Ringwood
Ringwood carries a bigger hub role than many eastern suburbs, with 19,144 residents, density of 1,891.6 people per sq km and a median house price of $1,040,000. Compared with nearby Croydon and Ringwood East, it is more clearly shaped by retail, rail access, schools and apartments around the centre, yet 76.1% of dwellings are still separate houses. The trade-off is visible: renting is high at 40.5% and the crime rate is 178.5 per 1,000, because major activity centres attract both convenience and more reported incidents.
Population
19,144
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,654/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$1.0M
Apr-Jun 2024
Homebuyers are paying for an established eastern hub: the median house price is $1,040,000, which is 2.6% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $1,067,800 but 88.4% higher than the 2013 level of $552,000. Detached stock still dominates at 76.1%, while 38.6% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 21.2% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs sit at 27.9% of income, below the stress flag, so Ringwood suits buyers who want family housing near services without moving further than the Maroondah core.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying for an established eastern hub: the median house price is $1,040,000, which is 2.6% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $1,067,800 but 88.4% higher than the 2013 level of $552,000. Detached stock still dominates at 76.1%, while 38.6% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 21.2% have 4 or more. Mortgage costs sit at 27.9% of income, below the stress flag, so Ringwood suits buyers who want family housing near services without moving further than the Maroondah core.
For Investors
Ringwood has a deep tenant pool, with 40.5% of households renting and a median weekly rent of $381. Demand is helped by overseas migration, averaging +374 people a year, compared with a net internal outflow of -200. The caution is vacancy: 9.7% is high enough to make pricing and property quality matter. With 17 development applications in 12 months and rent growth of 35.6% in the shift period, investors get activity-centre demand, but not a low-vacancy set-and-forget market.
Development Activity
Total DAs
42
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+162.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Ringwood iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Yarra Valley Grammar
Prep-12 · 1899 students
Kalinda Primary School
Prep-6 · 424 students
Aquinas College
7-12 · 1659 students
Mullum Primary School
Prep-6 · 261 students
Norwood Secondary College
7-12 · 1083 students
Demographics
Ringwood is younger and more educated than the national pattern, with a median age of 38, which is 2.0 years below national, and university attainment of 45.8%, 15.7 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 36.9%, also 15.3 points above national, led by English ancestry at 5,620 people and Chinese ancestry at 2,853. Mandarin is the largest non-English language group at 760 speakers, because Ringwood's schools, transport and retail jobs draw both established families and newer migrant households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.1%
Houses
10.8%
Townhouse
13.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ringwood's housing market has reset slightly from its recent high but remains much higher than a decade ago. The latest $1,040,000 median is 2.6% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak and 88.4% above the 2013 trough of $552,000, a 4.6% compound annual growth rate over 14 years. Ownership is mixed, with 26.9% owned outright, 32.6% mortgaged and 40.5% rented. Separate houses still account for 76.1%, but 13.1% apartments and 10.8% semi-detached homes give more choice than many detached-only suburbs.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (Apr-Jun 2024)
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (year ending Sep 2025), Homes Victoria bond data (year-ending median). Census 2021 median: $381.
$560
Bond data year ending Sep 2025 · houses $600 · units $520
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$820
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
817
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.0%
Couples, no children
14,534
Total families
Economy & Employment
Ringwood's economy leans toward services and skilled work, with healthcare at 17.6% of local industry employment, followed by professional and tech at 12.0%, education at 11.8%, construction at 8.8% and retail at 7.8%. Professionals are the largest occupation group at 2,758 people, above clerical and admin at 1,289 and managers at 1,267. The SEIFA pattern is split: education and occupation ranks in decile 8, while economic resources are lower in decile 4, because the suburb combines high qualifications with 40.5% renting and household income at the 57.2 percentile.
Unemployment
6.2%
Labour Force
11,174
Unemployed
690
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
60.2%
Employed
9,112
Occupations
Top Industries
University
45.8%
Postgraduate
14.0%
Born Overseas
36.9%
Dwellings
7,592
Transport to Work
Ringwood's livability is strongest for households that value schools, shops and arterial access more than a quiet low-activity setting. Public transport use is 6.8%, car driving is much higher at 84.0%, and walking or cycling is 3.7%, so day-to-day life remains car-heavy despite the station. The suburb has 7 schools with ICSEA scores from 981 to 1,155, led by Yarra Valley Grammar, Kalinda Primary School and Aquinas College across Independent, Government and Catholic sectors. IRSAD decile 7 ranks above the national middle, but the 178.5 per 1,000 crime rate needs weighing.
Drive
84.0%
Public Transport
6.8%
Walk / Cycle
3.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.05%/yr
(+208 people/yr)
EstablishedRingwood is forecast to grow steadily rather than sharply, with the trend model adding 1.05% a year, or about 208 people annually. The medium projection reaches 21,042 residents by 2031, compared with 19,779 in 2025. Migration explains the pattern: overseas migration is the primary driver at +374 people a year, while internal movement is -200 a year. Gentrification is rated 16 and 'Not gentrifying', below the earlier shift score of 34, because population growth is occurring without a clear displacement-style price or income surge.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+374
Net Internal / yr
-200
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +19% since 2011, Net internal outflow -200/yr, Strong overseas inflow +374/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
3,417
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
178.5
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 Ringwood compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ringwood a good suburb to live in?
Ringwood is a good fit for buyers wanting an established activity centre, 7 local schools and a median age of 38, which is below the national age by 2.0 years. The main trade-off is a crime rate of 178.5 per 1,000.
What is the median house price in Ringwood?
The median house price in Ringwood is $1,040,000 for Apr-Jun 2024. That is 2.6% below the Jan-Mar 2024 peak of $1,067,800, but still 88.4% higher than the 2013 median of $552,000.
What schools are in Ringwood?
Ringwood has 7 schools, with ICSEA scores ranging from 981 to 1,155. Key options include Yarra Valley Grammar with 1,899 students, Aquinas College with 1,659, and Ringwood Secondary College with 1,516.
Is Ringwood safe?
Ringwood recorded 3,417 offences, equal to 178.5 per 1,000 people. The largest category is property and deception offences at 1,680, so safety varies by location and use of the busy retail and transport precincts.
Is Ringwood good for property investment?
Ringwood has investor appeal because 40.5% of households rent and overseas migration averages +374 people a year. Vacancy is 9.7%, however, which is higher risk for landlords than a tight rental market.
How is Ringwood's population changing?
Ringwood is growing at a forecast 1.05% a year, or about 208 people annually. The medium projection rises from 19,779 in 2025 to 21,042 in 2031, driven mainly by overseas migration.
What languages are spoken in Ringwood?
Ringwood is more internationally mixed than the national average, with 36.9% of residents born overseas. Mandarin is the largest listed non-English language at 760 speakers, followed by Cantonese at 283.
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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