Plenty
Household income in the 98.1st percentile nationally, yet 100% of dwellings are separate houses and only 4.1% of residents rent. These two facts define Plenty: a low-density, owner-dominated enclave in Melbourne's outer-north where established wealth sits on large blocks rather than apartment towers. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSD and IER, the highest advantage tier nationally, with a median house price of $1,697,500 that puts it well above the wider Melbourne market. The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, and 88.1% of residents did not move home in the previous year, pointing to a deeply settled population.
Population
2,575
Median Age
44.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,190/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$1.7M
Apr-Jun 2024
At $1,697,500 median for Apr-Jun 2024, Plenty sits at a premium above most outer-Melbourne suburbs, though that is 13.4% below the $1,960,000 peak reached in Apr-Jun 2023. The long-run story is stronger: prices have risen 119.6% from $773,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% over 14 years. Every dwelling in the suburb is a separate house, and 78.5% have four or more bedrooms, making it one of the largest-home markets in the region. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, which is well below the 30% stress threshold. Combined with 45.2% of owners holding their home outright, buyers here carry relatively modest debt loads compared to the purchase price.
For Buyers
At $1,697,500 median for Apr-Jun 2024, Plenty sits at a premium above most outer-Melbourne suburbs, though that is 13.4% below the $1,960,000 peak reached in Apr-Jun 2023. The long-run story is stronger: prices have risen 119.6% from $773,000 in 2013, a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% over 14 years. Every dwelling in the suburb is a separate house, and 78.5% have four or more bedrooms, making it one of the largest-home markets in the region. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, which is well below the 30% stress threshold. Combined with 45.2% of owners holding their home outright, buyers here carry relatively modest debt loads compared to the purchase price.
For Investors
The rental market in Plenty is thin: only 4.1% of dwellings are rented, compared to the national average of roughly 30%. Weekly rent of $392 against a $1,697,500 median implies a gross yield below 1.2%, making yield-driven investment difficult to justify. The vacancy rate of 4.6% is elevated for such a small rental pool, reinforcing that demand for rentals is limited in an ownership-dominated suburb. Development activity in the past 12 months shows just 3 applications, all subdivision permits for small lot splits rather than new dwelling construction, so supply additions are minimal. The long-run capital growth rate of 5.8% CAGR over 14 years is the more relevant number for investors here, reflecting the value of scarce large-lot, all-detached stock in a high-income catchment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
10
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 44 is 4 years above the national figure, reflecting a suburb where families have long since settled and children have grown. University qualifications reach 36.3%, which is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate, consistent with the professional and managerial occupations that dominate local employment. The overseas-born share is 15.5%, which is 6.1 points below the national figure, fitting the Anglo-leaning identity of the suburb. English ancestry leads at 887 residents, followed by Italian at 488, with Italian also the most common non-English language spoken at home. Average household size of 3.2 is 0.7 above the national average, and 43.4% of families are couples with children, reflecting the family-oriented character of large four-plus-bedroom homes.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Plenty is one of the few suburbs in Melbourne where the housing stock is entirely separate houses, with 100% of dwellings in that category. The bedroom profile skews large: 78.5% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 19.1% have three, leaving very little of anything smaller. Tenure is overwhelmingly owner-occupied, with 45.2% owning outright and 50.8% on a mortgage, while renters account for just 4.1%. Prices grew from $773,000 in 2013 to a peak of $1,960,000 in Apr-Jun 2023 before retreating 13.4% to $1,697,500 by Apr-Jun 2024. Mortgage-to-income at 18.8% and rent-to-income at 12.3% both sit below commonly cited stress thresholds, indicating that existing owners are not financially stretched despite high property values.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$392
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$1,028
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.6%
Unoccupied
36
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
12.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.1%
Couples, no children
2,254
Total families
Economy & Employment
Construction is the largest industry sector at 19.4% of employed residents, more than 2.5 times larger than its typical share nationally, suggesting many residents run or work for building and trade businesses that serve the broader northern corridor. Healthcare follows at 13.6% and Education at 11.3%, with Professional/Tech at 9.5%. By occupation, Professionals (297) and Managers (293) are nearly equal and together account for the majority of the skilled workforce. The unemployment rate is 2.4%, well below the national rate, and the full-time employment rate is 63.1%. The suburb scores decile 9 on IRSAD and decile 10 on both IRSD and IER, indicating high advantage across education, occupation and economic resources. Personal weekly income of $1,028 and household weekly income of $3,190 both sit in the top tier nationally.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.1%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
63.0%
Employed
1,321
Occupations
Top Industries
University
36.3%
Postgraduate
8.0%
Born Overseas
15.5%
Dwellings
735
Transport to Work
Plenty is almost entirely car-dependent: 92.3% of residents drive to work and only 1.1% use public transport, reflecting the low-density layout and limited rail or bus connections in the outer-north. The crime rate of 37.7 incidents per 1,000 residents is based on 97 total offences, with property and deception offences accounting for 60 of those, a pattern typical of low-density suburban areas. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSD and IER, placing it among the least disadvantaged communities nationally. Volunteering at 17.0% is healthy, and only 7.0% of residents need daily assistance. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on nearby centres such as Yarrambat and Eltham, which is a practical consideration for buyers with school-age children. The rent-to-income ratio of 12.3% is low, indicating the cost of living is comfortable for residents relative to incomes.
Drive
92.3%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
0.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
97
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
37.7
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 Plenty compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plenty a good suburb to live in?
Plenty scores decile 10 on IRSD and IER, the highest advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 98.1st percentile. Every dwelling is a separate house, 78.5% have four or more bedrooms, and 88.1% of residents stay year-on-year. The trade-offs are high entry prices at a $1,697,500 median and limited public transport, with 92.3% of residents driving to work.
What is the median house price in Plenty?
The median house price is $1,697,500, recorded for Apr-Jun 2024. This is 13.4% below the Apr-Jun 2023 peak of $1,960,000, but 119.6% above the 2013 starting price of $773,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%.
What schools are in Plenty?
No schools are recorded within the Plenty suburb boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in adjacent suburbs including Yarrambat, South Morang and Eltham. Despite this, 36.3% of residents hold university qualifications, which is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate.
Is Plenty safe?
Plenty recorded 97 offences in the latest period, giving a crime rate of 37.7 per 1,000 residents. The majority were property and deception offences (60), with 29 crimes against the person. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSD nationally, placing it among the least disadvantaged communities, which correlates with lower crime risk.
Is Plenty good for property investment?
Only 4.1% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 4.6%, so rental yield is limited, with weekly rent of $392 against a $1,697,500 median implying a gross yield below 1.2%. The stronger case is long-run capital growth: prices rose at a 5.8% CAGR over 14 years. Just 3 development applications were lodged in the past 12 months, keeping supply constrained.
How is Plenty's population changing?
Plenty's population is 2,575 across 10.98 km2, giving a low density of 234.6 per km2 compared to broader Melbourne suburbs. The turnover rate is just 11.9%, meaning 88.1% of residents did not move in the prior year, indicating a very stable community. Development is minimal, with only 3 applications in the past 12 months, so significant population growth is unlikely in the near term.
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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