Kangaroo Flat
An established Bendigo-area suburb, Kangaroo Flat stands out for its 89.7% separate-house share and median age of 44, which is 4 years above the national figure. Its 11,328 residents occupy 18.14 sq km, while household income sits at the 21.4th percentile, below the national middle. The housing profile is shaped by 57.1% three-bedroom homes and 22.2% with four or more bedrooms, supporting family and downsizer demand because detached stock dominates. When comparing Kangaroo Flat with nearby Bendigo and Golden Square, buyers should weigh that low-rise form against access to central services. Population change across the wider area is 13.8% over 10 years, but the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 5.4%.
Population
11,328
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,144/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
73
Median House
$602K
October to December 2025
Separate houses account for 89.7% of homes, compared with 0.9% apartments; 57.1% have 3 bedrooms and 22.2% have 4 or more. A $1,300 monthly mortgage and mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.2% indicate a recorded position below mortgage stress because average repayment pressure remains moderate. Buyers should compare each property's condition, location and commute rather than rely only on the suburb median.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for 89.7% of homes, compared with 0.9% apartments; 57.1% have 3 bedrooms and 22.2% have 4 or more. A $1,300 monthly mortgage and mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.2% indicate a recorded position below mortgage stress because average repayment pressure remains moderate. Buyers should compare each property's condition, location and commute rather than rely only on the suburb median.
For Investors
Rental demand has a meaningful base, with 28.5% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent of $285. Renting is lower than outright ownership at 39.4%, so the investor pool is substantial but not dominant. A 5.6% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a fully occupied market, which can moderate rent-setting power and increase the importance of property quality. Development activity is notable, with 71 applications in 12 months, including a subdivision and 4-dwelling project, so new supply may improve amenity while adding competition. Annual growth is 0.9% and overseas migration is the primary driver, supporting steady demand rather than a rapid-growth thesis.
Development Activity
Total DAs
97
Last 12 Months
73
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+630.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kangaroo Flat
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Kangaroo Flat Primary School
St Monica's School
Crusoe 7-10 Secondary College
Bendigo Special Developmental School
Demographics
Kangaroo Flat has a median age of 44, 4 years above the national figure, and an average household size of 2.2, which is 0.3 below the national average. The age profile is older and households are smaller because 42.9% of families are couples without children, compared with 33.6% couples with children and 21.5% one-parent families. University attainment is 19.6%, 10.5 percentage points below national, while the overseas-born share is 11.9%, 9.7 points below national. English ancestry counts 4,935 people, followed by Scottish at 1,218 and Irish at 1,206. No religion and Christianity are closely matched at 4,986 and 4,907. With 81.2% staying at the same address, turnover is lower than the 18.8% moving rate, giving Kangaroo Flat a more settled profile for households comparing it with Bendigo or Golden Square.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
89.7%
Houses
9.4%
Townhouse
0.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is led by outright ownership at 39.4%, above mortgage ownership at 31.0% and renting at 28.5%. The stock is strongly detached, with 89.7% separate houses, 9.4% semi-detached homes and only 0.9% apartments. Mortgage-to-income is 26.2% and rent-to-income is 24.9%, with both stress flags false. For comparisons with nearby Bendigo and Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat's clearest housing distinction is its detached format and family-sized 3-bedroom share of 57.1%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $285.
$475
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $480 · units $380
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$638
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
278
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.6%
Couples with children
42.9%
Couples, no children
21.5%
Single parent
2,958
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest local industry at 23.5%, with 655 workers, followed by manufacturing at 11.3% and 315, education at 9.9% and 275, construction at 8.8% and 246, and retail at 8.5% and 237. This mix supports practical employment because care, production, education and building services are spread across several sectors. The labour force numbers 4,788 people, with unemployment at 4.3%, participation at 50.4% and full-time employment at 56.5%. Occupations are led by labourers at 794, community and personal service workers at 688, professionals at 672, trades at 656 and clerical or administrative workers at 538. Weekly household income is $1,144 and family income is $1,466, while the household income percentile is 21.4, below the national midpoint. SEIFA results are modest: IEO, IER and IRSD each rank in decile 3, but IRSAD is lower at decile 2, pointing to broader disadvantage than the education and economic-resource measures alone suggest.
Unemployment
4.3%
Labour Force
4,788
Unemployed
205
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.5%
Part-time
37.0%
Participation
50.4%
Employed
4,583
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.6%
Postgraduate
4.1%
Born Overseas
11.9%
Dwellings
4,654
Transport to Work
Day-to-day mobility is car-led: 77.9% drive to work, compared with 1.4% using public transport, 1.9% walking or cycling and 12.2% working from home. This suits households with cars because public transport use is substantially lower than private vehicle dependence. Four local schools cover 2 primary, 1 secondary and 1 special setting, across 3 government providers and 1 Catholic provider. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can differ by school. Safety needs active consideration, with 1,350 total offences and a rate of 119.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences total 712, higher than justice procedures at 225 and crimes against the person at 196. IRSAD ranks in decile 2, lower than IEO, IER and IRSD, which each rank in decile 3, so street-level context matters when comparing addresses.
Drive
77.9%
Public Transport
1.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
12.2%
Population Forecast
+0.9%/yr
(+192 people/yr)
EstablishedKangaroo Flat is following an established growth path, with an annual trend of 0.9% and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 13.8% over 10 years, while the demographic trajectory is Aging. The senior-share change of 5.4% is higher than the young-share change of -1.8%, and the working-age share has shifted by -0.5%, so growth is more likely to involve household change and steady demand than rapid renewal. The overall gentrification rating is Not gentrifying, with a score of 5, although another shift indicator records Early signs at 38. Compared with a high-growth corridor, 0.9% is measured, which supports an established-suburb outlook rather than speculative assumptions about sudden transformation.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+106
Net Internal / yr
-48
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,350
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
119.2
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 Kangaroo Flat compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kangaroo Flat a good suburb to live in?
Kangaroo Flat can suit households wanting detached housing, established services and a car-oriented lifestyle. It has 11,328 residents, 89.7% separate houses and a median age of 44, which is higher than the national figure. Safety and exact school zones deserve closer checking.
What schools are in Kangaroo Flat?
Kangaroo Flat has 4 local schools: 2 primary schools, 1 secondary college and 1 special developmental school. The mix is 3 government providers and 1 Catholic provider. Compared with choosing by suburb name alone, checking the exact enrolment zone is more reliable.
Is Kangaroo Flat safe?
Safety is a consideration rather than a simple yes or no. The suburb recorded 1,350 offences at a rate of 119.2 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences numbered 712, higher than crimes against the person at 196, so buyers should compare street context and property security.
Is Kangaroo Flat good for property investment?
It may suit investors seeking established detached stock, with weekly rent of $285, renting at 28.5% and 71 development applications in 12 months. Compared with a high-growth market, annual growth of 0.9% is measured. The 5.6% vacancy rate means tenant demand and property quality need careful assessment.
How is Kangaroo Flat's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 13.8% over 10 years, with annual growth running at 0.9% and overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 5.4%, higher than the young-share change of -1.8%. Growth is therefore steadier and older-led than a rapid expansion pattern.
What development is occurring in Kangaroo Flat?
There were 71 development applications in the latest 12-month period, including an indoor recreation facility, an outbuilding and a subdivision involving 4 dwellings. The volume is higher than the single 4-dwelling example suggests, so future amenity and local construction activity may be relevant to nearby property decisions.
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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