Mornington
Detached housing defines Mornington more than apartment living: 95.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 73.5% have 3 bedrooms. At 2,469 residents across 4.22 sq km, it is a compact eastern-shore pocket compared with nearby Warrane and Howrah, but its income position sits at the 41.9th percentile nationally. The median age is 36, 4.0 years below the national benchmark, yet the forecast trajectory is aging rather than youth-led.
Local council: Clarence
Population
2,469
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,423/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Mornington suits buyers who want a conventional house format rather than high-density living. Purchase affordability is not captured by a median sale price, but carrying costs look moderate: the typical mortgage payment is $1,387 a month and mortgage-to-income is 22.5%. Detached stock is the main draw because 95.4% of dwellings are separate houses, with 3-bedroom homes at 73.5%, higher than 4-plus bedroom homes at 11.8%. The trade-off is limited dwelling variety, with semi-detached homes at 4.6%.
For Buyers
Mornington suits buyers who want a conventional house format rather than high-density living. Purchase affordability is not captured by a median sale price, but carrying costs look moderate: the typical mortgage payment is $1,387 a month and mortgage-to-income is 22.5%. Detached stock is the main draw because 95.4% of dwellings are separate houses, with 3-bedroom homes at 73.5%, higher than 4-plus bedroom homes at 11.8%. The trade-off is limited dwelling variety, with semi-detached homes at 4.6%.
For Investors
Investors are looking at a mid-rental suburb rather than a pure renter market. Renters make up 32.9%, lower than mortgage holders at 38.9% but higher than outright owners at 27.6%. Weekly rent is $340 and rent-to-income is 23.9%, so tenant affordability pressure appears contained because rent sits below the main income-stress threshold. Vacancy is 4.6% and approvals are 0 over 12 months, meaning yield prospects depend more on existing stock management than new-supply scarcity.
Demographics
Mornington is younger than the national benchmark, with a median age of 36 and an age gap of 4.0 years below national. University attainment is 30.7%, 0.6 percentage points above national, but the overseas-born share is 15.7%, 5.9 points below national, so the suburb remains more locally and Anglo-leaning than many urban areas. English ancestry is the largest group at 1,049 people, followed by Irish at 206 and Scottish at 171, while Mandarin and Nepali each record 31 speakers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.4%
Houses
4.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is ownership-led, but not dominated by debt-free households. Mortgaged homes account for 38.9%, above outright ownership at 27.6% and renting at 32.9%, which points to a suburb still carrying family-stage housing costs. The built form is highly uniform because separate houses make up 95.4% and semi-detached homes 4.6%. Three-bedroom dwellings dominate at 73.5%, compared with 11.8% for 4-plus bedrooms, so upsizers may face fewer large-home options than standard family homes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,387
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$340
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$715
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
47
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.5%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.7%
Couples with children
36.1%
Couples, no children
25.8%
Single parent
659
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the main employment base, with 187 workers or 23.8%, above education at 85 workers and 10.8%, construction at 83 and 10.6%, public admin at 76 and 9.7%, and retail at 57 and 7.3%. Occupations are mixed, led by trades and community or personal roles at 200 each, with professionals close behind at 192. The tension is that education levels sit slightly above national while SEIFA remains low: IEO is decile 2, and IER, IRSD and IRSAD are all decile 1 nationally, reflecting weaker resources and advantage.
Unemployment
7.6%
Labour Force
1,269
Unemployed
96
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.1%
Part-time
38.7%
Participation
61.4%
Employed
1,173
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
30.7%
Postgraduate
10.4%
Born Overseas
15.7%
Dwellings
955
Transport to Work
Daily life in Mornington is car based. Car driving accounts for 76.8% of commuting, far above public transport at 6.0%, walking or cycling at 2.7%, and working from home at 6.1%. That pattern matters because the suburb covers 4.22 sq km at a density of 584.9 people per sq km, so convenience depends on road access more than walk-up services. IRSAD decile 1 nationally and a need-assistance share of 9.5% point to some social-support needs alongside the detached-house setting.
Drive
76.8%
Public Transport
6.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.7%
Work from Home
6.1%
Growth Outlook
Mornington's growth profile is steady rather than rapid, with the forecast trend running at 1.07% a year and migration labelled Balanced. The 10-year population-change signal is 19.4%, but the shift trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 7.7 points while working-age share is down 5.5 points. Rent growth of 46.4% and affordability worsening from 49.9 to 52.6 show cost pressure building. Even so, the main gentrification score is 15 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so change looks gradual.
Population trend: Clarence council area
Mornington sits in the Clarence council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mornington's.
Residents 2025
64,119
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.4%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Mornington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mornington a good suburb to live in?
Mornington can suit buyers wanting detached housing and car access, with 95.4% separate houses and 73.5% 3-bedroom dwellings. It is less suited to people seeking apartment choice or strong public transport use, which is 6.0% compared with 76.8% car driving.
What is the median house price in Mornington?
A current median house price is not available for Mornington, so housing should be assessed through structure and costs. The typical mortgage payment is $1,387 a month, mortgage-to-income is 22.5%, and 95.4% of homes are separate houses.
What schools are in Mornington?
Mornington has 0 schools within the suburb boundary, so families usually need to check surrounding Clarence options such as Warrane, Howrah or Rosny Park. The suburb has 2,469 residents across 4.22 sq km, making cross-suburb school access part of planning.
Is Mornington safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not published for Mornington, so safety should be checked through current local sources and inspections. The suburb has 2,469 residents, and 75.7% of residents stayed at the same address, which suggests a relatively settled local base.
Is Mornington good for property investment?
Mornington has an investable rental base, with 32.9% renting and weekly rent at $340. Vacancy is 4.6%, so leasing risk should be assessed carefully, while 0 approvals over 12 months means near-term supply pressure is not coming from local new development.
How is Mornington's population changing?
Mornington has 2,469 residents today, and the 10-year population-change signal is 19.4%. Future growth is forecast at 1.07% a year with Balanced migration, while the trajectory is Aging as senior share rises and working-age share falls.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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