Malvern East
University attainment is 62.3%, 32.2 percentage points above the national figure, while 30.5% of residents were born overseas, 8.9 points higher than nationally. Its population is 22,296 and density is 2,887.3 people per sq km, giving it a more urban profile than the lower-density family market many buyers associate with nearby Ashburton. Malvern East also offers 21.5% apartments and 23.6% semi-detached homes alongside 53.3% separate houses. High household income at the 90.3 percentile supports premium demand, although the 102.9 per 1,000 crime rate is a clear trade-off.
Population
22,296
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,383/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
413
Median House
$2.2M
October to December 2025
The stock is not exclusively detached: 53.3% are separate houses, 23.6% semi-detached and 21.5% apartments. A $2,944 monthly mortgage indicator and 28.5% mortgage-to-income ratio suggest borrowing capacity still needs careful testing, even without a mortgage stress flag. For buyers comparing Malvern East with nearby Malvern, the mixed dwelling share widens the formats considered beyond detached homes.
For Buyers
The stock is not exclusively detached: 53.3% are separate houses, 23.6% semi-detached and 21.5% apartments. A $2,944 monthly mortgage indicator and 28.5% mortgage-to-income ratio suggest borrowing capacity still needs careful testing, even without a mortgage stress flag. For buyers comparing Malvern East with nearby Malvern, the mixed dwelling share widens the formats considered beyond detached homes.
For Investors
Investors face a split set of signals. Renting accounts for 31.3% of households, below the combined owner-occupied share, while weekly rent is $421. Vacancy is 14.4%, a high-vacancy signal that can weaken income reliability even when tenant demand is supported by 420 development applications in 12 months. Rent growth of 17.6% and overseas migration as the primary growth driver are constructive, but extensions and planning activity can add competing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
487
Last 12 Months
413
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+555.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Malvern East
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Lloyd Street Primary School
Malvern Primary School
Malvern Valley Primary School
St Mary's School
The Currajong School
Demographics
Malvern East has a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national comparison, and university attainment reaches 62.3%, 32.2 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 30.5%, 8.9 points higher than nationally, with Mandarin speakers numbering 572 and Greek speakers 545. Couples with children make up 49.8% of families, while couples without children represent 36.7%, within an average household size of 2.5. English, Irish, Chinese and Scottish ancestry counts of 6,750, 2,651, 2,516 and 2,132 help explain the suburb's mix of professional, family and established migrant households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
53.3%
Houses
23.6%
Townhouse
21.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Price performance has been strong over the long run but uneven recently. Ownership is split between 36.0% outright and 31.6% mortgage households, against 31.3% renting. With 32.5% three-bedroom and 32.1% four-plus-bedroom homes, the stock supports family demand more than a compact apartment-only market.
Mortgage / mo
$2,944
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $421.
$610
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $750 · units $600
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,060
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.4%
Unoccupied
1,403
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
49.8%
Couples with children
36.7%
Couples, no children
11.5%
Single parent
5,705
Total families
Economy & Employment
Malvern East's economy is anchored by Healthcare at 17.5% of employment, Professional/Tech at 16.9%, Education at 11.4%, Finance at 8.9% and Retail at 7.3%. That mix aligns with 4,478 Professionals and 2,265 Managers, helping produce a household-income percentile of 90.3. Labour participation is 67.1%, unemployment is 5.1% and full-time employment is 59.9%, so the suburb has a substantial working base. SEIFA reinforces the advantage: IEO, IRSAD and IRSD all sit in decile 10, while IER is lower at decile 8. The IER result is below the other 3 deciles, suggesting economic resources are strong but not uniform across every household.
Unemployment
5.1%
Labour Force
12,582
Unemployed
639
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.9%
Part-time
34.3%
Participation
67.1%
Employed
11,943
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.3%
Postgraduate
19.0%
Born Overseas
30.5%
Dwellings
8,315
Transport to Work
Daily life suits residents who value established services and home-based work. Public transport accounts for 5.4% of travel, car driving 40.9% and walking or cycling 3.4%, while 47.8% work from home, so commute patterns are more flexible than transit-led. 5 local schools include 4 primary options and 1 special school, split across 3 government, 1 Catholic and 1 independent provider; compare enrolment zones and year levels against the exact address. Safety needs attention: 2,295 offences equate to 102.9 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 1,716, higher than crimes against the person at 276. The IRSAD decile is 10, supporting strong access to resources but not removing street-level trade-offs.
Drive
40.9%
Public Transport
5.4%
Walk / Cycle
3.4%
Work from Home
47.8%
Population Forecast
+0.71%/yr
(+170 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is measured rather than rapid: the annual trend is 0.71%, with Overseas migration the primary driver. The wider-area population change is 9.3% over 10 years, while the forecast trajectory is Aging. That direction is consistent with a senior-share increase of 4.2% and a young-share decline of 2.5%, with the young shift below the senior increase. Gentrification remains at Early signs with a score of 25, rather than a mature stage, and rent growth has reached 17.6%. Malvern East also recovered from a 3.9% COVID dip, followed by 6.5% recovery, so established demand has proved more resilient than the temporary shock.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+608
Net Internal / yr
-145
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +14% since 2011, Net internal outflow -145/yr, Strong overseas inflow +608/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,295
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
102.9
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 Malvern East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Malvern East?
There are 5 local schools, including 4 primary schools and 1 special school. The mix is 3 government, 1 Catholic and 1 independent provider. Compared with relying on one sector, families have several school types to assess, but should check enrolment zones, year levels and transport access against the exact address.
Is Malvern East safe?
The recorded crime rate is 102.9 offences per 1,000 residents, with 2,295 offences overall. Property and deception offences account for 1,716, higher than crimes against the person at 276. Check the exact street and recent local trends when comparing safety around different parts of the suburb.
Is Malvern East good for property investment?
The investment case is mixed. Weekly rent is $421 and renting accounts for 31.3% of households, but vacancy is high at 14.4%, which can increase letting risk. Development activity reached 420 applications in 12 months, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver. Compare yield, vacancy and property type before buying.
How is Malvern East's population changing?
Malvern East has 22,296 residents today. The wider-area forecast points to 0.71% annual growth and 9.3% population change over 10 years, with overseas migration the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 4.2% while young share is down 2.5%, below the senior shift.
What languages are spoken in Malvern East?
Residents born overseas account for 30.5% of the population. Mandarin is the largest listed language at 572 speakers, above Greek at 545, followed by Cantonese at 150, Hindi at 116 and Italian at 112. These figures indicate more language variety than a suburb with a predominantly English-speaking profile.
Is Malvern East seeing much development?
There were 420 development applications in the last 12 months, indicating substantial planning activity. Recent examples include an upper-floor extension and carport, facade alterations and a planning permit amendment. The activity appears more renovation-led than a clear new-estate pipeline, so buyers should compare individual permits and likely construction impacts.
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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