Mount Martha
The suburb has 19,846 residents, a median age of 46, and 84.3% of dwellings are separate houses. Household income sits at the 79.3rd percentile, while the median age is 6 years above the national comparison. With 31.8% working from home and 82.7% of residents staying at the same address, the suburb suits established households seeking space and lifestyle amenity. Buyers comparing Mount Martha with nearby Mornington or Mount Eliza should assess individual streets carefully because the premium is tied to housing form, land and location rather than a uniform Peninsula market.
Population
19,846
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,097/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Median House
$1.8M
October to December 2025
Mount Martha suits buyers prioritising detached space, established streets and a coastal setting, but the entry price is substantial. Separate houses account for 84.3% of dwellings, including 46.0% with 4 or more bedrooms and 44.0% with 3 bedrooms. Mortgage costs are listed at $2,167 monthly, with mortgage payments at 23.9% of household income, below typical stress thresholds. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, Mount Martha provides more family-sized housing, but its 0.3% apartment share limits lower-cost ownership choices.
For Buyers
Mount Martha suits buyers prioritising detached space, established streets and a coastal setting, but the entry price is substantial. Separate houses account for 84.3% of dwellings, including 46.0% with 4 or more bedrooms and 44.0% with 3 bedrooms. Mortgage costs are listed at $2,167 monthly, with mortgage payments at 23.9% of household income, below typical stress thresholds. Compared with apartment-oriented locations, Mount Martha provides more family-sized housing, but its 0.3% apartment share limits lower-cost ownership choices.
For Investors
The rental case combines a weekly median rent of $496 with a 12.2% renting share and a 14.3% vacancy rate. That vacancy level is higher than what a tightly supplied rental market would normally suggest, so investors should allow for variable leasing conditions and property-specific demand. Rent growth has reached 41.7%, which supports income potential, while the wider growth trend is 1.11% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration. Only 8 development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, reducing the immediate signal of large-scale new supply. Compared with higher-turnover investor markets, Mount Martha is more dependent on owner-occupier demand, larger homes and long-term coastal appeal.
Development Activity
Total DAs
20
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+300.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Mount Martha
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Mount Martha Primary School
Osborne Primary School
Demographics
Mount Martha has an established, older resident base, with a median age of 46, which is 6 years above the national comparison. University attainment is 35.0%, or 4.9 percentage points above the national figure, while 20.9% of residents were born overseas, 0.7 percentage points below the national comparison. Average household size is 2.7 people, 0.2 above the national measure. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry are prominent, with counts of 9,442, 2,694 and 2,638 respectively, while no religion accounts for 9,653 residents and Christianity for 8,827. Couples with children represent 47.3% of families, but couples without children account for 40.3%, consistent with an aging trajectory. Compared with younger parts of the Mornington Peninsula, buyers should expect a more settled age structure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.3%
Houses
15.4%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and owner occupied. Separate houses make up 84.3% of dwellings, while 42.7% are owned outright, 42.4% are being purchased with a mortgage and 12.2% are rented. Four or more bedrooms account for 46.0% of homes, compared with 44.0% for 3 bedrooms. Compared with smaller-home markets, Mount Martha carries a stronger land and family-house premium.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$496
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$846
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.3%
Unoccupied
1,176
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.3%
Couples with children
40.3%
Couples, no children
11.8%
Single parent
5,574
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mount Martha has a relatively strong economic profile, with household income at the 79.3rd percentile and an unemployment rate of 2.8% across a labour force of 9,696. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.9%, followed by Education at 13.9%, Construction at 13.8%, Professional and Technical services at 9.7%, and Manufacturing at 6.6%. The main occupations are Professionals with 2,238 workers, Managers with 1,725, Trades with 1,260, Clerical and Administrative workers with 1,124, and Community and Personal Service workers with 1,121. The IER sits in decile 10, higher than the IEO decile 8, while the IRSD and IRSAD sit in deciles 9 and 8. This combination reflects strong financial resources alongside a substantial trade and service workforce. Participation is 60.5%, with 53.6% working full time.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
9,696
Unemployed
271
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.6%
Part-time
39.0%
Participation
60.5%
Employed
9,425
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.0%
Postgraduate
7.3%
Born Overseas
20.9%
Dwellings
7,020
Transport to Work
Mount Martha is car dependent, with 62.4% of residents driving to work compared with only 0.3% using public transport and 1.6% walking or cycling. That pattern reflects dispersed housing and makes access to a private vehicle more important than in transit-focused suburbs. Work from home is common at 31.8%, which can reduce commuting pressure for professional households. Two local government primary schools are available: Mount Martha Primary School and Osborne Primary School. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address because school boundaries can cross suburb lines. Recorded crime totals 651 incidents, or 32.8 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences the largest category at 358. Social advantage is strong, with IRSAD in decile 8 and IRSD in decile 9. Volunteering is 17.2%, higher than a low-participation profile would suggest.
Drive
62.4%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
31.8%
Population Forecast
+1.11%/yr
(+223 people/yr)
EstablishedMount Martha is classified as an established area, with forecast growth running at 1.11% annually and overseas migration identified as the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is forecast at 16.2% over ten years, indicating continued expansion without the profile of a rapid greenfield release market. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share has increased by 5.1 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 2.7 points and the working share has fallen 3.3 points. Rent growth of 41.7% adds pressure to housing costs. The gentrification assessment is Not gentrifying with a score of 5, although another shift measure records Early signs and a score of 38. Compared with younger growth corridors, Mount Martha is more likely to see incremental change, overseas-migration influence and rising demand from older households.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+147
Net Internal / yr
-83
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +15% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
651
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
32.8
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 Mount Martha compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Mount Martha?
Mount Martha has 2 listed local schools: Mount Martha Primary School and Osborne Primary School. Both are government primary schools. Enrolment zones should be checked for the exact address, as boundaries can affect eligibility even within the same suburb.
Is Mount Martha safe?
Mount Martha recorded 651 offences, equal to 32.8 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 358, followed by justice procedures offences at 142 and crimes against the person at 90. Local conditions can vary by street and time.
Is Mount Martha good for property investment?
Mount Martha has a $496 weekly median rent and rent growth of 41.7%, but the 14.3% vacancy rate signals that leasing conditions may be uneven. The suburb is mainly owner occupied, with only 12.2% renting, and just 8 development applications were recorded over 12 months. Investors should assess property quality and tenant demand carefully.
How is Mount Martha's population changing?
Mount Martha has 19,846 residents and an aging trajectory. The wider area records 16.2% population change over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 1.11% and overseas migration the primary driver. The senior share rose 5.1 percentage points, while the young share fell 2.7 points.
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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