Armadale
Household income sits at the 83.4th percentile nationally, and 65.5% of adults have a university qualification, 35.4 percentage points above the national figure. With 9,368 residents across 2.14 sq km, the suburb is denser and more apartment-oriented than nearby Malvern. Its 17.0% vacancy rate also stands out as higher than expected for such a high-income market, partly because smaller dwellings attract mobile renters.
Population
9,368
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,193/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
208
Median House
$2.5M
October to December 2025
Armadale suits buyers prioritising location, apartment access and established streets over land size, but the entry cost is high. Apartments account for 57.5% of dwellings, compared with only 25.5% separate houses, and two-bedroom homes make up 41.7% of the stock. That mix supports singles, couples and downsizers, while the 19.0% share of studio or one-bedroom dwellings increases choice for smaller households. Prices remain 25.7% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak, although they are 51.4% higher than in 2013, so buyers need to distinguish recent softness from long-term affordability.
For Buyers
Armadale suits buyers prioritising location, apartment access and established streets over land size, but the entry cost is high. Apartments account for 57.5% of dwellings, compared with only 25.5% separate houses, and two-bedroom homes make up 41.7% of the stock. That mix supports singles, couples and downsizers, while the 19.0% share of studio or one-bedroom dwellings increases choice for smaller households. Prices remain 25.7% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak, although they are 51.4% higher than in 2013, so buyers need to distinguish recent softness from long-term affordability.
For Investors
Armadale has a substantial rental base, with 45.2% of households renting and weekly rent at $421. The 17.0% vacancy rate is higher than investors generally prefer because tenants have more choice and landlords may face longer letting periods or stronger pressure on presentation. Rent growth is recorded at 3.7%, which is positive but not especially strong relative to the vacancy risk. Planning activity is also high, with 205 development matters in 12 months, creating ongoing scope for upgrades but potentially adding competing apartments. Internal migration is the primary growth driver, so demand should be strongest for well-located, smaller dwellings that match the suburb's apartment-heavy stock and average household size of 2.0.
Development Activity
Total DAs
238
Last 12 Months
208
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+670.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Armadale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lauriston Girls' School
The King David School
Armadale Primary School
Demographics
Armadale has a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national figure, and a highly educated population: 65.5% hold a university qualification, 35.4 percentage points above the national rate. The overseas-born share is 29.9%, or 8.3 points above the national comparison, with Mandarin, Greek and Cantonese among the leading recorded languages. English, Irish, Scottish and Chinese are prominent ancestry responses, while 3,963 residents report no religion versus 3,610 identifying with Christianity and 636 with Judaism. The average household size of 2.0 is 0.5 below the national figure, helping explain the strong concentration of apartments and two-bedroom dwellings. Compared with nearby Malvern, Armadale has a more renter-exposed and compact demographic profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
25.5%
Houses
16.8%
Townhouse
57.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Armadale's housing market remains expensive but has moderated from its peak. Compared with detached-house suburbs, Armadale's stock is strongly apartment-led: 57.5% apartments, 25.5% separate houses and 16.8% semi-detached dwellings. Renting accounts for 45.2%, above the 29.8% owned outright and 23.3% mortgaged shares. Smaller homes dominate, with 41.7% two-bedroom and 19.0% studio or one-bedroom dwellings, because the 2.14 sq km suburb supports a dense urban housing pattern.
Mortgage / mo
$2,458
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $421.
$625
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $1,100 · units $650
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,354
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
17.0%
Unoccupied
893
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.0%
Couples with children
50.4%
Couples, no children
13.1%
Single parent
2,367
Total families
Economy & Employment
Armadale has a high-income, professional employment base. Household income ranks at the 83.4th percentile, while Professional and Technical services account for 20.4% of employment, followed by Healthcare at 15.9%, Finance at 8.9%, Education at 8.9% and Retail at 7.2%. The occupation profile reinforces this pattern, with 2,302 Professionals and 1,093 Managers, well above the 588 people in Clerical and Administrative roles. Participation is 69.0%, unemployment is 3.9% and the full-time rate is 65.4%, supporting purchasing power above national norms. SEIFA places education and occupation in decile 10, disadvantage in decile 10 and advantage in decile 10, while the economic resources decile is 5. That lower IER result is notably below the other three decile-10 measures, suggesting strong professional credentials do not translate evenly into economic resources for every household.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
5,638
Unemployed
218
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
69.0%
Employed
5,420
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
65.5%
Postgraduate
19.8%
Born Overseas
29.9%
Dwellings
4,353
Transport to Work
Armadale offers a dense, walkable-feeling inner-suburban setting, although the available travel profile is more home-based and car-oriented than transit-led. Working from home accounts for 51.7%, compared with 34.6% driving a car and 7.4% using public transport; public transport is therefore below car use. Three schools operate within the suburb: one government primary school and two independent primary and secondary schools. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across nearby streets. The crime rate is 64.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 601 total offences. Property and deception offences number 487, higher than the 56 crimes against the person. An IRSAD decile of 10 and density of 4,371.4 people per sq km point to strong resources and compact living, while the 17.0% vacancy rate makes building quality and immediate street conditions worth checking.
Drive
34.6%
Public Transport
7.4%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
51.7%
Population Forecast
+2.55%/yr
(+734 people/yr)
EstablishedArmadale's forecast trend is 2.55% annual growth, with internal migration identified as the primary driver. That pace is higher than a flat established-suburb profile, although the broader trajectory is labelled Stable rather than rapidly changing. Population change across the wider area is 42.6% over 10 years, while rent growth is 3.7% and the working-age share has increased by 2.5 percentage points. The gentrification indicators are mixed: one measure gives a score of 50 and labels the stage Active, while another records a score of 14 and labels the stage Not gentrifying. Together, these figures suggest established demand with selective renewal rather than a uniform shift across every street. The 205 development matters recorded in 12 months reinforce the role of renovations, apartment changes and planning activity in future supply.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+243
Net Internal / yr
+656
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +656/yr, Strong overseas inflow +243/yr, Accelerating: 15% → 47%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
601
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
64.2
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 Armadale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Armadale a good suburb to live in?
Armadale suits residents who value premium inner-suburban housing, professional employment access and apartment choice. Its median age is 38, university attainment is 65.5% and IRSAD ranks in decile 10. Compared with lower-density suburbs, the 57.5% apartment share means less private land but more compact living.
What schools are in Armadale?
Armadale has 3 listed schools: 1 government primary school and 2 independent primary and secondary schools. They are Armadale Primary School, Lauriston Girls' School and The King David School. Check the exact address because enrolment zones and year-level availability can differ.
Is Armadale safe?
Armadale recorded 601 offences at a rate of 64.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 487 cases, higher than the 56 crimes against the person. Conditions can vary by building and street, so inspect the exact location and review current local information before deciding.
Is Armadale good for property investment?
Armadale has strong tenant demand potential because 45.2% of households rent, but the 17.0% vacancy rate is higher than investors usually prefer. Weekly rent is $421, rent growth is 3.7% and 205 development matters were recorded in 12 months, so apartment selection and supply competition are important.
How is Armadale's population changing?
Armadale has 9,368 residents today. The wider-area forecast records 2.55% annual growth and 42.6% population change over 10 years, with internal migration as the primary driver. The trajectory is labelled Stable, while gentrification indicators range from a score of 14 to an active score of 50.
What development is occurring in Armadale?
There were 205 development matters recorded in the past 12 months. Activity includes planning permits for renovations, landscaping, crossovers and work within heritage overlay areas. This level of activity is above a low-change market and means buyers should review permits, overlays and proposed works before purchasing.
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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