Olinda
Almost every home in Olinda is a separate house: the 99.4% share is one of its clearest market signals. A 12.3% vacancy rate points to an uneven rental market, and household income sits at the 74.7th percentile. Compared with nearby Monbulk, Olinda is the smaller, more forested foothill setting, with density of only 99.9 people per square kilometre. Its established housing base and high owner commitment support stability, but the -0.28% annual trend means appeal is more about setting and space than rapid growth.
Local council: Yarra Ranges
Population
1,773
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,995/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Olinda suits buyers who value detached housing and remote-work space, but the entry price is substantial. Prices remain 5.6% below the 2021 peak, which may give buyers more negotiating room, while 38.0% outright ownership points to a settled market. Compared with nearby Monbulk, the low-density setting and 99.4% detached profile favour larger, private properties over compact stock.
For Buyers
Olinda suits buyers who value detached housing and remote-work space, but the entry price is substantial. Prices remain 5.6% below the 2021 peak, which may give buyers more negotiating room, while 38.0% outright ownership points to a settled market. Compared with nearby Monbulk, the low-density setting and 99.4% detached profile favour larger, private properties over compact stock.
For Investors
Olinda is a selective rather than high-yield rental proposition. Weekly rent is $398, but only 12.0% of occupied dwellings are rented, and vacancy is 12.3%, well above the level associated with a tightly supplied market. That combination can lengthen leasing times because tenant demand is shallow relative to the detached-house stock, even though the forecast shift records rent growth of 33.3%. There were 0 development projects recorded in the latest 12 months, limiting new supply but also signalling a small pipeline. The annual trend is -0.28%, lower than a growth-led investment market, while overseas migration is the primary driver. Investors should prioritise property condition, access and realistic rent setting over assuming rapid capital growth.
Schools in Olinda
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Olinda Primary School
Demographics
Olinda's population profile is older and more locally settled than the national pattern. Median age is 45, 5 years above the national figure, while university attainment is 41.0%, 10.9 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 19.5%, 2.1 points below the national share, and 85.5% of residents stayed at the same address, indicating low turnover. English ancestry is reported by 790 people, followed by Scottish at 244 and Irish at 231. No religion is the largest recorded affiliation at 1,036. Couples with children make up 43.9% of families, and the 2.5-person average household size matches the national level. Compared with nearby Monbulk, this points to a quieter, older resident base rather than a fast-changing population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.4%
Houses
0.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Olinda's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached and owner-occupied. Separate houses account for 99.4% of dwellings, with 47.8% under mortgage and 38.0% owned outright; renting is only 12.0%. Over 20 quarters, prices recorded 4.1% compound annual growth. The current mix is weighted to 3-bedroom homes at 41.3% and 4-plus bedrooms at 40.5%, limiting compact alternatives. Compared with nearby Monbulk, the market is more land-oriented than apartment-oriented, so buyers should budget for larger detached homes and ongoing upkeep.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$398
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$859
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.3%
Unoccupied
91
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.9%
Couples with children
41.5%
Couples, no children
14.8%
Single parent
494
Total families
Economy & Employment
Olinda combines relatively strong household resources with a mixed service and trade economy. Household income is at the 74.7th percentile, and IEO, IER, IRSD and IRSAD each sit in the 9th decile, placing the suburb above national disadvantage benchmarks. Healthcare leads local employment at 15.7% with 102 workers, followed by Education at 13.4% and 87, Professional/Tech at 11.2% and 73, Construction at 10.0% and 65, and Public Admin at 8.4% and 55. Professionals number 234 and managers 175, above trades at 124, consistent with university attainment of 41.0%. Unemployment is 3.9%, participation is 63.6% and full-time employment is 53.7%. This mix supports purchasing power because skilled occupations and service industries are prominent.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
926
Unemployed
36
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.7%
Part-time
37.4%
Participation
63.6%
Employed
890
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.0%
Postgraduate
12.1%
Born Overseas
19.5%
Dwellings
642
Transport to Work
Olinda's livability is shaped by a bushland setting, car access and a small local school footprint. One government primary school, Olinda Primary School, is located in the suburb, so families should check enrolment zones and secondary-school travel against the exact address. Car driving accounts for 53.3% of journeys, compared with only 1.1% using public transport, while 38.5% work from home; this suits households with cars but makes daily errands less convenient than in denser, better-connected suburbs. Recorded crime was 68 offences, or 38.4 per 1,000 residents, led by property and deception offences at 30. An IRSAD score in the 9th decile and 23.6% volunteering indicate strong social conditions, although convenience is lower than in rail-served areas.
Drive
53.3%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
38.5%
Growth Outlook
Olinda has an established, slow-growth trajectory rather than a development-led expansion. The forecast annual trend is -0.28%, while population change across the wider area is 0.5% over 10 years, both lower than a rapidly expanding market. The shift is labelled Aging, with the senior share up 7.9 percentage points and the working share down 5.5 points. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the gentrification score is 0 and the stage is Not gentrifying, so incoming demand is not translating into broad neighbourhood change. The area also recorded a -2.8% COVID dip and remains -2.0% below its earlier level. With 0 development projects in 12 months, change is more likely to come from household turnover and selective renovations than large new estates.
Population trend: Yarra Ranges council area
Olinda sits in the Yarra Ranges council area. These are the council area's residents, not Olinda's.
Residents 2025
160,906
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
68
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
38.4
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 Olinda compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Olinda a good suburb to live in?
Olinda can suit households seeking detached homes, quiet surroundings and work-from-home capacity. Its 38.5% work-from-home rate and 99.4% separate-house share support that appeal, while 1.1% public transport use means car access matters more than in better-connected suburbs.
What schools are in Olinda?
Olinda Primary School is the local government primary school in the suburb. Families should verify the exact enrolment zone and compare travel to secondary schools, because only 1 school is located locally.
Is Olinda safe?
Recorded crime was 68 offences, equal to 38.4 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 30, while crimes against the person totalled 27, so address-level checks and normal security precautions remain sensible.
Is Olinda good for property investment?
Investment prospects are selective. Weekly rent is $398, but the 12.3% vacancy rate is high compared with a tight rental market, and only 12.0% of dwellings are rented. The annual trend is -0.28%, with 0 development projects in 12 months, so investors should focus on quality, access and realistic yields.
How is Olinda's population changing?
Olinda's population is broadly stable but aging. The suburb has 1,773 residents today, with population change across the wider area at 0.5% over 10 years and an annual trend of -0.28%. The senior share rose 7.9 percentage points, while the trajectory is labelled Aging.
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).
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