Sandhurst
Sandhurst combines a high-income mortgage-belt profile with an aging trajectory: its 5,211 residents have a household income at the 94.8th percentile, 70.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms, and the median age is 41. Compared with nearby Carrum Downs and Skye, Sandhurst reads as a more owner-occupier-oriented enclave, with 57.8% of households paying a mortgage and only 13.5% renting. Overseas-born residents account for 31.7%, adding migration diversity to a settled base where 82.2% stayed at the same address.
Population
5,211
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,714/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Median House
$1.1M
October to December 2025
Separate houses make up 91.0% of stock, while semi-detached homes account for 9.0%, so apartment choice is limited. The mortgage burden is 20.3% of household income, supported by household earnings of $2,714 a week. Compared with nearby Carrum Downs and Skye, buyers should expect an established detached-house market rather than a broad apartment selection.
For Buyers
Separate houses make up 91.0% of stock, while semi-detached homes account for 9.0%, so apartment choice is limited. The mortgage burden is 20.3% of household income, supported by household earnings of $2,714 a week. Compared with nearby Carrum Downs and Skye, buyers should expect an established detached-house market rather than a broad apartment selection.
For Investors
That low rental share can limit tenant depth, although 3.0 people per household and 54.2% couples with children support demand for larger dwellings. Rents have grown 28.6%, a higher recent increase than the 2.3% real-income growth recorded locally, but the development pipeline is light at 2 applications in 12 months. Compared with a higher-turnover market, Sandhurst's 17.8% turnover and 82.2% staying rate point to steadier occupancy rather than rapid tenant churn. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver.
Development Activity
Total DAs
3
Last 12 Months
2
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Sandhurst has a settled but internationally connected demographic. The median age is 41, 1.0 year above the national figure, and the 3.0-person average household is 0.5 above the national comparison. Couples with children form 54.2% of families, while couples without children account for 37.2%, fitting the suburb's 70.5% four-bedroom-plus housing profile. University attainment is 37.7%, 7.6 percentage points above the national comparison, and overseas-born residents represent 31.7%, 10.1 points higher than nationally. English, Scottish and Irish ancestry are prominent, alongside Indian ancestry at 219 people. Christianity counts 2,449 residents and no religion 2,119. With 82.2% staying at the same address, Sandhurst is less transient than a high-turnover area, even as overseas migration remains the primary growth driver.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.0%
Houses
9.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Sandhurst's housing market is expensive, spacious and overwhelmingly detached. Across 20 quarters, the compound annual growth rate was 3.6%, so the long-run result is stronger than the recent peak-to-latest movement suggests. Tenure is mortgage-heavy: 57.8% are paying off a loan, 28.4% own outright and 13.5% rent. Four-bedroom-plus homes account for 70.5%, compared with 27.6% three-bedroom homes, because the local stock is built around larger separate houses. The 20.3% mortgage-to-income measure is above the 19.5% rent-to-income measure, but neither stress flag is active.
Mortgage / mo
$2,383
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$530
Census 2021
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,093
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.0%
Unoccupied
71
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
54.2%
Couples with children
37.2%
Couples, no children
8.7%
Single parent
1,575
Total families
Economy & Employment
Sandhurst has a high-income, high-participation economy anchored by health, construction and professional work. Household income is $2,714 a week at the 94.8th percentile, while labour-force participation is 71.2% and unemployment is 3.3%. Healthcare is the largest industry at 15.4% or 294 workers, followed by construction at 10.9% and 208, professional and technical services at 10.4% and 200, manufacturing at 10.1% and 193, and education at 10.0% and 191. Professionals number 626 and managers 587, ahead of clerical and administrative workers at 440. SEIFA deciles are 6 for education and occupation, 9 for economic resources, 8 for disadvantage and 7 for advantage. The higher resources result reflects strong household incomes despite a less elevated education and occupation ranking. Full-time workers make up 64.3% of employment.
Unemployment
3.3%
Labour Force
2,919
Unemployed
95
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
64.3%
Part-time
30.0%
Participation
71.2%
Employed
2,824
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.7%
Postgraduate
9.5%
Born Overseas
31.7%
Dwellings
1,722
Transport to Work
Sandhurst suits households that value larger homes, driving access and a settled residential pattern. Car driving is the dominant commute mode at 59.1%, while 35.2% work from home and only 0.6% use public transport, so daily convenience is more car-dependent than transit-led. The suburb records 144 offences, or 27.6 per 1,000 residents, with property and deception offences at 80 and crimes against the person at 50. Its IRSAD is in decile 7 and the IRSD in decile 8, both above the middle of the national distribution, aligning with household income at the 94.8th percentile. Families should check nearby primary and secondary enrolment zones against the exact address, because boundaries can cross suburb lines. The 3.2% need-assistance rate and 11.1% volunteering rate add to the community profile.
Drive
59.1%
Public Transport
0.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
35.2%
Population Forecast
+1.93%/yr
(+262 people/yr)
EstablishedSandhurst's growth outlook is positive but paired with demographic ageing. The forecast trend is 1.93% annually, with overseas migration named as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 26.1% over 10 years. The shift trajectory is Aging: the senior share is up 5.8 percentage points, the young share is down 3.1 points and the working share is down 2.4 points. This matters because demand may increasingly favour accessible, established housing rather than only entry-level family stock. Gentrification is rated Not gentrifying with a score of 9, although another shift measure records Early signs at 22, so the signals are mixed rather than uniformly upward. Rents rose 28.6%, above real-income growth of 2.3%, which can tighten affordability even though the affordability trend is Stable at 48.9% in 2021 versus 47.9% in 2011.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+114
Net Internal / yr
-182
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +27% since 2011, Net internal outflow -182/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
144
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
27.6
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 Sandhurst compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Sandhurst?
Families should check nearby primary and secondary enrolment zones against the exact Sandhurst address, because boundaries can cross suburb lines. School travel is likely to be more car-oriented than transit-based, with 59.1% driving to work and only 0.6% using public transport.
Is Sandhurst safe?
Sandhurst records 144 offences at a rate of 27.6 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 80 incidents, while crimes against the person account for 50. The suburb is identified with a low-crime profile, but households should still consider street-level conditions and secure-property measures.
How is Sandhurst's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is forecast at 1.93% annually, driven primarily by overseas migration, with population change of 26.1% over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share has risen 5.8 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 3.1 points. This may shift demand toward established and accessible housing.
What languages are spoken in Sandhurst?
English is the dominant cultural background, while Afrikaans is recorded for 42 residents, Greek for 41, Mandarin for 39, Punjabi for 28 and Hindi for 21. Overseas-born residents make up 31.7% of the population, which is 10.1 percentage points above the national comparison.
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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