | Port Phillip City | $1,765 | $1,851 |
| 16 | Darebin City | $1,764 | $1,884 |
| 17 | Knox City | $1,732 | $1,821 |
| 18 | Maroondah City | $1,715 | $1,814 |
| 19 | Monash City | $1,697 | $1,802 |
| 20 | Stonnington City | $1,647 | $1,737 |
| 21 | Glen Eira City | $1,577 | Not shown |
| 22 | Whitehorse City | $1,516 | $1,590 |
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Why Victoria's dearest councils are not in Melbourne
Grouping the 79 councils the way the state does makes the pattern clear. Regional City councils carry the highest median of any group, and metropolitan Melbourne sits below both Regional City and Large Shire.
| Group | Councils | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional City | 10 | $2,124 | $1,746 to $2,449 |
| Large Shire | 19 | $1,979 | $1,613 to $2,335 |
| Metro | 22 | $1,880 | $1,516 to $2,677 |
| Interface | 9 | $1,880 | $1,659 to $2,696 |
| Small Shire | 19 | $1,828 | $1,353 to $2,476 |
The measure explains most of this. An average per assessment moves with the mix and number of rateable properties, not with what any single household pays. A council with a large number of modest assessments spreads its rates revenue across more of them and reports a lower average. That is why Stonnington and Glen Eira, covering established inner-southern Melbourne, sit near the bottom of the state, while Strathbogie and Corangamite sit near the top. Read this ranking as a comparison of councils, not as a guide to what one owner will be billed.
Every Victorian council, with its own page
Each council below has its own page carrying the same figure, where it sits in the state, how it compares with the councils Victoria groups it with, and how the rate cap works. Ranked 2024-25 actuals, listed alphabetically.
Frequently asked questions
Which council has the highest rates in Victoria?
Nillumbik Shire, at an average rate of $2,696 per property assessment for 2024-25. Hobsons Bay City is second at $2,677 and Strathbogie Shire third at $2,476. The measure is the average across all property types in the council area, not a residential-only figure.
Which Victorian council has the lowest rates?
Loddon Shire, at $1,353 per property assessment for 2024-25. Whitehorse City is the lowest in metropolitan Melbourne at $1,516, followed by Glen Eira at $1,577.
What is the average council rate in Melbourne?
The median across the 22 metropolitan Melbourne councils is $1,880 per property assessment for 2024-25. The range runs from Whitehorse at $1,516 to Hobsons Bay at $2,677, a spread of $1,161 inside one city.
Are Victoria's most expensive council rates in Melbourne?
No. Regional City councils carry the highest median at $2,124, above metropolitan Melbourne at $1,880. The single highest, Nillumbik Shire, is an interface council on Melbourne's northern fringe rather than a metropolitan one.
How do I find council rates by suburb in Victoria?
Victorian council rates are set by council, not by suburb. Every suburb inside a council area is rated under the same structure, so the figure for your suburb is the figure for its council. Find your council in the table above and that is your suburb's basis. What varies between suburbs within a council is the property valuation each rate is applied to, which is why an average per assessment is a council-level comparison rather than a per-suburb one.
How much can Victorian council rates rise each year?
Victoria caps rates through the Fair Go Rates System. The Minister for Local Government sets the cap before 31 December each year on Essential Services Commission advice, and it is 2.75% for 2026-27, after 3.00% for 2025-26. The cap applies to a council's average rate per rateable property rather than to any single rates notice, so an individual bill can move by more. Waste and other service charges sit outside the cap, and a council can apply to the commission for a higher cap, as Glen Eira did for 2026-27.
Can Victorian council rates be compared with Queensland or New South Wales?
Not directly. Victoria reports an average rate per property assessment across all property types. New South Wales reports an average residential rate. Queensland councils publish a minimum residential general rate, which is a floor rather than a typical bill. The three measure different things and should be ranked within their own state.
Cite this data
SuburbCost data is free to cite with attribution. Please link to this page as the source.
Victoria is not yet in the downloadable file, but the Queensland and New South Wales council dataset is published under CC BY 4.0.