Drouin
Detached housing dominates Drouin: 89.9% of dwellings are separate houses, while the median house price is $600,000 after a 4.9% fall from the Apr-Jun 2023 peak. Compared with nearby Warragul, Drouin reads as a strongly residential market, because family-sized stock and mortgage ownership sit alongside household income in the 42.4 percentile nationally. Growth is the other defining feature, with forecast annual population gain of 2.7%.
Population
15,287
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,432/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
27
Median House
$600K
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are buying into a house-led market: the Apr-Jun 2024 median house price is $600,000, below the $631,000 peak in Apr-Jun 2023, and 89.9% of homes are separate houses versus 3.8% apartments. Family space is common, with 40.6% 3-bedroom and 43.1% 4-plus-bedroom dwellings. Mortgage payments take 26.6% of income, so stress is not flagged, but buyers should budget for car use because 91.4% drive to work.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are buying into a house-led market: the Apr-Jun 2024 median house price is $600,000, below the $631,000 peak in Apr-Jun 2023, and 89.9% of homes are separate houses versus 3.8% apartments. Family space is common, with 40.6% 3-bedroom and 43.1% 4-plus-bedroom dwellings. Mortgage payments take 26.6% of income, so stress is not flagged, but buyers should budget for car use because 91.4% drive to work.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed yield and growth picture. Renters are 22.0% of households and median rent is $330 a week, while the 6.1% vacancy rate is higher than scarce-rental settings, so leasing assumptions should be conservative. Demand has a growth tailwind because internal migration averages +408 people a year and rent has risen 50.0% across the shift period. Supply is also active, with 22 development records in 12 months, which may add stock and cap near-term rent pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
93
Last 12 Months
27
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+12.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Drouin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Paul's Anglican Grammar School
Prep-12 · 1765 students
Chairo Christian School
Prep-12 · 1691 students
St Ita's School
Prep-6 · 458 students
Drouin Secondary College
7-12 · 1113 students
Drouin Primary School
Prep-6 · 504 students
Demographics
Drouin skews local-born and family-age rather than inner-city student-heavy. Median age is 39, 1.0 year below the national benchmark, while university attainment is 20.5%, 9.6 percentage points below national. Overseas-born residents are 13.8%, also 7.8 points below national, which matches the ancestry mix led by English 6,794, Scottish 1,693 and Irish 1,671 responses. Household size is 2.5, in line with the national average, because detached family stock supports couples with children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.9%
Houses
5.1%
Townhouse
3.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing in Drouin has delivered a long upward move but is off its high. The median house price rose from $300,000 in 2013 to $600,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 100.0% increase and 5.1% CAGR over 14 years, but it sits 4.9% below the $631,000 Apr-Jun 2023 peak. Ownership is higher than renting: 36.5% own outright, 41.5% have a mortgage and 22.0% rent. The large-house base, with 43.1% at 4-plus bedrooms, explains why price shifts matter most to family buyers.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,647
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$694
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.1%
Unoccupied
374
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.4%
Couples, no children
12,246
Total families
Economy & Employment
Drouin's workforce is anchored by local services and trades. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.8% or 869 workers, followed by construction at 14.3%, education at 13.6%, manufacturing at 7.8% and retail at 7.1%. Professionals are the biggest occupation group at 1,058, but labourers 878 and community or personal workers 894 keep the mix broad. Unemployment is 4.4% and participation 53.6%. SEIFA is uneven: IEO decile 3 is lower, while IER decile 6 sits above IRSD decile 4 and IRSAD decile 4.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
11,113
Unemployed
356
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.6%
Part-time
35.0%
Participation
53.6%
Employed
6,227
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.5%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
13.8%
Dwellings
5,727
Transport to Work
Livability is strongest for households that can drive. Public transport commuting is only 1.1%, below car driving at 91.4%, and walking or cycling is 1.9%, so daily routines are car-based. School choice is a clear plus: 5 local schools span ICSEA 972 to 1092, led by St Paul's Anglican Grammar School at 1092 and Chairo Christian School at 1055, both Independent, with St Ita's adding a Catholic primary option at 1011. Crime is 80.3 per 1,000, with 494 property and deception offences, and IRSAD decile 4 signals below-average advantage.
Drive
91.4%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.7%/yr
(+597 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is the standout risk and opportunity. The trend forecast is 2.7% a year, or 597 people annually, lifting the medium scenario population from 22,730 in 2026 to 25,714 in 2031. Migration is led by internal moves, averaging +408 people a year compared with +48 from overseas, so demand is more regional-relocation driven than migrant-led. The gentrification score is 40 and stage is Active, while the shift trajectory is Aging with seniors up 3.6 points and rent growth at 50.0%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+48
Net Internal / yr
+408
Gentrification Signal
Active
Net internal migration +408/yr, Accelerating: 23% → 35%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,228
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
80.3
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 Drouin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Drouin a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for households wanting separate houses and schools. Drouin has 89.9% separate houses, 5 local schools and a $600,000 median house price, but car reliance is high at 91.4%, above public transport use of 1.1%.
What is the median house price in Drouin?
The median house price in Drouin is $600,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is below the $631,000 peak in Apr-Jun 2023 by 4.9%, but still double the $300,000 level recorded in 2013.
What schools are in Drouin?
Drouin has 5 local schools: St Paul's Anglican Grammar School, Chairo Christian School, St Ita's School, Drouin Secondary College and Drouin Primary School. ICSEA scores range from 972 to 1092 across Independent, Catholic and Government sectors.
Is Drouin safe?
Safety is mixed. Recorded crime is 1,228 incidents, or 80.3 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 494, higher than crimes against the person at 241.
Is Drouin good for property investment?
Investment looks more growth-led than scarcity-led. Renters are 22.0% and median rent is $330 a week, but vacancy is 6.1%, higher than a tight market. Internal migration of +408 people a year supports demand.
How is Drouin's population changing?
Drouin is forecast to grow by 2.7% a year, or 597 people annually. The medium scenario rises from 22,730 in 2026 to 25,714 in 2031, driven more by internal migration at +408 a year than overseas migration at +48.
Is there much development happening in Drouin?
Yes. There were 22 development records in 12 months, with recent examples including 2-lot subdivision certifications. That is active compared with a quiet pipeline, because extra lots can add supply while population growth runs at 2.7% a year.
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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