Mckinnon
With 59.3% of residents holding university qualifications and 40.0% born overseas, McKinnon combines a highly educated profile with established family housing. Its 6,878 residents occupy just 1.58 square kilometres at a density of 4,359.2 people per square kilometre, while household income ranks at the 90.8th percentile. Couples with children make up 55.6% of families, and 48.8% of residents work from home. Compared with nearby Bentleigh and Ormond, McKinnon is best understood as a compact, established school-focused market where high incomes and limited land help sustain prices.
Population
6,878
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,410/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
38
Median House
$1.9M
October to December 2025
The housing mix gives buyers more choice than a detached-only market: 59.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 27.7% are semi-detached and 12.8% are apartments. Family-sized stock is common, with 39.5% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 32.8% having 4 or more.
For Buyers
The housing mix gives buyers more choice than a detached-only market: 59.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 27.7% are semi-detached and 12.8% are apartments. Family-sized stock is common, with 39.5% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 32.8% having 4 or more.
For Investors
McKinnon has a substantial rental market, with 32.9% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent at $516. The 6.6% vacancy rate is higher than an extremely tight rental market, so investors should assess the exact property, presentation and tenant appeal rather than assume automatic leasing. Development activity is notable, with 38 applications recorded over 12 months, including subdivision proposals that could gradually add smaller homes. Compared with outright ownership at 31.8%, renting represents a similarly large tenure group, supporting an established tenant base. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, while rents have increased 33.1% across the wider area, creating income support but also raising affordability risks for tenants.
Development Activity
Total DAs
49
Last 12 Months
38
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+442.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mckinnon
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
McKinnon Secondary College
Demographics
McKinnon's median age of 40.0 is level with the national comparison, but its education and migration profile is notably higher: 59.3% hold university qualifications, 29.2 percentage points above national, and 40.0% were born overseas, 18.4 points above national. English ancestry is reported by 1,758 people, Chinese ancestry by 1,167 and Irish ancestry by 636. Mandarin is the leading listed non-English language, spoken by 386 residents. Household size averages 2.8 people, while 55.6% of families are couples with children. Compared with nearby Bentleigh and Ormond, McKinnon has a concentrated professional and family profile, reinforced by 76.1% of residents staying at the same address over the reference period.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
59.0%
Houses
27.7%
Townhouse
12.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is relatively balanced: 31.8% of homes are owned outright, 34.4% have a mortgage and 32.9% are rented. Three-bedroom homes account for 39.5% of stock, followed by 4-bedroom-plus homes at 32.8%. Compared with the apartment share of 12.8%, the 59.0% separate-house share explains why land value remains central to pricing.
Mortgage / mo
$2,689
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$516
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$963
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.6%
Unoccupied
164
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
55.6%
Couples with children
27.0%
Couples, no children
16.1%
Single parent
1,894
Total families
Economy & Employment
McKinnon's economy is weighted toward knowledge and service work. Professional and technology industries account for 17.1% of workers, followed by healthcare at 15.4%, education at 13.3%, finance at 7.9% and retail at 7.0%. The occupational profile supports this pattern, with 1,277 professionals and 686 managers, compared with 443 clerical and administrative workers. Labour-force participation is 67.4%, unemployment is 4.5% and 60.4% of employed residents work full time. Weekly household income of $2,410 ranks at the 90.8th percentile, above the national middle. SEIFA results are also high: education and occupation rank in decile 9, economic resources in decile 8, and disadvantage and advantage in decile 9, indicating strong capacity overall with some resource variation.
Unemployment
4.5%
Labour Force
3,676
Unemployed
167
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.4%
Part-time
34.0%
Participation
67.4%
Employed
3,509
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
59.3%
Postgraduate
18.3%
Born Overseas
40.0%
Dwellings
2,331
Transport to Work
McKinnon is a compact 1.58 square kilometre suburb with a density of 4,359.2 people per square kilometre. One local school is listed, McKinnon Secondary College, a government secondary school, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Travel patterns are mixed: 41.6% drive as car occupants, 4.0% use public transport, 2.9% walk or cycle, and 48.8% work from home. Recorded crime is 30.2 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 130 cases versus 46 crimes against the person. An IRSAD decile of 9 places the suburb above lower-decile areas on socioeconomic advantage, while the local service profile is shaped by high incomes, school access and substantial home-based work.
Drive
41.6%
Public Transport
4.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
48.8%
Population Forecast
+1.25%/yr
(+337 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth across the wider area runs at 1.25% annually and is primarily driven by overseas migration, giving McKinnon a steady rather than explosive outlook. Ten-year population change is 19.2%, above a zero-growth baseline, while the forecast shift is labelled Mixed. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 33, and a separate shift measure records a score of 41. Rent growth of 33.1% is higher than the pace implied by a static rental market, helping explain investor interest but also adding cost pressure. Real income growth is 21.7%, while the young share has fallen 1.4 percentage points and the senior share has risen 0.7 points. These changes point to an established suburb evolving through migration, income growth and gradual household ageing.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+504
Net Internal / yr
-120
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +23% since 2011, Net internal outflow -120/yr, Strong overseas inflow +504/yr, Accelerating: 7% → 14%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
208
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
30.2
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 Mckinnon compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in McKinnon?
The listed local school is McKinnon Secondary College, a government secondary school. Families should verify the current enrolment zone for an address because boundaries can affect eligibility. The suburb has 6,878 residents, so school access and capacity should be checked directly before committing to a purchase.
Is McKinnon safe?
Recorded crime was 208 incidents, equal to 30.2 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 130 cases, compared with 46 crimes against the person. Safety can vary by street and time, so buyers and renters should review current local trends and inspect the immediate surroundings before deciding.
How is McKinnon's population changing?
The wider area's population change is forecast at 19.2% over 10 years, with annual growth running at 1.25%. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is labelled Mixed, while gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 33. The young share has declined 1.4 percentage points and the senior share has increased 0.7 points.
What languages are spoken in McKinnon?
McKinnon has an overseas-born share of 40.0%, which contributes to a varied language profile. Mandarin is the leading listed language after English, with 386 speakers, followed by Russian at 98, Greek at 91, Cantonese at 56 and Hindi at 32. Chinese ancestry is reported by 1,167 residents.
What development is occurring in McKinnon?
There were 38 development applications recorded over 12 months. The examples include 8-lot subdivision proposals and planning permits for tree removal. The activity suggests gradual infill rather than a large apartment-led change, but buyers should check the specific planning history, proposed lot layout and neighbouring applications before purchasing.
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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