Ferntree Gully
A population of 27,398 sits across 14.0 square kilometres, with a median age of 40 and 88.0% of homes detached. Household income reaches the 62.3rd percentile, while 26.1% of residents were born overseas, 4.5 percentage points above the national comparison. This gives Ferntree Gully a mortgage-belt profile of family housing, established residents and strong car orientation, with 65.6% driving to work. Compared with nearby Boronia, its 88.0% separate-house share points to a more conventional suburban housing base, while the 0.32% forecast annual trend signals slower growth than a major expansion corridor. The profile is shaped more by owner occupiers and long-term households than rapid turnover, with 83.2% staying at the same address.
Population
27,398
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,770/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
144
Median House
$965K
October to December 2025
The stock is practical for households, with 88.0% separate houses, 50.7% three-bedroom homes and 32.5% with four or more bedrooms. That mix supports family demand because larger detached dwellings provide space, but it also keeps the entry point above smaller-home markets. A typical mortgage is listed at $1,918 per month, while mortgage costs equal 25.0% of household income and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with nearby Boronia, buyers should focus on exact street, slope and renovation condition because the suburb-wide median hides variation.
For Buyers
The stock is practical for households, with 88.0% separate houses, 50.7% three-bedroom homes and 32.5% with four or more bedrooms. That mix supports family demand because larger detached dwellings provide space, but it also keeps the entry point above smaller-home markets. A typical mortgage is listed at $1,918 per month, while mortgage costs equal 25.0% of household income and mortgage stress is not flagged. Compared with nearby Boronia, buyers should focus on exact street, slope and renovation condition because the suburb-wide median hides variation.
For Investors
Rental demand is meaningful but not dominant: 21.4% of households rent, lower than the 77.1% who own outright or hold a mortgage. Weekly rent is $386 and vacancy is 4.4%, so investors should allow for leasing competition and property-specific differences rather than assume tight conditions. There were 140 development applications in 12 months, although recent examples include education-site activity and minor building works rather than a clearly stated dwelling pipeline. Forecast rent growth is 34.1%, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Against the suburb's 0.32% annual trend, the investment case is steadier than a high-growth strategy and depends on buying well-located, low-maintenance housing.
Development Activity
Total DAs
187
Last 12 Months
144
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+747.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ferntree Gully
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Heritage College Knox
Fairhills Primary School
Ferntree Gully North Primary School
Kent Park Primary School
Mountain Gate Primary School
Demographics
Ferntree Gully's median age is 40, matching the national comparison, while its household size of 2.6 is 0.1 higher. The overseas-born share is 26.1%, 4.5 percentage points above the national figure, and university participation or qualification is 34.1%, 4.0 points above the national comparison. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry remain prominent at 9,774, 2,715 and 2,512 people, alongside 2,031 people reporting Chinese ancestry. Mandarin is the most common listed non-English language at 479 speakers. With 83.2% staying at the same address and turnover at 16.8%, the suburb is more settled than a high-churn area. The aging trajectory is consistent with a stable resident base and a senior-share increase of 4.0 points.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.0%
Houses
9.8%
Townhouse
1.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 88.0% separate houses, 9.8% semi-detached dwellings and 1.9% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 50.7% of stock, while 32.5% have four or more bedrooms, so the market is more family-oriented than apartment-led. Tenure is split between 34.0% owning outright, 43.1% with a mortgage and 21.4% renting, a higher owner or mortgage share than the rental share. The latest median is also the peak, so buyers are entering above the long-run trough rather than below it. A 25.0% mortgage-to-income ratio and 21.8% rent-to-income ratio sit below the local stress flags.
Mortgage / mo
$1,918
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $386.
$600
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $600 · units $520
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$791
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.4%
Unoccupied
473
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.9%
Couples with children
35.0%
Couples, no children
17.6%
Single parent
7,721
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local industry employment at 17.9% or 1,681 workers, followed by construction at 12.3% and 1,160, education at 11.1% and 1,045, professional and technical services at 9.0% and 843, and manufacturing at 8.8% and 824. This mix spreads activity across care, building, education and skilled services, which helps explain the established working-household base. Labour-force participation is 64.8%, unemployment is 4.5% and full-time employment is 59.8%, while household income of $1,770 per week sits at the 62.3rd percentile, above the midpoint. All four SEIFA measures sit in decile 6, indicating a middle-ranking result rather than a top-decile or low-decile profile. Compared with a higher-income enclave, local purchasing power is solid but not exceptional.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
14,634
Unemployed
660
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
64.8%
Employed
13,974
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
34.1%
Postgraduate
8.3%
Born Overseas
26.1%
Dwellings
10,275
Transport to Work
Daily life is structured around driving: 65.6% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.2% using public transport, while 26.9% work from home. That pattern suits a 14.0 square kilometre suburb with 1,956.9 people per square kilometre, but households should test access to rail, buses and shops from the exact address. Nine local schools span government primary and special education, Catholic primary and secondary, and independent primary and secondary options; enrolment zones still need checking because they can cut across suburb boundaries. Recorded crime is 1,738 offences, or 63.4 per 1,000 residents, led by 950 property and deception offences and 257 crimes against the person. The IRSAD sits in decile 6, below a top-decile socioeconomic profile. Compared with a transit-oriented suburb, Ferntree Gully is more car-dependent, so convenience depends heavily on location.
Drive
65.6%
Public Transport
2.2%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
26.9%
Population Forecast
+0.32%/yr
(+47 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is measured rather than rapid: the forecast annual trend is 0.32%, and population change across the wider area is 5.8% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 4.0 points and the working-age share down 2.0 points. That combination suggests demand will be supported by incoming households while the established resident base gets older. The gentrification assessment is Not gentrifying with a score of 0, although a separate shift indicator records Early signs at 28. Affordability is labelled Stable, moving from 47.9 in 2011 to 47.7 in 2021, while real income growth is 9.4%. Compared with a high-growth fringe market, Ferntree Gully's 0.32% pace points to gradual change rather than a sudden reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+99
Net Internal / yr
-70
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,738
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
63.4
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 Ferntree Gully compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Ferntree Gully?
Local schools include St John the Baptist School, Fairhills Primary School, Ferntree Gully North Primary School, Kent Park Primary School, Mountain Gate Primary School, Wattle View Primary School, St Joseph's College, Eastern Ranges School and Heritage College Knox. The 9-school mix covers government, Catholic and independent sectors, with primary, secondary, special and Pri/Sec options.
Is Ferntree Gully safe?
Safety varies by street and time, but the recorded rate is 63.4 offences per 1,000 residents, with 1,738 total offences. Property and deception offences account for 950, compared with 257 crimes against the person. These figures support checking the exact pocket, lighting, parking and recent local incidents rather than applying one judgement to all 14.0 square kilometres.
How is Ferntree Gully's population changing?
Ferntree Gully has 27,398 residents today. The wider-area forecast indicates 0.32% annual growth and 5.8% population change over 10 years, with overseas migration the primary driver. Its trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has increased by 4.0 points while the working share has fallen 2.0 points. This points to gradual change rather than a rapid population surge.
What development is happening in Ferntree Gully?
Planning activity is substantial, with 140 applications recorded over 12 months. Recent examples include a proposal to increase students on a site to 100 at one time, a timber deck and amendments to an existing permit. Because the activity count is broader than new housing alone, buyers should check each application's status, dwelling implications and likely effect on traffic or local services.
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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