Ardeer
A 47.8% overseas-born share is the clearest marker of Ardeer's identity, while its median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national average. The suburb packs 3,170 residents into 2.13 sq km, giving it a density of 1,487.8 people per sq km. Its 34.5% university-educated share is 4.4 percentage points higher than national, but household income sits at the 44.2nd percentile. Compared with nearby Sunshine West and Deer Park, Ardeer presents a smaller-scale western setting with 76.8% separate houses. That detached profile supports family households while keeping the area more established than a high-rise growth precinct.
Population
3,170
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,452/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$711K
October to December 2025
Separate houses account for 76.8%, while semi-detached stock is 20.1%, so buyers get more land-oriented choice than in an apartment-led market, where apartments represent just 0.6%. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,700 and mortgage payments equal 27.0% of household income, with the mortgage-stress flag recorded as false. Compared with nearby Sunshine West and Deer Park, check each address for block size, renovation risk and access before assuming the suburb median reflects every property.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for 76.8%, while semi-detached stock is 20.1%, so buyers get more land-oriented choice than in an apartment-led market, where apartments represent just 0.6%. The monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,700 and mortgage payments equal 27.0% of household income, with the mortgage-stress flag recorded as false. Compared with nearby Sunshine West and Deer Park, check each address for block size, renovation risk and access before assuming the suburb median reflects every property.
For Investors
Ardeer's investment case is more rental-led than owner-occupier-led: 35.2% of households rent, while weekly rent is $340 and vacancy is 7.9%. That vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tightly constrained market, so investors should budget for leasing variability rather than assume uninterrupted occupancy. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, which can support rental demand, but the annual growth trend is only 0.43%. Eight development applications in 12 months point to incremental change, not a large construction wave.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ardeer
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Ardeer Primary School
Mother of God School
Demographics
Ardeer's median age is 37, which is 3.0 years below the national average, while the overseas-born share is 47.8%, or 26.2 percentage points higher than national. University attainment reaches 34.5%, 4.4 points above the national comparison, creating a profile that combines migrant depth with a sizeable professional cohort. Vietnamese ancestry is reported by 392 people, alongside English at 474 and Irish at 159; Christianity counts 1,343 and no religion 886. Household size averages 2.4 people, 0.1 below national, and 78.2% stayed at the same address, versus 21.8% turnover. Compared with nearby Sunshine West and Deer Park, Ardeer's 3,170 residents occupy a compact 2.13 sq km footprint, so local networks can feel more concentrated even as population churn remains material.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.8%
Houses
20.1%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Ardeer's housing is predominantly detached and family-sized, with 76.8% separate houses and 60.2% three-bedroom dwellings. Tenure is split across 30.7% owned outright, 33.4% mortgaged and 35.2% rented, leaving no single tenure group dominant. The 19-year compound annual growth rate is 4.1%, which is higher than the short-term peak-to-latest direction because the longer view includes substantial earlier gains. Mortgage repayments are $1,700 monthly, equal to 27.0% of household income, while rent is $340 weekly or 23.4% of income. Compared with apartment-heavy inner markets, Ardeer's 0.6% apartment share keeps land and maintenance trade-offs central.
Mortgage / mo
$1,700
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$340
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$698
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
98
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.0%
Couples with children
33.2%
Couples, no children
22.5%
Single parent
748
Total families
Economy & Employment
Ardeer's employment base leans toward essential and public-facing services: healthcare accounts for 18.1% of industry employment, education 10.4%, construction 9.7%, public administration 8.3% and professional or technical work 8.0%. The occupation mix spans 298 professionals, 180 trades workers, 164 clerical or admin workers, 164 machinery or driver roles and 159 labourers, so the suburb is less concentrated than a single-industry town. The labour force numbers 1,498, with a 57.1% participation rate, 59.3% full-time rate and 9.3% unemployment. Socioeconomic measures are uneven: IEO sits at decile 5, above the IER decile 1, while IRSAD is decile 3 and IRSD decile 2. That gap suggests education and occupation capacity are stronger than income and disadvantage outcomes, because household income ranks at only the 44.2nd percentile.
Unemployment
9.3%
Labour Force
1,498
Unemployed
140
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
33.0%
Participation
57.1%
Employed
1,358
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.5%
Postgraduate
9.8%
Born Overseas
47.8%
Dwellings
1,141
Transport to Work
Daily life in Ardeer is strongly car-oriented: 64.1% drive to work, compared with 3.9% using public transport, 2.2% walking or cycling and 25.8% working from home. That pattern makes parking and road access more important than a transit-first routine. Local primary options include Ardeer Primary School, a government school, and Mother of God School, a Catholic school, giving families 2 nearby sector choices; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety is a material consideration, with 334 recorded offences and a rate of 105.4 per 1,000 people. Property and deception offences account for 185, compared with 55 crimes against the person. IRSAD is decile 3 and IRSD decile 2, both below the middle decile, so amenity decisions should be weighed against affordability and household needs.
Drive
64.1%
Public Transport
3.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
25.8%
Population Forecast
+0.43%/yr
(+34 people/yr)
EstablishedArdeer is an established, slow-growth suburb: the forecast annual trend is 0.43%, while population change across the wider area is 4.8% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the shift trajectory is labelled Mixed, so growth is likely to be gradual rather than uniformly accelerating. Gentrification is scored at 10 with stage Not gentrifying, while shift indicators show a score of 30 and stage Early signs. That contrast points to selective uplift rather than a broad transformation. Rents have grown 45.5% and real incomes 37.3%, which can improve household capacity, while affordability moved from 52.8% in 2011 to 45.5% in 2021. Compared with the 4.8% ten-year change, the 0.43% annual trend is lower, reinforcing a measured outlook.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+237
Net Internal / yr
-203
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -203/yr, Strong overseas inflow +237/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
334
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
105.4
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Ardeer compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ardeer a good suburb to live in?
Ardeer can suit households wanting detached housing and a western suburban setting, with 76.8% separate houses and 60.2% three-bedroom homes. The trade-off is car dependence, as 64.1% drive to work, plus a recorded crime rate of 105.4 per 1,000 people. Compare streets and transport access before choosing.
What schools are in Ardeer?
Ardeer has 2 listed primary schools: Ardeer Primary School in the government sector and Mother of God School in the Catholic sector. Both are primary settings, so families should confirm the exact enrolment zone, year-level availability and out-of-suburb options before signing a contract.
Is Ardeer safe?
Safety needs a street-by-street check. Ardeer recorded 334 offences, equal to 105.4 offences per 1,000 people; property and deception offences were the largest category at 185, followed by 55 crimes against the person. Compare recent local conditions, lighting and travel routes rather than relying on one suburb-wide rate.
Is Ardeer good for property investment?
Ardeer may suit investors seeking established housing with a substantial renter base: 35.2% of households rent, weekly rent is $340 and vacancy is 7.9%. The long-run price CAGR is 4.1%, while the annual growth trend is 0.43%, so the case is steadier than a high-growth thesis. Check insurance, maintenance and leasing costs.
How is Ardeer's population changing?
Ardeer's population is changing slowly rather than surging. The wider-area forecast records 0.43% annual growth and 4.8% change over 10 years, with overseas migration the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Mixed, while 78.2% of residents stayed at the same address and turnover was 21.8%, pointing to gradual change with ongoing movement.
What languages are spoken in Ardeer?
Ardeer has a high overseas-born share of 47.8%, which is 26.2 percentage points higher than national. Languages recorded among residents include Punjabi at 35 people, Polish 23, Croatian 20, Italian 19 and Mandarin 18. Vietnamese ancestry is also reported by 392 people, so buyers may want to check local services for language access.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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