Doncaster East
More than half of Doncaster East residents were born overseas, at 53.5%, which is 31.9 percentage points above the national figure. University attainment is also high at 56.2%, or 26.1 points above national levels, while the median age of 41 is 1 year above the national comparison. These figures support its premium, established-wealth profile and help explain the suburb's strong professional and family presence. Household income is $1,792 per week at the 63.5th percentile, and the average household has 2.7 people, 0.2 above the national figure. For buyers comparing Doncaster East with Doncaster or Templestowe, the key appeal is a settled residential setting combined with a highly educated, internationally connected population of 30,926.
Population
30,926
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,792/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
179
Median House
$1.7M
October to December 2025
Doncaster East suits buyers seeking established family housing, but entry costs are substantial. Housing is weighted towards larger properties, with 44.3% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 39.6% containing 3 bedrooms, while 63.1% are separate houses. That format supports families needing space, although the indicative $2,400 monthly mortgage and mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.9% create more pressure than the 25.8% rent-to-income ratio. Buyers should compare renovation potential, school zones and transport access carefully because price variation can be material across an established suburb.
For Buyers
Doncaster East suits buyers seeking established family housing, but entry costs are substantial. Housing is weighted towards larger properties, with 44.3% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 39.6% containing 3 bedrooms, while 63.1% are separate houses. That format supports families needing space, although the indicative $2,400 monthly mortgage and mortgage-to-income ratio of 30.9% create more pressure than the 25.8% rent-to-income ratio. Buyers should compare renovation potential, school zones and transport access carefully because price variation can be material across an established suburb.
For Investors
The rental case combines a 23.6% renting share, weekly rent of $462 and an 8.7% vacancy rate. Recent rent growth of 20.0% is higher than real income growth of 11.7%, which can support rental returns but also raises affordability concerns for tenants. Development activity is notable for an established suburb, with 176 applications recorded over 12 months, including dwellings and subdivisions. That creates a more active supply pipeline, although applications do not guarantee completed stock. The forecast trend is 1.95% annually and overseas migration is the primary driver, supporting demand from a growing migrant-majority population. Investors should weigh the relatively high vacancy rate against the suburb's premium purchase price and strong long-term price growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
227
Last 12 Months
179
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+795.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Doncaster East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Beverley Hills Primary School
Donburn Primary School
Doncaster Gardens Primary School
Milgate Primary School
Ss Peter & Paul's School
Demographics
Doncaster East has an older age profile than the national comparison, with a median age of 41, and its 53.5% overseas-born share is 31.9 percentage points above national levels. Chinese ancestry is the largest recorded ancestry group at 11,748 people, followed by English at 4,551, Italian at 2,189 and Greek at 2,094. Mandarin is spoken by 2,734 residents and Cantonese by 2,030, while Greek accounts for 698. University attainment reaches 56.2%, 26.1 points above the national comparison, helping explain the concentration of professionals and managers. The 79.9% stayed rate indicates a relatively settled population. For households comparing Doncaster East with Doncaster or Templestowe, its strongest demographic distinction is the combination of high overseas migration, education and residential stability.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
63.1%
Houses
23.1%
Townhouse
13.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The suburb's housing market has delivered substantial long-term growth. Tenure is relatively settled, with 41.9% of households owning outright and 32.2% paying a mortgage, compared with 23.6% renting. The dwelling mix is more family-sized than apartment-led: 44.3% have 4 or more bedrooms, 39.6% have 3, 63.1% are separate houses, 23.1% semi-detached and 13.8% apartments. Compared with its 2013 baseline, Doncaster East is now a much higher-cost market, so land, condition and redevelopment potential matter to value.
Mortgage / mo
$2,400
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $462.
$700
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $680 · units $575
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$701
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.7%
Unoccupied
1,037
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.2%
Couples with children
33.7%
Couples, no children
13.7%
Single parent
8,920
Total families
Economy & Employment
Doncaster East has a professional and service-oriented economy. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.2%, representing 1,792 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 14.2% and 1,482 workers, Education at 10.2% and 1,063, Retail at 8.7% and 906, and Finance at 7.3% and 759. Professionals number 4,314 and managers 2,169, well ahead of trades at 1,369, while clerical and administrative work accounts for 1,962. Household income is $1,792 per week at the 63.5th percentile, above the midpoint, with unemployment at 5.7% and participation at 59.0%. SEIFA results are also high, with IEO and IER at decile 8, IRSAD at decile 8 and IRSD at decile 7. The one-decile IRSD difference suggests strong resources alongside some variation in disadvantage, rather than a uniformly affluent outcome.
Unemployment
5.7%
Labour Force
14,959
Unemployed
858
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.9%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
59.0%
Employed
14,101
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.2%
Postgraduate
17.6%
Born Overseas
53.5%
Dwellings
10,933
Transport to Work
Daily travel is car-oriented: 53.9% of residents drive to work compared with 3.8% using public transport and 1.3% walking or cycling. Working from home is relatively common at 37.3%, which can reduce commuting pressure for some households. Six local schools provide five primary options and one secondary college, with five government schools and one Catholic primary school. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across suburb edges. Recorded crime totals 1,039 offences at a rate of 33.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 694 cases, higher than crimes against the person at 190. The IRSAD score sits in decile 8 and IRSD in decile 7, indicating amenity and advantage above the middle decile, although transport convenience depends more on private vehicles than public transit.
Drive
53.9%
Public Transport
3.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
37.3%
Population Forecast
+1.95%/yr
(+552 people/yr)
EstablishedDoncaster East has an established growth profile, with the forecast trend running at 1.95% annually and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is forecast at 35.2% over 10 years, while the trajectory is labelled Mixed rather than uniformly accelerating. The gentrification reading is 41 with an Active stage, and the shift assessment records a score of 44 with an Early signs stage. Rent growth of 20.0% is higher than real income growth of 11.7%, creating pressure even as demand expands. The affordability measure moved from 71.4 in 2011 to 62.4 in 2021, while the recent affordability trend is labelled Improving. Together, these indicators point to ongoing demand, international migration and redevelopment pressure, moderated by the suburb's already high price base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+849
Net Internal / yr
-137
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +47% since 2011, Net internal outflow -137/yr, Strong overseas inflow +849/yr, Accelerating: 13% → 30%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,039
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
33.6
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 Doncaster East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Doncaster East?
Local schools include Ss Peter & Paul's School, Beverley Hills Primary School, Donburn Primary School, Doncaster Gardens Primary School, East Doncaster Secondary College and Milgate Primary School. The mix is weighted towards primary education, with 5 primary schools and 1 secondary college, and includes 5 government schools plus 1 Catholic school. Enrolment zones should be checked for each address.
Is Doncaster East safe?
Recorded crime was 1,039 offences at a rate of 33.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 694, higher than crimes against the person at 190. Safety can vary by street and incident type, so buyers and renters should compare recent local conditions around the exact property, especially where parking, retail access or major roads affect exposure.
How is Doncaster East's population changing?
Doncaster East has 30,926 residents today and a strongly international population, with 53.5% born overseas. The wider-area forecast records 1.95% annual growth and 35.2% population change over 10 years, driven primarily by overseas migration. The trajectory is Mixed, while the gentrification score is 41 with an Active stage. These indicators point to continued change rather than a static established-suburb pattern.
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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