Doncaster
Doncaster's most striking feature is its migrant-majority profile: 56.5% of residents were born overseas, 34.9 percentage points above the national comparison, while 56.8% have university qualifications, 26.7 points higher than the national figure. The suburb contains 25,020 residents across 8.8 square kilometres, creating a density of 2,843.9 people per square kilometre. Chinese ancestry accounts for 9,161 people, supported by Mandarin and Cantonese language communities. Compared with nearby Templestowe, Doncaster has a more varied housing pattern, with 53.1% separate houses, 27.3% apartments and 19.6% semi-detached dwellings. Its median age of 40 matches the national comparison, while established housing, professional employment and overseas migration shape its eastern suburban character.
Population
25,020
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,592/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
132
Median House
$1.6M
October to December 2025
The housing mix creates more choice than a detached-house-only market: 53.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 27.3% are apartments and 19.6% are semi-detached. Larger households can target the 35.3% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms, while 3-bedroom homes account for 34.3%. Monthly mortgage costs are listed at $2,167, and mortgage payments equal 31.4% of household income, flagged as stress. Buyers should compare renovation potential, dwelling type and land content carefully because price growth has been strong over the longer term.
For Buyers
The housing mix creates more choice than a detached-house-only market: 53.1% of dwellings are separate houses, 27.3% are apartments and 19.6% are semi-detached. Larger households can target the 35.3% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms, while 3-bedroom homes account for 34.3%. Monthly mortgage costs are listed at $2,167, and mortgage payments equal 31.4% of household income, flagged as stress. Buyers should compare renovation potential, dwelling type and land content carefully because price growth has been strong over the longer term.
For Investors
Doncaster presents an established rental market with both demand support and vacancy risk. Renting accounts for 30.8% of households, the weekly rent is $450 and the vacancy rate is 12.9%, higher than a tightly balanced rental market and a reason to allow for leasing time. Rents have grown 20.0% in the shift profile, while overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, supporting continued tenant demand. Development activity is substantial, with 126 applications recorded over 12 months, including subdivision and townhouse-related permits. That pipeline can improve dwelling supply but may also create competing stock, so investors should compare properties by location, parking, age and apartment exposure rather than relying on suburb averages. The annual growth trend of 1.95% supports a measured, established-market strategy rather than a short-term speculative one.
Development Activity
Total DAs
189
Last 12 Months
132
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+340.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Doncaster
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Birralee Primary School
Doncaster Primary School
St Gregory the Great School
Doncaster Secondary College
Demographics
Doncaster combines an age profile level with the national comparison and a substantially more internationally born population. The median age is 40, while 56.5% of residents were born overseas, 34.9 percentage points above the national figure. University attainment reaches 56.8%, or 26.7 points higher than the national comparison, helping explain the concentration of professionals and managers. Chinese ancestry is recorded for 9,161 people, followed by English at 3,626, Greek at 2,091 and Italian at 1,680. Mandarin is spoken by 2,439 residents and Cantonese by 1,207. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below the national comparison, with couples without children forming 41.2% of families. Residential stability is also notable: 74.0% stayed at the same address, compared with a turnover rate of 26.0%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.1%
Houses
19.6%
Townhouse
27.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Doncaster's housing market sits slightly below its recent peak but remains well above its earlier baseline. Tenure is divided between outright ownership at 37.9%, mortgage ownership at 27.4% and renting at 30.8%, giving the suburb a more mixed profile than an owner-dominated area. Dwelling types are similarly varied, with 53.1% separate houses, 27.3% apartments and 19.6% semi-detached homes. Bedrooms skew towards family-sized stock, with 35.3% of homes containing 4 or more bedrooms and 34.3% containing 3 bedrooms. Mortgage costs absorb 31.4% of household income, above the 28.3% rent-to-income figure, and mortgage stress is flagged while rent stress is not.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $450.
$670
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $660 · units $595
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$719
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.9%
Unoccupied
1,475
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.0%
Couples with children
41.2%
Couples, no children
15.5%
Single parent
7,181
Total families
Economy & Employment
Doncaster's economic base leans towards health, professional services and education. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.4%, or 1,513 workers, followed by Professional and Technical services at 13.9% and 1,204 workers, Education at 9.8% and 852, Retail at 9.1% and 790, and Finance at 7.2% and 625. The occupational mix reinforces this pattern, with 3,645 professionals, 1,758 managers and 1,506 clerical and administrative workers. Among the labour force of 12,297, the unemployment rate is 6.1%, participation is 57.1% and the full-time rate is 57.7%. Doncaster's education and occupational advantage is higher than its broader resource position: IEO and IRSAD both sit in decile 8, while IER and IRSD are in decile 6. Household income is around the 52.2 percentile, which helps explain the gap between strong qualifications and mortgage pressure.
Unemployment
6.1%
Labour Force
12,297
Unemployed
748
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.7%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
57.1%
Employed
11,549
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
56.8%
Postgraduate
18.0%
Born Overseas
56.5%
Dwellings
9,930
Transport to Work
Daily life in Doncaster is more car-oriented than transit-led. Car drivers account for 52.6% of commuters, compared with 4.6% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling, while 36.3% work from home. Four local schools span primary and secondary levels, with three government schools and one Catholic school, giving families a broader sector mix than a single-school catchment. Exact enrolment zones should be checked against the address because they can cross suburb boundaries. Recorded crime totals 1,964 offences, including 1,459 property and deception offences and 206 crimes against the person, with a rate of 78.5 per 1,000 residents. Compared with the suburb's IRSAD decile of 8 and IRSD decile of 6, livability is supported by socioeconomic advantage but still requires attention to property security and transport dependence.
Drive
52.6%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
36.3%
Population Forecast
+1.95%/yr
(+552 people/yr)
EstablishedDoncaster's established-area outlook points to steady change rather than a single-direction boom. The annual growth trend is 1.95%, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, consistent with the suburb's 56.5% overseas-born population. Population change across the wider area runs at 35.2% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Mixed, with rent growth of 20.0%, a 2.7% increase in the working-age share and a 1.7% decline in the senior share. Gentrification is labelled Active with a score of 41, while the shift profile records Early signs at 44, indicating change is present but not uniform. Affordability readings are 71.4 for 2011 and 62.4 for 2021, alongside real income growth of 11.7%. This makes the outlook more complex than a simple high-growth or affordability story.
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
1,964
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
78.5
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 compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Doncaster a good suburb to live in?
For many households, yes, particularly those seeking established services, schools and an internationally connected setting. Doncaster has 25,020 residents, 36.3% working from home and an IRSAD decile of 8. Car use at 52.6% is higher than public transport use at 4.6%, so transport preferences matter.
What schools are in Doncaster?
Doncaster has 4 local schools covering primary and secondary levels, including 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school. The mix is broader than a single-sector catchment, but families should compare the exact address with current enrolment zones because boundaries can differ between schools and may cross suburb lines.
Is Doncaster safe?
Doncaster recorded 1,964 offences at a rate of 78.5 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 1,459 cases, compared with 206 crimes against the person. These figures suggest property security deserves attention, while buyers and renters should compare conditions around the exact street, shopping areas and transport routes.
Is Doncaster good for property investment?
Doncaster can suit investors seeking an established market, with 30.8% of households renting and weekly rent of $450. However, the 12.9% vacancy rate is higher than a tight rental market, while 126 development applications in 12 months may add competing stock. Overseas migration and 20.0% rent growth support demand, but property selection remains important.
How is Doncaster's population changing?
The growth outlook is Mixed, with an annual trend of 1.95% and overseas migration as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 35.2% over 10 years. Gentrification is labelled Active at a score of 41, while another shift measure records Early signs at 44, indicating ongoing change rather than a uniform trajectory.
What languages are spoken in Doncaster?
Mandarin is spoken by 2,439 residents and Cantonese by 1,207, while Greek accounts for 729, Persian for 432 and Italian for 271. Mandarin speakers outnumber Cantonese speakers, reflecting the suburb's 56.5% overseas-born population and its strong Chinese ancestry population of 9,161.
What development is happening in Doncaster?
Doncaster recorded 126 development applications over 12 months, including a two-lot subdivision and a permit for 2 two-storey dwellings. This indicates continued infill activity, so buyers should compare planning controls, parking and future outlook with nearby properties before committing to a purchase.
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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