Mitcham
The suburb now combines established housing with above-average education and income indicators: 54.5% of residents have university qualifications, 24.4 percentage points above the national figure, while household income sits at the 76th percentile. Overseas-born residents account for 34.3% of the population and working from home is reported by 43.5%. Compared with the more commercial eastern activity around Ringwood and Nunawading, Mitcham generally suits buyers seeking a settled residential setting with access to established services.
Population
16,795
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,030/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
32
Median House
$1.3M
October to December 2025
Mitcham suits buyers who prioritise established homes, larger floorplans and a settled eastern-suburban setting. Separate houses make up 62.9% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 32.3% and apartments at 4.8%; 46.7% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 27.2% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs equal 24.7% of household income, below the 30% stress benchmark commonly used by buyers, although the price point still favours households with established equity or above-average earnings.
For Buyers
Mitcham suits buyers who prioritise established homes, larger floorplans and a settled eastern-suburban setting. Separate houses make up 62.9% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 32.3% and apartments at 4.8%; 46.7% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 27.2% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs equal 24.7% of household income, below the 30% stress benchmark commonly used by buyers, although the price point still favours households with established equity or above-average earnings.
For Investors
Mitcham offers a broad rental base, with 27.6% of occupied dwellings rented and weekly rent at $406. The 6.2% vacancy rate means investors should allow for leasing competition and property-specific differences rather than assume immediate tenant demand. Rent growth of 28.5% is higher than the 0.7% annual population trend, which supports income growth but also raises affordability questions for tenants. Overseas migration is the primary forecast growth driver, while 23 development applications in 12 months point to ongoing property activity.
Development Activity
Total DAs
45
Last 12 Months
32
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+255.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mitcham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Antonio Park Primary School
Mitcham Primary School
Rangeview Primary School
St John's School
Mullauna Secondary College
Demographics
Mitcham has a median age of 39, one year below the national figure, and an average household size of 2.5, matching the national comparison. Its education profile is notably higher than national levels: 54.5% of residents have university qualifications, 24.4 percentage points above the national rate. Overseas-born residents represent 34.3%, or 12.7 percentage points above the national figure. English and Chinese are prominent ancestry groups, with counts of 4,893 and 3,166, while Mandarin is spoken by 798 residents. A 79.9% five-year stay rate indicates residential stability, even as overseas migration adds new households. Compared with nearby Nunawading, Mitcham presents a similarly established eastern profile with strong professional and family representation.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
62.9%
Houses
32.3%
Townhouse
4.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership is split between outright owners at 35.2%, mortgage holders at 36.1% and renters at 27.6%. The stock is predominantly separate houses at 62.9%, supported by 32.3% semi-detached dwellings and 4.8% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.7%, making the suburb more house-oriented than its apartment share suggests. Buyers comparing Mitcham with Ringwood or Nunawading should focus on land, renovation condition and tenure mix street by street.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $406.
$580
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $625 · units $520
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$911
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.2%
Unoccupied
425
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.6%
Couples with children
36.8%
Couples, no children
13.0%
Single parent
4,708
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mitcham has a comparatively strong professional economy, with healthcare accounting for 15.7% of employment, professional and technical services 15.0%, education 12.5%, finance 7.7% and construction 7.5%. Professionals number 3,070 and managers 1,286, reinforcing the suburb's higher-skilled profile. Weekly household income is $2,030 at the 76th percentile, while family income reaches $2,487 and personal income $911. Labour-force participation is 67.4%, full-time employment is 60.9% and unemployment is 4.4%. SEIFA results are above the midpoint, with IEO in decile 9, IRSAD in decile 9, IRSD in decile 8 and IER in decile 7. The lower IER result compared with IEO and IRSAD suggests income and employment conditions are solid but less uniformly advantaged than education and broader socioeconomic measures.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
9,315
Unemployed
408
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.9%
Part-time
33.3%
Participation
67.4%
Employed
8,907
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.5%
Postgraduate
16.2%
Born Overseas
34.3%
Dwellings
6,463
Transport to Work
Mitcham provides practical family infrastructure, with 5 local schools spanning 3 government primary schools, 1 government secondary college and 1 Catholic primary school. Enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because boundaries can cross nearby streets. Car use at 46.7% is higher than public transport use at 4.6%, while 43.5% work from home, supporting a lifestyle that is less dependent on daily public transport. Recorded crime totals 887 incidents, or 52.8 per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences number 670, higher than crimes against the person at 121. The IRSAD score sits in decile 9 and volunteering is 18.0%, indicating stronger socioeconomic resources and civic participation than many locations, although household-level safety can vary around commercial and transport areas.
Drive
46.7%
Public Transport
4.6%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
43.5%
Population Forecast
+0.7%/yr
(+122 people/yr)
EstablishedMitcham has an established growth profile, with the forecast trend running at 0.7% annually and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 13.4% over 10 years, while the forecast trajectory is labelled Mixed rather than consistently accelerating. Rent growth of 28.5% is higher than the 0.7% annual trend, reflecting stronger housing-cost pressure than population momentum alone would suggest. The gentrification score is 25 and the stage is Early signs, supported by population growth and recovery from a 2.0% COVID dip to a 2.9% recovery. Real income growth of 13.8% and an improving affordability trend may help sustain demand, but established pricing limits the pace of further change.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+297
Net Internal / yr
-261
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +14% since 2011, Net internal outflow -261/yr, Strong overseas inflow +297/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
887
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
52.8
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 Mitcham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mitcham a good suburb to live in?
Mitcham suits households seeking established housing, schools and a stable community profile. The median age is 39, 62.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 43.5% of residents work from home. Compared with denser apartment-oriented areas, Mitcham provides more traditional family housing, although car use at 46.7% is much higher than public transport use at 4.6%.
What schools are in Mitcham?
Mitcham has 5 listed local schools: 3 government primary schools, 1 government secondary college and 1 Catholic primary school. Families should check the exact enrolment zone for each address, as boundaries can affect access. The local mix covers primary and secondary education, with government and Catholic options represented.
Is Mitcham safe?
Mitcham recorded 887 offences, equivalent to 52.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 670, higher than crimes against the person at 121. Drug offences numbered 19. These figures provide a suburb-level guide, but safety can vary between residential streets, shopping areas and transport corridors, so buyers should inspect their preferred pocket at different times.
How is Mitcham's population changing?
Mitcham has 16,795 residents today, with population change across the wider area recorded at 13.4% over 10 years. The annual forecast trend is 0.7%, and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, with a gentrification score of 25 and a stage of Early signs. A 79.9% five-year stay rate also points to substantial residential stability.
What languages are spoken in Mitcham?
Mitcham has an overseas-born share of 34.3%, which is 12.7 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is spoken by 798 residents and Cantonese by 351, followed by Persian at 96, Italian at 89 and Hindi at 88. This language mix reflects the suburb's established Chinese and broader migrant communities alongside English-speaking households.
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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