Mccrae
An older, low-turnover coastal profile defines McCrae: 3,311 residents have a median age of 55, which is 15 years above the national figure. Detached housing accounts for 93.2% of homes, while 53.0% are owned outright and vacancy is 34.5%, shaping a quieter market than denser nearby alternatives. For buyers weighing McCrae against Rosebud or Dromana, the defining markers are its high outright ownership and older resident base. English ancestry is recorded for 1,439 people, and 80.6% stayed at the same address, pointing to a settled seaside setting rather than a fast-turnover commuter suburb.
Population
3,311
Median Age
55.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,433/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
McCrae suits buyers seeking detached, multi-bedroom housing, but the entry cost is substantial. Houses dominate at 93.2%, compared with only 0.6% apartments, while 3-bedroom homes account for 52.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes make up 34.9%. Buyers should test repayments against household income of $1,433 a week because newer borrowers face more pressure than outright owners.
For Buyers
McCrae suits buyers seeking detached, multi-bedroom housing, but the entry cost is substantial. Houses dominate at 93.2%, compared with only 0.6% apartments, while 3-bedroom homes account for 52.8% and 4-plus-bedroom homes make up 34.9%. Buyers should test repayments against household income of $1,433 a week because newer borrowers face more pressure than outright owners.
For Investors
Investment conditions are mixed. Weekly rent is $392 and only 15.5% of occupied dwellings are rented, a share lower than the 53.0% owned outright, so the tenant pool is smaller than the owner base. The 34.5% vacancy rate is the key caution because available stock can reduce rent competition and weaken short-term income certainty. Recent development activity totals 7 applications over 12 months, pointing to a modest new-supply pipeline rather than a major construction wave. Recorded rent growth is 42.9%, but investors should compare that result with vacancy, insurance, maintenance and mortgage costs. A Balanced migration driver and 0.96% annual trend support measured demand, not a high-growth assumption.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-11.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
McCrae has an older demographic profile: the median age is 55, or 15 years above the national comparison, while average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national figure. Couples without children account for 55.8% of families, compared with 30.7% for couples with children, helping explain the smaller households and low turnover. University attainment is 28.9%, 1.2 percentage points below the national level, and 13.0% of residents were born overseas, 8.6 points below national. English ancestry is the largest response at 1,439 people, followed by Irish at 457 and Scottish at 454. Christianity counts 1,408 and no religion 1,604. With 80.6% staying at the same address and turnover at 19.4%, McCrae is more settled than a high-mobility growth suburb.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
93.2%
Houses
6.2%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
McCrae's house market has risen over the long run but pulled back from its recent high. Tenure is concentrated among outright owners at 53.0%, followed by mortgages at 29.4% and renting at 15.5%. Compared with the 52.8% three-bedroom share, 4-plus-bedroom homes are lower at 34.9%, reinforcing a detached-house market with apartments at only 0.6%. Mortgage-to-income costs of 32.2% are higher than rent-to-income costs of 27.4%, making borrowing capacity important.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$392
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$737
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
34.5%
Unoccupied
700
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
32.2% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
30.7%
Couples with children
55.8%
Couples, no children
12.8%
Single parent
973
Total families
Economy & Employment
McCrae's labour market mixes construction, care, education and professional work. Construction leads at 18.1% or 176 workers, followed by healthcare at 15.2% or 148, education at 14.0% or 136, professional and technical services at 9.8% or 95, and retail at 6.6% or 64. Occupations are led by professionals at 315, trades at 251 and managers at 208, with clerical and administrative workers at 180 and community and personal services at 162. Unemployment is 3.9%, participation is 51.5%, and the workforce includes 697 full-time and 589 part-time workers. IEO, IER and IRSD each sit at decile 4, while IRSAD is lower at decile 3, consistent with household income at the 42.5th percentile. The older profile helps explain participation being lower than in a younger workforce suburb.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
1,501
Unemployed
58
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
48.3%
Part-time
40.8%
Participation
51.5%
Employed
1,443
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
28.9%
Postgraduate
5.8%
Born Overseas
13.0%
Dwellings
1,331
Transport to Work
Daily life in McCrae is strongly car-oriented. A total of 65.9% of workers drove, compared with 1.0% using public transport and 1.4% walking or cycling, while 28.3% worked from home. This makes private transport practical for many households and reduces the need for daily commuting. The suburb covers 4.29 square kilometres at 771.8 people per square kilometre, giving it a compact residential footprint. Recorded crime was 175 offences, or 52.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences numbered 101, higher than crimes against the person at 30, so secure parking and basic property precautions deserve attention. Socioeconomic access is mixed, with IRSAD at decile 3 and IRSD at decile 4, both below the strongest national deciles. The 17.3% volunteering rate adds a useful local participation signal.
Drive
65.9%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
28.3%
Population Forecast
+0.96%/yr
(+226 people/yr)
EstablishedMcCrae's growth outlook is measured rather than explosive. The annual trend is 0.96%, migration is labelled Balanced and population change across the wider area is 16.9% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Stable, with affordability also Stable from 2011 to 2021, so demand is not being driven by a sharp structural reset. Rent growth of 42.9% is higher than real income growth of 19.6%, which can increase investor interest but also pressure tenants. Gentrification remains at Early signs, with a score of 24. The ageing pattern matters: the senior share rose 0.9 percentage points while the young share fell 0.5, supporting gradual change because established housing and balanced migration limit the pace of turnover.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+110
Net Internal / yr
+144
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal migration +144/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
175
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
52.9
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 Mccrae compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is McCrae a good suburb to live in?
McCrae suits residents who value detached housing, a settled population and a coastal lifestyle. The median age is 55, 93.2% of homes are separate houses and 53.0% are owned outright. Car use is high at 65.9%, while public transport use is only 1.0%, so location and transport needs should be assessed carefully.
What schools are in McCrae?
No named school campus appears within McCrae itself. Families should check enrolment zones around Rosebud and Dromana for nearby options, while noting that McCrae has 3,311 residents and exact school access depends on the address and catchment boundary.
Is McCrae safe?
McCrae recorded 175 offences, or 52.9 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences made up 101 cases, compared with 30 crimes against the person. Those figures do not remove street-by-street variation, so inspect the immediate area, lighting and parking arrangements before deciding.
Is McCrae good for property investment?
McCrae has mixed investment signals. Weekly rent is $392, but vacancy is high at 34.5% and only 15.5% of dwellings are rented. Recent development activity totals 7 applications, while the annual growth trend is 0.96%. Investors should compare expected income with vacancy, maintenance, insurance and mortgage costs.
How is McCrae's population changing?
McCrae has 3,311 residents today, while population change across the wider area is 16.9% over 10 years. The trajectory is Stable, the annual trend is 0.96% and migration is Balanced. The senior share rose 0.9 percentage points while the young share fell 0.5, indicating gradual ageing rather than rapid population turnover.
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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