Launching Place
With 93% of residents driving to work and car use well above the national average, Launching Place is an outer Yarra Valley community shaped by space and self-reliance. The population of 2,495 sits at a density of just 69 people per km2 across 36 square kilometres, far below metropolitan norms. Household income ranks at the 66th percentile nationally, a comfortable mid-market position for a suburb where 100% of dwellings are separate houses. Median house prices reached $680,000 in April-June 2024, which is roughly double the $330,000 recorded in 2013, representing a compound annual growth rate of 5.3% over 14 years.
Population
2,495
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,830/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$680K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $680,000 in April-June 2024 is notable context: prices peaked at $778,500 in 2022 and have since pulled back 12.7%, giving buyers a market that is off its highs. Every dwelling in Launching Place is a separate house, with 49.4% having 3 bedrooms and 40.5% having 4 or more, so families searching for space will find it here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,789, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The 58.6% of households carrying a mortgage is higher than the 35.1% who own outright, indicating an active buyer base rather than a locked-in established cohort. Compared to metropolitan Melbourne medians, entry costs remain meaningfully lower for the land size on offer.
For Buyers
The median house price of $680,000 in April-June 2024 is notable context: prices peaked at $778,500 in 2022 and have since pulled back 12.7%, giving buyers a market that is off its highs. Every dwelling in Launching Place is a separate house, with 49.4% having 3 bedrooms and 40.5% having 4 or more, so families searching for space will find it here. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,789, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The 58.6% of households carrying a mortgage is higher than the 35.1% who own outright, indicating an active buyer base rather than a locked-in established cohort. Compared to metropolitan Melbourne medians, entry costs remain meaningfully lower for the land size on offer.
For Investors
The rental market is thin but resilient. Only 6.3% of households rent, far below the national average, which reflects the owner-occupier character of the suburb. Weekly rent sits at $350, consistent with the broader Yarra Valley corridor. The vacancy rate of 4.1% is moderate, suggesting a small but reasonably occupied rental pool. Development activity is minimal with just 1 planning permit lodged in the past 12 months, so supply growth is not a near-term risk. House prices have grown at a 5.3% compound annual rate since 2013, stronger than national inflation, though the 12.7% correction from the 2022 peak of $778,500 means recent buyers need a medium-term horizon. The low rental yield environment and limited tenant demand position this suburb as primarily a capital growth rather than income play.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
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 Launching Place iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Launching Place Primary School
Prep-6 · 137 students
Demographics
The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, pointing to a younger-skewing community than Australia broadly. The overseas-born share of 11.7% is 9.9 percentage points below the national average, one of the more Anglo-Celtic profiles in regional Victoria. Ancestry data confirms this: English (1,125 residents) leads, followed by Scottish (306) and Irish (302), with German (142) rounding out the top four. University qualification rates at 19.7% are 10.4 points below the national rate, consistent with a skilled-trades and practical-occupations workforce rather than a professional hub. Average household size is 2.7, slightly above the national average, reflecting the family-oriented character of a suburb where couples with children (904 families) outnumber couples without children (497).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Every single dwelling in Launching Place is a separate house, a 100% detached rate that distinguishes it from virtually all metropolitan suburbs. Bedroom sizes skew large: 40.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 49.4% have 3, meaning small 1-2 bedroom dwellings are almost absent. Tenure leans toward mortgage holders at 58.6%, with 35.1% owning outright and only 6.3% renting. The price-to-income ratio implied by the $680,000 median against a $1,830 weekly household income is roughly 7.1 times annual household income, above the 6x threshold typically cited for affordability stress. Prices have doubled from the $330,000 trough in 2013, and the 5.3% CAGR over 14 years tracks above the national long-run average, though the 12.7% retreat from the 2022 peak is a factor for recent purchasers.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,789
Rent / wk
$350
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$795
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
37
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.7%
Couples, no children
2,095
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 19.6% of the workforce (159 workers), followed closely by Construction at 18.6% (151 workers), a combination that reflects both the service needs of a semi-rural community and the trades-heavy character of the Yarra Valley region. Education accounts for 11.3% and Manufacturing 8.6%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers lead (175), ahead of Professionals (170) and Managers (150), with Labourers (145) close behind. This spread is more even than most metropolitan suburbs, reflecting a locally employed mix rather than white-collar commuters. The unemployment rate of 3.7% is low, with a full-time employment rate of 61.5% across 714 full-time workers. Participation at 60.2% is moderate, and 602 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the older family lifecycle stages in the area.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
34.8%
Participation
60.2%
Employed
1,161
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.7%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
11.7%
Dwellings
861
Transport to Work
Car dependence is almost total: 93% of residents drive to work, and only 0.4% use public transport, reflecting a location where train and bus access is limited compared to metropolitan Melbourne. The crime rate of 32.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is moderate, with property and deception offences accounting for 42 of 81 total recorded incidents. Rent-to-income sits at 19.1%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, meaning renters in the area are not under financial pressure. Mortgage-to-income at 22.6% also avoids stress territory. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on neighbouring Yarra Valley towns. The suburb's low density of 69 people per km2, combined with 5.2% of residents requiring daily assistance, suggests an older minority needing care services in an otherwise self-sufficient community.
Drive
93.0%
Public Transport
0.4%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
81
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
32.5
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 Launching Place compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Launching Place a good suburb to live in?
Launching Place suits families and established owner-occupiers who prioritise space and quiet over urban convenience. Household income ranks at the 66th percentile nationally, mortgage stress is low at 22.6% of income, and the crime rate of 32.5 incidents per 1,000 residents is moderate. The main trade-off is near-total car dependence, with only 0.4% of residents using public transport.
What is the median house price in Launching Place?
The median house price was $680,000 in April-June 2024. This is down 12.7% from the 2022 peak of $778,500 but represents a 106% gain from the $330,000 trough in 2013. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,789, and weekly rent is $350.
What schools are in Launching Place?
No schools are recorded within the Launching Place suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Yarra Valley townships. Despite this, university qualification rates in the suburb are 19.7%, while the local workforce is concentrated in healthcare, construction, and education industries.
Is Launching Place safe?
Launching Place recorded 81 total crimes in the most recent period, giving a rate of 32.5 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 42 incidents. Crimes against the person totalled 16. The low population of 2,495 means small counts can shift the rate considerably year to year.
Is Launching Place good for property investment?
The 5.3% compound annual growth rate over 14 years is a positive signal, taking prices from $330,000 to $680,000. However, the rental market is thin: only 6.3% of households rent compared to the national average, and the weekly rent of $350 implies a modest yield against the $680,000 median. The 4.1% vacancy rate is manageable but the investor case rests on capital growth rather than rental income.
How is Launching Place's population changing?
The current population is 2,495. Residential turnover is low at 11.9%, with 88.1% of residents staying in the same address, indicating a stable, low-churn community. The median age of 38 is 2 years below the national figure, and the family household structure with an average size of 2.7 people suggests the suburb continues to attract households at the family formation stage.
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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