Officer
At 31 years, Officer has a median age 9 years below the national figure, helping explain its strong family and mortgage-belt profile. The suburb has 18,503 residents across 28.05 square kilometres, with 94.8% of homes detached and 60.1% containing four or more bedrooms. Household income sits at the 80.5th percentile, while 35.6% of residents were born overseas, 14 percentage points above the national comparison. Officer is a high-growth counterpart to established Pakenham and Beaconsfield, with a 4.68% annual trend and internal migration as the primary driver. Its scale, new housing and younger population make it more development-led than older nearby centres.
Population
18,503
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,125/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
20
Median House
$775K
October to December 2025
Officer suits buyers prioritising newer detached housing and family space over apartment living. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 60.1% of stock and separate houses 94.8%, compared with only 0.1% apartments and 5.0% semi-detached dwellings. A $2,000 monthly mortgage is 21.7% of household income, higher than the 18.6% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as mortgage stress. The trade-off is a car-oriented setting, with 67.7% driving to work, so buyers should compare estate access, services and commute times before choosing between Officer, Pakenham and Beaconsfield.
For Buyers
Officer suits buyers prioritising newer detached housing and family space over apartment living. Four-plus-bedroom homes account for 60.1% of stock and separate houses 94.8%, compared with only 0.1% apartments and 5.0% semi-detached dwellings. A $2,000 monthly mortgage is 21.7% of household income, higher than the 18.6% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as mortgage stress. The trade-off is a car-oriented setting, with 67.7% driving to work, so buyers should compare estate access, services and commute times before choosing between Officer, Pakenham and Beaconsfield.
For Investors
Officer presents a growth-oriented rental profile, although the median house entry point requires disciplined cash-flow checks. Median weekly rent is $396, with 28.3% of households renting and a 3.4% vacancy rate. Rent growth of 30.3% supports recent demand, while 21 development matters in 12 months indicate continuing supply and competition between new dwellings. The 4.68% annual growth trend and internal migration driver are stronger signals of expansion than a stable, low-turnover market, but the 57.5% mortgage-held ownership share may limit rental depth in some estates.
Development Activity
Total DAs
79
Last 12 Months
20
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-28.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Officer
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Bridgewood Primary School
Kurmile Primary School
Kurrun Primary School
Officer Primary School
Orchard Park Primary School
Demographics
Officer's demographic profile is younger and more internationally connected than the national average. Median age is 31, or 9 years below national, while 37.5% hold a university qualification, 7.4 percentage points above the national comparison, and 35.6% were born overseas, 14 points above national. Couples with children make up 53.9% of families, average household size is 2.9, and 68.0% stayed at the same address, indicating both family concentration and an established base. English ancestry is recorded for 5,305 people, alongside Indian 1,740, Irish 1,234 and Scottish 1,208. Christianity accounts for 6,855 people, compared with 6,608 reporting no religion and 1,216 Hinduism. Compared with Pakenham, Officer's profile is shaped more visibly by younger families and recent migration.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.8%
Houses
5.0%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is mortgage-heavy: 57.5% of households are paying off a loan, versus 13.4% owning outright and 28.3% renting. That mortgage exposure is higher than in a mature ownership market because much of Officer's stock is relatively new and family-sized. Separate houses account for 94.8%, with 60.1% four-plus-bedroom homes and 0.1% apartments, compared with 33.5% three-bedroom dwellings. Buyers seeking apartments or smaller lots will find a narrower choice than in central Pakenham.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$396
Census 2021
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$970
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.4%
Unoccupied
214
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
53.9%
Couples with children
29.6%
Couples, no children
15.3%
Single parent
5,161
Total families
Economy & Employment
Officer has a service-and-building employment base. Healthcare leads with 1,367 workers or 19.3%, followed by Education at 790 or 11.2%, Construction 775 or 11.0%, Manufacturing 600 or 8.5%, and Retail 581 or 8.2%. The occupational mix is similarly broad: Professionals number 2,140, Trades 1,460, Clerical/Admin 1,419, Community/Personal 1,254 and Managers 1,115. Labour-force participation is 74.8%, unemployment is 4.4%, and full-time employment is 64.1%, supporting household income at the 80.5th percentile. SEIFA results are above the middle range, with IEO decile 7, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 7. The higher IER result compared with the other deciles suggests strong economic resources alongside a mixed, growth-area workforce.
Unemployment
4.4%
Labour Force
10,378
Unemployed
452
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.1%
Part-time
29.4%
Participation
74.8%
Employed
9,926
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.5%
Postgraduate
10.9%
Born Overseas
35.6%
Dwellings
6,128
Transport to Work
Officer's liveability is strongest for households that can use a car and want access to expanding local services. Nine schools operate across the suburb: seven primary schools, one government secondary college and one government specialist school, with Catholic primary options also available. The mix is broader than a single-sector catchment, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address because boundaries can cut across estates. Work travel is car-dependent, with 67.7% driving, compared with 2.4% using public transport and 0.8% walking or cycling; 25.6% work from home. Recorded crime is 60.4 offences per 1,000 residents, including 633 property and deception offences and 255 crimes against the person. IRSAD sits in decile 7, above the midpoint, reflecting comparatively favourable access to resources even as transport options remain lower than car use.
Drive
67.7%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
0.8%
Work from Home
25.6%
Population Forecast
+4.68%/yr
(+1,383 people/yr)
High GrowthOfficer is tracking as a high-growth suburb rather than a settled, low-change market. The forecast annual trend is 4.68%, with internal migration identified as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 198.7% over 10 years. The shift profile is Mixed: working-age share is up 1.5 percentage points, senior share is up 1.6, and young share is down 0.9. Rent growth reached 30.3%, adding pressure as new households arrive. Gentrification is not the main story: the score is 0, the forecast stage is New development and the shift stage is Not gentrifying. Compared with established Pakenham and Beaconsfield, Officer's higher growth rate is more closely tied to new housing supply and incoming households than to inner-suburban upgrading.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+188
Net Internal / yr
+809
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
1,118
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
60.4
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 Officer compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Officer a good suburb to live in?
Officer can suit families wanting detached housing, newer estates and access to schools. The median age is 31, 60.1% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 94.8% are separate houses. It is more car-dependent than many established centres, with 67.7% driving to work versus 2.4% using public transport, so commute needs matter.
What schools are in Officer?
Officer has 9 local schools: 7 primary schools, 1 government secondary college and 1 government specialist school. Primary provision includes both government and Catholic sectors, making the mix broader than a single-sector catchment. Check the exact enrolment zone before signing, because school access can differ between estates and nearby addresses.
Is Officer safe?
Recorded crime was 60.4 offences per 1,000 residents, including 633 property and deception offences and 255 crimes against the person. That rate should be compared by offence type and timeframe rather than treated as a single safety verdict. Check recent local conditions around the exact address, especially where estates differ in activity and access.
How is Officer's population changing?
Officer has 18,503 residents today and a median age of 31. Across the wider area, forecast population change is 198.7% over 10 years, with a 4.68% annual growth trend driven primarily by internal migration. The trajectory is Mixed rather than uniform: the working share is up 1.5 percentage points, the senior share is up 1.6 and the young share is down 0.9.
What languages are spoken in Officer?
Officer has an overseas-born share of 35.6%, 14 percentage points above the national comparison. The leading listed languages are Sinhal, spoken by 486 people, Punjabi by 450, Hindi by 183, Guj by 141 and Urdu by 127. English ancestry is recorded for 5,305 people, so services should account for both established and newer language groups.
What development is occurring in Officer?
Development activity remains substantial, with 21 matters recorded in 12 months. Recent examples include subdivision work for 1 lot, consolidation involving 2 lots and a staged subdivision involving 2 lots. This supports the New development stage and helps explain why housing supply and estate delivery remain more prominent than gentrification, whose score is 0.
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.
Explore Officer on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map