Mornington
Median age 50 sits ten years above the national figure, the steepest aging skew of any major bayside Melbourne suburb and four years above Buderim's 46. The 25,759-resident Mornington Peninsula seat has held its $1,050,000 median house price after correcting 10.3% from a $1,170,000 peak in Q4 2023, but the 14-year CAGR of 5.1% (from $525,000 in 2013) sits well above the national wage growth baseline. Detached housing dominates at 77.0%, with apartments just 10.6%, the inverse of Surfers Paradise's tower-heavy stock. Healthcare employs 20.2% (1,516 workers) and Construction 14.6%, an economy structurally weighted to servicing the retiree and weekender base rather than commuter Melbourne. SEIFA deciles cluster at 6 across all four indexes, mid-pack nationally but well above Frankston's mixed 4/2 split immediately to the north.
Population
25,759
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,451/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
45
At a $1,050,000 median (Apr-Jun 2024, down from the $1,170,000 Q4 2023 peak), Mornington costs roughly $300,000 more than Frankston's $748,500 and trades the latter's commuter accessibility for genuine bayside frontage. The structural pull for buyers is tenure stability: 43.7% own outright (well above the ~30% national norm) and another 33.9% are mortgaged, leaving just 22.5% renting versus 40.2% in Frankston. Stock is detached-dominant at 77.0% with only 10.6% apartments, and 27.4% of dwellings have four-plus bedrooms against 48.1% three-bedroom. The catch is affordability: mortgage-to-income lands at 31.8% (above the 30% stress threshold) on a $2,000/month repayment against the $1,451 weekly household income, which sits at only the 44.2nd percentile nationally despite the seven-figure entry price. Outright-owner share that high means listings turn slowly, so weekender buyers and Melbourne sea-changers compete for limited family stock.
For Buyers
At a $1,050,000 median (Apr-Jun 2024, down from the $1,170,000 Q4 2023 peak), Mornington costs roughly $300,000 more than Frankston's $748,500 and trades the latter's commuter accessibility for genuine bayside frontage. The structural pull for buyers is tenure stability: 43.7% own outright (well above the ~30% national norm) and another 33.9% are mortgaged, leaving just 22.5% renting versus 40.2% in Frankston. Stock is detached-dominant at 77.0% with only 10.6% apartments, and 27.4% of dwellings have four-plus bedrooms against 48.1% three-bedroom. The catch is affordability: mortgage-to-income lands at 31.8% (above the 30% stress threshold) on a $2,000/month repayment against the $1,451 weekly household income, which sits at only the 44.2nd percentile nationally despite the seven-figure entry price. Outright-owner share that high means listings turn slowly, so weekender buyers and Melbourne sea-changers compete for limited family stock.
For Investors
Mornington is structurally an owner-occupier and weekender market, not a yield play: only 22.5% of households rent compared to the 31% national share, and Frankston's 40.2% next door. Vacancy is unusually elevated at 9.4%, materially higher than tight metro markets typically below 2% and even above Coffs Harbour's 7.7%, reflecting the seasonal-rental and short-stay layer that bayside Peninsula stock funnels into rather than chronic oversupply of permanent tenancies. Median weekly rent of $400 against the $1,170,000 peak price implies a gross yield well below 2%, materially thinner than the 4.7% Frankston supports. Development pipeline is modest at 32 lodgements in 12 months versus Frankston's 61, with the recent samples skewed to two-dwelling subdivisions on existing lots rather than multi-unit blocks. For investors the play is capital appreciation tied to sea-change demographics, not rental cashflow.
Development Activity
Total DAs
85
Last 12 Months
45
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+275.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mornington iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Macartan's School
Prep-6 · 458 students
Padua College
7-12 · 2534 students
Mornington Primary School
Prep-6 · 424 students
Benton Junior College
Prep-6 · 585 students
Mornington Secondary College
7-12 · 799 students
Demographics
Mornington reads anglo-leaning and aging: 11,788 residents claim English ancestry, with Irish (3,361) and Scottish (3,261) in distant second, and just 22.3% were born overseas, only 0.7 percentage points above the national figure but materially below typical Melbourne metro suburbs. The top non-English languages form a long Mediterranean tail rather than a coherent diaspora cluster: Italian (82 speakers), Greek (67), German (33), French (30) and Mandarin (27), more retiree-era migration residue than an active migration corridor. Median age of 50 runs ten years above the national figure, the heaviest aging signal among bayside Melbourne suburbs, and 32.9% of the 19,453 families are couples without children (6,409) versus 35.6% couples with children (6,925), confirming the empty-nester weighting. University attainment of 29.5% sits 0.6pp below the national rate, a notable gap given the upper-middle SEIFA 6 deciles, reflecting trades and small-business owners rather than knowledge workers.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
77.0%
Houses
11.2%
Townhouse
10.6%
Apartment
Tenure
The 77.0% separate-house share, 11.2% semi-detached and 10.6% apartment mix cements Mornington's bayside-family character and sits between Buderim's 73.4% detached and Frankston's identical 73.5%, but with materially lower density at 1,221 per sqkm across 21.09 sqkm. Tenure leans unusually outright at 43.7%, well above the ~30% national norm and reflecting the long-tenured retiree base who paid off through the 1990s and 2000s, with 33.9% mortgaged and just 22.5% renting. Bedroom mix is family-skewed: 48.1% three-bedroom and 27.4% four-plus, leaving only 24.5% in the 0-2-bedroom bracket where weekender apartments concentrate. Median house price reached $1,050,000 in Q2 2024 after correcting 10.3% from a $1,170,000 peak, but the 14-year CAGR of 5.1% from $525,000 in 2013 still doubles the entry price over the period. Mortgage stress is flagged at 31.8% of household income, above the 30% threshold, the structural cost of seven-figure pricing on the 44.2nd-percentile household income.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$740
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
1,090
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.8% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
32.9%
Couples, no children
19,453
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 20.2% of jobs (1,516 workers), reflecting the regional aged-care and Peninsula Health role Mornington plays for the broader Mornington Peninsula Shire, and well above Frankston's 21.9% in absolute headcount given the smaller workforce. Construction follows at 14.6% (1,092 workers), materially above the national average and propelled by the renovation and rebuild cycle that detached-dominant bayside stock generates, with Education at 13.0% (977), Professional/Tech at 8.1% and Retail at 6.9% rounding out the top five. Occupational mix is professional-skewed: Professionals lead at 2,435 workers, Managers 1,674 and Community/Personal Services 1,424, the latter consistent with the healthcare concentration. Unemployment sits at 4.1%, at the national baseline, but participation is only 48.9% with 9,071 not in the labour force, dragged down by the retiree share, similar to Buderim's 53.4%. SEIFA decile 6 across IRSD, IRSAD, IER and IEO confirms upper-middle positioning, below Buderim's 7-8 cluster but well above Frankston's 4/2 mix.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.6%
Part-time
36.3%
Participation
48.9%
Employed
10,278
Occupations
Top Industries
University
29.5%
Postgraduate
6.0%
Born Overseas
22.3%
Dwellings
10,474
Transport to Work
Schools are mid-pack rather than the standout draw seen in Buderim: Padua College (Catholic Secondary, ICSEA 1064, 2,534 enrolment) is the largest by some margin and sits 64 points above the ICSEA 1000 average, with St Macartan's (Primary, Catholic, ICSEA 1084, 458 students) the highest-performing in the suburb. Government options include Mornington Primary (ICSEA 1062, 424 students) and Mornington Secondary College (ICSEA 1004, 799 students), the latter only marginally above the national average and well below Frankston High's 1067. Crime rate of 81.8 per 1,000 residents (2,108 incidents) is materially below the Victorian regional median and roughly one-third of Frankston's 220.1 per 1,000, with property and deception offences (1,294) the dominant category. Transport is car-dependent at 89.8% (only 1.3% on public transport and 3.7% walked or cycled), structurally higher than Frankston's 87.8% given the absence of a direct rail spur from Frankston station to the township. Volunteering at 14.7% sits at the national average, with SEIFA IRSAD decile 6 confirming upper-middle livability.
Drive
89.8%
Public Transport
1.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
2,108
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
81.8
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 Mornington compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mornington a good suburb to live in?
Mornington suits retirees, sea-change buyers and family-house owners more than renters or commuters: 77.0% of the 25,759 residents live in separate houses, 43.7% own outright (well above the 30% national norm), and median age of 50 runs ten years above the national figure. Crime is 81.8 per 1,000 residents, roughly one-third of Frankston's 220.1, with SEIFA decile 6 across all four indexes.
What is the median house price in Mornington?
Median house price was $1,050,000 in Apr-Jun 2024, down 10.3% from a $1,170,000 peak in Q4 2023 but up from $525,000 in 2013, a 14-year CAGR of 5.1%. Mortgage repayments of $2,000/month against a $1,451 weekly household income put mortgage-to-income at 31.8%, just above the 30% stress threshold. Vacancy sits at 9.4% and median weekly rent is $400.
What schools are in Mornington?
Padua College (Catholic Secondary, ICSEA 1064, 2,534 enrolment) is the largest, with St Macartan's (Catholic Primary, ICSEA 1084, 458 students) the highest-performing. Government options include Mornington Primary (ICSEA 1062), Mornington Secondary College (ICSEA 1004, 799 students) and Benton Junior College (ICSEA 1040, 585 students). All sit at or above the ICSEA 1000 national average.
Is Mornington safe?
Crime rate sits at 81.8 per 1,000 residents (2,108 incidents annually), well below the Victorian regional median and roughly one-third of Frankston's 220.1 per 1,000. The dominant category is property and deception offences at 1,294 incidents, followed by crimes against the person (296) and justice procedures offences (269), a profile typical of weekender suburbs with seasonal population swings.
Is Mornington good for property investment?
Investor metrics are tight: only 22.5% of households rent versus the 31% national share and Frankston's 40.2%, and the 9.4% vacancy is elevated even compared to Coffs Harbour's 7.7%, reflecting the seasonal-rental layer. Median rent of $400/week against the $1,170,000 peak price implies a gross yield well below 2%, materially thinner than Frankston's 4.7%. This is capital-appreciation territory, not high-yield stock.
How is Mornington's population changing?
Population of 25,759 carries the aging-resident-base identity signal, with median age of 50 running ten years above the national figure and 32.9% of the 19,453 families couples without children. Density of 1,221 per sqkm across 21.09 sqkm is low for metro Melbourne, and the 14-year price trajectory from $525,000 to $1,050,000 confirms sea-change demand. Development lodgements of 32 in 12 months are modest compared to Frankston's 61.
What industries employ people in Mornington?
Healthcare dominates at 20.2% of jobs (1,516 workers), reflecting the Peninsula Health and aged-care role Mornington plays for the wider shire. Construction follows at 14.6% (1,092), Education at 13.0% (977), Professional/Tech at 8.1% and Retail at 6.9%. Unemployment is 4.1% at the national baseline with participation at 48.9%, dragged down by the 9,071 not in the labour force, consistent with the retiree skew.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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