Doveton
The standout feature of Doveton is its migrant-majority profile: 60.3% of residents were born overseas, 38.7 percentage points above the national figure. It is a compact, detached-home suburb of 9,603 people across 4.07 square kilometres, with a median age of 34, six years below the national median. Doveton's compact form stands apart from nearby Hallam and Endeavour Hills, with density of 2,357.4 people per square kilometre and household income at the 28.9th percentile.
Population
9,603
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,273/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
52
Median House
$668K
October to December 2025
That suits buyers seeking conventional family layouts because apartments account for just 0.3% of homes. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,500, with mortgage costs at 27.2% of household income and no mortgage stress flag.
For Buyers
That suits buyers seeking conventional family layouts because apartments account for just 0.3% of homes. The monthly mortgage figure is $1,500, with mortgage costs at 27.2% of household income and no mortgage stress flag.
For Investors
Doveton has a substantial rental base, with 43.5% of households renting and weekly rent at $320. The 7.9% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly constrained rental market would be, which may give investors more leasing flexibility but can also soften urgency between tenants. Fifty-four development applications were recorded over 12 months, including subdivision and additional dwellings, creating potential future competition as well as renewal. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, which supports rental demand because 60.3% of residents were born overseas.
Development Activity
Total DAs
108
Last 12 Months
52
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+67.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Doveton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Doveton College
Holy Family School
Demographics
Doveton is younger than the national profile: its median age is 34, six years below the national figure. Its overseas-born share is 60.3%, 38.7 percentage points above national, while university attainment is 26.2%, 3.9 points below national. Indian and Serbian ancestry counts 548 and 461; Serbian, Punjabi and Arabic are among the most common listed languages, at 233, 120 and 104 people. Christianity accounts for 3,078 residents, Islam 2,588 and no religion 1,756. Household size averages 2.7, 0.2 higher than national, and couples with children make up 46.0% of families. This mix helps explain why 3-bedroom homes account for 63.6% of stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.2%
Houses
16.5%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure remains mixed: 23.0% own outright, 32.1% hold a mortgage and 43.5% rent. Stock is strongly detached, with 83.2% separate houses, 16.5% semi-detached dwellings and 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 63.6%, while the mortgage-to-income ratio is 27.2%. Compared with Doveton's earlier price base, the suburb has repriced materially because family-sized detached housing remains the dominant form.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$320
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$581
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.9%
Unoccupied
272
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.0%
Couples with children
27.0%
Couples, no children
23.9%
Single parent
2,188
Total families
Economy & Employment
Doveton's employment base is practical and service-linked. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.9% and 358 workers, followed by manufacturing at 13.0% and 245, construction at 12.0% and 226, retail at 8.0% and 151, and transport at 7.9% and 149. Occupations are led by trades at 805, labourers at 595 and machinery or drivers at 516, ahead of professionals at 337. Unemployment is 9.5%, participation is 50.4% and full-time employment is 58.9%. Household income sits at the 28.9th percentile, while SEIFA places Doveton in decile 1 for IRSAD, IRSD and IER, and decile 2 for IEO. The low socioeconomic ranking is consistent with lower professional representation and a larger trade and labour workforce, while healthcare and manufacturing provide employment anchors.
Unemployment
9.5%
Labour Force
3,888
Unemployed
368
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.9%
Part-time
33.6%
Participation
50.4%
Employed
3,520
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.2%
Postgraduate
6.4%
Born Overseas
60.3%
Dwellings
3,184
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 77.2% travel as a car driver, compared with 3.7% using public transport, 1.3% walking or cycling and 10.0% working from home. That pattern matters for households without a vehicle because access is less flexible than the car-based norm. Two local school options provide a Catholic primary setting and a government primary/secondary campus; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Recorded crime totals 1,151 incidents, including 551 property and deception offences, compared with 259 crimes against the person, for a rate of 119.9 per 1,000 residents. SEIFA places the suburb in IRSAD decile 1, below the middle deciles, so services, transport and household budget deserve close attention.
Drive
77.2%
Public Transport
3.7%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
10.0%
Population Forecast
+1.03%/yr
(+133 people/yr)
EstablishedDoveton's near-term growth trend is 1.03% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is forecast at 16.0% over 10 years, while the trajectory is labelled Mixed rather than uniformly upward. Rents have grown 33.3%, and the shift profile records real income growth of 28.3%, which can support renewal but does not remove affordability pressure. Gentrification signals remain measured: the gentrification score is 27 at the Early signs stage, while the broader shift score is 58 and labelled Active. The suburb recovered from a COVID dip of 2.3%, followed by 5.6% recovery. This points to gradual change because migrant inflows and 54 development applications are adding momentum without a settled upgrade cycle.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+288
Net Internal / yr
-210
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal outflow -210/yr, Strong overseas inflow +288/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,151
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
119.9
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 Doveton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Doveton a good suburb to live in?
Doveton can suit households seeking detached housing, multicultural connections and established local services. It has 9,603 residents, a median age of 34 and 2 local school options, but car dependence at 77.2% and a crime rate of 119.9 per 1,000 warrant address-level checking.
What schools are in Doveton?
Doveton has 2 nearby school options: a Catholic primary school and a government primary/secondary campus. Families should check the exact enrolment zone, year-level availability and travel route because school access can vary across the 4.07 square kilometre suburb.
Is Doveton safe?
Safety requires careful, street-level checking. Recorded crime was 1,151 incidents, equal to 119.9 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 551. Compare the exact pocket, lighting, parking and security conditions before renting or buying.
Is Doveton good for property investment?
Doveton may suit investors targeting a large renter base, with 43.5% renting, $320 weekly median rent and a 7.9% vacancy rate. The 4.3% long-run price CAGR and 54 development applications over 12 months support a measured approach that considers tenant demand and competing stock.
How is Doveton's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 16.0% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.03%. Overseas migration is the primary driver, while the trajectory is Mixed and the gentrification reading is Early signs with a score of 27. Doveton's current population is 9,603.
What languages are spoken in Doveton?
Serbian has 233 speakers, Punjabi 120, Arabic 104, Sinhal 101 and Persian 80. With 60.3% of residents born overseas, local services, schools and businesses should be assessed for language accessibility as well as location, cost and transport.
What development is occurring in Doveton?
Development activity includes 54 applications over 12 months. Examples include subdivision of industrial land into 3 lots, a 4-dwelling proposal and a 2-dwelling second-home application. These projects may add housing choice, but buyers should check permits, construction timing, traffic and streetscape effects.
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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