Mount Duneed
A median age of 32 sits 8.0 years below the national figure, and that youth drives almost everything else here. The population jumped 38.0% over the past decade and is forecast to grow another 2.52% a year, adding about 719 residents annually as net internal migration runs at 632 a year. Housing is 97.3% separate houses, with 65.3% carrying four or more bedrooms, a stock built for the young families that fill it. Household income reaches the 87.4th percentile nationally, yet the median house price of $707,500 keeps mortgage-to-income at a comfortable 20.1%. University qualifications at 41.0% run 10.9 points above national.
Population
6,182
Median Age
32.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,274/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$708K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $707,500 median house price (Apr-Jun 2024) sits below most metropolitan Melbourne markets, and it has actually eased 5.7% from the 2022 peak of $750,000, giving buyers a softer entry than the long run suggests. Over 14 years the price rose 147.4% from $286,000, a CAGR of 6.7%. The stock suits family buyers: 97.3% are separate houses and 65.3% have four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes a further 27.7%. Mortgage repayments average $1,983 a month against household incomes in the 87.4th percentile, holding mortgage-to-income at 20.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability, paired with new estate supply, explains why 55.6% of residents are paying off a mortgage rather than owning outright at 20.8%.
For Buyers
The $707,500 median house price (Apr-Jun 2024) sits below most metropolitan Melbourne markets, and it has actually eased 5.7% from the 2022 peak of $750,000, giving buyers a softer entry than the long run suggests. Over 14 years the price rose 147.4% from $286,000, a CAGR of 6.7%. The stock suits family buyers: 97.3% are separate houses and 65.3% have four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes a further 27.7%. Mortgage repayments average $1,983 a month against household incomes in the 87.4th percentile, holding mortgage-to-income at 20.1%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability, paired with new estate supply, explains why 55.6% of residents are paying off a mortgage rather than owning outright at 20.8%.
For Investors
Renters make up 23.6% of households and weekly rent averages $446, giving a gross yield near 3.3% against the $707,500 median, healthier than most of inner Melbourne. Rent has climbed 47.2% over the measured period, and the 7.5% vacancy rate, while not tight, reflects new estate dwellings being absorbed rather than chronic oversupply. The demand case is strong: net internal migration adds 632 residents a year and overseas migration a further 170, against forecast annual population growth of 2.52%. Development is dominated by subdivision, with 13 applications in 12 months including plans for 36 and 56 lot estates, so investors face a steady pipeline of new supply that can cap short-term rent spikes even as the tenant pool grows.
Development Activity
Total DAs
34
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+166.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Duneed iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Mirripoa Primary School
Prep-6 · 638 students
Mount Duneed Regional Primary School
Prep-6 · 362 students
Demographics
The median age of 32 is 8.0 years below the national figure, one of the youngest profiles you will find, and the household mix follows: couples with children number 2,855 against 1,190 couples with no children, and average household size of 2.8 sits 0.3 above national. University qualifications reach 41.0%, which is 10.9 points above the national rate, reflecting the professional families settling into new estates. Overseas-born residents are 20.2%, 1.4 points below national, so the suburb skews Anglo, led by English (2,292), Irish (724) and Scottish (655) ancestry. Among non-English languages Punjabi (86 speakers) and Mandarin (46) lead, a small but growing migrant thread. Turnover runs at 45.1%, high because the estates are still filling with first-time arrivals rather than long-settled owners.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.3%
Houses
1.3%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward mortgages: 55.6% of households are paying off a loan, 23.6% rent and just 20.8% own outright, a profile typical of a fast-growing estate suburb rather than an established one. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 97.3% separate houses, with four-or-more-bedroom homes at 65.3% and three-bedroom at 27.7%, leaving almost nothing in the apartment or two-bedroom segments. The median house price of $707,500 has eased 5.7% from the 2022 peak of $750,000 but is still up 147.4% from $286,000 in 2013. Both stress measures stay comfortable, with mortgage-to-income at 20.1% and rent-to-income at 19.6%, well below the 30% threshold, because household incomes in the 87.4th percentile outpace the relatively moderate price for the dwelling size on offer.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,983
Rent / wk
$446
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$1,029
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
172
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.3%
Couples, no children
5,118
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment leans on services and building: Healthcare leads at 22.0% (552 workers), Education follows at 15.1% (379) and Construction at 13.0% (327), with Public Administration and Retail tied at 7.7% each. The construction share is notably above what most suburbs record, a direct result of the estate building boom around the suburb. By occupation, Professionals dominate at 883, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers at 476 and Managers at 426. Unemployment is low at 3.4% and the participation rate reaches 70.6%, both stronger than national norms because of the young working-age base. All four SEIFA indexes land at decile 6, a middle-advantage band: IRSAD 1003, IRSD 1031, IEO 1003 and IER 1018, consistent with mortgage-belt households that are comfortable but not wealthy.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
15,428
Unemployed
463
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.8%
Part-time
32.8%
Participation
70.6%
Employed
3,193
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.0%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
20.2%
Dwellings
2,106
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent suburb by design: 92.5% of residents drive to work while only 1.7% use public transport and 0.8% walk or cycle, far below national active-transport rates, a function of the 52.11 km2 footprint and low 118.6 per km2 density. Crime runs at 35.3 offences per 1,000 residents across 218 recorded incidents, with property and deception offences (133) making up the bulk and crimes against the person a smaller 36. The suburb scores decile 6 on IRSAD, a middle band nationally, and only 3.3% of residents (197 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young profile. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring Armstrong Creek and Grovedale, a practical trade-off for the space and new housing.
Drive
92.5%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+2.52%/yr
(+719 people/yr)
EstablishedForecast annual growth of 2.52% adds roughly 719 residents a year, lifting the medium projection from 28,593 in 2026 to 32,189 by 2031 across the broader area. The decade behind it was steeper still, with the population up 38.0% and a gentrification score of 59 placing the suburb in an Active stage. The primary engine is internal migration at 632 net arrivals a year, more than triple the 170 from overseas, a sign that Melbourne and Geelong households are relocating outward for space and price. Real incomes grew 16.5% over the period while rents rose 47.2%, and affordability held roughly stable, moving only from 48.4% to 49.7%. The senior share edged up 1.8 points while the young-resident share slipped 1.5, a mild aging signal within an otherwise expanding base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+170
Net Internal / yr
+632
Gentrification Signal
Active
Population +56% since 2011, Net internal migration +632/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 42%
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
218
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
35.3
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 Mount Duneed compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Duneed a good suburb to live in?
Mount Duneed suits young families: the median age of 32 is 8.0 years below national, household income reaches the 87.4th percentile, and mortgage-to-income stays at a comfortable 20.1%. University qualifications at 41.0% run 10.9 points above national. The main trade-off is car dependence, with 92.5% driving to work.
What is the median house price in Mount Duneed?
The median house price is $707,500 as of Apr-Jun 2024, down 5.7% from the 2022 peak of $750,000 but up 147.4% from $286,000 in 2013. Weekly rent averages $446 and mortgage repayments run about $1,983 a month, keeping mortgage-to-income at 20.1%.
What schools are in Mount Duneed?
No schools are recorded inside the Mount Duneed boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Armstrong Creek and Grovedale. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 41.0%, which is 10.9 points above the national figure.
Is Mount Duneed safe?
Crime runs at 35.3 offences per 1,000 residents across 218 recorded incidents. Property and deception offences make up the bulk at 133, while crimes against the person are a smaller 36. The suburb scores decile 6 on IRSAD, a middle band nationally, with 3.3% of residents needing daily assistance.
Is Mount Duneed good for property investment?
Rent of $446 a week against a $707,500 median gives a gross yield near 3.3%, healthier than most of inner Melbourne. Rent rose 47.2% over the period and net internal migration adds 632 residents a year, though a 7.5% vacancy rate and 13 subdivision applications signal steady new supply.
How is Mount Duneed's population changing?
The population grew 38.0% over the past decade and is forecast to expand 2.52% a year, adding about 719 residents annually. Net internal migration drives this at 632 arrivals a year, more than triple the 170 from overseas, lifting the medium projection toward 32,189 by 2031.
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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