Scoresby
Detached houses make up 96.4% of dwellings in Scoresby, an unusually pure house market that shapes nearly every other number here. The median house price sits at $960,500, supported by household incomes in the 73.8th percentile nationally. Population has grown 27.4% since 2011, yet 41.7% of households still carry a mortgage and only 23.0% rent, a profile that reads as a settled mortgage belt rather than an investor zone. The suburb is also notably international, with 41.5% of residents born overseas, 19.9 points above the national figure, led by Chinese ancestry at 1,111 people behind English at 1,443.
Population
6,066
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,965/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Median House
$960K
Apr-Jun 2024
Buyers face an almost entirely detached market, with separate houses at 96.4% and apartments just 0.4%, so there is little entry-level stock to soften the $960,500 median. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes 43.8%, confirming this is family territory rather than a downsizer market. Prices have softened recently, down 3.0% from the $990,000 peak in late 2023, which gives buyers some negotiating room. The case for ownership is helped by affordability: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,023 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 73.8th percentile. That gap explains why 41.7% of households are buying with a mortgage.
For Buyers
Buyers face an almost entirely detached market, with separate houses at 96.4% and apartments just 0.4%, so there is little entry-level stock to soften the $960,500 median. Three-bedroom homes account for 51.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes 43.8%, confirming this is family territory rather than a downsizer market. Prices have softened recently, down 3.0% from the $990,000 peak in late 2023, which gives buyers some negotiating room. The case for ownership is helped by affordability: monthly mortgage repayments average $2,023 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 23.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes sit in the 73.8th percentile. That gap explains why 41.7% of households are buying with a mortgage.
For Investors
Scoresby is a thin rental market by design, with only 23.0% of residents renting against 35.3% who own outright and 41.7% paying off a mortgage. Weekly rent averages $406, and against the $960,500 median that implies a gross yield near 2.2%, low for an outer suburb. The vacancy rate of 3.8% is slightly loose, so tenant demand is steady rather than tight. Rent has grown 30.8% over the period, which is the stronger part of the investment case. Demand drivers are split: overseas migration adds about 210 residents a year while internal migration removes 168, leaving net growth dependent on new arrivals. With development running at just 15 applications in 12 months, new supply is minimal, so the case rests on rent growth and the scarcity of detached stock rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
27
Last 12 Months
18
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+350.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Scoresby iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Jude the Apostle School
Prep-6 · 271 students
Scoresby Primary School
Prep-6 · 136 students
Scoresby Secondary College
7-12 · 244 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, but the trajectory is aging, with the senior share up 3.3 points and the working-age share down 2.4 points over the decade. Scoresby is markedly international: 41.5% of residents were born overseas, 19.9 points above national, and university qualifications reach 42.3%, which is 12.2 points higher than the national rate. Ancestry is led by English at 1,443 and Chinese at 1,111, and the most common non-English languages are Mandarin (265 speakers) and Cantonese (135). Average household size is 2.8, which is 0.3 above national, consistent with the family profile where couples with children (2,122 families) outnumber couples without (1,085). Buddhism (461) and Hinduism (377) follow Christianity (2,568) in religion, reflecting the migrant mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.4%
Houses
3.1%
Townhouse
0.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward buyers: 41.7% of households carry a mortgage, 35.3% own outright and only 23.0% rent, a structure that signals owner-occupier demand rather than investor churn. The stock is 96.4% separate houses with apartments at 0.4%, and bedrooms skew large, with 51.0% three-bedroom and 43.8% four-plus, so smaller dwellings are scarce. Prices rose 88.7% from $509,000 in 2013 to the latest $960,500, a 4.6% compound annual rate, though the market has eased 3.0% from its $990,000 peak. Affordability has held steady, moving only from 54.4% in 2011 to 53.7% in 2021. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.8% and rent-to-income of 20.7% both sit below stress levels, which is why a growing population can keep buying despite a near-$1M median.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,023
Rent / wk
$406
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$765
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.8%
Unoccupied
83
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.7%
Couples, no children
5,253
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce leans on services, with Healthcare leading at 18.8% (396 workers), Professional/Tech at 10.7% (225) and Education at 10.2% (215), while Construction (9.2%) and Manufacturing (9.0%) keep a blue-collar base alive. By occupation, Professionals (728) outnumber Clerical/Admin (413) and Managers (386), which fits the 42.3% university qualification rate, 12.2 points above national. Unemployment is 5.2% and the full-time employment rate is 63.9%. SEIFA places the suburb in the upper-middle advantage tiers: IRSD decile 8 and IER decile 8, with IEO and IRSAD both at decile 7. The slightly lower IEO of decile 7 reflects the manufacturing and construction share holding the education-and-occupation index just under the wealth measures.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
9,735
Unemployed
373
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.9%
Part-time
30.9%
Participation
62.0%
Employed
2,943
Occupations
Top Industries
University
42.3%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
41.5%
Dwellings
2,072
Transport to Work
Scoresby is built around the car, with 89.2% of commuters driving and only 2.6% using public transport and 1.6% walking or cycling, a pattern typical of an 8.69 km2 outer suburb at 698 residents per km2. Crime runs at 82.1 offences per 1,000 residents across 498 total incidents, with property and deception offences (288) the dominant category and crimes against the person a smaller 60. The suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, an upper-middle tier that signals few residents face deprivation, and only 4.6% of people need daily assistance. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a trade-off for the low-density, house-dominant setting.
Drive
89.2%
Public Transport
2.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.21%/yr
(+209 people/yr)
EstablishedScoresby is in steady expansion rather than a boom, with annual population growth of 1.21% adding about 209 people a year, and a 27.4% rise since 2011. Medium forecasts lift the wider area from 17,232 in 2025 toward 18,698 by 2031, a continuation of the trend. The single driver is overseas migration at roughly 210 a year, which more than offsets a net internal outflow of 168, so growth here depends on new arrivals settling rather than locals relocating in. The gentrification score reads 19, classified as not gentrifying, despite early-signal indicators elsewhere, because the established detached housing leaves little room for the stock turnover that drives gentrification. Real incomes grew 7.7% over the decade, a modest gain compared with the 30.8% rise in rents.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+210
Net Internal / yr
-168
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +28% since 2011, Net internal outflow -168/yr, Strong overseas inflow +210/yr
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
498
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
82.1
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 Scoresby compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scoresby a good suburb to live in?
Scoresby scores decile 8 on the IRSD disadvantage index, an upper-middle tier, with household incomes in the 73.8th percentile nationally. It is family-oriented, with 96.4% detached houses and an aging trend as the senior share rose 3.3 points. The main trade-offs are heavy car reliance, with 89.2% driving, and a near-$1M median house price.
What is the median house price in Scoresby?
The median house price is $960,500 as of the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter, down 3.0% from the $990,000 peak in late 2023. Prices have risen 88.7% since 2013, a 4.6% compound annual rate. Weekly rent averages $406 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,023.
What schools are in Scoresby?
No schools are recorded inside the Scoresby boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is well educated, with university qualifications at 42.3%, which is 12.2 points above the national figure.
Is Scoresby safe?
Scoresby recorded 498 offences, a rate of 82.1 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences dominate at 288, while crimes against the person are lower at 60. The suburb scores decile 8 on the IRSD disadvantage index, an upper-middle tier consistent with a low-deprivation area.
Is Scoresby good for property investment?
Rent of $406 a week against a $960,500 median gives a gross yield near 2.2%, low for an outer suburb, and only 23.0% of residents rent. Rent has grown 30.8% over the period, and overseas migration of 210 a year supports demand, so returns lean on rent growth and scarcity over yield.
How is Scoresby's population changing?
Population has grown 27.4% since 2011 and is rising about 1.21% a year, adding roughly 209 people annually. Growth is driven by overseas migration of about 210 a year, which offsets a net internal outflow of 168. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.3 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Scoresby?
About 41.5% of residents were born overseas, 19.9 points above the national figure. English is dominant, but Mandarin (265 speakers) and Cantonese (135) are the most common non-English languages, with Sinhala (113) and Greek (41) also present, reflecting strong Chinese and South Asian communities.
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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