Joondanna
Joondanna packs 5,283 residents into 1.45 sq km, producing a density of 3,642.7 people per sq km. Its university-educated share is 49.1%, 19 percentage points above the national figure, while the median age of 37 is 3 years below national. With 38.2% born overseas, the suburb has a strong migrant presence, led by English, Italian and Irish ancestry counts of 1,689, 676 and 546. Compared with nearby Yokine and Tuart Hill, its compact footprint and 46.1% semi-detached housing point to a more attached, inner-north lifestyle. The 72.7% car-driver share means convenience depends more on road access than walking or cycling, which accounts for just 2.6% of journeys.
Population
5,283
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,681/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
40
Homebuyers need to price Joondanna by dwelling type because a current median house price is not available. The stock is split between 46.1% semi-detached homes, 43.3% separate houses and 10.6% apartments, so buyers can trade land for more compact entry points. A mortgage benchmark is $1,952 per month, while rent is $330 per week, and mortgage payments represent 26.8% of household income. Compared with a detached-house-only market, the attached share creates more choice but makes strata rules, parking and renovation limits important. Two-bedroom homes account for 34.4% and three-bedroom homes 44.0%, fitting the suburb's average household size of 2.0.
For Buyers
Homebuyers need to price Joondanna by dwelling type because a current median house price is not available. The stock is split between 46.1% semi-detached homes, 43.3% separate houses and 10.6% apartments, so buyers can trade land for more compact entry points. A mortgage benchmark is $1,952 per month, while rent is $330 per week, and mortgage payments represent 26.8% of household income. Compared with a detached-house-only market, the attached share creates more choice but makes strata rules, parking and renovation limits important. Two-bedroom homes account for 34.4% and three-bedroom homes 44.0%, fitting the suburb's average household size of 2.0.
For Investors
Joondanna's investor case rests on renter depth and moderate renewal rather than a published house-price series. Renters represent 43.3% of households, the weekly rent benchmark is $330, and vacancy is 8.9%, so leasing demand should be tested carefully against the available stock. Development activity reached 37 applications in 12 months, including demolitions and additions, creating opportunities for upgraded dwellings but also potential competition. Compared with a tightly held suburb, the 27.4% turnover rate suggests a more mobile tenant and owner base. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the forecast trajectory is Stable, so investors should favour asset quality, parking and tenant appeal over assuming rapid capital growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
40
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Joondanna
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
ST DENIS SCHOOL
Demographics
Joondanna's demographic profile is younger and more tertiary educated than the national average: median age is 37, or 3 years below national, and 49.1% have university qualifications, 19 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 38.2%, 16.6 points higher than national, with Italian, Mandarin, Guj, Macedon and Canton among recorded languages. Couples without children form 46.6% of families, compared with 36.3% for couples with children, helping explain the average household size of 2.0. English, Italian, Irish and Scottish ancestry counts are 1,689, 676, 546 and 476. Compared with nearby Yokine and Tuart Hill, this mix supports a compact, professionally oriented inner-north setting, although 27.4% turnover means neighbourhood composition can change quickly.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
43.3%
Houses
46.1%
Townhouse
10.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Joondanna has an attached housing profile, with 46.1% semi-detached dwellings, 43.3% separate houses and 10.6% apartments. That mix is lower in detached stock than a conventional suburban pattern and helps explain why buyers can choose between private outdoor space and lower-maintenance formats. Tenure is split between 22.9% owned outright, 32.4% with a mortgage and 43.3% renting, while 1.4% falls into other arrangements. Two and three-bedroom homes dominate at 34.4% and 44.0%, compared with only 14.5% for four or more bedrooms. Rent is $330 weekly and the mortgage benchmark is $1,952 monthly; no current median house price should be assumed. The 2.0-person average household size fits the smaller-bedroom mix and makes adaptable layouts important.
Mortgage / mo
$1,952
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$330
Census 2021
HH Size
2.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,036
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
240
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
36.3%
Couples with children
46.6%
Couples, no children
15.2%
Single parent
1,366
Total families
Economy & Employment
Joondanna combines above-average educational and occupational positioning with more modest financial-resource results. Professionals number 1,040 and managers 394. Employment is led by healthcare at 17.9% or 427 workers, professional and technical work at 13.0% or 309, education at 10.5% or 250, construction at 7.5% or 179, and retail at 6.9% or 165. Participation is 70.4%, full-time employment 64.9% and unemployment 3.9%. Household income sits at percentile 58.4. SEIFA is split: IEO reaches decile 8 and IER decile 3, with IRSD decile 6 and IRSAD decile 7. The higher skills profile but lower economic-resources rank is consistent with 43.3% renting and 26.8% mortgage-to-income.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
3,188
Unemployed
123
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.9%
Part-time
30.4%
Participation
70.4%
Employed
3,065
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.1%
Postgraduate
13.9%
Born Overseas
38.2%
Dwellings
2,445
Transport to Work
Joondanna suits residents who value inner-north access but are comfortable with a car-led routine. Drivers account for 72.7% of travel, compared with 9.7% using public transport and 2.6% walking or cycling; that gap means commute planning should focus on road links, parking and peak-hour reliability. Work from home accounts for 10.0%, adding flexibility for professional households. One local school is identified, St Denis School, and it is non-government, so families should check enrolment zones and nearby government options against the exact address. Compared with a low-density suburb, 3,642.7 people per sq km on 1.45 sq km creates a compact setting, while IRSAD decile 7 indicates above-average relative advantage. Safety decisions should use current street-level police and council information, especially around traffic and lighting.
Drive
72.7%
Public Transport
9.7%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
10.0%
Population Forecast
+1.31%/yr
(+192 people/yr)
EstablishedJoondanna's growth outlook is measured rather than explosive. The annual forecast trend is 1.31%, with overseas migration named as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 13.8% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Stable and rent growth is 6.7%, so demand is still moving without a sharp repositioning story. Gentrification remains at Early signs, with a score of 32, and the shift records a score of 27. Compared with a high-growth redevelopment corridor, this points to incremental change through renovations, replacement homes and small-scale infill, reinforced by 37 development applications in 12 months. Affordability is marked Improving, moving from 41.1 in 2011 to 32.3 in 2021, while real income growth reached 10.4%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+350
Net Internal / yr
-117
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +22% since 2011, Net internal outflow -117/yr, Strong overseas inflow +350/yr, Accelerating: 4% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Joondanna compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Joondanna a good suburb to live in?
Joondanna can suit households seeking a compact inner-north setting, with 49.1% university attainment and a median age of 37, which is 3 years below national. The trade-off is a car-led routine: 72.7% drive compared with 9.7% using public transport. Compare exact streets for parking, traffic and enrolment access.
What is the median house price in Joondanna?
A current median house price is not available for Joondanna. Practical context includes $330 weekly rent and a $1,952 monthly mortgage benchmark. Because 46.1% of dwellings are semi-detached and 43.3% are separate houses, compare like-for-like sales by dwelling type rather than applying one figure across the suburb.
What schools are in Joondanna?
One local school is identified within Joondanna: St Denis School, a non-government school. Families should compare enrolment zones and transport options against the exact address, because school catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Public transport accounts for 9.7% of travel, which may matter for school and work trips.
Is Joondanna safe?
Assess safety street by street using current police and council information, with attention to lighting, traffic and building security. Joondanna has 5,283 residents across 1.45 sq km, making it a higher-density setting than a low-density outer suburb. Exact location, dwelling access and evening activity can matter more than a suburb-wide impression.
Is Joondanna good for property investment?
Joondanna may suit investors seeking an established rental market, with 43.3% of households renting and weekly rent at $330. Vacancy is 8.9%, so tenant demand should be tested carefully. The 1.31% annual growth forecast and 37 development applications suggest measured renewal rather than a certainty of rapid price growth.
How is Joondanna's population changing?
Joondanna has 5,283 residents today. Growth across the wider area is forecast at 1.31% a year, driven by overseas migration, with a 13.8% 10-year population change and a Stable trajectory. Compared with a high-growth corridor, this suggests measured rather than explosive change, with gentrification still at Early signs and a score of 32.
What languages are spoken in Joondanna?
Italian is the most prominent listed language with 95 people, followed by Mandarin at 43 and Guj at 42. Macedon accounts for 25 and Canton for 21. The overseas-born share is 38.2%, which is 16.6 percentage points higher than national, helping explain the suburb's multilingual character.
What development is occurring in Joondanna?
Development activity is active rather than dormant, with 37 applications recorded over 12 months. Examples include demolition, additions to a single house and extensions to grouped dwellings. Compared with a large master-planned project, this points to incremental residential renewal, so buyers should check approvals and likely construction impacts before committing.
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 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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