Reservoir
A 19.03 sq km suburb with 51,096 residents, Reservoir combines a 37.6% overseas-born population with a 93.0 crimes-per-1,000 rate, so its strongest story is cultural depth alongside a clear safety consideration. University participation is 42.9%, 12.8 percentage points higher than the national figure, while median age is 38, 2 years below national. Compared with nearby Preston, Reservoir feels more spread across established residential pockets, with 63.2% separate houses and 32.5% semi-detached homes. That scale supports family housing and local services, but the crime profile means street-by-street due diligence matters.
Population
51,096
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,541/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
193
Median House
$970K
October to December 2025
Buyers get a predominantly ground-oriented market: 63.2% separate houses and 32.5% semi-detached dwellings, versus 3.9% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 44.4% and four-plus-bedroom homes 15.6%, which suits families, although the $1,986 monthly mortgage is 29.8% of household income. That is below 30%, but deposits remain the key hurdle.
For Buyers
Buyers get a predominantly ground-oriented market: 63.2% separate houses and 32.5% semi-detached dwellings, versus 3.9% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 44.4% and four-plus-bedroom homes 15.6%, which suits families, although the $1,986 monthly mortgage is 29.8% of household income. That is below 30%, but deposits remain the key hurdle.
For Investors
Reservoir has a substantial tenant base, with 37.2% of homes rented, higher than the 31.6% owned outright and 29.6% mortgaged shares. Weekly rent is $360 and vacancy is 8.8%, so investors should test achievable rent carefully rather than assume tight conditions. Development activity is material at 193 applications in 12 months, including proposals for 4 and 2 dwellings, which can expand rental and resale competition locally. Rents have grown 27.4% across the shift period, while the wider area is forecast to grow 0.92% annually, driven by overseas migration. The rental case is supported by demand diversity, but supply and vacancy sit above what a scarce-stock strategy would prefer.
Development Activity
Total DAs
287
Last 12 Months
193
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+257.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Reservoir
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment
Reservoir East Primary School
Reservoir Primary School
Reservoir Views Primary School
Reservoir West Primary School
Demographics
Reservoir's median age is 38, 2 years lower than the national figure, and 42.9% of residents have university qualifications, 12.8 percentage points higher than nationally. Overseas-born residents account for 37.6%, or 16 points above the national share, with Italian, Greek, Arabic and Mandarin among the leading home languages at 1,872, 1,247, 1,076 and 915 people. English and Italian are the largest reported ancestries at 9,785 and 9,475. Average household size is 2.4, 0.1 below national, while 77.3% stayed at the same address and 22.7% moved. These patterns point to an established suburb adding overseas connections without high residential churn.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
63.2%
Houses
32.5%
Townhouse
3.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Reservoir's housing market is anchored by houses, but its 32.5% semi-detached share creates more choice than a purely detached suburb. Separate houses account for 63.2% and apartments 3.9%. Three-bedroom dwellings lead at 44.4%, followed by two-bedroom homes at 34.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 15.6%. Tenure is split across 31.6% outright owners, 29.6% mortgage holders and 37.2% renters. Compared with Preston's more concentrated housing corridors, Reservoir's broader mix supports downsizers, families and renters, although affordability fell from 61.1 in 2011 to 46.4 in 2021.
Mortgage / mo
$1,986
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $360.
$530
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $560 · units $500
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$741
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.8%
Unoccupied
1,946
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
41.6%
Couples with children
38.2%
Couples, no children
17.5%
Single parent
13,259
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads Reservoir's industry mix at 17.5%, followed by Education at 12.1%, Professional/Tech at 10.2%, Construction at 8.5% and Public Administration at 8.1%. Occupations include 6,366 professionals, 3,207 clerical/admin workers and 3,131 trades workers, showing more breadth than a single-sector base. Participation is 60.1%, unemployment 5.9% and full-time work 58.7%; household income is at the 48.5 percentile, just below the midpoint. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 6 is above IER decile 3, while IRSD decile 4 and IRSAD decile 5 sit below higher-decile areas. Education and occupation indicators therefore run ahead of current economic resources.
Unemployment
5.9%
Labour Force
25,922
Unemployed
1,527
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.7%
Part-time
34.1%
Participation
60.1%
Employed
24,395
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.9%
Postgraduate
12.8%
Born Overseas
37.6%
Dwellings
20,245
Transport to Work
Reservoir provides 10 local schools across government, Catholic and independent sectors, covering primary, secondary and special education. Families should check enrolment zones against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across suburb edges. Daily travel remains car-led: 54.9% drive, compared with 6.0% using public transport, while 33.3% work from home. The main livability caution is safety, with 4,750 offences and a rate of 93.0 per 1,000; property and deception offences total 2,899, higher than crimes against the person at 644. IRSAD sits at decile 5, close to the middle rather than the top socioeconomic tier. This mix supports practical services and school access, but transport dependence and crime exposure should shape address selection.
Drive
54.9%
Public Transport
6.0%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
33.3%
Population Forecast
+0.92%/yr
(+150 people/yr)
EstablishedReservoir is an established market with a forecast annual trend of 0.92%, with growth driven primarily by overseas migration. Population change across the wider area is 14.5% over 10 years, above a static-market outcome, while the forecast shift is labelled Mixed. Rents have risen 27.4% and real incomes 36.4%, but affordability moved from 61.1 in 2011 to 46.4 in 2021, so price pressure remains important. Gentrification signals are uneven: the gentrification score is 27, classified as Early signs, while the shift profile records 53 and Active. The suburb recovered from a 3.9% COVID dip with a 6.2% recovery, suggesting resilience because established housing and overseas migration continue to support demand.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+404
Net Internal / yr
-145
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +21% since 2011, Net internal outflow -145/yr, Strong overseas inflow +404/yr, COVID recovered (-4% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
4,750
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
93.0
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 Reservoir compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Reservoir a good suburb to live in?
Reservoir suits buyers seeking established housing, with 51,096 residents, 63.2% separate houses and access to 10 schools. Its median age of 38 is 2 years below national, while the 93.0 offences-per-1,000 rate is a meaningful caution compared with lower-crime areas. Inspect streets and transport access before deciding.
What schools are in Reservoir?
Reservoir has 10 schools: 7 primary schools, 2 secondary schools and 1 special school. The sector mix is 8 government schools, 1 Catholic school and 1 independent school. Compared with a single-sector offering, that provides broader school-type coverage, but families should check the exact address against enrolment zones.
Is Reservoir safe?
Safety is mixed rather than uniformly low-risk. Reservoir recorded 4,750 offences, equal to 93.0 per 1,000 people; property and deception offences were 2,899, higher than crimes against the person at 644. That profile is above what many buyers would seek for a low-crime setting, so compare the exact street, lighting, parking and security before renting or buying.
Is Reservoir good for property investment?
Reservoir can suit a longer-term investor, with 37.2% renting, weekly rent of $360 and 193 development applications over 12 months. Rents grew 27.4%, but vacancy is 8.8%, higher than a tightly constrained rental market would be expected to show. The annual growth trend is 0.92% and overseas migration is the main driver, so assess supply and dwelling type carefully.
How is Reservoir's population changing?
Reservoir's population is 51,096 today, and the wider area's 10-year population change is 14.5%. Growth is forecast at 0.92% annually and is driven by overseas migration. The trajectory is labelled Mixed, with a 22.7% turnover rate and 77.3% of residents staying at the same address. That points to gradual change rather than a highly transient market.
What languages are spoken in Reservoir?
Italian is the leading listed home language at 1,872 people, followed by Greek at 1,247, Arabic at 1,076 and Mandarin at 915. Overseas-born residents make up 37.6%, which is 16 percentage points above the national share. The language profile is broader than a single-origin area and reflects Reservoir's established migration links.
What development is happening in Reservoir?
Development activity is substantial, with 193 applications in the past 12 months. Recent examples include 4 two-storey dwellings on one lot, 2 double-storey dwellings and a subdivision application. This pipeline is higher than a no-change market and may add housing choice, although it can also increase construction activity and future competition between similar properties.
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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