Kinglake
With just 1,662 residents across 115 square kilometres, Kinglake sits at 14.4 people per km2, among the most sparsely settled areas on the Melbourne fringe. The median house price of $587,500 is 27% below the January 2024 peak of $805,000, shifting the suburb clearly into affordable territory compared to metro Melbourne benchmarks. Household income sits at the 60.9th percentile nationally, above average, yet the vacancy rate of 10.5% is notably high for a small rural community, signalling intermittent rather than sustained demand. Crime is low at 25.9 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 37 of 43 offences being property-related.
Population
1,662
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,737/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$588K
Apr-Jun 2024
At $587,500, the current median is 27% below the January 2024 peak of $805,000, giving buyers a materially better entry than the post-COVID surge. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 translate to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23%, below the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.2% of dwellings; 4-plus bedroom homes account for 39.6% and 3-bedroom homes 42.9%, a profile suited to families. The 4.2% compound annual growth rate over 14 years from $330,000 shows a steady rather than speculative trajectory, placing Kinglake in a more moderate growth band than suburban Melbourne.
For Buyers
At $587,500, the current median is 27% below the January 2024 peak of $805,000, giving buyers a materially better entry than the post-COVID surge. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,733 translate to a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23%, below the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 99.2% of dwellings; 4-plus bedroom homes account for 39.6% and 3-bedroom homes 42.9%, a profile suited to families. The 4.2% compound annual growth rate over 14 years from $330,000 shows a steady rather than speculative trajectory, placing Kinglake in a more moderate growth band than suburban Melbourne.
For Investors
The rental market is thin: only 5.3% of households rent, and weekly rent of $300 against a $587,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.7%. The 10.5% vacancy rate is the key caution signal, suggesting roughly one in ten properties sits unoccupied at any time. Net internal migration averages 9 people annually and overseas migration adds 2, so demand from population growth is minimal compared to urban corridors. The 4.2% CAGR over 14 years shows modest capital growth, but investors relying on rental income will find the thin tenant base a structural constraint.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
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 Kinglake iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kinglake Primary School
Prep-6 · 70 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.7 points while the working-age share fell 2.3 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents are just 10.1%, which is 11.5 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the dominant Anglo-Celtic ancestry led by English (755), Irish (204) and Scottish (180). University qualifications at 18.8% sit 11.3 points below national, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades and community services rather than knowledge professions.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.2%
Houses
0.8%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Mortgage holders account for 59.3% of households and outright owners 35.4%, with renters at just 5.3%. The high ownership rate is reinforced by the 87.2% residential stability rate. Stock is 99.2% separate houses, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 39.6% and 3-bedroom at 42.9%. Prices rose from $330,000 in 2013 to a peak of $805,000 in early 2024 before pulling back to $587,500, a 78% total gain over 14 years. Mortgage stress sits at 23% of income, well below the 30% national stress threshold, making Kinglake more affordable to hold than most VIC fringe markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$788
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.5%
Unoccupied
71
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.3%
Couples, no children
1,319
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction leads local employment at 19.9% of workers (118 people), well above its national share, which suits an acreage community with ongoing property maintenance needs. Healthcare follows at 14.3% and Education at 12.8%. Community and Personal service workers lead by occupation at 129, ahead of Professionals at 127 and Managers at 107. The unemployment rate of 3.8% is low. The SEIFA IER decile of 9 indicates above-average asset holdings, higher than the IRSAD and IEO at decile 6, reflecting land wealth concentrated in long-term owner-occupiers rather than income-based advantage.
Unemployment
4.0%
Labour Force
2,606
Unemployed
105
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.4%
Part-time
31.8%
Participation
57.0%
Employed
755
Occupations
Top Industries
University
18.8%
Postgraduate
3.8%
Born Overseas
10.1%
Dwellings
606
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near total at 94.4% driving to work, with only 0.7% using public transport, lower than most comparable fringe suburbs. Crime sits at 25.9 incidents per 1,000 based on 43 total offences, a low absolute count. The IER decile 9 confirms above-average economic resources nationally. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring towns, a practical constraint in an area spanning 115 km2. The volunteering rate of 17.2% is above average, reflecting community reliance on mutual networks.
Drive
94.4%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.86%/yr
(+38 people/yr)
EstablishedAnnual population growth is 0.86%, adding roughly 38 people per year, in the slow-but-steady range. The 10-year change of 17.5% reflects post-2009 recovery and lifestyle migration. The medium forecast projects the broader SA2 growing from 4,419 to 4,613 by 2031. The gentrification score of 7 classifies the suburb as not gentrifying, and with an IRSAD decile of 6, there is headroom below the top tiers. Rent grew 39.1% over the decade, significantly faster than the 16.2% real income growth, a ratio that compresses affordability for the small renter cohort.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+2
Net Internal / yr
+9
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +20% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
43
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
25.9
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 Kinglake compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kinglake a good suburb to live in?
Kinglake suits those seeking acreage living with low crime (25.9 per 1,000) and affordable mortgages (23% of income, below the 30% stress threshold). The IER decile 9 confirms above-average economic resources. The main trade-offs are near-total car dependence at 94.4% and no schools recorded within the 115 km2 boundary.
What is the median house price in Kinglake?
The median house price is $587,500 as of April to June 2024. This is 27% below the January 2024 peak of $805,000 and 78% above the earliest recorded price of $330,000 in 2013, representing a compound annual growth rate of 4.2% over 14 years.
What schools are in Kinglake?
No schools are recorded inside the Kinglake suburb boundary in this dataset. With an area of 115 km2 and a population of 1,662, families rely on schools in neighbouring towns. University qualifications locally sit at 18.8%, which is 11.3 points below the national figure.
Is Kinglake safe?
The crime rate is 25.9 incidents per 1,000 residents based on 43 total recorded offences. Of those, 37 are property and deception offences, 4 are crimes against the person, and 2 are public order offences. This is a low absolute crime count, consistent with the IRSD decile 7 position nationally.
Is Kinglake good for property investment?
The investment case is modest. Weekly rent of $300 against a $587,500 median implies a gross yield near 2.7%. The 10.5% vacancy rate is high for a small community, limiting reliable rental income. Population grows at 0.86% annually and net migration adds only 11 people per year, so demand growth is slow compared to urban markets.
How is Kinglake's population changing?
The population grows at 0.86% per year, adding about 38 residents annually. The 10-year change of 17.5% reflects recovery and lifestyle migration. The medium forecast projects the broader area reaching 4,613 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.7 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.3 points.
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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