Delacombe
Population here jumped 85.4% over the past decade, one of the fastest expansions you will find in regional Victoria, and that single fact explains most of what follows. The median house price reached $550,000 in mid-2024 after climbing 96.4% from $280,000 in 2013, yet it still sits below big-city medians, which is why the suburb pulls in 952 net internal migrants a year. Household income lands in the 34th percentile nationally and 19.6% of adults hold a university degree, 10.5 points below the national figure, marking a working, trades-heavy population. The gentrification score reads 67, an active stage driven by new estates rather than displacement, and 90.8% of dwellings are separate houses on a 5.32 km2 footprint.
Population
5,408
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,339/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$550K
Apr-Jun 2024
At $550,000 the median house price is well below metropolitan Melbourne, and that affordability gap is the main draw for buyers priced out of the city. Prices are actually 3.5% below the 2022 peak of $570,000, so entrants are buying into a market that cooled from its high rather than chasing it. The stock suits families: 90.8% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 55.5% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 34.2%, while apartments are effectively absent at 0.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,365, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which leaves room for households on the area's $1,339 weekly income to absorb rate movements without distress.
For Buyers
At $550,000 the median house price is well below metropolitan Melbourne, and that affordability gap is the main draw for buyers priced out of the city. Prices are actually 3.5% below the 2022 peak of $570,000, so entrants are buying into a market that cooled from its high rather than chasing it. The stock suits families: 90.8% are separate houses, three-bedroom homes make up 55.5% and four-plus-bedroom homes another 34.2%, while apartments are effectively absent at 0.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,365, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, which leaves room for households on the area's $1,339 weekly income to absorb rate movements without distress.
For Investors
Renters make up 27.8% of households and weekly rent averages $310, which against the $550,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, stronger than most Melbourne suburbs where steep prices compress returns. The vacancy rate of 4.1% is slightly elevated, reflecting the steady stream of new estate completions rather than weak demand. The demand case is the headline: net internal migration adds 952 residents a year against just 30 from overseas, and population is forecast to grow 3.89% annually, lifting the medium projection from 14,404 in 2026 to 17,370 by 2031. With 29 development applications lodged in 12 months, including warehouse projects, supply is expanding, so investors should weigh that future stock against the strong inbound migration.
Development Activity
Total DAs
44
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+700.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Delacombe iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lumen Christi School
Prep-6 · 324 students
Delacombe Primary School
Prep-6 · 641 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1.0 year below the national figure, a younger profile consistent with families settling into new housing. Only 10.2% of residents were born overseas, which is 11.4 points below national, and ancestry skews strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,285), Irish (630) and Scottish (607). University qualifications reach 19.6%, 10.5 points below national, a signal that the workforce leans toward trades and service roles rather than knowledge work. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below national, and couples with children (1,415 families) outnumber couples without children (1,138), reinforcing the family-formation pattern. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 2,212 residents, with Hinduism a distant second at 52.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.8%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is split fairly evenly: 37.3% carry a mortgage, 34.9% own outright and 27.8% rent, a mortgage-heavy mix that reflects recent buyers moving into new estates. The dwelling stock is overwhelmingly detached at 90.8% separate houses, with semi-detached homes at 9.0% and apartments at just 0.1%, so the market offers almost no high-density alternative. Three-bedroom homes account for 55.5% and four-plus-bedroom homes 34.2%, confirming a family-sized supply. The median house price rose from $280,000 in 2013 to $550,000 by mid-2024, a 96.4% gain at a 4.9% compound annual rate, though it has slipped 3.5% from the 2022 peak. Mortgage-to-income at 23.5% and rent-to-income at 23.2% both sit below the 30% stress line, so housing remains affordable relative to the area's incomes.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,365
Rent / wk
$310
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$652
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
87
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.6%
Couples, no children
4,119
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 24.6% (351 workers), well above the typical local-economy share, followed by Construction at 11.9% (170), Education at 10.1% (144), and Manufacturing and Retail each at 7.9% (113). By occupation, Professionals (356) narrowly lead Community and Personal Service workers (336) and Labourers (322), a spread that points to a mixed working population rather than a professional core. Unemployment sits at 6.6%, above the national average, and participation is low at 52.4%, partly because 1,678 residents are not in the labour force. The SEIFA scores explain the structure: the suburb sits in decile 3 on the education and occupation index but decile 6 on economic resources, a gap that reflects modest qualifications paired with affordable home ownership and steady trades income.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
7,588
Unemployed
347
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.8%
Part-time
34.6%
Participation
52.4%
Employed
2,170
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.6%
Postgraduate
2.9%
Born Overseas
10.2%
Dwellings
2,047
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 90.5% of residents drive to work while only 1.0% use public transport and 1.5% walk or cycle, a reliance well above national norms that reflects the outer, estate-based layout. No schools are recorded inside the 5.32 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on facilities in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off for the newer subdivisions. The crime rate of 105.6 per 1,000 residents is elevated, with 571 recorded offences led by 322 property and deception offences and 93 crimes against the person, so property security is the main concern. The suburb sits in SEIFA decile 4 on relative disadvantage, a mid-low ranking, while 12.0% of residents volunteer and 11.8% report needing daily assistance.
Drive
90.5%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.89%/yr
(+593 people/yr)
High GrowthThis is one of regional Victoria's fastest-growing pockets, with the population rising 85.4% over the decade and forecast to keep growing at 3.89% a year. Historical data shows the count climbing from 12,824 in the broader area in 2023 to 15,255 in 2025, and the medium projection carries it from 14,404 in 2026 to 17,370 by 2031. The engine is internal migration, adding 952 residents annually against only 30 from overseas, so growth is Australians relocating from costlier markets rather than new arrivals. The gentrification score of 67 marks an active stage, but affordability worsened from 37.9% in 2011 to 46.5% in 2021 as prices outran incomes, and rent grew 84.6% over the period, both pressures that come with rapid expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+30
Net Internal / yr
+952
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
571
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
105.6
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 Delacombe compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Delacombe a good suburb to live in?
Delacombe suits families seeking affordable detached housing, with a $550,000 median house price below metropolitan Melbourne and 90.8% of dwellings separate houses. Mortgage-to-income runs a manageable 23.5%, below the 30% stress line. The trade-offs are a crime rate of 105.6 per 1,000 and limited public transport, used by just 1.0% of residents.
What is the median house price in Delacombe?
The median house price is $550,000 as of mid-2024, up 96.4% from $280,000 in 2013 but 3.5% below the 2022 peak of $570,000. That works out to a 4.9% compound annual growth rate over 14 years. Weekly rent averages $310 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,365.
What schools are in Delacombe?
No schools are recorded inside the 5.32 km2 Delacombe boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The area has a young, family-heavy profile with a median age of 39, one year below national, and 1,415 couple-with-children families.
Is Delacombe safe?
Delacombe recorded 571 offences, a crime rate of 105.6 per 1,000 residents, which is elevated. Most incidents are property and deception offences (322), while crimes against the person number 93. The suburb sits in SEIFA decile 4 on relative disadvantage, a mid-low ranking, so property security is the main consideration for residents.
Is Delacombe good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $310 against a $550,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.9%, stronger than most Melbourne suburbs. Net internal migration adds 952 residents a year and population is forecast to grow 3.89% annually, supporting demand. The 4.1% vacancy rate and 29 development applications signal expanding supply to weigh.
How is Delacombe's population changing?
Delacombe is growing rapidly, with population up 85.4% over the decade and forecast to rise 3.89% a year. The medium projection lifts the count from 14,404 in 2026 to 17,370 by 2031. Growth is driven by internal migration adding 952 residents annually, far above the 30 from overseas.
How much development is happening in Delacombe?
There were 29 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a proposed 12-warehouse development and other warehouse and recreation projects. This activity matches a high-growth suburb expanding at 3.89% annually, where new estates and commercial supply are added to keep pace with 952 net internal migrants a year.
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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