Dandenong
Dandenong sits in the bottom decile across all three SEIFA disadvantage indices (IRSD 1, IRSAD 1, IER 1) with IEO at decile 2, a profile consistent with household income of $1,267 weekly at the 28.5th percentile nationally and 9.9% unemployment. Two-thirds of the 30,127 residents were born overseas, 44.6 percentage points above the national average, with Islam the plurality faith at 10,260 adherents ahead of Christianity (7,581) and Hinduism (2,234). The median house price reached $707,000 in mid-2024, sitting 4.5% below the 2022 peak of $740,000 and roughly 60% under Glen Waverley's $1.694M just 12 km north. Compared with Clayton's mixed SEIFA profile (IRSD 1, IEO 8) where the university precinct lifts education scores, Dandenong's IEO of 2 confirms the disadvantage is broad-based rather than mitigated by tertiary attainment. The crime rate of 259.2 per 1,000 residents is more than triple Noble Park's 85.2.
Population
30,127
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,267/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Median House
$707K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price was $707,000 in April-June 2024, up 74.6% from $405,000 in 2013 but 4.5% below the 2022 peak of $740,000, so buyers are entering on a softening rather than rising trend. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 represent 27.7% of household income, just under the 30% stress threshold and roughly 1 percentage point above Noble Park's 27.5% on a $785,000 median. Separate houses make up only 41.5% of stock against Noble Park's 65.1%, with semi-detached townhouses at 39.1% reflecting decades of dual-occupancy infill. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 43.6%, three-beds account for 35.3%, and four-plus only 15.0%, so detached family stock is genuinely scarce. At this price point a buyer gets a townhouse or compact older home that would cost roughly $400,000 more in Glen Waverley.
For Buyers
The median house price was $707,000 in April-June 2024, up 74.6% from $405,000 in 2013 but 4.5% below the 2022 peak of $740,000, so buyers are entering on a softening rather than rising trend. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 represent 27.7% of household income, just under the 30% stress threshold and roughly 1 percentage point above Noble Park's 27.5% on a $785,000 median. Separate houses make up only 41.5% of stock against Noble Park's 65.1%, with semi-detached townhouses at 39.1% reflecting decades of dual-occupancy infill. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 43.6%, three-beds account for 35.3%, and four-plus only 15.0%, so detached family stock is genuinely scarce. At this price point a buyer gets a townhouse or compact older home that would cost roughly $400,000 more in Glen Waverley.
For Investors
Dandenong is a renter-majority suburb at 55.0% rented, well above Noble Park's 41.7% and roughly double Glen Waverley's 28.1%. Median weekly rent of $319 sits below Noble Park's $341 despite a 36.4% rent-growth rate over the past decade, the strongest in this corridor. The vacancy rate of 10.0% is high, but the cause is structural: Dandenong's pool is dominated by transient overseas arrivals and inter-tenancy gaps among older townhouse stock, layered onto a bottom-decile IRSD 1 disadvantage profile that constrains tenant cash buffers. Net overseas migration adds 327 residents per year while internal migration runs at minus 306, an almost perfect offset that keeps headline population growth at 1.66%. With 27 development approvals in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision permits rather than mid-rise apartments, supply is steady. Yields outperform Glen Waverley but tenant turnover is structurally higher.
Development Activity
Total DAs
79
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+114.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Dandenong iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St John's Regional College
7-12 · 616 students
St Mary's School
Prep-6 · 154 students
Dandenong North Primary School
Prep-6 · 798 students
Wooranna Park Primary School
Prep-6 · 263 students
Dandenong Primary School
Prep-6 · 479 students
Demographics
At a median age of 33, Dandenong skews 7 years younger than the national median and roughly 7 years younger than Glen Waverley, driven by working-age overseas arrivals. The 66.2% overseas-born share, 44.6 percentage points above national, makes this Melbourne's most internationally diverse postcode of its size. Indian (2,389) and Chinese (1,422) ancestries lead the recorded groups, but Punjabi (714 speakers), Sinhalese (459), Mandarin (419), Arabic (339), and Hindi (314) speakers reflect successive South Asian, Sri Lankan, and Middle Eastern arrivals layered onto established Cambodian and Vietnamese communities. The Islamic share of 10,260 adherents against 7,581 Christian and 2,234 Hindu is the defining feature: most Melbourne suburbs are Christian-plurality, and the Afghan, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan Muslim populations have given Dandenong a religious composition closer to inner Sydney than middle Melbourne. University attainment of 33.7% sits 3.6 points above national but is concentrated among recent skilled migrants.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
41.5%
Houses
39.1%
Townhouse
19.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Dandenong's price arc spans 14 years of compound growth: from $405,000 in 2013 to $707,000 in mid-2024, a 4.1% CAGR, slower than Noble Park's 4.9% and well behind Glen Waverley's 5.4%. Outright ownership sits at just 20.5%, mortgage holders at 24.5%, and renters dominate at 55.0%, an inverse of the typical Melbourne tenure mix. Two-bedroom dwellings at 43.6% reveal the legacy of 1970s-1980s subdivision activity, and three-bedroom homes at only 35.3% mean larger family stock is genuinely under-supplied compared with neighbouring Hampton Park or Berwick. Mortgage-to-income at 27.7% and rent-to-income at 25.2% both sit below the 30% stress thresholds, but on household income at the 28.5th percentile nationally, the absolute affordability buffer is thin. Affordability improved from a 71.2 multiple in 2011 to 58.0 in 2021, mostly because real income grew 36.2%.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$319
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$596
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.0%
Unoccupied
1,091
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.5%
Couples, no children
21,509
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare employs 20.4% of Dandenong's workforce (1,340 workers), reflecting Dandenong Hospital and Monash Health's southeast cluster, followed by Manufacturing at 13.3% (871), Construction at 9.2%, Retail at 7.6%, and Education at 7.0%. The occupational profile is the most blue-collar in the southeast corridor: Labourers (2,048) and Machinery Operators or Drivers (1,627) together outnumber Professionals (1,447) by more than 2.5 to 1, the inverse of Glen Waverley where Professionals and Managers dominate at roughly 51% combined. SEIFA confirms the structural disadvantage: IRSD decile 1, IRSAD decile 1, IER decile 1, and IEO decile 2 all sit in the bottom 20% nationally, far below Noble Park's 2/2/2/4 profile and Hampton Park's 2/2/4/2. Unemployment at 9.9% runs roughly 4 points above the national average and 2 points above Noble Park's 7.8%, while labour force participation of 48.7% is depressed by the high share not in the labour force (9,450), partly older arrivals navigating credential recognition.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
5,489
Unemployed
151
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
27.1%
Participation
48.7%
Employed
10,723
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.7%
Postgraduate
10.3%
Born Overseas
66.2%
Dwellings
9,784
Transport to Work
Dandenong has 8 schools spanning primary and secondary, with Dandenong High School (Government, ICSEA 891, 1,378 enrolments) the dominant secondary pathway, one of the largest single-suburb high schools in Melbourne's southeast. St John's Regional College (Catholic, ICSEA 1001, 616) is the highest-ranked option socioeconomically. Government primary ICSEA scores cluster between 907 and 955, well below Glen Waverley's 1100+ range and broadly aligned with Noble Park's 943-1017 lower band, reflecting the bottom-decile SEIFA profile (IRSD 1, IRSAD 1, IER 1, IEO 2). The crime rate of 259.2 per 1,000 residents is more than triple Noble Park's 85.2 and among the highest in suburban Melbourne, with 4,021 of 7,808 offences classed as property and deception, and 1,207 crimes against the person. Public transport use is just 7.6% against 81.2% car drivers, despite Dandenong station being a Cranbourne and Pakenham line interchange.
Drive
81.2%
Public Transport
7.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.66%/yr
(+167 people/yr)
EstablishedDandenong's modelled population is on a Mixed trajectory with the broader area growing 36.9% over the past decade, well ahead of Noble Park's 12.1%. Looking forward, the medium forecast is 1.66% annually, adding 167 residents per year to the model zone, with overseas migration the only positive driver at +327 net arrivals against -306 net internal departures. That symmetry is structurally important: Dandenong functions as a migration landing zone where new arrivals enter and mobile residents exit toward higher-income suburbs once they accumulate capital, a pattern shared with Noble Park. The gentrification score of 33 signals Early-stage change, with affordability improving from 71.2 to 58.0 between 2011 and 2021 and real income growth of 36.2%, but displacement pressure remains low compared with inner-ring suburbs given the bottom-decile IRSD 1 starting point. COVID dipped population 5% before full recovery.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+327
Net Internal / yr
-306
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +39% since 2011, Net internal outflow -306/yr, Strong overseas inflow +327/yr, COVID recovered (-5% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
7,808
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
259.2
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 Dandenong compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dandenong a good suburb to live in?
Dandenong suits households prioritising affordability and access to industrial and healthcare jobs over amenity. Median house prices of $707,000 sit roughly $80,000 below Noble Park and $1M below Glen Waverley, and mortgage repayments at 27.7% of income stay below the 30% stress threshold. SEIFA places Dandenong in the bottom decile (IRSD 1, IRSAD 1, IER 1, IEO 2), and crime at 259.2 per 1,000 residents is more than triple Noble Park's rate, so safety is the main trade-off.
What is the median house price in Dandenong?
The median house price was $707,000 in April-June 2024, up 74.6% from $405,000 in 2013 but down 4.5% from the 2022 peak of $740,000. The 14-year compound annual growth rate is 4.1%, slower than Noble Park's 4.9% and Glen Waverley's 5.4% over the same window.
What schools are in Dandenong?
Dandenong has 8 schools. Dandenong High School (Government, ICSEA 891, 1,378 students) is the main secondary, and St John's Regional College (Catholic, ICSEA 1001, 616 students) is the highest-ranked. Government primaries include Dandenong North (ICSEA 955, 798), Wooranna Park (953, 263), Dandenong Primary (935, 479), Dandenong West (931, 311), and Dandenong South (907, 607). ICSEA scores sit well below Glen Waverley's 1100+ range.
Is Dandenong safe?
Dandenong's crime rate of 259.2 incidents per 1,000 residents is more than triple Noble Park's 85.2 and among the highest in suburban Melbourne. Property and deception offences account for 4,021 of 7,808 total recorded incidents, with crimes against the person at 1,207 and drug offences at 479. The central activity district concentrates much of this, so risk varies sharply by location within the suburb.
Is Dandenong good for property investment?
Dandenong has delivered 4.1% CAGR over 14 years, behind Noble Park's 4.9% and Glen Waverley's 5.4%. The renter share of 55.0% is well above the regional norm, and rent grew 36.4% over the past decade, the strongest in the corridor. Vacancy at 10.0% is high and the bottom-decile IRSD 1 disadvantage profile means tenant cash buffers are thin, so screening matters more than in higher-decile suburbs.
How is Dandenong's population changing?
Dandenong's modelled area has grown 36.9% over the past decade, with overseas migration adding 327 net arrivals per year while internal migration runs at minus 306. The medium forecast projects 1.66% annual growth to 2031, adding 167 residents per year. COVID caused a temporary 5% dip before full recovery.
What is Dandenong's SEIFA score?
Dandenong sits in the bottom decile on all three disadvantage measures: IRSD decile 1 (score 823), IRSAD decile 1 (score 868), and IER decile 1 (score 883). IEO sits at decile 2 (score 914). The profile is well below Noble Park's 2/2/2/4 and Hampton Park's 2/2/4/2, and far below Clayton's 1/4/6/8 where the university precinct lifts education scores. Bottom-decile SEIFA aligns with household income at the 28.5th percentile nationally.
What languages are spoken in Dandenong?
With 66.2% of residents born overseas, 44.6 percentage points above national, Dandenong is one of Australia's most linguistically diverse suburbs. Punjabi (714 speakers) leads, followed by Sinhalese (459), Mandarin (419), Arabic (339), and Hindi (314). Islam is the plurality faith with 10,260 adherents, ahead of 7,581 Christian and 2,234 Hindu residents.
Is Dandenong seeing new development activity?
Yes. Dandenong recorded 27 planning applications in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision permits and small-scale dual occupancies rather than mid-rise apartments. That is moderate activity for a suburb of 30,127 residents and roughly three-quarters of Noble Park's 36 approvals over the same window. Subdivisions dominate, consistent with gradual densification of older townhouse stock.
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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