Croydon
Few outer-east Melbourne suburbs sit as squarely on the established mortgage-belt mean as 3136. Croydon's population of 28,608 is barely moving, with the trend forecast pencilling 0.13% annual growth (+15 persons/year), roughly one-fiftieth of Clyde North's 6.32% engine. The median house price is $899,500 (Apr-Jun 2024), down 2.7% from the 2021 peak of $920k, but up 90.4% from $470k in 2013, a 5.5% CAGR matching Doncaster East's 14-year arc despite trading at barely half the price ($899k vs $1.67M). The unusual signal is the SEIFA split: IEO decile 9 (top 10% nationally for education and occupation) sitting alongside IER decile 6 (income middle-of-the-pack), the same credential-rich, income-modest pattern seen in Doncaster East, but here without the migrant overlay, only 26.3% are overseas-born versus 53.5% in Doncaster East.
Population
28,608
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,615/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
51
Median House
$900K
Apr-Jun 2024
Croydon suits owner-occupiers priced out of Mount Waverley ($1.55M) but unwilling to chase greenfield in Clyde North. The $899,500 median is 42% lower than Mount Waverley's $1.55M while drawing on the same Lilydale-line rail spine. Stock is overwhelmingly family-grade: 83.5% separate houses (well above metro averages), only 5.0% apartments, with 46.8% three-bed and 24.1% four-bed-plus dwellings. Mortgage-to-income sits at 28.4%, just under the 30% stress threshold, and is materially lighter than Doncaster East's 30.9%, reflecting a $1,985 monthly mortgage that 53.1st-percentile household incomes ($1,615/week) can absorb. The rent-to-income ratio of 23.5% is also below the 30% line, suggesting both tenure paths remain serviceable. Owner-occupation reaches 72.6% (33.2% outright, 39.4% mortgaged), classic established-belt depth.
For Buyers
Croydon suits owner-occupiers priced out of Mount Waverley ($1.55M) but unwilling to chase greenfield in Clyde North. The $899,500 median is 42% lower than Mount Waverley's $1.55M while drawing on the same Lilydale-line rail spine. Stock is overwhelmingly family-grade: 83.5% separate houses (well above metro averages), only 5.0% apartments, with 46.8% three-bed and 24.1% four-bed-plus dwellings. Mortgage-to-income sits at 28.4%, just under the 30% stress threshold, and is materially lighter than Doncaster East's 30.9%, reflecting a $1,985 monthly mortgage that 53.1st-percentile household incomes ($1,615/week) can absorb. The rent-to-income ratio of 23.5% is also below the 30% line, suggesting both tenure paths remain serviceable. Owner-occupation reaches 72.6% (33.2% outright, 39.4% mortgaged), classic established-belt depth.
For Investors
Yields run thin but cleaner than blue-chip alternatives. Median rent of $380/week against $899,500 implies a gross yield near 2.2%, materially better than Doncaster East's 1.4% and Mount Waverley's similar low-yield profile, while still well below greenfield corridors. Renters are 27.4% of households, a moderate pool. The 6.1% vacancy rate exceeds the 4-5% sweet spot, signalling supply slack rather than scarcity, and rent growth of 21.1% over 2011-2021 is shallower than Mount Waverley's 30.6%. Forty-three development permits were lodged in 12 months, dominated by 2-3 lot subdivisions and townhouse infill, meaning the value-add play under Maroondah's Townhouse and Low-Rise Code is alive but moderate. Migration mix is the soft spot: net internal -192/year versus overseas +277/year sustains tenant pools but caps appreciation; target 3-bed family stock near Croydon Station rather than chasing yield density.
Development Activity
Total DAs
87
Last 12 Months
51
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+218.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Croydon iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart School
Prep-6 · 454 students
Ainslie Parklands Primary School
Prep-6 · 93 students
Ruskin Park Primary School
Prep-6 · 488 students
Dorset Primary School
Prep-6 · 525 students
Melba Secondary College
7-12 · 663 students
Demographics
Croydon is anglo-dominant in a way Doncaster East and Mount Waverley no longer are. English ancestry leads at 10,628 (37% of population), followed by Other (3,812), Irish (3,204), Scottish (2,964) and Chinese (1,769). That Chinese share of 6.2% is one-sixth of Doncaster East's 38% and a quarter of Mount Waverley's 26.7%, defining Croydon as outer-east Anglo-Celtic mortgage-belt rather than migrant-receiving. Mandarin (438), Cantonese (167) and Hindi (107) trail. University attainment of 37.7% sits 7.6 points above the national 30.1%, well below Doncaster East's 56.2% but solidly above metro mean, and the SEIFA IEO decile 9 score of 1,088 confirms strong education-and-occupation profile despite IER decile 6 income placement. Median age 39 is one year below national, and 26.6% are couples without children, the established-family-with-empty-nesters mix consistent with the 'aging-trajectory' tag.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.5%
Houses
11.4%
Townhouse
5.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The price arc tells a stable, mature story. From $470k in 2013 to a peak of $920k in 2021 then $895k in 2024, Croydon delivered 90.4% appreciation across 12 years (5.5% CAGR), with the post-peak retracement of just 2.7% materially shallower than the 4-8% pullbacks seen in many Eastern Melbourne markets through 2023-24. Tenure structure is owner-dominant: 33.2% own outright (above the 31% national mean) and 39.4% carry a mortgage, leaving 27.4% renting. Bedroom mix skews three-bed (46.8%) with healthy four-bed-plus (24.1%) and 26.8% two-bed, a wider distribution than Doncaster East's 4-bed dominance and reflecting older 1960s-80s estate stock rather than recent McMansion overlay. With $899,500 medians against $84k household income, the price-to-income multiple is roughly 10.7x, above the 6-8x national benchmark but well under Doncaster East's 18x.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,985
Rent / wk
$380
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$816
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
742
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.6%
Couples, no children
22,391
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local employment mix tilts service-sector with a healthcare anchor. Top five industries: Healthcare 19.1% (1,862 workers, well above the national 13% share), Education 12.4%, Construction 11.8%, Professional/Tech 10.0%, Retail 7.1%. Occupations skew Professionals (3,535, 30%), Clerical/Admin (1,824, 15.5%) and Managers (1,772, 15%), with Community/Personal Services at 1,605 reflecting the healthcare-skew. Full-time employment rate is 64.4%, and unemployment of 4.6% sits modestly above the national 4.3%, indicating a working economy rather than a commuter dormitory. The SEIFA pattern is the analytical hinge: IEO decile 9 (1,088) and IRSAD decile 8 (1,069) versus IRSD decile 6 (1,015) and IER decile 6 (1,006) means residents have credentials and education-occupation prestige but middle-of-pack incomes, the same monetisation gap seen in Doncaster East but in an Anglo rather than migrant population.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
6,171
Unemployed
270
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
58.5%
Employed
13,101
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.7%
Postgraduate
9.8%
Born Overseas
26.3%
Dwellings
11,320
Transport to Work
Schools are middling rather than top-tier. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary (ICSEA 1065, 454 enrolments) leads, followed by Ainslie Parklands and Ruskin Park (ICSEA 1044 and 1034) and Dorset Primary (1034, 525 students). Melba Secondary College anchors the secondary cluster at ICSEA 1003 with 663 students, with Croydon Community School (983) and Croydon Primary (955) below the national 1,000 mean, a far cry from Doncaster East's four primaries above 1133 or Mount Waverley's 1,142-1,165 ICSEA range. Transport is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 88.3% drive (above metro average), only 3.8% take public transport despite the Lilydale-line terminus, and 2.5% walk or cycle. Crime runs 59.1 per 1,000 residents (1,691 incidents, with 49.8% property-and-deception), in line with VIC mean and just above Mount Waverley's 58.3, supported by IRSAD decile 8 placing overall advantage in the top 20% nationally.
Drive
88.3%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.13%/yr
(+15 people/yr)
EstablishedCroydon is the textbook slow-growth established suburb. The trend forecast of 0.13% annual growth (+15 persons/year) is one-tenth of Mount Waverley's 0.85% and roughly one-fiftieth of Clyde North's 6.32% greenfield engine. The medium population projection moves from 11,360 (2025) to 11,460 (2031), an effectively flat trajectory over six years. Migration mix tells the why: net internal migration runs -192/year as incumbents leave for Yarra Valley fringe or interstate, while net overseas migration adds +277/year, a slow churn rather than a substitution boom. Gentrification score is 19, stage 'Not gentrifying', which separates Croydon from Doncaster East's score of 41 (Active stage). Real income grew 16.2% over the decade, affordability ratio shifted from 69.2 (2011) to 58.6 (2021), and senior share rose 4.2pp while working-age fell 0.6pp, confirming the aging-trajectory tag rather than a youth or migrant influx.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+277
Net Internal / yr
-192
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -192/yr, Strong overseas inflow +277/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,691
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
59.1
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 Croydon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Croydon a good suburb to live in?
For established families and downsizers seeking outer-east access without Mount Waverley pricing, yes. SEIFA IEO decile 9 places Croydon in the top 10% nationally for education and occupation, IRSAD decile 8 puts advantage in the top 20%, and crime of 59.1 per 1,000 sits in line with VIC norms. The trade-off: 88.3% car-dependence, schools clustering around ICSEA 1003-1044, and 0.13% annual growth meaning slow market churn.
What is the median house price in Croydon?
The median house price is $899,500 (Apr-Jun 2024), down 2.7% from the 2021 peak of $920k. Prices are up 90.4% from $470k in 2013, a 5.5% compound annual growth over 12 years. Median rent is $380/week, implying a gross yield near 2.2%, materially higher than Doncaster East's 1.4%.
What schools are in Croydon?
Seven schools, six government and one Catholic. Sacred Heart Catholic Primary tops the cluster at ICSEA 1065 (454 students), followed by Ainslie Parklands (1044), Ruskin Park (1034) and Dorset Primary (1034, 525 students). Melba Secondary College serves the secondary intake at ICSEA 1003 (663 students). Croydon Primary at ICSEA 955 sits below the national 1,000 mean.
Is Croydon safe?
Crime sits at 59.1 per 1,000 residents (1,691 incidents), in line with the VIC mean and just above Mount Waverley's 58.3 per 1,000. Property and deception offences dominate at 843 incidents (49.9% of total), with crimes against the person at 302 (17.9%). IRSAD decile 8 placement supports community stability.
Is Croydon good for property investment?
Mixed but cleaner than blue-chip alternatives. The 2.2% gross yield ($380/week rent on $899,500 median) beats Doncaster East's 1.4%, but the 6.1% vacancy rate exceeds the 4-5% sweet spot, signalling supply slack. Net internal migration runs -192/year against +277/year overseas inflow, a slow churn rather than capital-gain catalyst. Suitable for stable yield seekers, not appreciation hunters.
How is Croydon's population changing?
Slowly. Forecast adds +90 residents over 2025-2031 via 0.13% annual growth, one-fiftieth of Clyde North's 6.32% engine. Net internal migration is -192/year while net overseas is +277/year, a slow churn. Senior share rose 4.2pp and working-age fell 0.6pp over the decade, confirming the aging trajectory.
What development is happening in Croydon?
43 planning permits were lodged in 12 months, dominated by 2-3 lot subdivisions and townhouse infill rather than apartment towers. With 83.5% of stock still detached houses on traditional 600-700m2 lots, the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code value-add play is live but moderate, similar in pace to other Maroondah-LGA mortgage-belt suburbs.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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