Oak Park
At 6,714 residents across 2.03 sq km, Oak Park is a compact, relatively affluent inner-north suburb where household income sits at the 83.7th percentile and median age is 36, 4 years below the national average. Overseas-born residents account for 35.6%, 14 percentage points above the national share, helping explain the range of languages and ancestry groups. Compared with nearby Pascoe Vale and Glenroy, Oak Park's compact footprint concentrates 6,714 residents at 3,304.6 people per sq km, giving it a more concentrated urban feel. The profile is settled rather than speculative because 73.7% of residents stayed at the same address.
Population
6,714
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,201/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
24
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
Compared with $401 weekly rent, the $2,167 monthly mortgage shows the cash-flow step into ownership. Stock leans to 3-bedroom homes at 46.0%, with 56.0% separate houses and 39.8% semi-detached dwellings; apartments are only 4.1%. Mortgage payments equal 22.7% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged because household income is $2,201 weekly.
For Buyers
Compared with $401 weekly rent, the $2,167 monthly mortgage shows the cash-flow step into ownership. Stock leans to 3-bedroom homes at 46.0%, with 56.0% separate houses and 39.8% semi-detached dwellings; apartments are only 4.1%. Mortgage payments equal 22.7% of household income, and mortgage stress is not flagged because household income is $2,201 weekly.
For Investors
Investors have access to a meaningful renter base: 31.5% of dwellings are rented, weekly rent is $401 and vacancy is 8.9%. The vacancy rate matters because it can soften leasing competition and pricing power when supply rises. Compared with the 31.0% outright and 37.0% mortgaged ownership shares, renting is substantial but not dominant. Twenty-five development applications in 12 months, including examples for 4 dwellings, point to continuing infill that may add tenant choice while competing with existing stock. Rents have grown 28.5%, and overseas migration is the primary forecast driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
39
Last 12 Months
24
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+140.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Oak Park
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Oak Park Primary School
St Francis de Sales School
Demographics
Oak Park's median age is 36, which is 4 years below the national average, while 51.0% of residents hold a university qualification, 20.9 percentage points above the national level. Overseas-born residents make up 35.6%, 14.0 points higher than nationally, with English ancestry recorded for 1,593 people and Italian ancestry for 862. Language responses include Nepali at 130, Arabic at 88, Italian at 81, Mandarin at 80 and Greek at 56. Family households are prominent: 45.3% are couples with children and 38.6% are couples without children, while average household size is 2.5, equal to the national comparison. This mix helps explain demand for both 3-bedroom homes and smaller dwellings because family households coexist with a large university-educated and overseas-born population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
56.0%
Houses
39.8%
Townhouse
4.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Oak Park's housing market has delivered long-term growth but has also pulled back from its high. Tenure is split between 31.0% outright owners, 37.0% mortgage holders and 31.5% renters. Compared with apartments at 4.1%, separate houses at 56.0% and semi-detached dwellings at 39.8% dominate the stock. Three-bedroom homes account for 46.0%, while rent and mortgage costs equal 18.2% and 22.7% of household income. The mix supports established family demand because couples with children comprise 45.3% of families while couples without children comprise 38.6%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $401.
$530
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $551 · units $490
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$995
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.9%
Unoccupied
251
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
45.3%
Couples with children
38.6%
Couples, no children
13.8%
Single parent
1,851
Total families
Economy & Employment
Oak Park combines high household resources with a broad employment base. Household income is $2,201 a week at the 83.7th percentile, while labour-force participation is 69.8% and unemployment is 4.6%. Healthcare leads local industry employment at 14.8% or 412 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 14.4% or 402, Education at 11.8% or 328, Construction at 8.5% or 237, and Public Admin at 7.4% or 206. Professionals number 1,169, ahead of Clerical/Admin at 556 and Managers at 519, because the suburb supports a strong knowledge and service-worker base. SEIFA reinforces that pattern: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD all sit in decile 8, while IER is lower at decile 6, indicating economic resources are less elevated than education and broader advantage measures. Full-time employment is 63.8%, supporting household capacity.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
3,901
Unemployed
178
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.8%
Part-time
30.5%
Participation
69.8%
Employed
3,723
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
51.0%
Postgraduate
15.2%
Born Overseas
35.6%
Dwellings
2,568
Transport to Work
Day-to-day life is practical for residents who can use a car or work from home: 46.9% drive to work and 42.2% work from home, compared with 6.5% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. Two local primary schools provide a government and Catholic option, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. Safety figures total 226 offences, or 33.7 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences accounting for 133 and crimes against the person 34. Social advantage is relatively strong, with IRSAD at 1071 and decile 8, higher than the IER decile of 6. The compact 2.03 sq km footprint and density of 3,304.6 people per sq km support short local trips because destinations are concentrated, although the mode split is less active than car use.
Drive
46.9%
Public Transport
6.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.5%
Work from Home
42.2%
Population Forecast
+1.32%/yr
(+113 people/yr)
EstablishedOak Park's outlook is steady rather than explosive: the forecast trend is 1.32% annual growth, with overseas migration the primary driver. Across the wider area, population change is 20.9% over 10 years, while the trajectory is labelled Mixed because affordability and demographic signals do not all move together. Rents have grown 28.5%, real incomes 31.9% and the working-age share 4.3 percentage points, which can support demand, while the senior share is 2.5 points lower. Gentrification is labelled Not gentrifying at score 9. Compared with a static established suburb, the combination points to gradual change driven more by migration and infill than by a sharp tenure reset.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+193
Net Internal / yr
-121
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal outflow -121/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
226
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
33.7
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 Oak Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Oak Park?
Oak Park has 2 local primary schools: Oak Park Primary School in the government sector and St Francis de Sales School in the Catholic sector. Families should confirm the designated school for the exact address because enrolment zones can differ from suburb boundaries. The local housing mix includes 46.0% 3-bedroom homes, a common format for school-age households.
Is Oak Park safe?
Oak Park recorded 226 offences, equivalent to 33.7 offences per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 133, followed by crimes against the person at 34. That profile is more informative than a simple safe or unsafe label, so buyers and renters should check the latest incidents for the specific streets and times they use.
Is Oak Park good for property investment?
It can suit investors who value an established rental base, but the purchase price requires careful yield testing. Renting accounts for 31.5% of dwellings, weekly rent is $401 and vacancy is 8.9%, compared with 31.0% outright ownership and 37.0% mortgage ownership. Rents have grown 28.5%, while overseas migration is the primary forecast demand driver.
How is Oak Park's population changing?
Oak Park's current population is 6,714. The wider-area forecast points to 1.32% annual growth, with overseas migration the primary driver, and population change of 20.9% over 10 years. The trajectory is Mixed and the gentrification stage is Not gentrifying at score 9, suggesting gradual change rather than a sudden reset.
What languages are spoken in Oak Park?
English ancestry is recorded for 1,593 people and Italian ancestry for 862. Leading language responses include Nepali at 130, Arabic at 88, Italian at 81, Mandarin at 80 and Greek at 56. Overseas-born residents account for 35.6%, which is 14.0 percentage points above the national share, so language needs may vary across households.
What development is occurring in Oak Park?
Development activity is active enough to monitor, with 25 applications lodged in the past 12 months. Examples include proposals for 4 dwellings and 4 double-storey dwellings on a lot within a Special Building Overlay. Infill can gradually increase housing choice, but buyers should review the permit status and exact site because application counts do not guarantee construction.
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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