Narre Warren North
Its 8,033 residents have a median age of 42, or 2.0 years above the national comparison, while household income ranks at the 94.2nd percentile. Compared with nearby Berwick, it is a more land-oriented choice across 22.02 square kilometres, with 98.9% separate houses and 0.3% apartments. Ownership is established at 41.7% outright and 52.9% mortgage, because large homes favour long-term family households over a high-turnover rental base.
Population
8,033
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,634/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$1.5M
October to December 2025
That history gives more context than the latest median alone. Housing is strongly house-led: 98.9% are separate houses, 81.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 0.3% are apartments. Mortgage costs equal 19.4% of household income, higher than the 15.6% rent-to-income figure, with neither stress flag triggered. Compared with nearby Berwick, buyers should focus on lot size, condition and commute because detached land dominates.
For Buyers
That history gives more context than the latest median alone. Housing is strongly house-led: 98.9% are separate houses, 81.4% have 4 or more bedrooms and 0.3% are apartments. Mortgage costs equal 19.4% of household income, higher than the 15.6% rent-to-income figure, with neither stress flag triggered. Compared with nearby Berwick, buyers should focus on lot size, condition and commute because detached land dominates.
For Investors
Investor appeal is selective because only 4.0% of households rent, far lower than the 52.9% mortgage share and 41.7% outright ownership. The forecast trend is 0.98% annually, steadier than a high-growth corridor, and overseas migration is the primary driver. There were 20 development applications in 12 months, pointing to ongoing planning activity in a predominantly detached market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
44
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+425.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Narre Warren North
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Harkaway Hills College
Lysterfield Lake College
Mary MacKillop School
Sidrah Gardens School
Demographics
Family households shape the profile: 57.6% are couples with children, average household size is 3.4, or 0.9 above the national comparison, and 88.7% stayed at the same address. Median age is 42, 2.0 years above national, matching an aging trajectory. Overseas-born residents account for 31.6%, 10.0 points above national; leading ancestries include English (1,919), Italian (772) and Irish (472), while Mandarin, Italian and Arabic are the most recorded non-English languages. The university-educated share is 33.1%, 3.0 points above national. Compared with nearby Berwick, the profile is more established and family-oriented because large detached homes support longer tenure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.9%
Houses
0.8%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
The 4.3% compound annual growth rate across 19 years is slower than the headline gain because the starting base was low. Tenure is owner-led: 41.7% own outright, 52.9% hold a mortgage and 4.0% rent. With 81.4% of homes at 4 or more bedrooms and 98.9% separate houses, the suburb is more land-and-family focused than apartment-oriented nearby Berwick.
Mortgage / mo
$2,212
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$410
Census 2021
HH Size
3.4
Personal Income / wk
$795
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.5%
Unoccupied
81
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
57.6%
Couples with children
33.9%
Couples, no children
7.6%
Single parent
2,183
Total families
Economy & Employment
The economy combines hands-on and professional work. Construction leads at 19.4% and 490 workers, followed by healthcare at 14.5% and 365, education at 11.1% and 279, professional/technical services at 8.6% and 218, and manufacturing at 8.1% and 205. Occupations are similarly mixed, led by professionals (735), trades (662), managers (657) and clerical/admin workers (630). Unemployment is 3.9%, participation is 63.4% and full-time work is 58.5%. Economic resources rank strongly: IER is decile 10, IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9, higher than IEO decile 7 because income and economic conditions rank above the education measure.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
4,202
Unemployed
164
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
35.4%
Participation
63.4%
Employed
4,038
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
33.1%
Postgraduate
6.8%
Born Overseas
31.6%
Dwellings
2,226
Transport to Work
Daily life is strongly car-oriented: 68.4% travel as car drivers, compared with 0.7% using public transport and 0.6% walking or cycling, while 26.2% work from home. Four nearby schools cover Catholic and independent sectors, with primary and Pri/Sec options, so families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Reported crime totals 382 incidents, or 47.6 per 1,000 residents; property and deception offences account for 221 cases, more than the 51 crimes against the person. IRSAD is decile 8 and IER decile 10, both above the middle of the decile scale. The trade-off is transport choice because the suburb spans 22.02 square kilometres.
Drive
68.4%
Public Transport
0.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
26.2%
Population Forecast
+0.98%/yr
(+81 people/yr)
EstablishedNarre Warren North is an established market with a forecast annual growth trend of 0.98%, driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 18.0% over 10 years, indicating continued expansion at a measured pace. The trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 5.8 points, while young share has fallen 2.3 points and working share has declined 2.7 points. Rent growth is 21.2%, and affordability is labelled Improving as the measure moved from 52.7 in 2011 to 48.9 in 2021. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying at score 5, while the broader change assessment records Early signs at 22, so change looks more demographic than prestige-led.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+63
Net Internal / yr
-67
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
382
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
47.6
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 Narre Warren North compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Narre Warren North a good suburb to live in?
Narre Warren North suits households wanting space, large detached homes and established tenure. The median age is 42, 81.4% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, and 68.4% travel as car drivers, so it is better suited to family buyers than car-free renters.
What schools are in Narre Warren North?
Four nearby schools include 1 Catholic primary option and 3 independent schools, with primary and Pri/Sec formats represented. They are Mary MacKillop School, Harkaway Hills College, Lysterfield Lake College and Sidrah Gardens School. Check enrolment zones against the exact address before committing.
Is Narre Warren North safe?
Reported crime was 382 incidents, equal to 47.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 221, compared with 51 crimes against the person. Assess the exact street and recent local conditions before deciding, because suburb-wide rates can vary by location.
How is Narre Warren North's population changing?
The area is forecast to grow at 0.98% annually, with overseas migration the primary driver. Population change across the wider area is 18.0% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging: senior share is up 5.8 points and young share is down 2.3 points. Growth is therefore more established and aging than youthful.
What languages are spoken in Narre Warren North?
Mandarin is the most recorded listed language at 135 speakers, followed by Italian at 96, Arabic at 70, Punjabi at 61 and Sinhal at 54. Overseas-born residents represent 31.6% of the population, 10.0 percentage points above the national comparison.
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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