Pakenham
With 54,118 residents across 85.85 sq km, Pakenham is a large, young outer-metro centre: its median age of 33 is 7 years below the national figure. The 29.4% overseas-born share is 7.8 percentage points above national, while 47.0% of households are paying a mortgage, reinforcing its mortgage-belt identity. Compared with nearby Officer, Pakenham reads as the more established and expansive service centre, with 86.4% separate houses and only 0.6% apartments. That built form suits families, but the 72.5% car-driver share shows why daily convenience depends more on road access than public transport. Growth is high at 4.84% annually, driven by internal migration, so services and housing supply remain central to the suburb's future.
Population
54,118
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,664/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
40
Median House
$725K
October to December 2025
Separate houses account for 86.4%, semi-detached homes 12.7% and apartments 0.6%; 42.6% of stock has 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 45.1% with 3 bedrooms. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,733, and mortgage costs equal 24.1% of household income, below the 31.3% share renting. The 47.0% mortgage tenure share is higher than the 19.0% outright-owned share, reflecting a suburb where leveraged family ownership is common.
For Buyers
Separate houses account for 86.4%, semi-detached homes 12.7% and apartments 0.6%; 42.6% of stock has 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 45.1% with 3 bedrooms. The monthly mortgage indicator is $1,733, and mortgage costs equal 24.1% of household income, below the 31.3% share renting. The 47.0% mortgage tenure share is higher than the 19.0% outright-owned share, reflecting a suburb where leveraged family ownership is common.
For Investors
For investors, the tenant base is material: 31.3% of occupied dwellings are rented, versus 19.0% owned outright, while weekly rent is $351. Vacancy is 4.9%, so listings should be assessed street by street rather than assumed to be scarce. Rental growth of 21.6% is higher than forecast real-income growth of 5.9%, which can support rent revisions but may pressure affordability. Pakenham recorded 42 development matters over 12 months, and its 4.84% annual growth trend is driven by internal migration. That pipeline can add amenity and competing supply at the same time, so investors should compare new-build stock, dwelling type and holding costs rather than rely on headline growth alone.
Development Activity
Total DAs
126
Last 12 Months
40
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+17.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pakenham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Beaconhills College
Lakeside College
John Henry Primary School
Kuyim Primary School
Pakenham Consolidated School
Demographics
Pakenham's median age is 33, 7 years below national, and its average household size is 2.8, 0.3 above national. Family formation is visible in 48.0% of couples having children, alongside 19.5% one-parent families. Overseas-born residents make up 29.4%, 7.8 points above national, while university attainment is 26.5%, 3.6 points below national. English ancestry is recorded for 18,112 people, with Scottish at 4,176 and Irish at 4,124; Punjabi is the most common listed non-English language at 1,345 speakers. No religion counts 22,347 and Christianity 20,534, with Sikhism at 2,207. These patterns point to a younger, family-oriented population with cultural and occupational variety because housing growth has attracted households at different life stages.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.4%
Houses
12.7%
Townhouse
0.6%
Apartment
Tenure
That is a 116.4% increase and a 4.1% compound annual growth rate over the stated period. The market remains detached-led: 86.4% separate houses and 12.7% semi-detached dwellings compare with only 0.6% apartments. Tenure is tilted toward leveraged ownership, with 47.0% paying a mortgage versus 19.0% owning outright and 31.3% renting. The 2.8 average household size and 42.6% share of homes with 4 or more bedrooms help explain the family-house profile. Compared with nearby Officer, Pakenham is a more established option for buyers wanting breadth of detached stock, although the 116.4% long-term rise is not a promise of future returns.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $351.
$540
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $530 · units $450
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$783
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
955
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.0%
Couples with children
31.0%
Couples, no children
19.5%
Single parent
14,433
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Pakenham's largest listed industry at 19.4% and 3,157 workers, followed by construction at 12.1% and 1,967, education at 10.2% and 1,661, manufacturing at 9.6% and 1,564, and retail at 8.4% and 1,367. The occupation mix is led by trades at 4,176, ahead of professionals at 3,801 and community and personal workers at 3,283, which fits the local service and building base. Participation is 65.2%, unemployment 5.3% and full-time employment 61.4%; household income of $1,664 weekly sits at the 57.6th percentile, above the midpoint. SEIFA results are mixed: education and occupation is decile 4, economic resources decile 6, while disadvantage and advantage are both decile 4. That gap indicates moderate resources but less educational advantage than higher-decile areas because the workforce is broader than a professional-only economy.
Unemployment
5.3%
Labour Force
26,787
Unemployed
1,425
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
65.2%
Employed
25,362
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
6.9%
Born Overseas
29.4%
Dwellings
18,439
Transport to Work
Livability leans toward households comfortable with driving: 72.5% travel as car drivers, compared with 2.5% using public transport, 1.3% walking or cycling and 18.7% working from home. Families have 10 local schools, including 8 primary and 2 secondary campuses; 9 are government and 1 is Catholic. Exact enrolment zones still matter because school access can change across the suburb boundary. Reported crime is 4,598 offences, or 85.0 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences number 2,379, higher than crimes against the person at 832, so household security and property awareness deserve attention. IRSAD sits at decile 4, below the upper half of the national decile scale. The result is practical rather than transit-led: space and school coverage are stronger than car-free convenience.
Drive
72.5%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.3%
Work from Home
18.7%
Population Forecast
+4.84%/yr
(+508 people/yr)
High GrowthPakenham's forecast trend is 4.84% annual growth, with Internal migration identified as the primary driver. That pace is higher than the suburb's 4.1% long-run house-price CAGR, indicating a growth corridor where population pressure and housing demand can reinforce each other. The shift profile is Mixed: rent growth is 21.6%, the working-age share is up 2.0 points and the senior share is up 2.1 points, while the young share is down 0.6 points. The gentrification score is 0 and the stage is New development, consistent with expansion rather than a mature inner-suburban upgrade cycle. Across the wider area, population change over 10 years is 270.2%, so infrastructure, schools and employment capacity will matter as new supply arrives.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+62
Net Internal / yr
+521
Gentrification Signal
New development
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
4,598
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
85.0
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 Pakenham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pakenham a good suburb to live in?
Pakenham can suit households wanting detached space, schools and a younger population. The median age is 33, 86.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 72.5% of commuters drive, so it is better suited to car-oriented living than a transit-first lifestyle.
What schools are in Pakenham?
Pakenham has 10 listed schools: 8 primary and 2 secondary. Nine are government schools and 1 is Catholic, including Pakenham Secondary College and St Patrick's School. Check the exact enrolment zone for any address, as boundaries can affect practical choice.
Is Pakenham safe?
The recorded crime rate is 85.0 offences per 1,000 residents, with 4,598 offences in total. Property and deception offences account for 2,379, compared with 832 crimes against the person. Treat this as a suburb-wide indicator and check current local conditions before deciding.
Is Pakenham good for property investment?
Pakenham has investment appeal from 31.3% renting, $351 weekly rent, 4.9% vacancy and a 4.84% annual growth trend driven by internal migration. However, 42 development matters in 12 months may add competing supply, while rent growth of 21.6% is higher than real-income growth of 5.9%.
How is Pakenham's population changing?
Pakenham has 54,118 residents today and a forecast annual growth trend of 4.84%, driven by Internal migration. The wider area records 270.2% population change over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is Mixed and the gentrification score is 0, so expansion is more evident than inner-suburban upgrading.
What development is occurring in Pakenham?
Development activity is notable, with 42 matters recorded over 12 months. The mix includes subdivision certifications for 1 lot and 2 lots, so new supply may arrive through staged or small-lot projects rather than only large apartment buildings. This supports a New development stage and a gentrification score of 0, but buyers should check each project's timing.
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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