Ferny Creek
One striking number defines Ferny Creek: every recorded dwelling is a separate house, 100% detached stock in a suburb of 1,524 people where the median age of 45 sits 5 years above the national figure. Household income reaches the 90.5th percentile nationally, yet the suburb is small enough that only 41 crimes were recorded, giving a rate of 26.9 per 1,000 residents. University qualifications stand at 46%, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national average. Long-term owners dominate, with 85.7% of residents having stayed put, signalling a stable, established community that turns over slowly compared to metro norms.
Population
1,524
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,393/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$882K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price in Ferny Creek reached $882,500 in the April-June 2024 quarter, down 27.8% from the October-December 2023 peak of $1,222,500. That correction follows a longer upswing: prices rose 77.4% from $497,500 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% over 14 years. With 100% of stock being separate houses, buyers have no apartment or semi-detached alternative, so supply is constrained by land availability. The bedroom mix skews large, with 44.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and a further 44.1% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, which is below the 30% stress threshold even at current prices.
For Buyers
The median house price in Ferny Creek reached $882,500 in the April-June 2024 quarter, down 27.8% from the October-December 2023 peak of $1,222,500. That correction follows a longer upswing: prices rose 77.4% from $497,500 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% over 14 years. With 100% of stock being separate houses, buyers have no apartment or semi-detached alternative, so supply is constrained by land availability. The bedroom mix skews large, with 44.5% of dwellings having 3 bedrooms and a further 44.1% having 4 or more. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 20.9%, which is below the 30% stress threshold even at current prices.
For Investors
The rental market in Ferny Creek is thin. Only 5.8% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national average of roughly 32%, which means the tenant pool is very small and landlord competition for tenants can be acute. Weekly rent sits at $400, and the vacancy rate of 7.3% is elevated, suggesting rental properties do not fill quickly. The rent-to-income ratio of 16.7% is comfortable for tenants but implies limited rental yield against an $882,500 median house price. Zero development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term risk. Capital growth has averaged 4.2% annually over 14 years, which remains the primary investment case rather than yield.
Schools in Ferny Creek iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ferny Creek Primary School
Prep-6 · 127 students
Demographics
Ferny Creek's median age of 45 is 5 years higher than the national figure, consistent with an established resident base that has largely stopped moving, given the 85.7% five-year stay rate. University qualifications reach 46% of residents, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national average, placing the suburb firmly in the upper tier of educational attainment. Overseas-born residents account for 18.5%, which is 3.1 percentage points below the national average, reflecting an Anglo-Celtic heritage with English (661), Irish (209) and Scottish (191) ancestry leading the census counts. Average household size is 2.7, marginally above the national 2.5, and 539 couples with children are recorded against 346 couples without.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing profile of Ferny Creek is unusually uniform: 100% of dwellings are separate houses, with no recorded apartments or semi-detached stock. This compares starkly to the national mix where apartments and semi-detached homes together make up roughly 30% of stock. Tenure splits toward ownership, with 37.2% owning outright and 57% carrying a mortgage, while only 5.8% rent. The owned-outright share of 37.2% is notable given the 45 median age, suggesting many long-term owners have paid down their debt. The price trough was $492,500 in 2014, the peak was $1,222,500 in late 2023, and the latest reading of $882,500 represents a 77.4% net gain from the earliest recorded price, despite the recent pullback.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$875
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.3%
Unoccupied
42
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.8%
Couples, no children
1,292
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans toward service and knowledge industries. Education employs 17.3% of workers, Healthcare 16%, Construction 12.2%, Professional/Technical Services 9.1% and Manufacturing 7.9%. By occupation, Professionals (250) and Managers (169) together account for a large share of the employed base, consistent with the 46% university qualification rate that sits 15.9 points above national. Full-time employment runs at 62.8% and unemployment is 3.9%. Participation at 61.9% is moderate, partly because 368 residents are not in the labour force, which aligns with the older median age of 45. Volunteering is high at 22.5%, above national norms, reinforcing the picture of an engaged, settled resident population.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
33.3%
Participation
61.9%
Employed
745
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.0%
Postgraduate
13.3%
Born Overseas
18.5%
Dwellings
530
Transport to Work
Car dependency defines daily life in Ferny Creek: 89.5% of residents drive to work, compared to national averages where public transport captures a larger share in urban areas. Public transport is used by only 3.3% of commuters. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in surrounding areas. Crime is low, with 41 total incidents giving a rate of 26.9 per 1,000 residents, and the leading category was property and deception offences at 25 incidents. Mortgage-to-income sits at 20.9% and rent-to-income at 16.7%, both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are relatively manageable for current residents compared to many parts of Melbourne.
Drive
89.5%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
41
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
26.9
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 Ferny Creek compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ferny Creek a good suburb to live in?
Ferny Creek suits households seeking a low-density, owner-occupied environment. Household income sits in the 90.5th percentile nationally, crime is low at 26.9 incidents per 1,000 residents, and 85.7% of residents have stayed for at least 5 years. The trade-off is strong car dependence at 89.5% and no recorded schools inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Ferny Creek?
The median house price in Ferny Creek was $882,500 in April-June 2024. This is down 27.8% from the October-December 2023 peak of $1,222,500, but still 77.4% higher than the $497,500 recorded in 2013. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167.
What schools are in Ferny Creek?
No schools are recorded inside the Ferny Creek suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Despite this, 46% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national figure, indicating a highly educated resident base.
Is Ferny Creek safe?
Ferny Creek recorded 41 total crimes in the reference period, giving a rate of 26.9 per 1,000 residents. The leading category was property and deception offences at 25 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 12. Drug offences totalled just 1, and public order offences 2, consistent with a low-crime outer suburb.
Is Ferny Creek good for property investment?
The rental market is very small, with only 5.8% of dwellings rented, a 7.3% vacancy rate and weekly rent of $400. Gross yield against the $882,500 median house price is modest. The stronger case rests on capital growth: prices have compounded at 4.2% annually over 14 years from $497,500 to $882,500.
How is Ferny Creek's population changing?
Ferny Creek has a stable population of 1,524 with a turnover rate of 14.3%, meaning 85.7% of residents stayed in the same location over five years. Zero development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, suggesting limited near-term expansion. The median age of 45 is 5 years above national, pointing to a gradually aging resident base.
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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