Diggers Rest
A 33-year median age gives Diggers Rest a younger profile than the national benchmark, while 92.5% of homes are separate houses. The suburb's 5,669 residents sit in a mortgage-led market: 57.9% of homes are mortgaged, median household income is $1,991 a week, and the household income percentile is 74.6. Compared with nearby Sunbury and Hillside, its 67.75 sq km footprint and 83.7 people per sq km point to a more spread-out setting, because growth has arrived through new housing rather than established urban density.
Population
5,669
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,991/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$680K
October to December 2025
Larger plans dominate: 47.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 47.6% have 3 bedrooms, so the stock is less apartment-oriented than many built-up markets. Mortgage repayments are $1,800 monthly, equal to 20.9% of household income, below the level associated with the stated mortgage stress flag because household earnings average $1,991 a week.
For Buyers
Larger plans dominate: 47.9% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms and 47.6% have 3 bedrooms, so the stock is less apartment-oriented than many built-up markets. Mortgage repayments are $1,800 monthly, equal to 20.9% of household income, below the level associated with the stated mortgage stress flag because household earnings average $1,991 a week.
For Investors
Investor appeal rests on a 20.9% renting share, $397 weekly rent and a 6.2% vacancy rate. At that vacancy level, investors should compare rent with loan costs, insurance, maintenance and leasing time rather than relying on headline yield alone. New supply is emerging, with 9 development applications in the past 12 months, while the 57.9% mortgage share signals a strong owner-occupier base. Forecast rent growth of 73.7% and annual growth of 4.67% support demand, but internal migration and a New development stage mean competition from fresh stock can affect older homes. This suits investors able to hold through changing supply better than those seeking immediate scarcity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
32
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-63.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Diggers Rest
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Diggers Rest Primary School
Demographics
Diggers Rest has a younger, family-oriented profile: median age is 33, seven years below the national comparison, and average household size is 2.6 people, 0.1 above the national figure. Couples with children account for 46.8% of families, compared with 37.1% for couples without children, while one-parent families represent 14.4%. English, Italian, Irish and Indian are the leading reported ancestries, and Punjabi is the most common listed language at 143 people. Overseas-born residents make up 25.0%, 3.4 percentage points above the national comparison, helping explain a local mix that is Anglo-leaning but not uniform.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.5%
Houses
7.3%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached ownership is the defining housing pattern. Separate houses account for 92.5%, while 57.9% of households have a mortgage, 20.6% own outright and 20.9% rent. Four-plus-bedroom homes represent 47.9%, just above the 47.6% share of three-bedroom dwellings, so Diggers Rest is more family-house oriented than compact urban areas. Mortgage stress is flagged false, with repayments at 20.9% of household income, because weekly household income is $1,991.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$397
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$970
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
135
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.8%
Couples with children
37.1%
Couples, no children
14.4%
Single parent
1,608
Total families
Economy & Employment
Diggers Rest combines a 71.3% labour-force participation rate with 4.2% unemployment, supporting a working mortgage-belt profile. Employment is concentrated in healthcare at 14.6%, construction at 12.2%, education at 10.8%, public administration at 8.9% and transport at 8.8%. The largest occupations are professionals at 578 people, clerical and admin at 483, and trades at 476. Household income sits at the 74.6th percentile nationally, while the IEO decile is 5, IER is 8, IRSD is 7 and IRSAD is 6. This mix indicates above-middle economic resources but a more moderate education and occupation profile than income alone implies, because commuting and industry access shape outcomes across a spread-out suburb.
Unemployment
4.2%
Labour Force
3,197
Unemployed
134
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.8%
Part-time
27.9%
Participation
71.3%
Employed
3,063
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.5%
Postgraduate
7.0%
Born Overseas
25.0%
Dwellings
2,058
Transport to Work
Livability is shaped by space and road dependence. Car driving accounts for 65.6% of travel and public transport for 3.9%, while 26.7% work from home, so daily convenience depends on trip planning more than walking, which is only 0.2%. The suburb has 1 government primary school, Diggers Rest Primary School, so families should check enrolment zones and secondary options against the exact address. Recorded crime is 76.0 offences per 1,000 residents, including 230 property and deception offences and 54 crimes against the person, so property security deserves attention. The IRSAD decile is 6 and IRSD decile is 7, placing relative advantage above the middle and disadvantage below the most constrained areas. Compared with denser suburbs, Diggers Rest provides more land but a lower walking and cycling share.
Drive
65.6%
Public Transport
3.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.2%
Work from Home
26.7%
Population Forecast
+4.67%/yr
(+347 people/yr)
High GrowthGrowth is running at 4.67% annually, placing Diggers Rest in a high-growth trajectory, with internal migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 182.6% over 10 years, while the shift profile is labelled Mixed and affordability is Stable, moving only from 39.7% in 2011 to 39.8% in 2021. The gentrification score is 0, with the stage described as New development rather than a gentrifying phase. This points to expansion led by incoming households and subdivision activity, because 9 development applications were recorded in 12 months. Compared with mature suburbs, the opportunity is stronger where buyers accept ongoing construction and changing services.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+27
Net Internal / yr
+380
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
431
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
76.0
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 Diggers Rest compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Diggers Rest a good suburb to live in?
With a 33-year median age, 92.5% separate houses and 65.6% car commuting, Diggers Rest suits households wanting space and a quieter, spread-out setting. The trade-off is that walking and cycling account for only 0.2%, so transport planning matters compared with denser suburbs.
What schools are in Diggers Rest?
The suburb has 1 government primary school, Diggers Rest Primary School. Families should check catchment rules, year levels and secondary options for the exact address, because 1 local primary school does not define every family's pathway.
Is Diggers Rest safe?
The recorded rate is 76.0 offences per 1,000 residents, with 431 total offences. Property and deception offences accounted for 230, compared with 54 crimes against the person, so residents should use normal home and vehicle security measures.
Is Diggers Rest good for property investment?
It can suit a long-term investor, with $397 weekly rent, 20.9% renting and 6.2% vacancy. However, 9 development applications and a New development stage mean investors should compare older homes with new stock, vacancy risk and maintenance costs.
How is Diggers Rest's population changing?
Growth is forecast at 4.67% a year, driven primarily by internal migration. The wider area's 10-year population change is 182.6%, while the shift trajectory is Mixed, so Diggers Rest is expanding quickly but may not follow a uniform path across all housing pockets.
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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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