Sandringham
A 47-year median age makes Sandringham older than the national profile, while 54.2% of residents hold a university qualification, 24.1 percentage points above the national level. Its 10,926 residents occupy a compact 3.71 sq km at 2,942.7 people per sq km, and household income sits at the 88.4th percentile. Coastal amenity, professional employment and a stable resident base support demand because 51.1% of residents work from home.
Population
10,926
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,313/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$2.5M
October to December 2025
Housing is split between separate houses at 50.2%, apartments at 26.9% and semi-detached homes at 22.5%, creating more choice than a purely detached market. Outright ownership is 40.1%, while mortgage costs equal 27.0% of household income and mortgage stress is not flagged. The mix creates choice because buyers can trade land size against apartment or townhouse-style living, although the absolute purchase price remains high.
For Buyers
Housing is split between separate houses at 50.2%, apartments at 26.9% and semi-detached homes at 22.5%, creating more choice than a purely detached market. Outright ownership is 40.1%, while mortgage costs equal 27.0% of household income and mortgage stress is not flagged. The mix creates choice because buyers can trade land size against apartment or townhouse-style living, although the absolute purchase price remains high.
For Investors
Investors face a premium acquisition market with a $460 weekly median rent and 25.6% of households renting. The 10.1% vacancy rate warrants conservative assumptions about letting speed and rent competition, especially compared with a tightly held market. Development activity is modest at 11 applications in 12 months, which supports an established-stock strategy rather than a large pipeline thesis. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while rents have grown 22.7% across the shift period. That combination can support tenant demand, but high vacancy and premium pricing make cash flow less compelling than long-term land and location exposure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+42.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Sandringham
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Sacred Heart School
Sandringham East Primary School
Sandringham Primary School
Sandringham College
Demographics
Sandringham has an older, highly educated profile: the median age is 47, which is 7.0 years above the national comparison, and university attainment is 54.2%, or 24.1 percentage points above the national figure. Overseas-born residents account for 27.0%, 5.4 points above the national share, while average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below the national level. English ancestry is reported by 4,575 people, followed by Irish at 1,626 and Scottish at 1,449. No religion is recorded for 4,978 residents versus 4,896 identifying with Christianity. Couples with children represent 46.6% of families, but couples without children still account for 41.4%, a mix that fits an aging trajectory because established households are more prominent than a strongly youth-led population.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
50.2%
Houses
22.5%
Townhouse
26.9%
Apartment
Tenure
Sandringham's price cycle has been strong but not uniform. Tenure is relatively settled, with 40.1% owning outright and 32.7% paying a mortgage, compared with 25.6% renting. The dwelling mix is almost evenly split between separate houses at 50.2% and smaller formats, including 26.9% apartments and 22.5% semi-detached homes. Two- and three-bedroom homes dominate at 27.5% and 33.1%, while 30.2% have four or more bedrooms. This spread creates flexibility because households can choose between family-sized homes and lower-maintenance formats.
Mortgage / mo
$2,708
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$460
Census 2021
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$1,090
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.1%
Unoccupied
479
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
46.6%
Couples with children
41.4%
Couples, no children
11.5%
Single parent
2,928
Total families
Economy & Employment
Sandringham's economic base is professional and service-oriented. Professional/Tech accounts for 18.3% of jobs, ahead of Healthcare at 14.8%, Education at 11.2%, Construction at 7.9% and Finance at 7.7%. The occupation profile reinforces that pattern: 1,832 professionals and 1,305 managers sit well above the 622 people in clerical and administrative roles, with Community/Personal at 479 and Sales at 453. Labour-force participation is 61.7%, unemployment is 3.9% and full-time employment is 58.7%, indicating a relatively strong employment position. Socioeconomic measures rank the area in the top decile for education and occupation, with IEO decile 10, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 10 and IRSAD decile 10. Household income at the 88.4th percentile aligns with those results, while the 51.1% work-from-home rate helps explain demand for space and flexible housing.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
5,676
Unemployed
223
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
35.1%
Participation
61.7%
Employed
5,453
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
54.2%
Postgraduate
15.3%
Born Overseas
27.0%
Dwellings
4,253
Transport to Work
Daily life is shaped by strong home-based work and modest public-transport use: 51.1% work from home, 39.7% drive a car, 3.3% use public transport and 3.8% walk or cycle to work. Four nearby schools provide a practical mix of 3 government schools, including primary and secondary options, and 1 Catholic primary school; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. The crime rate is 64.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, with 706 offences recorded and property and deception offences accounting for 461. Sandringham sits in the top socioeconomic decile, with IRSAD decile 10 and IRSD decile 10, indicating strong relative advantage. Its 3.71 sq km footprint supports convenient access to shops, schools and the station, while the 47-year median age suits quieter routines more than a student-oriented setting because older households are more established.
Drive
39.7%
Public Transport
3.3%
Walk / Cycle
3.8%
Work from Home
51.1%
Population Forecast
+0.75%/yr
(+136 people/yr)
EstablishedSandringham is an established market with growth running at 0.75% annually, above zero rather than in decline. Overseas migration is the primary driver, giving demand a different base from purely family-led expansion. Across the wider area, population change is 13.8% over 10 years, while the shift trajectory is labelled Aging: the senior share has risen 4.3 percentage points and the young share has fallen 3.4 points. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage, with a score of 25, and rents have grown 22.7%. The suburb also recovered a 2.6% COVID dip, matching a 2.6% recovery. These signals point to gradual change rather than a sudden redevelopment cycle because established housing, premium prices and an aging base temper the pace.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+240
Net Internal / yr
-48
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +14% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +240/yr, COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
706
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
64.6
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 Sandringham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
What schools are in Sandringham?
Four schools are located in Sandringham: 3 government schools and 1 Catholic school. The mix covers government primary and secondary education plus a Catholic primary option. Check the exact address against enrolment zones, because boundaries can differ between schools and may affect access.
Is Sandringham safe?
Sandringham recorded 706 offences, equal to 64.6 incidents per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences were the largest category at 461, followed by justice procedures at 100. Review recent local conditions and address-level factors rather than relying on a suburb-wide rate alone.
How is Sandringham's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 13.8% over 10 years, with growth forecast at 0.75% annually. Overseas migration is the primary driver, but the trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose 4.3 points and the young share fell 3.4 points. Gentrification is at Early signs with a score of 25.
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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