Mount Evelyn
With 97.9% of dwellings classed as separate houses, Mount Evelyn has a strongly detached, family-oriented housing profile. Its population is 9,799, with a median age of 38, which is 2 years below the national comparison point. Growth is slow at 0.21% annually. Compared with nearby Lilydale, Mount Evelyn suits buyers seeking larger homes, lower density and a quieter residential setting, because car ownership and four-bedroom housing are both high.
Population
9,799
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,045/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$882K
October to December 2025
Mount Evelyn suits buyers prioritising land and detached housing, with 97.9% of homes separate houses and 41.9% containing 4 or more bedrooms. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,000 per month, and mortgage costs equal 22.6% of household income, higher than the 17.8% rent-to-income figure. The trade-off is that buyers are paying for established family housing rather than a low-entry apartment market.
For Buyers
Mount Evelyn suits buyers prioritising land and detached housing, with 97.9% of homes separate houses and 41.9% containing 4 or more bedrooms. A typical mortgage commitment is $2,000 per month, and mortgage costs equal 22.6% of household income, higher than the 17.8% rent-to-income figure. The trade-off is that buyers are paying for established family housing rather than a low-entry apartment market.
For Investors
Mount Evelyn is more owner-occupier focused than a rental-led suburb, with only 9.2% of households renting and 88.2% either owning outright or holding a mortgage. Weekly rent is $365 and the vacancy rate is 3.7%, so rental demand should be assessed property by property rather than assumed from a tight-market narrative. Rents have grown 28.1%, which supports income growth over time, while the 0.21% annual population trend points to measured rather than rapid expansion. Overseas migration is the primary forecast driver. Only 1 development application was recorded in the past 12 months, reducing the immediate supply pipeline.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-66.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Evelyn
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Mount Evelyn Christian School/Ranges TEC
Birmingham Primary School
Mount Evelyn Primary School
St Mary's School
Yarra Ranges Special Developmental School
Demographics
Mount Evelyn has a median age of 38, 2 years below the national comparison point, but its trajectory is aging. University attainment is 26.2%, 3.9 percentage points below the national level, while the overseas-born share is 12.9%, 8.7 points below nationally. Average household size is 2.8, or 0.3 above the national comparison. English ancestry is prominent at 4,486 people, followed by Scottish at 1,141, Irish at 1,132 and Dutch at 614. No religion is reported by 5,486 residents compared with 3,702 identifying with Christianity. With 86.8% staying at the same address, the profile reflects established households and relatively low turnover.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.9%
Houses
2.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with separate houses at 97.9% compared with 2.0% semi-detached dwellings. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern: 46.3% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 41.9% have 4 or more. Mortgage holders account for 56.2% of households, higher than the 32.0% owning outright, while renting is only 9.2%. Compared with nearby Lilydale, Mount Evelyn is the more detached housing choice because its stock is designed around family homes rather than compact units.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$365
Census 2021
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$828
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.7%
Unoccupied
131
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.8%
Couples with children
34.9%
Couples, no children
12.2%
Single parent
2,776
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction is Mount Evelyn's largest listed industry at 19.6%, or 689 workers, higher than healthcare at 16.4% and education at 12.8%. Manufacturing accounts for 8.6%, while professional and technical work contributes 6.6%. The occupation mix includes 1,060 trades workers, 953 professionals, 694 clerical and administrative workers, 653 managers and 621 community and personal service workers. Labour-force participation is 69.9%, unemployment is 3.3% and full-time employment is 56.6%, supporting household purchasing capacity. SEIFA results are uneven: economic resources rank in the 9th decile, disadvantage in the 8th, but education and occupation in the 6th. That higher resource position alongside mid-range education and occupation scores reflects a suburb where household means are stronger than its skills profile alone might suggest.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
5,472
Unemployed
180
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.6%
Part-time
35.8%
Participation
69.9%
Employed
5,292
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.2%
Postgraduate
5.0%
Born Overseas
12.9%
Dwellings
3,373
Transport to Work
Mount Evelyn is strongly car-oriented: 69.1% travel as car drivers, compared with only 0.8% using public transport, while 25.1% work from home. That pattern supports larger residential lots but makes trip planning more important for households without a vehicle. Five nearby schools span 3 sectors and include 3 primary schools, 1 special school and 1 Pri/Sec school across government, Catholic and independent settings. Check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across suburb edges. Recorded crime was 335 incidents, or 34.2 per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences numbered 104, higher than public order and security offences at 47. SEIFA places disadvantage in the 8th decile and advantage in the 6th, indicating livability is solid but not uniform across households.
Drive
69.1%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
25.1%
Population Forecast
+0.21%/yr
(+21 people/yr)
EstablishedMount Evelyn is an established, slow-growth suburb: the forecast annual trend is 0.21%, compared with 4.6% population change across the wider area over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the trajectory is labelled Aging. The senior share has risen 6.2 percentage points, against a 2.6-point decline in the young share and a 2.1-point fall in the working share. Rent growth of 28.1% has been stronger than the population trend, suggesting housing costs can move ahead of local expansion. Gentrification is not currently indicated, with a score of 0 and a stage of Not gentrifying. These signals point to gradual change driven by established households and selected incoming migration rather than rapid redevelopment.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+47
Net Internal / yr
-81
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
335
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
34.2
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 Mount Evelyn compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Evelyn a good suburb to live in?
Mount Evelyn is a good fit for households wanting detached homes, space and a stable community profile. Separate houses make up 97.9% of dwellings, 25.1% work from home and the median age is 38. Compared with more transport-oriented suburbs, the main trade-off is car dependence, with 69.1% driving to work.
What schools are in Mount Evelyn?
Mount Evelyn has 5 nearby schools covering 3 sectors: government, Catholic and independent. The mix includes 3 primary schools, 1 special school and 1 Pri/Sec school. Families should confirm the exact enrolment zone and available places for each address, because school access can vary across suburb boundaries.
Is Mount Evelyn safe?
Mount Evelyn recorded 335 offences, equivalent to 34.2 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 104 cases, higher than the 47 public order and security offences, while crimes against the person totalled 82. Safety can vary by street and time, so current local police information remains useful.
How is Mount Evelyn's population changing?
Mount Evelyn has 9,799 residents today. The annual growth trend is 0.21%, while population change across the wider area is forecast at 4.6% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased 6.2 percentage points, the young share has fallen 2.6 points, and overseas migration is the primary driver.
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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