Ascot Vale
A compact inner-west profile, Ascot Vale houses 15,197 residents across 3.84 square kilometres, creating a density of 3,959.1 people per square kilometre. That urban form helps explain the 30.7% apartment share and 47.7% work-from-home rate. Household income sits at the 83.4th percentile, while university attainment is 55.2%, or 25.1 percentage points higher than the national comparison. The trade-off is a crime rate of 104.1 incidents per 1,000 people, alongside a relatively high 10.5% vacancy rate.
Population
15,197
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,192/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
69
Median House
$1.4M
October to December 2025
Buying in Ascot Vale requires a substantial deposit and careful property selection. Housing is mixed: 46.0% separate houses, 30.7% apartments and 23.0% semi-detached dwellings. Compared with the 37.1% two-bedroom share, three-bedroom homes are marginally more common at 37.3%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes account for 18.4%. The 38.4% rental share also creates competition from tenants and investors.
For Buyers
Buying in Ascot Vale requires a substantial deposit and careful property selection. Housing is mixed: 46.0% separate houses, 30.7% apartments and 23.0% semi-detached dwellings. Compared with the 37.1% two-bedroom share, three-bedroom homes are marginally more common at 37.3%, while 4-plus-bedroom homes account for 18.4%. The 38.4% rental share also creates competition from tenants and investors.
For Investors
Ascot Vale has a rental-oriented investment profile, with 38.4% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $370. The 10.5% vacancy rate is high compared with a tightly supplied rental market, which can reduce short-term rent pressure but may improve tenant choice. Development activity is material, with 66 applications recorded over 12 months, including a proposal for 3 dwellings, so additional supply may temper future scarcity in some pockets. Compared with owner-occupier shares of 27.4% owned outright and 33.2% mortgaged, renting is the largest single tenure category. Rent growth of 14.7% and overseas migration as the primary growth driver support demand, while the forecast annual trend of 1.19% points to measured rather than speculative growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
79
Last 12 Months
69
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+885.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ascot Vale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Ascot Vale Primary School
Ascot Vale West Primary School
St Mary's School
Ascot Vale Heights School
Demographics
Ascot Vale has a median age of 37, which is 3 years below the national comparison, but its trajectory is ageing. University attainment is 55.2%, 25.1 percentage points higher than the national figure, and 29.1% of residents were born overseas, 7.5 points above the national comparison. English ancestry is most common at 4,099 people, followed by Irish at 2,136 and Italian at 1,567. Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic and Mandarin are prominent home languages, with 215 Italian speakers and 153 Greek speakers. Christianity and no religion are similarly sized at 6,310 and 6,303 people. Average household size is 2.4, slightly below the national figure by 0.1, while 46.1% of couples have children and 37.4% are couples without children. A 25.2% turnover rate indicates more residential movement than the 74.8% who stayed.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
46.0%
Houses
23.0%
Townhouse
30.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Ascot Vale's housing market has delivered substantial long-term growth but has softened from its recent peak. Compared with the 2013 starting point, the current market is materially higher, although the recent quarterly movement is flatter. Tenure is mixed: 27.4% of homes are owned outright, 33.2% have a mortgage and 38.4% are rented. Separate houses account for 46.0%, versus 30.7% apartments and 23.0% semi-detached homes. Two and three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 37.1% and 37.3%, while 18.4% have 4 or more bedrooms.
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: $370.
$575
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $750 · units $550
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,080
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.5%
Unoccupied
702
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.1%
Couples with children
37.4%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
3,910
Total families
Economy & Employment
Ascot Vale's employment base is led by Healthcare at 16.4% or 1,042 workers, Professional and Technical services at 15.7% or 993, Education at 11.8% or 747, Public Administration at 9.4% or 597, and Finance at 6.7% or 426. Professionals number 2,997 and managers 1,476, ahead of Clerical and Administrative workers at 998, Community and Personal Service workers at 759, and Trades workers at 624. The labour force totals 8,605, with a 68.8% participation rate, 62.7% full-time rate and 4.6% unemployment rate. Household income is at the 83.4th percentile and university attainment is higher than the national comparison by 25.1 percentage points. SEIFA shows an uneven pattern: IEO is decile 9, IER decile 4, IRSD decile 6 and IRSAD decile 8. This combination points to strong education and occupation outcomes alongside more mixed economic resources.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
8,605
Unemployed
400
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.7%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
68.8%
Employed
8,205
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
55.2%
Postgraduate
16.9%
Born Overseas
29.1%
Dwellings
5,963
Transport to Work
Daily life in Ascot Vale is shaped by a dense housing pattern, strong work-from-home participation and mixed transport use. Public transport accounts for 5.8% of the commute split, compared with 39.6% driving and 4.4% walking or cycling, while 47.7% work from home. Families have access to 4 local schools: 3 primary schools and 1 special school, across government and Catholic sectors. Exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address because boundaries can cut across nearby streets. The safety picture needs attention, with 1,582 recorded offences and a rate of 104.1 per 1,000 people; property and deception offences account for 1,047, compared with 225 crimes against the person. Compared with the suburb's broader socioeconomic position, IRSAD is relatively strong at decile 8, while IRSD is lower at decile 6, reflecting uneven household circumstances.
Drive
39.6%
Public Transport
5.8%
Walk / Cycle
4.4%
Work from Home
47.7%
Population Forecast
+1.19%/yr
(+77 people/yr)
EstablishedAscot Vale is an established market with a forecast annual growth trend of 1.19%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 11.6% over 10 years, indicating continued momentum without the profile of an unchecked expansion corridor. The trajectory is labelled Aging, supported by a 3.3% increase in the senior share and a 0.5% decline in the young share. Compared with a younger growth pattern, this shift suggests demand will increasingly favour accessible homes, services and lower-maintenance housing. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage with a score of 22, while rent growth is 14.7%. Affordability improved from 37.3% in 2011 to 33.1% in 2021, and real income growth reached 5.0%, helping offset some of the pressure from higher prices.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+94
Net Internal / yr
+34
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +20% since 2011, Accelerating: 0% → 19%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,582
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
104.1
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 Ascot Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ascot Vale a good suburb to live in?
Ascot Vale can suit buyers who value inner-west access, established housing and a highly educated population. Household income ranks at the 83.4th percentile and 47.7% work from home, while density reaches 3,959.1 people per square kilometre. Compared with lower-density areas, expect more apartments, traffic and a crime rate of 104.1 per 1,000 people.
What schools are in Ascot Vale?
Ascot Vale has 4 local schools across primary and special education: 3 primary schools and 1 government special school, with government and Catholic sectors represented. Compared with suburbs with broader secondary provision, families should check nearby options and confirm the exact enrolment zone before signing a contract.
Is Ascot Vale safe?
Safety varies by street and time, so buyers should inspect the immediate surroundings. Ascot Vale recorded 1,582 offences at a rate of 104.1 per 1,000 people, with 1,047 property and deception offences and 225 crimes against the person. Compared with relying on a suburb-wide impression, checking recent local conditions is the more useful approach.
Is Ascot Vale good for property investment?
Ascot Vale has an established tenant base, with 38.4% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $370. The 10.5% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market, while 66 development applications in 12 months could add supply. Compared with a purely owner-occupier suburb, overseas migration and 14.7% rent growth strengthen the investment case, but vacancy requires careful assessment.
How is Ascot Vale's population changing?
Ascot Vale has 15,197 residents today, with the wider-area forecast showing 1.19% annual growth and 11.6% population change over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver. Compared with a younger growth profile, the area is ageing, with the senior share up 3.3% and the young share down 0.5%.
What development is happening in Ascot Vale?
Development activity is active, with 66 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent proposals include alterations to existing dwellings and a project for 3 triple-storey dwellings. Compared with a static established suburb, this pipeline may gradually change housing supply and streetscape, although each proposal remains subject to approval and delivery.
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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