Diamond Creek
Detached homes and high incomes define Diamond Creek more than rapid apartment growth. Its household income sits in the 92.5th percentile, while 94.4% of dwellings are separate houses and apartments are only 0.1%. Compared with nearby Eltham and Greensborough, Diamond Creek has a more outer-green-belt feel, with 701.0 people per sq km across 17.84 sq km. The trade-off is car reliance: 91.4% drive to work and only 2.8% use public transport, because the housing pattern is spacious and family-oriented rather than dense.
Population
12,503
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,508/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$1.0M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying for land, schools and space: the median house price is $1,036,000, down 5.2% from the Jan-Mar 2024 peak but still 101.9% higher than 2013. The suburb suits larger households because 52.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 41.1% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage pressure looks lower than many Melbourne family markets, with mortgage costs at 20.0% of income and 53.9% of homes under mortgage. Buyers wanting apartments will find little choice, as apartments make up just 0.1%.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for land, schools and space: the median house price is $1,036,000, down 5.2% from the Jan-Mar 2024 peak but still 101.9% higher than 2013. The suburb suits larger households because 52.0% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 41.1% have 3 bedrooms. Mortgage pressure looks lower than many Melbourne family markets, with mortgage costs at 20.0% of income and 53.9% of homes under mortgage. Buyers wanting apartments will find little choice, as apartments make up just 0.1%.
For Investors
Diamond Creek is a tight owner-occupier market rather than a high-turnover rental play. Only 10.1% of homes are rented, well below the ownership base of 36.0% owned outright and 53.9% mortgaged, so available stock can be limited. Median rent is $430 per week and the vacancy rate is 3.1%, which points to steadier demand than scarcity-driven spikes. With 11 development applications in 12 months and several subdivision proposals, supply is edging up because larger blocks can be split, but the suburb remains detached-house dominated.
Development Activity
Total DAs
25
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Diamond Creek iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Sacred Heart School
Prep-6 · 182 students
Diamond Creek East Primary School
Prep-6 · 466 students
Diamond Creek Primary School
Prep-6 · 235 students
Diamond Valley College
7-12 · 818 students
Demographics
Diamond Creek is slightly younger than the national median, with a median age of 39, or 1.0 year below national. Education levels are higher, with 35.8% university qualified, 5.7 percentage points above national, while overseas-born residents are 15.0%, 6.6 points below national. English, Irish, Scottish and Italian ancestry dominate, supported by 68 Italian speakers and 41 Greek speakers. Households are larger than average at 2.9 people, 0.4 above national, because family housing makes up most of the local stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.4%
Houses
5.5%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market has doubled over the long run: the median house price rose from $513,000 in 2013 to $1,036,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 101.9% gain and 5.1% annual growth over 14 years. The latest price is 5.2% below the $1,092,500 peak in Jan-Mar 2024, so recent buyers have a slightly better entry point than the peak. Separate houses account for 94.4%, compared with only 5.5% semi-detached and 0.1% apartments. Housing costs look manageable for local incomes, with rent at 17.1% and mortgage costs at 20.0% of income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$430
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$983
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.1%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.2%
Couples, no children
11,173
Total families
Economy & Employment
Local workers are concentrated in stable service and trade sectors. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.4% and 854 workers, followed by construction at 15.5%, education at 14.8%, public admin at 8.4% and professional or tech at 8.4%. Professionals number 1,692 and managers 1,080, helping explain household income in the 92.5th percentile. SEIFA is consistently above average: IEO decile 7, IER decile 10, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8. The resource score is highest because unemployment is low at 3.7% and participation is 67.6%.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
9,258
Unemployed
183
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
67.6%
Employed
6,561
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.8%
Postgraduate
8.1%
Born Overseas
15.0%
Dwellings
4,153
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for families wanting schools, space and lower density rather than inner-suburban transport. There are 4 local schools with ICSEA scores from 1020 to 1080; Sacred Heart School leads at 1080, while Diamond Creek East Primary is close at 1066 and the government secondary option, Diamond Valley College, has 818 enrolments. Safety is a plus relative to busier activity centres, with 442 offences and a rate of 35.4 per 1,000. The weaker point is commuting choice: 91.4% drive to work versus 2.8% by public transport.
Drive
91.4%
Public Transport
2.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.5%/yr
(+75 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is slow by metropolitan-fringe standards. The forecast trend is 0.5% a year, or about 75 people annually, with the medium path rising from 14,926 in 2026 to 15,300 in 2031. Migration is mixed: overseas migration is the primary driver at plus 64 a year, but internal migration is minus 80 a year, suggesting some households trade out despite local income strength. The shift profile is aging, with seniors up 5.3 points and young residents down 2.4 points. Gentrification is rated 0 and Not gentrifying, below a reinvention market.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+64
Net Internal / yr
-80
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
442
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.4
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 Diamond Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Diamond Creek a good suburb to live in?
Yes for households wanting space, schools and a quieter outer north-east setting. Diamond Creek has 94.4% separate houses, 4 local schools and a crime rate of 35.4 per 1,000, though car dependence is high at 91.4% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Diamond Creek?
The median house price in Diamond Creek is $1,036,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 5.2% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $1,092,500, but still 101.9% higher than the $513,000 median recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Diamond Creek?
Diamond Creek has 4 local schools: 3 primary options and 1 secondary option. ICSEA scores range from 1020 to 1080, with Sacred Heart School at 1080, Diamond Creek East Primary at 1066 and Diamond Valley College enrolling 818 students.
Is Diamond Creek safe?
Diamond Creek recorded 442 offences, equal to 35.4 per 1,000 residents. The largest category was property and deception offences with 231 incidents, followed by 95 crimes against the person, so basic home security still matters.
Is Diamond Creek good for property investment?
It suits investors seeking a stable family-house market more than high rental turnover. Only 10.1% of dwellings are rented, median rent is $430 per week and vacancy is 3.1%, while prices have grown 101.9% since 2013.
How is Diamond Creek's population changing?
Diamond Creek is projected to grow slowly, at 0.5% or about 75 people a year. The medium forecast rises from 14,926 in 2026 to 15,300 in 2031, with overseas migration adding 64 annually and internal migration subtracting 80.
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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