Lower Plenty
With a median age of 45 and 83.5% of residents having stayed in the same address for at least five years, Lower Plenty is one of Melbourne's most settled suburban pockets. Household income sits at the 82.2nd percentile nationally, placing it well above average, while a $1,455,000 median house price reflects that wealth in the property market. Just 3,962 people share 6.82 square kilometres at a density of 581 per km2, lower than typical inner-ring suburbs. University qualifications reach 46%, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national figure, and the workforce tilts heavily toward healthcare and education, the two largest industries.
Population
3,962
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,160/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$1.5M
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price is $1,455,000 as of April to June 2024, up from $1,264,000 in the January to March quarter. Over 14 years, prices have risen 113.8% from a $680,500 base in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 5.6%. Separate houses account for 75.2% of dwellings, well above the national norm, and 41.4% of homes have four or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership is high at 45.0%, compared with 39.9% on a mortgage, signalling long-held, low-debt holdings rather than a market driven by recent buyers stretched to their limits.
For Buyers
The median house price is $1,455,000 as of April to June 2024, up from $1,264,000 in the January to March quarter. Over 14 years, prices have risen 113.8% from a $680,500 base in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 5.6%. Separate houses account for 75.2% of dwellings, well above the national norm, and 41.4% of homes have four or more bedrooms. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright ownership is high at 45.0%, compared with 39.9% on a mortgage, signalling long-held, low-debt holdings rather than a market driven by recent buyers stretched to their limits.
For Investors
Rental activity in Lower Plenty is thin, with only 15.1% of dwellings rented and weekly median rent at $400. Against a $1,455,000 median house price, that rent implies a gross yield below 1.5%, which is low even by Melbourne standards. The 5.7% vacancy rate is moderate, suggesting limited excess supply in the rental pool. Development is subdued, with only 5 planning applications in the past 12 months, several under landscape overlay restrictions, which limits new supply but also restricts uplift opportunities. Rent-to-income sits at just 18.5%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning tenants are comfortable, a positive sign for tenancy stability though not for rental growth pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Lower Plenty iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Lower Plenty Primary School
Prep-6 · 95 students
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, pointing to an established, aging resident base. Overseas-born residents account for 18.7%, which is 2.9 percentage points below the national average. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,473 people), Irish (523) and Scottish (492), with Italian (434) the strongest non-British group. University qualifications reach 46%, running 15.9 percentage points above national, consistent with the professional and managerial workforce profile. Average household size is 2.5, matching the national average. The resident stability rate of 83.5% staying in the same address is unusually high and explains the cohesive, long-term occupancy pattern.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
75.2%
Houses
20.9%
Townhouse
3.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits heavily toward ownership: 45.0% own outright and 39.9% carry a mortgage, with only 15.1% renting. That outright ownership rate is above the state and national average, reflecting a population that has held property for many years. The stock is dominated by separate houses at 75.2%, with semi-detached at 20.9% and apartments at just 3.9%. Four-plus bedroom homes account for 41.4% of all dwellings, above the national proportion, reflecting the family-oriented and upsizer market that has historically driven demand here. Median house price grew from $675,000 at its 2014 trough to $1,455,000 as of mid-2024, a 115.6% recovery, with the CAGR over 14 years at 5.6%.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,200
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$955
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.7%
Unoccupied
89
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.1%
Couples, no children
3,177
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.1% (242 workers), followed by Education at 14.2% (201) and Construction at 13.8% (195). Professional and technical services add 10.4% (147) and Public Administration 6.6% (94). By occupation, Professionals (559) and Managers (381) lead the workforce, consistent with a high-income suburb where household income sits at the 82.2nd percentile nationally. Full-time employment runs at 62.3% of those employed, and the unemployment rate is 4.2%. Participation sits at 57.2%, below the national rate, partly because 1,157 residents are not in the labour force, a function of the older median age of 45 pulling more people into retirement.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
57.2%
Employed
1,812
Occupations
Top Industries
University
46.0%
Postgraduate
11.5%
Born Overseas
18.7%
Dwellings
1,472
Transport to Work
Transport is almost entirely car-dependent, with 91.8% of residents driving to work and only 2.1% using public transport, well below the Melbourne average. Walkability is low at 1.9% walking or cycling. Crime sits at 141 total offences, equating to 35.6 incidents per 1,000 people, lower than many comparable Melbourne suburbs, with property and deception offences (61) the largest category. Housing stress is absent: the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.5% and the rent-to-income ratio is 18.5%, both below stress thresholds. Volunteering runs at 17.0% of residents. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families typically draw on schools in adjacent areas such as Montmorency and Greensborough.
Drive
91.8%
Public Transport
2.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
141
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.6
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 Lower Plenty compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lower Plenty a good suburb to live in?
Lower Plenty suits buyers who value space, stability and above-average incomes. Household income sits at the 82.2nd percentile nationally, university qualifications reach 46% (15.9 points above national), and 83.5% of residents have stayed in their current address, reflecting genuine community stability. The main trade-offs are high entry prices at $1,455,000 median and near-total car dependency, with only 2.1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Lower Plenty?
The median house price is $1,455,000, recorded for the April to June 2024 quarter. Prices have risen 113.8% since 2013 from a $680,500 base, equivalent to a 5.6% compound annual growth rate. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,200, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.5%, which is below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Lower Plenty?
No schools are recorded inside the Lower Plenty suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically use schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Montmorency, Greensborough and Eltham. The local population is highly educated, with 46% holding university qualifications, which is 15.9 percentage points above the national average.
Is Lower Plenty safe?
Lower Plenty recorded 141 total offences, a crime rate of 35.6 per 1,000 residents. The largest category is property and deception offences at 61 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 43. At 35.6 per 1,000, the rate is relatively low compared to higher-density Melbourne suburbs, consistent with a low-turnover, owner-occupier community where 83.5% of residents have stayed long term.
Is Lower Plenty good for property investment?
Investment yields are low: weekly rent of $400 against a $1,455,000 median house price implies a gross yield below 1.5%. Only 15.1% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 5.7%. The capital growth case is stronger, with a 5.6% CAGR over 14 years. Landscape overlay controls limit new supply, which supports price scarcity over the medium term.
How is Lower Plenty's population changing?
Lower Plenty has 3,962 residents across 6.82 km2, with a density of 581 per km2. The resident stability rate is high at 83.5% staying in the same address, and the annual turnover rate is just 16.5%. The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national figure, suggesting natural population growth through new family formation will remain limited without significant new housing development.
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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