Delahey
Over half of Delahey's residents (50.4%) were born overseas, 28.8 percentage points above the national average, with Vietnamese (1,019) the largest non-English ancestry group, ahead of English (902) and Maltese (580). This migrant-majority suburb sits in SEIFA IRSD decile 1, the most disadvantaged tier nationally, yet mortgage stress stays at 23.6% of income because the $637,000 median remains one of Melbourne's western corridor's lower entry points. Population is actually declining, losing 59 residents per year, an unusual pattern for a suburb with young families and an aging trajectory.
Population
8,077
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,486/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$637K
Apr-Jun 2024
At $637,000 (Apr-Jun 2024), Delahey prices sit 6.6% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $682,000, presenting a potential entry point after correction. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 consume 23.6% of household income, which is manageable but notable given the suburb's 46th-percentile income ranking. Stock is 76.2% separate houses with 19.8% semi-detached and a small 3.9% apartment share. Three-bedroom homes dominate heavily at 65.7%, limiting options for those wanting 4+ bedrooms (25.9%). Two schools serve the area: Mackellar Primary (ICSEA 993, 300 students) and Copperfield College secondary (ICSEA 962, 1,846 students), both below the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark.
For Buyers
At $637,000 (Apr-Jun 2024), Delahey prices sit 6.6% below the Oct-Dec 2023 peak of $682,000, presenting a potential entry point after correction. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 consume 23.6% of household income, which is manageable but notable given the suburb's 46th-percentile income ranking. Stock is 76.2% separate houses with 19.8% semi-detached and a small 3.9% apartment share. Three-bedroom homes dominate heavily at 65.7%, limiting options for those wanting 4+ bedrooms (25.9%). Two schools serve the area: Mackellar Primary (ICSEA 993, 300 students) and Copperfield College secondary (ICSEA 962, 1,846 students), both below the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark.
For Investors
The 23.6% rental share and 3.6% vacancy rate create a balanced rental market. Weekly rent of $350 on a $637,000 median gives a gross yield of about 2.9%, slightly above Melbourne's inner-suburb averages. Prices peaked at $682,000 (Oct-Dec 2023) and have since pulled back 6.6%, meaning investors are buying below recent highs. Development activity is minimal at just 1 DA in 12 months (a 2-lot subdivision). Population decline of 59 people per year and net internal outflow of -206/year are serious long-term demand concerns. Overseas migration (+106/year) partially offsets this, but the net trend is downward.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Delahey iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mackellar Primary School
Prep-6 · 300 students
Copperfield College
7-12 · 1846 students
Demographics
Born-overseas residents at 50.4% put Delahey 28.8 points above the national average. Vietnamese (1,019), Maltese (580), and English (902) form the core ancestry groups, creating a genuinely multicultural community. Macedonian (169 speakers), Arabic (126), and Punjabi (107) are the top non-English languages. The SEIFA IEO decile of 2 (education score 899) contrasts with an IRSD decile of 1, indicating both educational and economic disadvantage. University education at 30.7% sits marginally above national (0.6 points), which is surprising given the low SEIFA scores, and may reflect recent migrant qualifications not yet translating to local employment. The 87.7% residential stability is among the highest in Melbourne's west.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.2%
Houses
19.8%
Townhouse
3.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Prices grew 71.0% from $372,500 (2013) to $637,000 (Apr-Jun 2024), a 3.9% CAGR over 14 years, below the Melbourne average. The recent decline from $682,000 to $637,000 (6.6% drop) reflects the broader western suburbs softening. Outright owners at 36.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 39.9%, which is unusual for a suburb at the 46th income percentile and points to long-term residents who have paid down loans. Renters at 23.6% are moderate. The 65.7% three-bedroom dominance is one of the most concentrated bedroom distributions in Melbourne, with few smaller or larger alternatives, limiting buyer choice.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$611
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.6%
Unoccupied
100
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.5%
Couples, no children
6,821
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 16.2% (315 workers), then Construction (10.1%), Education (9.5%), Retail (9.0%), and Manufacturing (9.0%). The occupational mix is distinctly blue-collar: Machinery/Drivers (517) and Labourers (515) together outnumber Professionals (447). Unemployment at 9.4% is nearly double the national average, and the participation rate of 54.0% means 46% of adults are not in the workforce. Not-in-labour-force at 2,488 is a large cohort. The 63.4% fulltime rate among employed workers is close to average. The SEIFA IER decile of 3 (score 958) confirms limited economic resources. Volunteering at 6.0% is among the lowest rates in Melbourne, likely reflecting time and financial pressures.
Unemployment
7.4%
Labour Force
4,512
Unemployed
336
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.4%
Part-time
27.2%
Participation
54.0%
Employed
3,316
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.7%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
50.4%
Dwellings
2,694
Transport to Work
Crime at 42.2 per 1,000 residents (341 total offences) is moderate for Melbourne's west. Property offences (167) dominate, followed by justice procedures (72) and crimes against the person (69). Two schools sit below the ICSEA 1,000 benchmark: Mackellar Primary (993, 300 students) and Copperfield College (962, 1,846 students). Public transport usage at 4.1% is low but higher than many outer suburbs. The IRSAD decile of 2 and IRSD decile of 1 place Delahey among Melbourne's most disadvantaged suburbs on formal indices. However, the 87.7% residential stability and low mortgage stress (23.6%) suggest residents find practical affordability despite the index scores.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
4.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.75%/yr
(-59 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is declining at -0.75% per year (-59 people), from 8,000 in 2023 to a projected 7,662 by 2031. Internal migration bleeds -206 people annually, and overseas migration (+106/year) cannot fully compensate. The population had not recovered from COVID: the current 7,981 sits below the pre-COVID peak of 8,663, down 7.9%. The aging trajectory is sharp, with senior share increasing 7.8 points over the decade and young share dropping 5.5 points. The gentrification score is 0, confirming no renewal trend. Real income grew just 12.6% over the decade, well below Melbourne metro averages, while affordability improved from 62.8% to 57.3% on housing cost ratios.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
-206
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -206/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
341
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
42.2
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 Delahey compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Delahey a good suburb to live in?
Delahey offers genuine affordability at a $637,000 median, with mortgage stress at 23.6% well below the 30% threshold. SEIFA IRSAD decile 2 places it in the lower 20% nationally, reflecting economic challenges. However, 87.7% residential stability shows people who move here tend to stay. Both local schools score below the ICSEA 1,000 benchmark.
What is the median house price in Delahey?
The median is $637,000 (Apr-Jun 2024), down 6.6% from the $682,000 peak in Oct-Dec 2023. Over 14 years, prices grew 71.0% from $372,500 (3.9% CAGR), below the Melbourne average. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 are manageable for the suburb's 46th-percentile household income.
What schools are in Delahey?
Two schools: Mackellar Primary School (government, ICSEA 993, 300 students) and Copperfield College (government secondary, ICSEA 962, 1,846 students). Both sit below the 1,000 national ICSEA benchmark. Copperfield College is one of the larger secondary schools in Melbourne's west.
Is Delahey safe?
The crime rate is 42.2 per 1,000 residents (341 total offences). Property and deception offences make up 167 of those, followed by 72 justice procedure and 69 crimes-against-person offences. This rate is moderate for Melbourne's western suburbs, sitting below some neighbouring areas.
Is Delahey good for property investment?
Cautious approach needed. The 3.6% vacancy rate is balanced, and $350/week rent gives roughly 2.9% gross yield. However, population is declining at -59 per year with internal outflow of -206 annually. The 6.6% price drop from peak and 9.4% unemployment rate are warning signals. Only 1 DA in 12 months shows minimal development activity.
How is Delahey's population changing?
Population is shrinking at -0.75% annually, from 8,000 in 2023 to a projected 7,662 by 2031. Internal migration loses 206 residents/year while overseas migration adds only 106. The aging trajectory is steep: senior share up 7.8 points, young share down 5.5 points over the decade. At 7,981 people, the suburb still sits 7.9% below its pre-COVID population.
What languages are spoken in Delahey?
With 50.4% born overseas, Delahey is a linguistically rich community. Macedonian (169 speakers), Arabic (126), Punjabi (107), and Croatian (61) are the top non-English languages. Vietnamese (1,019 ancestry), Maltese (580), and English (902) form the largest heritage groups. This diversity sits 28.8 percentage points above the national overseas-born rate.
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.
Explore Delahey on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map