Deepdene
Household income sits at the 84.8th percentile nationally, and 64.4% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 34.3 percentage points above the national figure. The suburb spans only 0.88 square kilometres, with 50.6% of dwellings owned outright, signalling established, debt-free wealth rather than a first-buyer market. A 11.1% vacancy rate is elevated for a prestige suburb, pointing to discretionary holding of investment stock.
Local council: Boroondara
Population
2,101
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,243/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Median House
$2.9M
October to December 2025
Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, but mortgage-to-income sits at 30.9%, above the 30% stress threshold, meaning even this high-income suburb is not immune to purchase cost pressure. Dwellings skew large, with 45.5% having four or more bedrooms and only 9.4% apartments, making Deepdene a predominantly detached-house market. Just 27.9% of residents carry a mortgage compared to 50.6% who own outright.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000, but mortgage-to-income sits at 30.9%, above the 30% stress threshold, meaning even this high-income suburb is not immune to purchase cost pressure. Dwellings skew large, with 45.5% having four or more bedrooms and only 9.4% apartments, making Deepdene a predominantly detached-house market. Just 27.9% of residents carry a mortgage compared to 50.6% who own outright.
For Investors
The rental market in Deepdene is shallow. Only 21.5% of dwellings are rented, well below the national average, and weekly rent averages $501. A vacancy rate of 11.1% is high relative to most Victorian suburbs and suggests investor-held stock sitting idle rather than active tenancy. Development activity recorded 21 applications in the past 12 months, including a new dwelling in a Special Building Overlay and commercial planning permits, signalling ongoing but controlled infill.
Development Activity
Total DAs
31
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1300.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Deepdene
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Deepdene Primary School
Our Lady of Good Counsel School
Demographics
The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, placing Deepdene firmly in the established-resident, late-career and retiree cohort. University qualifications reach 64.4% of the population, which is 34.3 percentage points higher than the national rate, ranking it among Melbourne's most educated suburbs. Overseas-born residents account for 38.1%, which is 16.5 percentage points above the national figure. The ancestry mix is led by Chinese (592 residents) and English (584), followed by Irish (242) and Scottish (187). Mandarin is the most spoken non-English language at 172 speakers, reflecting the Chinese ancestry concentration. Average household size is 2.6, marginally above the national average. Couples with children (624) outnumber couples without children (460), suggesting the large four-plus bedroom stock is actively family-occupied.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.8%
Houses
23.9%
Townhouse
9.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tells the story of long-held prestige property: 50.6% of dwellings are owned outright, more than double the 21.5% renting share and well above the mortgage-holder share of 27.9%. That outright-ownership dominance is consistent with the 46-year median resident age and suggests most stock passed through its leveraged phase decades ago. Separate houses make up 66.8% of dwellings, semi-detached 23.9% and apartments just 9.4%. The bedroom profile is large-house oriented, with 45.5% of dwellings at four or more bedrooms and 29.7% at three bedrooms. Rent-to-income sits at 22.3%, below the 30% stress level, while mortgage-to-income at 30.9% edges above it, meaning renters are comfortable but buyers face genuine cost pressure relative even to this suburb's above-median incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$501
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$982
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.1%
Unoccupied
98
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.4%
Couples with children
40.2%
Couples, no children
11.7%
Single parent
575
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry mix at 20.5% of employed residents (147 workers), followed by Professional and Technical Services at 17.0% (122) and Education at 12.7% (91). Finance accounts for 7.1% (51 workers). By occupation, Professionals dominate at 365 workers, Managers follow at 203, Clerical and Admin at 106 and Sales at 84. The full-time employment rate is 57.6%, with 510 residents employed full-time and 376 part-time. The unemployment rate is 4.8%, slightly above typical prestige-suburb benchmarks, with only 45 unemployed. Participation at 51.8% is low, largely because 776 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with a population where the median age of 46 includes a significant early-retirement cohort. Volunteering reaches 18.4%, above average nationally.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
977
Unemployed
45
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.7%
Part-time
40.3%
Participation
54.3%
Employed
932
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
64.4%
Postgraduate
20.7%
Born Overseas
38.1%
Dwellings
779
Transport to Work
Transport in Deepdene is overwhelmingly car-dependent: 83.9% of residents drive to work, compared to only 3.2% using public transport and 6.6% who walk or cycle. This is high car reliance even by Melbourne suburban standards. Crime is low in absolute terms, with 65 total incidents recorded and a rate of 30.9 incidents per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences (44) account for the largest share, crimes against the person total 11. Only 6.7% of residents (137 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage profile. Rent-to-income at 22.3% is comfortable for tenants. The density of 2,400 residents per square kilometre is moderate, and the 66.8% separate-house rate provides a spacious residential character compared to inner-city Melbourne.
Drive
43.5%
Public Transport
3.7%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
46.1%
Growth Outlook
The most recent three-quarter sequence showed a sharp acceleration of roughly 44% from Oct-Dec 2023 to Apr-Jun 2024, though this may reflect small-sample volatility in a low-transaction suburb of 2,101 residents. Development activity of 21 applications in the past 12 months includes new dwellings and commercial planning permits, confirming gradual densification rather than a freeze on change. Resident turnover is low at 19.0%, with 81.0% of the population staying from year to year, which limits available stock and supports price levels. The suburb's 0.88 square kilometre footprint means supply cannot expand materially, anchoring values over the medium term.
Population trend: Boroondara council area
Deepdene sits in the Boroondara council area. These are the council area's residents, not Deepdene's.
Residents 2025
178,601
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
65
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.9
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 Deepdene compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Deepdene a good suburb to live in?
Deepdene suits established, high-income residents seeking a low-density, house-dominated environment. Household income is at the 84.8th percentile nationally, 64.4% of residents hold university qualifications, 50.6% own their home outright, and crime is low at 30.9 incidents per 1,000 people.
What schools are in Deepdene?
The suburb is 0.88 square kilometres, so residents typically access schools in neighbouring Balwyn, Kew and Camberwell. Despite the absence of local schools, 64.4% of Deepdene residents hold university qualifications, which is 34.3 percentage points above the national rate.
Is Deepdene safe?
Deepdene recorded 65 total crimes with a rate of 30.9 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 44 incidents. Crimes against the person totalled 11. Only 6.7% of residents (137 people) need daily assistance, consistent with a low-disadvantage community.
Is Deepdene good for property investment?
A vacancy rate of 11.1% and only 21.5% renters confirm this is a capital-growth rather than income market.
How is Deepdene's population changing?
Deepdene's population of 2,101 is small and relatively stable. Resident turnover is low at 19.0%, with 81.0% of the population staying year to year. The median age of 46 is 6.0 years above the national figure, indicating an aging base. The 0.88 square kilometre footprint limits new supply, so significant population growth is unlikely.
What languages are spoken in Deepdene?
About 38.1% of residents were born overseas, which is 16.5 percentage points above the national rate. Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 172 speakers, followed by Cantonese with 24 and Greek with 16. Chinese ancestry (592 residents) is the largest single ancestry group, slightly ahead of English (584).
How much development is happening in Deepdene?
There were 21 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Examples include a new dwelling in a Special Building Overlay, commercial planning permits and vegetation removal applications. This level of activity reflects gradual infill in an established suburb of 0.88 square kilometres, rather than large-scale new development.
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).
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