Pearcedale
Only 9.8% of Pearcedale households rent, one of the lowest rates you will find in metropolitan Victoria, and it signals why this suburb functions the way it does. With 97.5% separate houses, 52.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms, and a median house price of $929,500, the suburb draws owner-occupying families rather than a transient rental market. Household income sits in the 75.3rd percentile nationally, yet SEIFA IEO decile is just 3, a divergence explained by tradespeople and construction workers earning well without university credentials. The population of around 3,900 has grown 7.3% over the decade at a modest pace, reflecting low-density, slow-growth character across its 33.7 square kilometres.
Population
3,867
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,009/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
7
Median House
$930K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $929,500 median house price in the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter reflects a long upward trend: prices have risen 141.4% since 2013 when the median was $385,000, a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% over 14 years. The recent peak was $945,000 in Jul-Sep 2023, and the current price sits just 1.6% below that. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,020, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are above the national median. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 97.5%, with 52.7% having 4 or more bedrooms, making Pearcedale suited to families needing space rather than downsizers. Outright owners (37.9%) are nearly matched by those with a mortgage (52.3%), suggesting a suburb where buyers hold long-term.
For Buyers
The $929,500 median house price in the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter reflects a long upward trend: prices have risen 141.4% since 2013 when the median was $385,000, a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% over 14 years. The recent peak was $945,000 in Jul-Sep 2023, and the current price sits just 1.6% below that. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,020, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold, because household incomes are above the national median. The stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 97.5%, with 52.7% having 4 or more bedrooms, making Pearcedale suited to families needing space rather than downsizers. Outright owners (37.9%) are nearly matched by those with a mortgage (52.3%), suggesting a suburb where buyers hold long-term.
For Investors
The investor case is challenged by a very low 9.8% renter share compared to the broader Melbourne average, which limits the tenant pool for any new rental acquisition. Weekly rent is $400 and the vacancy rate is 3.8%, which is elevated relative to tighter inner-suburban markets. Against the $929,500 median, that rent implies a gross yield around 2.2%, which is modest. Development activity is low at 6 applications in the past 12 months, and the area logged just a handful of subdivision and shed permits, not new dwellings. Net internal migration runs at negative 22 per year, meaning more residents leave than arrive domestically, while overseas migration adds a small positive 15 annually. Capital growth has historically been the primary return driver, at 6.5% CAGR since 2013, rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
18
Last 12 Months
7
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+133.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Pearcedale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Pearcedale Primary School
Prep-6 · 679 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is 1 year above the national figure, and the trend is aging: the senior share rose 5.9 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 2.3 points. Overseas-born residents make up just 12.1%, which is 9.5 percentage points below the national average, and ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, with English (1,757), Scottish (448) and Irish (375) the dominant groups. University qualifications reach 19.8% of residents, 10.3 points below the national figure, reflecting a workforce concentrated in trades and blue-collar occupations rather than professional services. Average household size is 2.9, which is 0.4 above the national average, consistent with the family-oriented, large-dwelling character of the suburb. Volunteering at 13.5% is solid, and only 5.8% of residents need daily assistance.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.5%
Houses
0.5%
Townhouse
2.1%
Apartment
Tenure
The price-to-rent ratio reinforces an owner-occupier market: at $929,500 median and $400 weekly rent, buying costs roughly 45 years of rent, well above the national average, so renters have little financial incentive to stay. Tenure confirms this: 37.9% own outright, 52.3% carry a mortgage and only 9.8% rent. The stock is almost entirely separate houses at 97.5%, with apartments and semi-detached each under 3%. Bedroom size skews large, with 52.7% of dwellings having 4 or more bedrooms and 41.4% having 3, meaning one-bedroom or studio stock is effectively absent. The price history shows no COVID dip: from $385,000 in 2013 to $945,000 peak in Jul-Sep 2023 and $929,500 in the most recent quarter. Mortgage-to-income at 23.2% and rent-to-income at 19.9% both sit below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,020
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$785
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
50
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
27.0%
Couples, no children
3,364
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction dominates the local industry base at 22.3% of employed residents (271 workers), well above the national share for most suburban areas, followed by Healthcare at 16.2% (197) and Education at 12.0% (146). By occupation, Clerical/Admin (286) and Professionals (273) lead, with Managers (246) and Community/Personal workers (229) close behind, showing a mixed blue-collar and skilled worker profile. The unemployment rate is 3.7% and the full-time employment rate is 61.6%, with 1,181 working full-time and 737 part-time. Household income is in the 75.3rd percentile nationally, which is well above average despite the IEO decile of 3, because incomes in construction and trades are strong without requiring degrees. Real income growth was 11.0% over the decade.
Unemployment
3.1%
Labour Force
4,952
Unemployed
154
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.6%
Part-time
34.7%
Participation
62.9%
Employed
1,918
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.8%
Postgraduate
4.0%
Born Overseas
12.1%
Dwellings
1,265
Transport to Work
Car dependence is extreme: 91.2% of residents drive to work, above the national average, and only 0.3% use public transport, reflecting the suburb's rural-fringe location with limited train or bus access. Walking and cycling account for 3.3% of commutes. The crime rate is 41.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences (89 incidents) the largest category, followed by crimes against the person (35). The IRSD decile of 7 indicates below-average disadvantage nationally, and the IRSAD decile of 5 places the suburb near the middle of the national distribution. Rent-to-income at 19.9% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. No schools are recorded inside the Pearcedale boundary in this dataset, so families rely on nearby suburbs in the Mornington Peninsula and Casey council areas.
Drive
91.2%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.5%/yr
(+41 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 0.5% annually, adding around 41 residents per year, and the 10-year change of 7.3% places Pearcedale firmly in the slow-growth category compared to greenfield suburbs in Melbourne's outer south-east. Medium forecasts project the broader SA2 population reaching around 8,530 by 2031 from 8,272 in 2025. Migration is balanced, with a slight internal outflow of 22 per year offset by 15 overseas arrivals. Affordability has worsened over the decade, with the housing cost ratio moving from 43.0% in 2011 to 46.7% in 2021, tracking above the state average. The shift data shows an aging trajectory with young-adult share down 1.7 points. Gentrification is classified as not gentrifying, appropriate for an already established low-density suburb without an apartment redevelopment pipeline.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+15
Net Internal / yr
-22
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
161
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
41.6
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 Pearcedale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pearcedale a good suburb to live in?
Pearcedale suits owner-occupying families who want large detached homes and space. The suburb has 97.5% separate houses, 52.7% with 4 or more bedrooms, and household income in the 75.3rd percentile nationally. The trade-off is high car dependence at 91.2% with almost no public transport, and a $929,500 median house price.
What is the median house price in Pearcedale?
The median house price is $929,500 as of Apr-Jun 2024. Prices have risen 141.4% since 2013 when the median was $385,000, a CAGR of 6.5% over 14 years. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,020, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.2%, below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Pearcedale?
No schools are recorded inside the Pearcedale 3912 boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in neighbouring suburbs across the Mornington Peninsula and Casey local government areas. University qualifications among residents sit at 19.8%, which is 10.3 points below the national figure.
Is Pearcedale safe?
Pearcedale recorded 161 total incidents in the most recent period, giving a crime rate of 41.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences make up the largest share at 89 incidents, followed by crimes against the person at 35. The IRSD decile of 7 places the suburb in the lower-disadvantage tier nationally, which generally correlates with lower crime risk.
Is Pearcedale good for property investment?
Returns have historically come through capital growth rather than yield. The 6.5% CAGR since 2013 is solid, but the 9.8% renter share is very low compared to typical Melbourne suburbs, limiting the tenant pool. Weekly rent of $400 against a $929,500 median gives a gross yield around 2.2%, and the vacancy rate is 3.8%. Net internal migration runs at negative 22 per year.
How is Pearcedale's population changing?
Population grows at around 0.5% annually, adding about 41 residents per year, with a 7.3% increase over the past decade. The broader SA2 population reached 8,272 in 2025 and medium forecasts project around 8,530 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 5.9 points and working-age share down 2.3 points over 10 years.
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), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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