Camperdown
Camperdown stands out for an older, low-density profile: its median age is 51, 11 years above the national figure, while 93.5% of dwellings are separate houses. That mix points to an established service town rather than a fast-changing market. Buyers comparing Camperdown with nearby Terang or Cobden should focus on its 69.34 sq km footprint, detached stock and car-oriented layout.
Population
3,354
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,128/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$536K
October to December 2025
The stock is practical for households, with 93.5% separate houses, 54.8% three-bedroom homes and 25.4% with four or more bedrooms. A $1,127 monthly mortgage and 23.1% mortgage-to-income ratio look manageable because 49.9% of residents own outright, although the 28.3% mortgage share still leaves interest-rate exposure.
For Buyers
The stock is practical for households, with 93.5% separate houses, 54.8% three-bedroom homes and 25.4% with four or more bedrooms. A $1,127 monthly mortgage and 23.1% mortgage-to-income ratio look manageable because 49.9% of residents own outright, although the 28.3% mortgage share still leaves interest-rate exposure.
For Investors
Camperdown offers a low-entry rental market, with weekly rent at $240 and 20.7% of homes rented. The 13.0% vacancy rate is high compared with tightly supplied markets, which can lengthen leasing times and weaken short-term rent competition. Five development matters were recorded in 12 months, suggesting limited immediate construction pressure rather than a large pipeline. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver, while annual growth is 0.84%, so investors should favour properties with durable local demand from healthcare, education and trades over relying on rapid capital growth. Rents are 22.4% higher in the shift profile, but the trajectory is Mixed.
Development Activity
Total DAs
24
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
0.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Camperdown
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Camperdown College
St Patrick's School
Mercy Regional College
Demographics
Camperdown's age profile is its clearest demographic marker: the median is 51, or 11 years above the national level. University attainment is 21.3%, 8.8 percentage points below the national comparison, and only 7.6% of residents were born overseas, 14.0 points below the national figure. Households average 2.2 people, 0.3 below the national measure, helping explain the high share of couples without children at 49.3%. English ancestry counts 1,405 people, followed by Irish at 476 and Scottish at 415. Christianity accounts for 1,836 residents versus 1,217 reporting no religion, reinforcing an older, Anglo-leaning social profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.5%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Camperdown is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses making up 93.5% of dwellings and semi-detached homes 6.5%. The bedroom mix is concentrated in three-bedroom stock at 54.8%, followed by four-plus bedrooms at 25.4% and two-bedroom homes at 17.7%. Tenure is more secure than renter-heavy markets, with 49.9% owned outright, 28.3% mortgaged and 20.7% rented. Because detached homes dominate, maintenance and land value matter more here than apartment-style amenity.
Mortgage / mo
$1,127
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$240
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$628
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.0%
Unoccupied
212
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.9%
Couples with children
49.3%
Couples, no children
15.5%
Single parent
890
Total families
Economy & Employment
Camperdown's employment base is led by healthcare at 22.1% of jobs, followed by education at 12.7%, construction at 8.4%, agriculture at 8.3% and manufacturing at 8.2%. That mix supports essential local services and trades, but it is less diversified than a larger regional centre. The largest occupation groups are professionals at 249 people, trades at 213 and labourers at 210. Unemployment is 2.8% with 51.0% participation, while household income of $1,128 a week sits at the 21.0th percentile, below the midpoint. IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD each rank in decile 3, reflecting lower socioeconomic conditions despite strong healthcare and education employment.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
1,449
Unemployed
41
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.0%
Part-time
37.1%
Participation
51.0%
Employed
1,408
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.3%
Postgraduate
4.4%
Born Overseas
7.6%
Dwellings
1,410
Transport to Work
Daily life in Camperdown is strongly car dependent: 77.2% drive to work, compared with 0.4% using public transport, while 7.8% walk or cycle and 9.4% work from home. Three local schools cover government and Catholic sectors, with primary, secondary and combined primary-secondary options. Exact enrolment zones should be checked by address. Recorded crime totals 213 offences, including 105 property and deception offences and 53 crimes against the person, equating to 63.5 offences per 1,000 residents. An IRSAD decile of 3 is below the middle of the socioeconomic scale, so access to services and transport matters more for households without a car.
Drive
77.2%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
7.8%
Work from Home
9.4%
Population Forecast
+0.84%/yr
(+82 people/yr)
EstablishedCamperdown's established forecast points to measured rather than rapid expansion. Annual growth is 0.84%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 13.0%. Rent growth of 22.4% is higher than the 0.84% annual trend, and the shift trajectory is Mixed: the senior share is up 1.6 points while the young share is down 0.6 points. Gentrification signals are limited, with a score of 18 labelled Not gentrifying, although the shift assessment records a score of 31 and Early signs. The COVID dip was 16.6%, followed by 14.2% recovery, but the market has not fully recovered.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+650
Net Internal / yr
-360
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +25% since 2011, Net internal outflow -360/yr, Strong overseas inflow +650/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
213
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
63.5
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 Camperdown compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Camperdown a good suburb to live in?
Camperdown suits buyers seeking a quieter, established town with 93.5% separate houses, a median age of 51 and strong car access. The trade-off is that 77.2% drive to work and only 0.4% use public transport, so daily convenience depends on owning a vehicle.
What schools are in Camperdown?
Camperdown has 3 local schools spanning government and Catholic sectors: primary, secondary and combined primary-secondary provision. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address, because school access can vary across town and nearby rural areas.
Is Camperdown safe?
Recorded crime was 213 offences, or 63.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 105 cases, while crimes against the person totalled 53. Safety can vary by street, time and offence type, so inspect the immediate area before buying or renting.
Is Camperdown good for property investment?
Investment potential is mixed. Weekly rent is $240, the vacancy rate is 13.0% and only 5 development matters were recorded in 12 months. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but the 0.84% annual trend and high vacancy favour conservative assumptions and durable tenant demand over a rapid-growth strategy.
How is Camperdown's population changing?
Camperdown's wider-area forecast records 13.0% population change over 10 years, with annual growth of 0.84% and overseas migration as the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed: the senior share is up 1.6 points and the young share is down 0.6 points, consistent with an ageing profile rather than a youth-led expansion.
What is rent like in Camperdown?
Weekly rent is $240, while 20.7% of homes are rented and the vacancy rate is 13.0%. That combination is more favourable to tenants than a tightly supplied market, so landlords should allow for leasing time and focus on well-maintained three-bedroom homes.
How many people live in Camperdown?
Camperdown has 3,354 residents, with a median age of 51 and an average household size of 2.2 people. The population profile is older than the national figure by 11 years, which helps explain the stronger share of established households and lower youth growth.
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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